UNCLE EZRA PUTS HIS FOOT DOWN.
Tom slept warm and comfortable that night, and perhaps the simple
presence of Elam had something to do with it. A boy who could go through
a twenty-mile race with Cheyennes, and have no more to say about it than
he did, would be a good fellow to have at his back in case trouble
arose. A person would not think he had been through such an encounter,
and had seen the bodies of two murdered men besides, for, when he awoke,
Elam was sitting up on his blanket and looking at his horse. He lay in
such a position that the threatening streak on the animal's neck, which
had come so near ending the race then and there and resulting in Elam's
capture, could be plainly seen.
"Halloa!" exclaimed Elam. "The Indians didn't get you last night, after
all. I tell you, if our soldiers could strike them now, they would have
an easy job of it. Now, there's that horse of mine. He has got a worse
hurt than I have, but he makes no fuss over it. I am anxious to find
Uncle Ezra, for he has some medicine that will cure it."
"But you can't go where he is--where is he, anyway?" said Tom.
"He is just about two days' journey over the mountains. I know where he
is, and I ought to have been there before. But, laws! he's quit looking
for me. If I don't show up at all, he won't worry."
"This storm is just fearful, isn't it?" said Tom, pulling his coat up
around his ears. "What do you suppose the soldiers are doing that were
sent out by the commander of that fort? Why, they will freeze to death."
"Do you think we are getting the full benefit of it here?" said Elam,
with a look of astonishment. "You just go out to the edge of the
evergreens and look around a bit. You see, we haven't got much snow
here, for your lean-to keeps it off; but go out where it has a fair
chance at you. By the way, where is my map?"
Tom replied that it was in the hollow tree, and speedily fished it out
for him; and while Elam fastened his eyes upon it, Tom went out to the
edge of the woods to see what the storm looked like on the plains. He
had been there scarcely a moment when he was glad to turn around and go
back. Their little grove of evergreens was just the spot for homeless
wanderers like themselves. The wind was cutting, and blew so hard that
Tom could not face it for an instant, and he dared not let go his hold
upon the branches at his side for fear that he would get lost. When he
got back to the fire, he was glad to heap more wood upon it, and get as
close to it as possible.
"I don't see how anybody can live out there," said Tom, with a shudder.
"I should think it would be their death."
"They don't live," said Elam. "They just camp somewhere and stay until
it blows over. I have been out in a storm that was worse than this, and
came through all right. You can just imagine what it must be out there
on the prairie."
All that day the boys remained idle in their lean-to, not daring to go
out after traps, and before they went to bed that night Elam decided
that, early the next morning, they would make an effort to reach Uncle
Ezra's. Their food was getting scarce, and they had no way to replenish
their stock. A part of the day was spent in hiding the things which they
could not take with them, for fear that somebody would come along and
steal them, and the rest of the time was devoted to Elam's stories. It
was a wonder to Tom how the boy had managed to get through so many
things and live. He didn't relate his adventures as though there was
anything great in them, but told them as a mere matter of fact. Anybody
could pass through such scenes if he only had the courage, but there was
the point. For the first time in his life Tom wished himself back in
Mississippi. Anyone might get into scrapes there, as Our Fellows got
into with Pete, the half-breed, or with Luke Redman of the Swamp
Dragoons, but there was always a prospect of their coming out alive.
On the morning of the next day a start was made as early as it was light
enough to see, Elam leading the horse and Tom following close behind
him. The most of their way led through the gully, and to Tom's delight
there was hardly any snow on the way; nor was there any game, although
they kept a bright lookout for it. They camped for two nights in the
foot-hills, Elam working his way in and out of the gullies, never once
stopping and never once getting into a pocket. On the last morning they
ate every bit of the corn bread and bacon.
"They aint far off now," said Elam. "About noon we'll be among friends.
You will find two boys there just about your size who will give you more
insight into this life than I ever could. You see they know what you
want to talk about."
After proceeding about a mile of their journey Elam stopped, placed his
hand to his mouth, and gave a perfect imitation of a coyote's yell. If
Tom had not seen him do it he would have thought there was a wolf close
upon them. A little further on he gave another, and this time there was
an answer, faint and far off, but still there was something about it
that did not sound just like a coyote.
"They're there," said Elam. "I would know that yell among a thousand.
It's Carlos Burton."
"Who is he? You never mentioned him before."
