A OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
The instant the hindmost Indian uttered his exclamation of surprise, the
others paused, and thus, before Elwood Brandon fully realized his
danger, he found himself confronted by the whole force. Resistance or
flight was not to be thought of, so he merely stood still and
tremblingly awaited their will regarding him.
They were plainly surprised at finding a boy pressing against the rooks
with an appearance of the greatest terror, and they gazed at him a
moment as if uncertain what to do about it. However, they didn't seem to
be particularly savage or blood-thirsty, nor frightened, as they kept
their guns in their hands and their knives in their belts.
He who stood nearest to Elwood reached out his brawny arm, grasped him
firmly and drew him out from his hiding-place. All then scrutinized him
as if to make sure whether he was some wild animal or human being.
Satisfied on this point, the boy was then shoved forward so as to be
between the savages, and as they stepped off he was motioned to do the
same. Elwood understood that he was a prisoner, and he philosophically
submitted to his fate.
As yet they had not disturbed his weapons; but he had gone a short
distance only when the Indian directly behind him placed his hand upon
the muzzle of the gun which was protruding over the youngster's shoulder
and began drawing it. The latter disliked very much to part with the
rifle, and held it as tightly as possible; but as the savage only drew
it the more powerfully, he finally let go and it instantly went from his
possession.
Elwood could not forbear looking around at the one who had thus deprived
him of his property. As he gazed into his face he was at a loss to
understand the expression. The Indian fixed his black eyes upon him, but
his lips were closed and not a feature moved or twitched. The boy could
not withstand the fierceness of those orbs and was glad to turn his head
again.
They walked quite rapidly up the path, making a turn that gave them a
very steep ascent. The thunder was booming louder than ever, and the
rain by this time was falling furiously. The party hurried forward until
they reached the camp which Tim O'Rooney and Howard had so recently
deserted. Here Elwood took the liberty of protecting himself by backing
against the overhanging rock. This was precisely the position which he
occupied when Howard Lawrence gazed over and missed seeing him by such a
narrow chance.
When the descent of the rain became so copious as to scatter the
savages, two of them ran up beside Elwood and imitated his action in
protecting himself from the descending deluge. This was only a partial
success, yet much preferable to standing in the open air and receiving
the full pelting of the storm.
It will be remembered that Howard Lawrence waited until he saw the
Indians hurry away for shelter, when he returned to Tim O'Rooney and the
two effected a safe retreat from the dangerous locality. They saw
nothing more of the savages, and their conjecture that Elwood was a
prisoner among them was merely a conjecture, although absolutely
correct.
The tiny stream running so quietly at the feet of the two aboriginal
Americans and Elwood Brandon increased so rapidly that it was evident it
would speedily become a torrent that would sweep them off their feet,
and that the only safety was to effect as speedy an escape as possible.
Taking him between them, they started directly up the path in the
direction of their companions. The falling rain and splashing water
almost blinded Elwood, but he pressed bravely forward until conscious
that they were beneath some kind of covering, and looking around, saw
that they stood in a sort of cave, and where they had rejoined the three
Indians who had fled some time before.
The shelter proved a secure one, although it was reached rather late to
be of much benefit to Elwood, who was thoroughly wetted to the skin. He
was, however, rather pleased at the lenient disposition shown by his
captors. They had not offered him the least violence, rudeness or
insult, and appeared to maintain a very indifferent watch over him. He
did not believe they intended him any bodily harm, although he trembled
at the consequences when they joined another party or should reach their
own homes. They probably intended to hold him a prisoner so long as he
was no particular trouble to them; but their leniency was more the
result of indifference than of genuine kindness--and indifference that
would as soon witness death as life, and that would not stretch out the
hand to avert the impending doom.
The storm raged with unabated fury for several hours, and the tiny
stream, whose murmur could scarcely be heard as it coursed its way
through the hills, was now swelled to the dimensions of a torrent, and
roared through its course with a clamor almost deafening. A vast amount
of water had fallen within the few hours, and it would have been very
perilous had any of the party remained where the fire that cooked the
antelope was kindled. A yellow stream some six feet in depth rushed
furiously through the narrow passage, like some river when compressed
into its narrow canyon.
The Indians stood as motionless as the rocks themselves until the storm
was over. Each had his blanket slung over his shoulder, extending down
to his knees, and effectually protecting their bodies from the rain
which had so thoroughly soaked poor Elwood. None of them sported the
defiant scalp-locks so common among the more northern Indians; but their
long, black, stiff hair, resembling precisely that of a horse's mane,
dangled around their shoulders, neck and ears and over their breasts.
Mixed in among the hair on the crown were a number of painted feathers,
which, having had a touch of rain, drooped down like those of an humbled
chanticleer that has been rescued from the river by some kind hand.
Their faces being daubed over with green, yellow and red, mixed and
mingled with a sublime disregard of proportion, gave their features a
peculiarly unnatural appearance, such as we see when we survey our
particular friends through differently and highly colored pieces of
glass. They were fine specimens of the "noble red man" that are
occasionally met with now-a-days; but they are of that species of sights
of which it may be said "distance lends enchantment to the view."
However, they were happy, for as yet they had not come in contact with
civilization, and had had no taste for the white man's "fire-water,"
that scourge of the aboriginal race, and which seems destined finally to
sweep them from the continent.
Elwood occupied himself in looking from one of these Indians to the
other, and speculating regarding their thoughts and opinions about
himself, of whose presence they seemed so unconscious. Indeed, they
scarcely looked at him except when he sneezed, and then their heads shot
round as suddenly as if they were moved by machinery and the spasm had
let on the steam.
Finally, when the falling of the rain ceased, two of the Indians went
out to look for the remainder of their prisoner's party, which they
knew, if not already there, had been so recently among the hills. The
vast rush of water, of course, had obliterated all signs where they had
made any, and they could only hope to find them by discovering the trail
made since the storm, or by the sight of themselves.
Not a word did the savages exchange with each other. They appeared to
understand what each thought, and what duty was required of them, which
duty for the present resembled that of watching and waiting.
As the day wore away the boy began to feel chilly and hungry. His wet
clothes were anything but comfortable, and his hollow stomach was a poor
protection against the sinking feeling. As his captors showed no
disposition to leave the place, or even to change their statue-like
positions, he began to grow anxious. He feared an attack of sickness if
his wants were not supplied; and after debating with himself a few
moments, he walked up to the tallest Indian and motioned that he needed
something to eat.
The reply was startling and decisive. The dusky rascal surveyed him
sharply a moment, and then drew his knife and raised it in a menacing
manner over his head. And thereupon Elwood retreated to his position,
and concluded he wasn't quite as hungry as he first imagined.
It is hard to tell what this singular captivity of Elwood Brandon's
would have eventuated in had not an unexpected diversion occurred in his
favor. Just as it was getting dark, the two Indiana who had gone out at
the close of the storm returned. They had a companion with them, and we
leave our readers to imagine what the boy's feelings were when he
recognized in the third his old friend Shasta, the Pah Utah.