Dodging the Enemy
There was an intense silence immediately after Jack had thrown the
Indian, broken only by his own deep breathing.
"Dead?" asked Steve huskily, for the stress of the fighting and their
difficulties were beginning to tell upon the little hunter. "Ye've killed
him--eh? I never knew an Injun downed so easy."
"Stunned, I think," whispered Jack sternly. "He's still breathing a
little."
"Foxin'? You're dead sartin he ain't foxin'? I've knowed one of the
critters lie as if he was as dead as meat, and then get his knife into
the man as thought he'd downed him. Aer yer sure? 'Cos if you ain't----"
"Certain," came Jack's emphatic answer. "He fell on his head with a
terrible bang, and he'll not recover for a time. Jest take a grip round
my neck. We're going to move."
They had spoken in low whispers only, for neither had forgotten that in
all probability there were Indian sentries on either side of them.
However, it did seem now that fortune was to be kind to them; for at
this very moment the outcry which had broken out some few minutes
earlier from the direction of the wood was again heard.
Shrill, angry calls came through the darkness, and were answered from a
dozen different directions. Then, immediately to the right of them there
came a muffled thump, followed by the dull sounds of a horse's
footfalls.
"Warn't I right?" asked Steve. "Another of the critters thar, and a
second 'way to the left. Now's your time, young 'un. Let's git as slippy
as we can."
Jack needed no second invitation. He too had heard the sounds on the
right and those calls from the wood; and, realizing that, though the
distraction had come just at the critical moment, and would call off the
attention of the circle of watchers from themselves, yet it indicated
probably a full discovery of that struggle which had taken place amongst
the trees, and with it a knowledge that the fugitives had fled, he
gripped Steve firmly in his arms and swung him up on to the back of the
Indian pony; for the well-trained beast had remained beside its fallen
master. To sling his rifle and leap up behind the hunter was the work of
a moment, and straightway he set the animal in motion. But almost
instantly he was faced by another difficulty.
"Where away?" he asked, for the darkness confused him.
"Dead straight ahead fer a while," came the whispered answer; "then
slick ter the right, whar our camp lies. Likely as not some of the boys
is riding over ter meet us, for they'll have reckoned by this that
things aer queer. Gently does it, Carrots. There ain't no use hurryin'."
At a gentle walk, therefore, they rode away from the small collection of
trees which had proved their salvation, and at the same time had very
nearly seen their ending. When the pony had covered a quarter of a
mile, or thereabouts, Jack turned it to the right, and, setting the
plucky little beast at a trot, went on into the night.
"They'll follow?" he asked, after a while; for the cries which they had
heard for some time had ceased now for the past five minutes. "I suppose
they found those two men and then had a palaver, as you call it?"
"Yer kin put it like that. Them critters has had a hard nut to crack,
'cos, don't yer see, the trees and the darkness bothered 'em. Yes, they
found them two critters you downed in the wood, and, in course, they
made sartin we was still there, in hidin', but shifted from the old
quarters. So they sent their best men in ter ferret around, and in a
while they found not a soul save their own comrades."
"That is when we heard their cries, I suppose?" said Jack.
"Right agin. That aer when they began ter shriek. That ain't much like
Injuns, and jest shows that their dander's been properly up. They sets
to, then, to have a palaver, and----Gee! That aer bad!"
Once more a chorus of shouts came from behind them, and told Jack and
his comrades that something more had occurred to disturb the enemy and
raise their anger.
"It aer as clear as daylight," said Steve shortly. "Them varmint was
bothered when they found the wood empty, and set to to cast all round,
and question the critters placed there to watch. They've jest dropped on
the feller as you pulled off this here hoss, and--wall, even on a dark
night an Injun'll follow a trail."
"How?" Jack was a practical fellow, and this night's adventure had made
him critical. He failed to see how even the most astute tracker could
follow a trail in the darkness. But Steve soon enlightened him.
"'Twont take 'em many minutes," he said, a note of conviction in his
voice. "Yer see, it don't matter to them ef we get to know as they're
follerin'. They has it fer sure that we're gettin' away on one of their
ponies, and that he's got ter carry double weight. That tells 'em plain
that they can easily catch us up once they're on the trail. So they
ain't likely to make no bones about the matter. They'll strip the bark
off some of them pines and make torches. That'll light the way, and show
'em what line we've took. Now, how aer we to get top side of 'em?"
The little hunter lapsed into silence, while Jack dug his heels into the
pony and set him at a fast canter. But it was clear that the animal
could not keep up the pace for long. He was not a big pony, indeed was
hardly up to Jack's weight. With Steve added he was decidedly
overweighted, and the next quarter of an hour proved that fact without
the shadow of doubt. The Indian horse was blowing heavily by then, and
going slower.
"It stands ter reason he can't last," cried Steve suddenly. "Now I'll
tell yer what we'll do. This last ten minutes we've been riding down a
slope, and there's a rise behind us which hides them Injuns. We can't
say as they're on the trail yet, 'cos we can't see. Likely enough
they've got their torches by now, and are skirmishing round fer the
trail. If that's so, they'll be after us afore two minutes. But that
'ere rise hides us jest the same, and it'll give us one more chance.
Jack, aer yer willing ter do what I suggest?"
"Perfectly. Anything but leave you. I've taken you in charge, and I
don't leave you behind for anything."