"Well, he is a sharp one. He came out here long after I did, and had
sense enough to go to herding cattle, while here I am and haven't got
anything except the clothes I stand in. It's all on account of that
nugget, too. If the robbers had stolen it and got well away with it I
might have been in the same fix. Well, it's all in a lifetime."
"I should think you would give it up," said Tom. "You go working after
it day after day--why, you must have been after it fourteen years."
"Shall I give it up when I've got the map of it right here?" said Elam,
tapping his ditty-bag, which was hung across his chest under his shirt.
"I am nearer to it now than I have been before, and you had better talk
to those who have made fun of me all these years. 'Oh, Elam's a crank;
let him alone, and when he gets tired looking for the nugget he'll come
to his senses and go to herding cattle.' That's what the folks around
here have had to say about me ever since I can remember; but I'll get
the start of all of them, you see if I don't."
Elam began to look wild when he began to talk about the nugget, and Tom
was glad to change the subject of the conversation.
"Who is the other fellow?" said he. "You said there were two of them."
"The other fellow is a tender-foot; he don't claim to be anything else.
I'll bet you, now that I have got over my excitement, that I have been
talking about his father. His father commands a post within forty miles
of the place where he is now visiting, but I don't know one soldier from
another. They all look alike to me, and I didn't think of the
relationship they bore to each other. No matter; he treated me mighty
shabby, and I shall always think hard of soldiers after that."
At the end of half an hour they came out of the scrub oaks and found
themselves in front of a neat little cabin which reminded Tom of the
negro quarters he had seen in Mississippi. There were two boys standing
in front of the cabin, and Tom had no trouble in picking out Carlos
Burton. There was an independent air about him that somehow did not
belong to the tender-foot, and when Elam introduced him in his off-hand
way, this boy was the first to welcome him.
"This fellow is Tom Mason, and I want you to know him and treat him
right. He got into a little trouble down in Mississippi where he used to
live, and came out here to get clear of it. Know him, boys."
The boys, surprised as they were, were glad to shake hands with Tom,
because he was Elam's friend; but they were still more anxious to know
how Elam had come among them for the fourth time robbed of his furs, and
what he had to say about it. There were some things about him that
didn't look exactly right. There was his hand, which was still done up
the way the doctor left it, and the mark on his horse's neck, both of
which proclaimed that Elam had been in something of a fight; but they
didn't push him, for they knew they would hear the whole of his story
when he got inside of the cabin.
What I have written here is the true history of what happened to Tom
Mason after he gave Joe Coleman the valise, containing the five thousand
dollars, and the double-barrel shotgun; and I have told the truth, too,
in regard to Elam and his last attempt at grub-staking. It took him
pretty near all day to finish the story, and now I can drop the third
person and go on with my narrative just as it happened. Of course we
were all amazed at what Elam had to tell, and especially were we hurt to
hear him speak so of Ben's father; for he it was who was in command of
the post. It would have done no good to talk to Elam, for very likely he
had worse things than that to say about the major. We let him go on and
tell his story in any way he thought proper, calculating to make it all
right with Ben afterward.
"Now, Tom [he always addressed everybody by his Christian name], tell us
something more of your story," said Uncle Ezra, who had the map of the
hiding-place of the nugget spread out on his knee. "You haven't done
anything to make you a fugitive from home, and I see that Elam has been
letting you down kinder easy. What have you done?"
It did not take Tom more than fifteen minutes to narrate as much of his
history as he was willing that strangers should know, and Elam never let
on that he knew more; he was the closest-mouthed fellow I ever saw. Tom
told all about the story of the five thousand dollars, and declared that
he had sent it back to the uncle of whom he had stolen it, but said he
could not bear the "jibes" that would be thrown at him every time his
uncle got mad at him. There were men out there who had done worse than
that.
"That's very true," said Uncle Ezra, looking down at the map he held on
his knee. "But you haven't done anything so very bad, and I would advise
you to go home and live it down."
"No, sir, I shan't do it," said Tom emphatically. "I'll stay here until
he gets over his pet and then I'll go back. Besides, I can't go. I am
under promise to stand by Elam until he finds his nugget."
"And do you imagine that this paper will tell you where it is?"
"That's what we are depending on."
"You will go, Carlos?" said Elam, addressing me.
