ACROSS THE PRAIRIE
As the sun rode slowly down the sky and passed the barriers of the
low-hanging clouds, a herd of tiny prong-horned antelopes scampered near
for a closer view of the boys and dog.
"Down, Ohitika!" Hawk Eye commanded. "We need fresh meat," he added,
turning to Raven Wing.
"But they are beyond arrow flight," answered the younger boy.
"They are inquisitive animals," said Hawk Eye. "I will try to bring them
nearer. Let us lie down and see if I cannot attract their attention."
Both boys dropped to the ground. Hawk Eye fastened a moccasin to one end
of his bow and slowly waved it to and fro. In a few minutes an antelope
came slowly toward them. Pausing now and again, it gradually came within
range. In the meantime Raven Wing had set the head of an arrow against
the string. At length he let it fly. The stricken animal gave a leap
into the air and fell to the ground. Its frightened comrades galloped
away and were out of range before Raven Wing could send out another
arrow.
[Illustration: HAWK EYE FASTENED A MOCCASIN TO ONE END OF HIS BOW AND
SLOWLY WAVED IT TO AND FRO.]
The sun was now near its setting, so the boys decided to make camp close
to a great boulder. From a clump of low bushes Raven Wing gathered
enough dry twigs and leaves to make a small fire, and before long strips
of antelope meat were roasting over the flames. The bushes grew around a
tiny spring, at which they drank and satisfied their thirst before they
sat down to eat.
When the meal was ended, Hawk Eye said: "Let us cut up the choice parts
of the antelope into thin strips. These can be hung from a strip of hide
and allowed to dry in the sun as we journey on."
For some little time before darkness came down the boys were busy
preparing the meat for drying.
"We will get up with the sun," said Hawk Eye, as he stretched himself on
the ground.
At the first pale tint of dawn the boys awoke. After drinking and
bathing at the spring they ate heartily of the portion of well cooked
meat that remained from their evening meal. Taking another long drink at
the spring, they hung their bows from their shoulders and lifted the
leather thong with the strips of meat from the bush tops.
"The wind and the sun will soon dry the meat," remarked Hawk Eye, taking
hold of one end. Raven Wing grasped the other and they set off over the
short, light green, hair-like grass of the upland. Dew glittered on stem
and flower as the sun rose higher. Now and again the peep of the prairie
chick or the call of the plover came to their ears. As they neared a
rocky ridge a badger slipped into his den.
At length Raven Wing remarked, "Very soon we should come across a trail
to the river."
"The trail of the paleface trader Renville?" inquired Hawk Eye.
"Yes; 'tis wide and well worn by the wheels of his carts and the hoofs
of his oxen," answered Raven Wing.
As the sun reached the middle of the sky, Hawk Eye stopped. Dropping his
end of the leather thong, he said;
"We have not yet found the trail. Let us spread apart. I will follow a
line running between the land of Snows and the Rising Sun. You go
forward slantingly toward the Ever Summer Land. But neither of us may go
far without again setting face toward the Rising Sun. By so doing, one
of us may come upon the trail as we journey toward the upward bend of
the river."
"We must keep within the sound of each other's voice," cautioned Raven
Wing.
"Yes," agreed Hawk Eye. "I will shoulder the meat. It is by now quite
dry." Making a bundle of the strips, he set off at a slant towards the
north. Raven Wing veered towards the south.
Before long he halted at a faint, distant call from Hawk Eye.
"He has come across the trail," said Raven Wing to himself. Turning
toward the north, he broke into a run. As he came to the ridge of a low
swell of ground, he saw Hawk Eye. In a few minutes he stood beside him.
"You have found the trail," he laughed, perceiving the sunken track made
by cart wheels.
"Yes, but we must go fast to catch the thief," answered Hawk Eye. "We
must gain a point of vantage on the bank ahead of him. Once there, we
can lay plans to recover our stolen canoes."
[Illustration: {Deer with antlers.}]