For the first time since starting on his wild project, a doubt as to its
success entered Frank's mind. But he put it resolutely aside as he sped
forward, crouching, sliding under the low branches, determined to make
the best speed possible. His companions were in a ticklish situation. He
wanted to do what he could to relieve them as soon as possible. As to
his own danger, he gave it not a thought.
What worried Frank was the possibility that he would be unable to
stampede the reindeer herd. This was the thought which he put aside. But
it kept recurring. And when he had come into position behind the herd,
and saw them feeding quietly below him, not a stone's throw away, at the
foot of the hill, where the trees ended abruptly and the grassy plain
began, he was still without an idea as to what to do.
Originally, he had thought that stoning the herd might set them into
motion and stampede them forward. But doubt as to the workability of
that method had seized him as he first climbed from the water and, from
among the trees, obtained his first view of the herd. The animals,
grazing quietly, were so well spread out that he feared stoning them
would not alarm them sufficiently to start a stampede.
"Well, here goes for a try, anyway," he muttered to himself.
Fortunately, there were numerous pieces of rock lying about. Collecting
a heap of these, he began pelting away at the nearest reindeer, a brown
and white spotted cow. His aim was good, and the startled animal, struck
on the flank, snorted, tossed her head and gave a little jump. She went
forward only a step or two, however, and then settled down to grazing
again.
Once more Frank let fly, and this time the stone caught her on the side
of the neck. She tossed her head angrily, and sidled forward again. The
movement brought her sharply into contact with another cow, and for a
moment Frank was filled with hope that the pair would start fighting and
alarm the rest of the herd. He was disappointed. The first cow sheered
away from the other, and both resumed grazing.
What should he do now? Frank was perplexed. He had already considered
the possibility of startling the reindeer by shouting at them, but had
given up that idea because it would apprise the hidden enemy in the
grass ahead of his presence. He wanted them to know nothing of the
menace in their rear until the stampeded herd should sweep down upon
them.
"I wonder----" he said, muttering the words for the comfort of hearing his
own voice.
Then he fell silent, thinking. Art had said they were tame reindeer,
accustomed to the presence of man. Yes, but of man clothed and in his
natural state. And of Eskimos at that--men dressed a good deal
differently from the way in which he ordinarily clothed himself. What
would those reindeer think if they saw a naked, white body dash down
upon them suddenly?
"I'll do it," he said. "That's the only way. And it will work, too, I'll
bet."
Drawing his long knife from the sheath, he looked around and selected a
tough branch the thickness of his thumb. This he cut off, stripped from
it the projecting twigs, and made of it a long, pliant whip.
Whip in one hand, knife in the other, eyes gleaming and determined,
Frank made his way to the edge of the trees, and then stole out into the
long grass, crouching low. He did not want the reindeer to see him until
he was upon them, and as they were grazing away from him, this was not
so difficult. In fact, he was within several yards of a clump of cows
before one swung about and looked at him.
The minute that occurred, Frank realized there was no longer any
possibility of concealment, and that the time had come to strike. And
strike he did. Jumping to his feet, he bounded forward, swinging his
whip so that it sank through the air.
Bringing the whip down with a cruel lash on the flank of the nearest
reindeer, Frank swung it around on all sides. Every swing landed. The
swish as the pliant green wood struck the animals reminded him oddly of
the sound of a stick beating rugs at home. Many a time he had heard that
same thud-thud from behind his house.
Not a sound did he make as he lashed about him, for he felt that if no
sound indicating that he was human came from him, the consternation of
the reindeer would be increased.
And that he had not miscalculated became at once apparent, for the
reindeer near him lifted up their sharp little hooves and sprang to get
out of the vicinity of this strange animal with the lash. Naturally, to
escape him, there was only one way for them to go, and that was forward,
so forward they went. Right into the main body of the herd they dashed,
with Frank prancing and bounding behind them, with each leap bringing
his whip down upon the flank of a laggard.
Suddenly, one reindeer, nearer than the rest, dashed by so close on his
right as to brush Frank. He was not being charged. The animal was
panicky, and merely seeking to escape. But he had to leap nimbly aside
to avoid being bowled over. And as he leaped, the long knife clutched in
his hand pricked the animal's flank.
The reindeer screamed, a shrill, terror-stricken cry, and launched
itself forward like a thunderbolt into the midst of the disturbed herd.
That, apparently, was all that was needed to complete the impending
panic. Frank's inexperienced eye could not have told the composition of
the herd, but Art, when they had first caught sight of the reindeer from
the hilltop, had pointed out the majority were cows, and the bucks
numbered only a handful. If any buck had a masculine curiosity to
discover what this strange white-skinned animal that looked so like and
yet so unlike a man was, he did not get the chance to gratify it. For
the now thoroughly frightened cows started forward in a rush that would
have overborne any animal foolish enough to try to stem it.
And then Frank did what might have been considered a foolish thing.
Carried away by the enthusiasm engendered by seeing his plan to stampede
the herd work out successfully, he continued to bound along behind, at
first able to whip the bunched-up stragglers, but soon falling
hopelessly behind as the herd picked up speed and swept forward like the
wind.
Straight toward the clump of trees sheltering Frank's friends dashed the
reindeer. And an exultant throb filled his breast. For the hidden enemy
lay in the long grass between the herd and the trees, and inevitably,
therefore, the stampeding animals would drive them out.
Regardless of the risk to himself, Frank continued on his way, running
as fast as the nature of the ground permitted. The herd beat the long
grass flat in its advance, as flat as if a great board had been pressed
down on all, and the going was easier than he had looked for.
Suddenly a shot rang out, then another, and a little wisp of smoke
showed the young fellow the discharge came from the trees. His own
friends were shooting. At what? Again an exultant thrill swept over him.
He felt certain his friends were firing at the enemy, and that the
stampeding herd was driving the latter ahead of it, although because of
the presence of the animals between himself and the enemy he could not
see whether such was the case.
That Frank's surmise was correct, however, was soon borne out. For the
first shots fired from the trees were succeeded by a rapid rattle that
told him everybody was in action.
Then followed a confused medley of shots interspersed with shouts and
cries, and Frank, pausing a moment to peer ahead and listen came to the
conclusion that the enemy was desperately shooting at the reindeer in an
effort to turn the herd aside. If that was the case, however, their
efforts were unsuccessful, for the animals filled with the unreasoning
spirit of panic did not swerve from their course.
"By golly," Frank exclaimed aloud, "I believe I can reach camp all
right."
And once more he began to run forward. For it seemed to him that the
herd, sweeping the enemy before it, would leave the ground free for him
to reach the clump of trees and rejoin his friends.
On swept the herd, and on ran Frank in the beaten down grass behind it.
His eyes were strained towards the trees. He began to wave and shout, as
he came closer and made out the outline of Mr. Hampton's tent. He paid
no attention to his surroundings.
Then a form rose up from the long grass beside the swathe beaten down by
the reindeer, there was a shot, and Frank fell forward on his face, a
buzzing in his ears, and lost consciousness.