Yes, it was the wheelbarrow; and the "U.S. Ordnance" branded upon its
side, and visible under the light of the blazing pile, told whence it
had come. Either Fort Gibson or Fort Smith was minus a barrow, drawn
from their stores by no very formal _requisition_. There were the
takers of it--one on each side of the fire--presenting as great a
contrast as could well be found in two human beings. Although of the
same species, the two individuals were as unlike each other as a tall
greyhound to a turnspit. Both were seated, though in different
attitudes. The little man was "squatted"--that is, with legs crossed
under him, after the fashion of tailors. The long legs of his
_vis-a-vis_ would scarcely admit of being thus disposed of; and his
weight was resting altogether upon his hips and heels. In this posture,
the caps of his knees stood up to the level of his shoulders--so that
his body, viewed _en profile_, presented a pretty accurate imitation of
the letter N--that sort termed by engravers the "rustic letter." The
huge black hat capped one extremity; and the long pedal-like feet that
rested horizontally on the ground terminated the other, completing the
alphabetical resemblance.
A face, with a certain mocking monkeyish expression, but without any
trait of fierceness or ill-nature--a nose slightly snub--quick
scintillating eyes--a chin, tipped with a little tuft of clay-coloured
beard--some half-dozen queue-like tangles, of bright-yellowish hair,
hanging down behind the hat--the hat itself a black "silk," badly
battered--such were the salient points of the portrait appearing above
the knee-caps of the taller man. With the exception of the "tile," his
costume was altogether military--to me well-known. It was the ordinary
undress of the mounted rifles: a dark-green round-about of coarse
cloth--with a row of small brass buttons from throat to waist--and
overalls of the same material. In the particular sample before us,
_overalls_ was rather an inappropriate name. The garment so designated
scarcely covered the calves of the wearer's legs--though of these there
was not much to cover. The jacket appeared equally scant; and between
its bottom border and the waistband of the trousers, there was an
interval of at least six inches. In this interval was seen a shirt of
true Isabella colour, which also appeared over the breast--the jacket
being worn unbuttoned. The frouzy cotton was visible at other places--
peeping through various rents both in jacket and trousers. A black
leather stock concealed the collar of the shirt--if there was any--and
though the stock itself was several inches in depth, there were other
several inches of naked neck rising above its rim. Coarse woollen
socks, and the cheap _contract_ shoe completed the costume of
Sure-shot--for it was he.
His contrasting comrade was equally in military garb--even more so, by
the additional article of a cloth forage-cap. His was also an undress
uniform; but, though of very similar cut to the other, and resembling it
in the quality of the material, the colour was different. It was
sky-blue, turned whitey with wear--the buttons of the jacket being of
lead, and the facings of white worsted tape. It was a better fit than
the green uniform; and its wearer had evidently some conceit in the
style of it--as was evidenced by the jacket being carefully buttoned
from waist to throat, and the forage-cap set jauntily on "three hairs."
The little man was an "infantry." His horizontal diameter was twice
that of his tall companion of the rifles; and in the rounded contour of
his body, not an angle was apparent. His garments were quite filled by
his body, arms and legs--so that there was not a wrinkle to be seen
anywhere. It was a form usually styled "dapper." His face was also of
the rotund shape--the features all tolerably regular, with the exception
of the nose--that, like the nasal organ of his comrade, was _nez
retrousse_--the turn-up being infinitely more pronounced. The
expression was equally indicative of good-nature and good-fellowship--as
the apple-like bloom of his cheeks, and the ochreous tinge upon the tip
of the nose, sufficiently testified. Cheeks, lips, and chin were
beardless--with the exception of a thick stubble that had lately sprung
up; but some well-greased rings of a darkish colour ruffing out under
the rim of the forage-cap, showed that the "infantry" was not insensible
to the pride of hair. Neither in regard to him had I made a mistaken
conjecture. Another old acquaintance and comrade-in-arms--the
redoubtable Patrick O'Tigg--a true son of the "Sad."
The two worthies, when first seen, were seated as described--both
engaged in a very similar occupation--cooking. It was--by the most
simple process--that of the _roti_. Each held in his hand a long
sapling, upon the end of which a piece of red meat was impaled; and
this, projected over the fire, was fast blackening in the blaze. More
of the same meat--buffalo-beef, it appeared--was seen in the
wheelbarrow; its other freight being one or two greasy bags, a brace of
knapsacks, a cartouche box and belt, two ordnance spades, with the
guns--a "regulation" rifle and musket--lying across the top of the load.
It was evident from this collection that the men were deserters; that
they had armed and equipped themselves at the expense of the
quartermaster. Perhaps the paymaster had been in arrears with them; and
they had adopted this ready and effectual method of wiping out the
score? My only wonder was at not seeing a brace of _branded_ horses
along with them; but in all probability, on the day--or night--of their
departure, the stable sentry had been doing his duty.
On becoming assured of the identity of the two individuals, my first
impulse was to step forward to the fire, and make myself known to them.
So eagerly were both engaged in attending to their spits, that they had
neither seen nor heard us--although they themselves were now silent, and
we were within less than twenty feet of them. The intervening bushes,
however would have sheltered us from their sight, even if they had been
a little more vigilant--as I should have expected Sure-shot to have
been. They were trusting all to the thicket in which they had pitched
their camp; and, being hungry and wearied no doubt, were for the moment
off their guard. Some fantasy decided me not to disturb them for a
moment--a sort of curiosity to hear what they would say, and, if
possible, discover their _whence_ and _whither_. We were perfectly
within earshot; and could have heard even a whisper passing from their
lips--as we could also note the expression upon their faces. A sign to
my companion was sufficient; and, crouching behind the leafy screen, we
awaited the continuation of the suspended dialogue.