THE LONE CAMP FIRE.
When the pursuing Apaches first fired their two shots, one of them
slightly wounded the hand of young Chadmund, while the other,
unsuspected by the lad, buried itself in the body of the mustang and
inflicted a fatal wound. It was characteristic of the noble creature
that his indomitable courage should remain to the last. He kept up his
astonishing speed until his rider voluntarily checked him, and then his
gait remained his natural one until nature succumbed and he dropped
dead.
It would be hard to say which emotion was the most poignant in the
breast of the young wanderer. He had learned to love the noble mustang
during their brief companionship, and he had discovered, too, how
impossible it was for him to make any substantial progress without a
good horse to ride. He had lost the best steed he had ever bestrode, and
was again thrown upon his own resources. It was natural and creditable
to the lad that, as he looked at the fallen steed, and reflected how
faithfully he had served him, his hands should seek his eyes. So they
did, and he spent full ten minutes in a regular old-fashioned cry, such
as he had not enjoyed since receiving a good trouncing at the hands of
his parent.
When his grief had subsided somewhat, he bade the unconscious form
good-bye, and with his rifle over his shoulder started ahead again. He
could not bear even to remove the blanket which was strapped around the
body of the mustang, and which was likely to be of great service to him
in his wanderings.
It was already growing dark, when he aimed for the hills, and, as his
eye swept over the the prairie, he saw no Indian or sign of danger. He
was hopeful that for the time being, at least, he was free from
molestation. His greatest trouble was, that he was ravenously hungry
again, and he counted upon considerable difficulty in securing the
wherewithal with which to satisfy his cravings. True, he had gun and
ammunition, but the game which he wished to meet seemed to be, as a
rule, reluctant to put itself within his reach.
After reaching the hills, the lad's next proceeding was to hunt up some
suitable spot in which to pass the night. The air was so warm and sultry
that he could have made no use of the blanket, had he possessed it. The
place was full of stunted trees and undergrowth, with jagged, irregular
masses of stone lying here and there, and constantly obtruding
themselves in such a way that he received a number of severe bruises.
After tramping about for a short time he discovered that the hills were
mainly in the form of a ridge, passing over the crest of which he went
down the opposite slope and found himself among a mass of larger rocks,
and in a still wilder section. There, while searching, it occurred to
him that he might find a suitable retreat among the rocks. The sound of
trickling water directed his steps a little to the left, where a tiny
rivulet was found dripping down from the dark stones. After quenching
his thirst he renewed his hunt.
Although he continued for some time, he was not as successful as he
desired. Nothing in the shape of a regular cavern presented itself, and
he finally nestled down beside one of the largest rocks which could be
discovered, with the intention of sleeping until morning.
Ned thought it strange that he should feel so frightened. With the
gathering of darkness he grew so nervous that all possibility of sleep
was driven away. He examined his rifle several times--a curious mistrust
taking possession of him--and then arose to his feet and listened.
All seemed as quiet as at creation's morn. There was a soothing
influence in the faint sound of the dripping water, and an almost
inaudible roar seemed to steal forth from the great prairie, such as is
sometimes noted when in the vicinity of the becalmed ocean. Without any
thought he thrust his hand into an inner pocket, when he felt a small
package wrapped up in paper. Wondering what it could be, he drew it
forth.
It was a box of matches!
Suddenly he remembered how they came there. On the day before leaving
Santa Fe it occurred to him that he would be likely to need such a
convenience, and he had carefully wrapped up a box and placed it in this
out-of-the-way corner, where it had lain forgotten.
"That's lucky!" exclaimed the delighted lad, as he drew them out,
recognizing them more by the touch than by sight. "Now I'll build a big
fire, and fix things splendidly."
A fire was his great desideratum, and, had he believed it possible
without great trouble and work, he would have kindled one before that.
The capture of a new horse could have pleased him scarcely more than the
discovery of the matches, and he set about reaping the advantage at
once.
In such a place there was little difficulty in procuring fuel, and it
took Ned but a short time to gather all he could possibly need; but, to
guard against all contingencies, he continued collecting until he had a
huge pile, made up of dead limbs, branches, and a number of green sticks
thrown in. In a few minutes the flames were under way. He had kindled
them against the face of a rock, and they burned with a cheery
heartiness that did much to dispel the gloom which had begun settling
over him. He seated himself as near the fire as he could without being
made uncomfortable by the reflected heat, and then he assumed as easy a
position as was possible in such a place.
"I wonder if anybody will see that?" he asked himself in a whisper,
after it had continued burning some time.
Rising and reconnoitering the ground, he was gratified to learn that the
light was better screened than he had reason to expect, considering the
carelessness with which he had kindled it. The rock at the rear shut off
all view from that direction, while the undergrowth was so matted and
dense in front, that it seemed impossible for any one to see it from the
prairie. Having made this survey, he returned to his position, feeling
much easier in mind than before.
"Strange what has become of Dick and Tom," he muttered, following up
this train of thought, as usual whenever he was left undisturbed for a
few minutes. "Can it be that they have been killed by the Apaches? It
might be, and yet I don't know how it could happen, either."
He was still meditating upon this ever-interesting query, when he was
roused to a sense of his situation by the sound of something trampling
through the bushes behind him.
"Indians!" he exclaimed, springing to his feet, rifle in hand, and
casting his terrified glance in the direction from whence came the
sound.
The words were yet in his mouth, when he felt that he had committed a
blunder. No Indian would approach in that manner.
"It must be some animal," was his conclusion, as he stepped back, so as
to bring himself as close to the fire as possible.
The next moment, a huge, dark, unwieldy body advanced from the gloom
with a growl, and he saw an immense grizzly bear lumbering toward him.
As quick as thought his rifle was at his shoulder, and he fired full at
him, the distance being so short that he could not fail to hit the mark;
but the wound, however severe it might have been, was not fatal, and did
not deter bruin's advance in the least. Knowing that it would be sure
death if he were once seized by the powerful monster, and aware of the
dread which all animals have of fire, he dropped his gun and caught up a
blazing brand, which he flung in the very face of the brute.
This was more than a bear, as courageous as was this giant grizzly,
could stand, and he retreated with an awkward haste which was
ridiculous. For the instant he was panic stricken, and continued falling
back until he was invisible in the gloom. But he was not disposed to
give up the contest by any means. Ned knew he would be back again, and
fortified himself as well as possible by hugging his own camp fire,
stooping down and holding himself ready to hurl another torch in the
brute's face if he should persevere in his attack.
For several minutes all was quiet, and he began to hope that his fright
was such that he would keep at a respectful distance. Such was not the
case, however. A growl from another direction warned him that the brute
was about to advance from that quarter. The lad peered out into the
gloom, wondering whether the creature would eventually overcome his
dread to such an extent as to press him to the wall. At any rate, he was
not disposed to wait and hastily ran around to the other side of the
blaze, by which maneuver it was interposed directly between him and his
enemy.
"I wonder what he will do now?"