ANXIOUS WAITING.
This was astounding news, indeed, and for a few minutes the two veteran
hunters were completely taken back. They had considered the place where
their animals were picketed as being so secure that the contingency of
losing them was not thought of until it came upon them with the
suddenness mentioned.
"They didn't find them themselves," growled Tom, as if determined on
finding consolation in that fact; "they've stumbled onto 'em
accidental-like, and then rid off, as though they were smart enough to
be reg'lar hoss-thieves."
"Have you seen the trail?" asked Dick.
"Yes."
"Whereaway does it lead?"
The hunter replied by pointing toward the northwest, among the hills and
mountains in the wildest portion of the country.
A hurried consultation now took place between them, and it was resolved
to recover the two mustangs. They counted it easy to secure a couple of
the Indian ponies; but among them all were none which, in their own
estimation, could compare with their own, and they were determined not
to leave the country until they were regained. The most skillful Apache
may succeed in hiding his own trail at times, but he cannot cover that
of his horse so that the trained scout will fail to find it.
It was found that the mustangs had been ridden away without being
accompanied by other animals. The number of moccasin tracks at a certain
point showed that a party of warriors had accidentally detected the
animals, each of which was mounted by a single Indian and ridden away,
the warriors taking altogether a different direction. This simplified
matters, and was not displeasing to Dick and Tom, for two of these
active redskins could, as a matter of course, be circumvented with much
more ease than could ten times that number.
Accompanied by Ned, the hunters led the way up out of the hollow,
crossed as it was by the stream of icy cold and clear water and covered
with the richest grass, and entered a more rocky section, where the
horses must have experienced considerable difficulty in traveling, as
numerous places showed where their hoofs had slipped upon the stones.
"We can beat them on that," said Dick, when they had trailed them for a
short distance. "They can't be many hours ahead of us, and when we do
catch up with 'em, Tom, we'll warm 'em; what do you say?"
Tom nodded his head to signify that he agreed with these sentiments
exactly, and the trio pressed forward harder than ever.
There were many places in which the thieves had progressed with no
little trouble, and their pursuers, unimpeded by the mustangs, were
gaining rapidly upon them; but this by no means insured success. A
hundred difficulties remained in the way, and the most that the two
hunters could hope was that the two Apaches had no suspicion of being
followed. If they believed themselves secure, it followed as a matter of
course that they would take no precautions against any surprise from the
rear. The hunters went forward at a rate which was exceedingly trying to
Ned, but he bravely held up until something like a mile was passed, when
Tom, who acted as a leader, suddenly paused.
"We must wait here till we make an observation," said he, in a low tone.
"I take it that we aren't very far from the scamps, and we must look out
and not spile the whole thing when we've got it all in shape."
For the entire distance they had been steadily advancing upon higher
ground, and having now reached the culminating point, it was necessary
to look ahead and learn whither they were going before making any rash
venture into an entirely different section. While Dick and Ned,
therefore, remained where they were, Tom stole cautiously forward for
some distance further, until he reached a high, flat rock, the edge of
which he approached on his hands and knees, and stealthily peered over.
Only a few seconds did he spend thus when he began retrograding, like a
crab.
"I think I've hit the spot," he said in an undertone, as he rejoined his
friends. "There's a sort of path which leads down into the lower
country, and as that's the only way the hosses can travel, it follers
that they must have gone that way. That 'ere place that I was speakin'
of goes down into a spot a good deal like the one where we expected to
find the animiles and didn't, and there's where I think we'll find 'em
awaitin' for us."
"Do you see any sign?" inquired Dick.
"Not yet; they wouldn't be likely to kindle a camp fire at this time of
day, and afore they jined the others. Come ahead, we must be mighty
keerful now, when we're gettin' so close."
As before, Tom took the lead, and they advanced with the greatest
caution. If the Apaches had any fear of being followed, they were very
likely to detect the men stealing down upon them; but much reliance was
placed upon the likelihood of their holding no such suspicion.
The afternoon was half gone when the locality pointed out by Hardynge
was reached, and the three halted again. As soon as they had concealed
themselves Tom continued his reconnaissance, making it with such care
that he consumed fully a half hour before concluding it. When he
reappeared, with the silence of a shadow, he whispered:
"They're there--both of 'em."
He explained that he had approached close enough to recognize his own
animal as well as Dick's. He saw nothing more, not even an Indian, but
it followed, of course, that they were near at hand. From this point
forward, therefore, the presence of the lad could be nothing but an
incumbrance, and it was agreed that he should stay where he was until
the animals were recaptured, when he could ride away with one of them.
"Remember, the varmints are close onto you," said Tom, by way of
caution; "and you must keep mighty shady. Don't go to crawling about,
and trying to peep into what's none of your business."
The boy promised obedience, and the two left him. As near as he could
judge he was within a hundred yards of the camp of the horse thieves,
and there was no certainty that, if they discovered the approach of the
hunters, they might take a course which would bring them back over the
same path. So, to avoid any unpleasant discovery, he crept in beneath
some dense shrubbery, where he felt secure against observation, and
anxiously awaited the result.
Ned had not been in this place of concealment five minutes, when he was
startled by a slight noise behind him, such as would be made by the
cautious approach of some person or creature. He turned his head, but
his view was too much obstructed by the vegetation around him. The
slight disturbance continued until Ned's curiosity got the better of his
judgment, and he stealthily parted the leaves with one hand sufficiently
to permit him to see out.
As he dreaded, he detected an Indian warrior, whose actions indicated
that he knew what was going on. He was stepping along as if fearful that
the slight rustling would catch the ears of parties who were far beyond
the range of hearing. Fortunately for Ned, at the moment he looked forth
in this stealthy manner the Apache afforded only what may be termed a
three-quarter view, having passed slightly beyond where he was hidden;
and, as he continued to move in the same direction, nothing but his back
was visible a few minutes afterward. But the lad saw enough to render
him uneasy. At first glimpse he took the Indian to be Lone Wolf, but he
caught sight of enough of his visage to make certain that it was another
warrior altogether; but he was large, powerful, and very formidable
looking, and Ned dreaded an encounter between him and one of the
hunters.
Curiously enough, he carried no gun with him, and, as the boy still
retained possession of Lone Wolf's, it seemed to young Chadmund that he
could want no better opportunity of wiping out one of those pestilent
redskins. With this purpose in view he cautiously shoved the end of the
weapon through the bushes and aimed at the back of the warrior, who, at
that moment, could not have been more than a dozen yards from him. There
could be no mistaking a target so conspicuous and so close at hand; but
when the aim was sure and Ned's finger was pressing the trigger, he
restrained himself by the self-imposed question whether it was right to
pick off a foe, savage though he was, in that fashion. He was well aware
that no mercy would have been shown him had the position been reversed;
still, he could not justify in his own mind an act that looked so much
like murder.
"No," said he, when this inward conflict had continued a minute or so.
"I s'pose Tom and Dick would laugh at me if they knew how I acted: but I
don't believe father would like to have me fight that way. Anyhow, my
conscience don't, so I won't."