"Yes, sir," I answered. "When you dig up that nugget I shall be right
within reach of you."
"Now, uncle," began Ben, who was in a high state of commotion, "I just
know you will let me----"
"Now, now!" interrupted Uncle Ezra, waving his hands up and down in the
air as the major had done when he refused to interfere with the stolen
furs. "Now, just wait till I tell you. You shan't go!"
"I just know, if my father was here----" began Ben.
"Now, wait till I tell you. Your father would say, No! Here's Indians
all around you, and you want to go right into the midst of them. And
going off with Elam Storm! That's the worst yet. Why, your father has
sent out a squad of cavalry to drive these fellows back where they came
from, and what would I say to him if I should let you go philandering
off there? No, sir, you can't go. I shall send word to him in the
morning and let him know you are all right. I suppose you will need a
horse, Tom, seeing that the Red Ghost has spoilt your bronco for you."
"I should like to have one," replied Tom. "What do you think that Red
Ghost is, anyway?"
"Now, wait till I tell you. I don't know."
As it was almost supper time and we had not had anything to eat since
Elam and Tom came to the cabin, and Uncle Ezra wanted to change the
subject of the conversation into another channel, he gave me a nod which
I understood, and I went about preparing the eatables. It was surprising
how quickly everybody became acquainted with Tom. He and Elam had passed
through several scenes which were familiar enough to me, but which
sounded like romance when recounted for Ben's benefit, and it was no
wonder that the latter looked upon Tom as a person well worth listening
to. He carried on a lengthy conversation with him while I was getting
supper, while Elam smoked and talked with Uncle Ezra. He was trying to
make Uncle Ezra see that after waiting for so many years chance had
thrown into his power the very thing for which he was looking, and
sometimes he got so interesting that I was tempted to let the supper go
and sit down and listen to him.
"There is something hidden there, and that's all there is about it,"
said Elam emphatically. "You can't make me believe that a man would
carry around a map of that kind when there was nothing to it, and he
would say he was ruined if he didn't get it."
"But where did he get it in the first place?" asked Uncle Ezra.
"If I could see the man he shot I could answer that question."
"But how did he know that the man had it at all?"
"Ask me something hard," said Elam. "The man may have told him that he
had it and refused to give it up; or he may have gone into partnership,
just the same as Tom has gone into partnership with me. That is
something I don't know anything about, but I just know there is
something hidden there, and I'll dig the whole place over but I shall
find it. If three months' supply of grub won't do me, I'll come back and
get another. You will stake me, of course?"
"Sure. I'll stake you if it takes the last thing I've got. But I'll tell
you one thing, Elam, and that aint two, that you won't make anything by
it. You had better stay at home and go to herding cattle."
Just as long as they talked the hard-headed old frontiersman always came
to this advice, and Elam always dismissed it with a laugh. Finally he
said, with more seriousness than I had ever seen him assume before:
"I will tell you what I'll do, Uncle Ezra: I will follow this thing up,
and if nothing comes of it, I will take your advice. But I will go to
Texas. I can't stay around where that nugget is without making an effort
to find it. If you had had it dinged at you for years, you would feel
the same way."
And I could swear that that was the truth, for Uncle Ezra had often said
to me that if he had had the nugget preached at him from the time he was
old enough to remember anything, he would have been as hot after it as
Elam was. Nothing would have turned him away from it. Uncle Ezra knew
that Elam was in earnest when he said this, and reached over and shook
hands with him; and after that the subject was dropped. In the meantime
Ben and Tom were getting acquainted, and especially was Ben deeply
interested whenever the other spoke of the Red Ghost. Tom had seen it,
had a fair shot at it, and could not imagine what had taken it off in
such a hurry, if it had been a flesh-eating animal; but it was not, and
so it uttered a scream and went into the bushes. It must have been a
camel, because that was the only thing that Tom knew of that had a hump
on its back.
"But camels don't run wild in this country," said Ben.
"Now, wait till I tell you," put in Uncle Ezra, who had got through
talking with Elam. "A good many years ago the government brought over
some camels thinking that they could make them useful in carrying
supplies across the desert; but, somehow or other, it turned out a
failure, and, seeing that they couldn't sell them, they turned them
loose to shift for themselves. And that's the way they come to be wild
here."
"Well, that bangs me!" exclaimed Ben, who was profoundly astonished.
"But supposing they did turn them out to become wild, they wouldn't
pitch into horses, would they?"
"I don't know anything about that," returned Uncle Ezra. "I do know that
there is a camel around here, that he is red in color, that he has
frightened the lives out of half a dozen people, and that he has been
shot at numberless times. He does pitch into every horse and mule that
he gets a chance at, and I don't know what makes him."
"Well, I never heard of a camel doing that before," said Ben, settling
back on his blanket. "If you get another show at it, Tom, make a sure
shot, so that you can tell us what it is."
You may be sure that I was glad to hear the old frontiersman talk in
this way. He had not seen the camel, but he had seen some scientific men
who had seen him, and he was glad to accept what they had to say in
regard to the Red Ghost. I, for one, resolved that I would never let it
get away, if I once got a shot at it.
The evening was passed in much the same way, with talks on various
subjects, and it was a late hour when we sought our blankets. We all
slept soundly, all except Tom, who awoke about midnight, and, to save
his life, could not go to sleep again. He rolled and tossed on his
blankets, and then, for fear that he might awaken some of us, concluded
that he would go out and look at the weather. He pulled on his
moccasons, opened the door, and went out, but on the threshold he
stopped, for every drop of blood in him seemed to rush back upon his
heart, leaving his face as pale as death itself. He was not frightened,
but there, within less than twenty-five yards of him, stood the Red
Ghost. He stood with his head forward, as if he were listening to some
sounds that came to him from the horses' quarters, which, you will
remember, were in the scrub-oaks behind the cabin. It was no wonder that
Tom was excited, for there it was as plain as daylight. It looked as big
as three or four horses.
"By George! I wish it would stay there just a minute longer. If I make
out to get my rifle----"
With a step that would not have awakened a cricket, Tom stepped back
into the cabin and laid hold of the first rifle he came to. It was not
his own; it was Uncle Ezra's Henry--a rifle that would shoot sixteen
times without being reloaded. With this in his hands he walked quietly
back, and there stood the object just as he had left it. It did not seem
to hear Tom at all. Fearful of being seen, Tom raised his gun with a
very slow and steady aim, and covered the spot just where he thought the
heart ought to be. One second he stood thus, but it was long enough for
Tom, who pressed the trigger.
"There!" said Tom, drawing a long breath. "If I didn't make a good shot
that time I never did. Hold on! It is coming right for me!"
The animal was fatally hurt, and the long bounds it made, and the shrill
screams it uttered, would have taxed Tom's nerves, if he had had any. To
throw out the empty shell and insert another one was slowly and
deliberately done, and the second ball struck it in the breast, when Tom
thought that another bound would land it squarely on the top of him.
That settled it. It stayed right there, and all he could see of the Red
Ghost was the twigs and leaves which it threw up during its struggles.
In the meantime there was a terrific commotion in the cabin, and his
three friends came rushing out to see what was the matter.
"Who's got my rifle!" exclaimed Uncle Ezra. "Now, wait till I tell you,"
he shouted, while lost in astonishment. "He's got the Red Ghost; by gum,
if he aint!"
They drew as near the struggling animal as they could, while Uncle Ezra
went in to bring out a brand from the fire to examine it, and Tom stood
by, not a little elated. It was the first desperate adventure he had
had, and he had stood up to the mark like a man. When the animal had
ceased its contortions, and the firebrands were brought out so that we
could examine it closely, it was curious to see what different views the
hunters took of their prize. Elam could hardly be made to believe that
it was not a ghost. He stood at a distance while the others were
inspecting it, and when he saw they were handling it, he remarked that
the bullet he had sent into its neck ought to have finished it when he
got it. Ben examined its legs and Tom felt of its hump. He said that
when an Arab had a long journey to make he always examined the hump to
see if his camel was in good condition, while an American always looked
to his horse's hoofs. He did not think this animal was in a fit
condition to travel, although it had come seventy-five miles since Tom
had last seen it, picking up its living on the way.
"Tom, you will do to tie to," said Elam, when he became satisfied that
the animal was dead. "Shake!"
"Thank you," said Tom, seeing that his hands were safely out of reach.
"If it's all the same to you I'll not shake hands with you. I did it
once back there in the mountains, and I haven't got over it."
"Well, Tom, you certainly have done something to be proud of," said
Ezra. "Let's go in and take a smoke. We'll finish our examination by
daylight."