There was a ring in Jack's voice, a manly, elated tone, which told the
little hunter that his companion was anything but disheartened. There
was a suspicion of raillery in the voice, and the tone tickled Steve
immensely. He leaned back against our hero and laughed heartily, a laugh
which shook him, but which, with all his native caution, was as silent
as a gentle whisper.
"Yer do fetch the band!" he smiled. "Ef I ain't beat holler, and thet by
a townsman. But 'tain't a time ter play, leastwise not yet. Them varmint
ain't done with us by a long way. Now jest yer listen. A friend of mine,
an old hunter, war once up agin a difficulty same almost as this. And he
jest played a trick that cleared the Injuns. It aer our one chance, and
we'll take it. The wind's in our faces, though I ain't so sartain that
it'll stay thar. Ef it don't, the trap we set'll catch us instead of the
Injuns. Jack, jest hop right down and get a bunch of that 'ere grass."
Quick as lightning Jack slipped to the ground, and did as Steve
suggested.
"Now, set it afire, and slippy with it. When it's blazin' properly, jest
run along with it and fire the grass in as many places as yer can. Don't
wait a second longer than you're obleeged ter."
There was a note of tense excitement in the hunter's voice, and he
watched eagerly as Jack struck a match and fired a bundle of grass. Then
he chuckled as a spout of flame burst from each patch of the long
prairie growth he touched.
"Ef anything'll save us, it's that," he said to himself; "save us or
cook us. That 'ere fire ain't ten yards wide now, but you wait. In ten
minutes it'll have spread to a mile if the wind holds. Get at it, Jack.
Hop along as fer as yer like. The farther the better."
Long before this Jack had grasped Steve's meaning, and had realized that
in proposing to fire the grass he hoped to stretch a curtain of flame
between them and the Indians. But never in all his life had he been so
utterly astounded at the result of his action. For it was at the end of
the hot weather, and the long rank grass which just there covered the
plains was as dry as tinder. Indeed, more than once lately they had
observed prairie fires; but some irregularity of the ground, a river, or
some hilly and broken ground had in every case limited the
conflagration. But even those glimpses of fires had given our hero no
idea of their tremendous spread, of the fearful rate at which the line
of fire progressed, for distance had diminished everything. Now,
however, the thing was at his elbow, and he was struck with awe. As if
eager for the flames, the grass caught in every direction, and then
surged away with a seething hissing sound, casting up but little smoke.
It raced from him on every hand. Patches which he had ignited ten yards
from one another were joined hand in hand before he could think, so that
in an incredibly short space of time a wall of fire lay before him. He
was terrified at his handiwork. But Steve was jubilant.
"Hop on, and let's git," he said easily, as Jack returned to him. "Ef
the wind don't change there'll be a wall of fire round which them
Injuns'll have to ride, and they won't fancy the business over much.
'Sides, they'll have to divide. There won't be any knowing whether we've
gone dead straight on or have turned to one or other side. Gee! Ef this
ain't a doin'."
"Supposing the wind does turn?" asked Jack, digging his heels into the
horse and setting it at a slow canter.
"Yer won't have much longer need ter worry. This here trouble that
you've got tucked out er sight at the back of yer mind'll be done with,
'cos there won't be no escapin'. This hoss couldn't do it, onless he had
only one to carry, and I've got the idea as you ain't goin' ter quit
with me till things aer quieted down a bit."
Jack heard the little scout chuckling as if it were a good joke, and
then felt his bony, strong fingers suddenly fall upon his hand.
"I ain't pokin' fun at yer, lad," said Steve seriously, a little jerk in
his voice. "But I aer fair amused ter think that a townsman aer done it,
and aer been able to show Steve somethin'. It jest fetches the wind out
o' my sails, as the mariners say. Yer see, bein' an old scout, I kinder
took you by the hand ter show yer a thing or two. And kinder reckoned ef
we got into a muss, as ain't so unlikely hereabouts, I'd be able to
protect yer. But, gee! ef this ain't jist the opposite. Reckon ye've
saved my life ten times over, Jack. Ye've a right to feel proud of
yerself, for ye've done it cold. Do yer foller?"
Jack did not, and intimated that fact.
"All the same, there's no need to say another word," he exclaimed
grumpily, though his face was flushed with pleasure, and he was tingling
from head to foot.
"But there aer. Every need. Yer ain't goin' ter bully me as ef I war a
kid. Ye've ordered me about till I don't know as I'm right in me head.
There are need ter say more. Yer did it cold. I mean out thar by the
buffalo, when yer was warmed with the chase, yer played a right plucky
game, and it took some grit, that did; but in thar between the trees,
when we was waitin' and watchin' fer the enemy, it war cold shivery
work, the kind of stuff that sets men's knees knockin' tergether and
their teeth chatterin'. I ain't exaggeratin'. I've knowed brave men in
sech a fix get shiverin' all over. It aer their nerves, I suppose, and
it's a skeary feelin' that makes a brave man a coward. Now ye've got the
hang of what I mean. Yer played that other game dead cold. I don't
forget that I owe yer my life, and that it war downright pluck as did
it. So thar!"
Having said his say, Steve, who had become quite garrulous when with
Jack, lapsed into silence, and presently lay back against his young
protector as if he were utterly worn out. And so for an hour the horse
cantered on, bearing them in the direction of their friends. As for the
fire, it quickly assumed gigantic proportions, and long before the hour
had passed a broad line of fire extended on either hand rushing in the
opposite direction. And instead of the wind changing round, it got up as
the night advanced, and blew still harder, fanning those terrible
flames.
Half an hour later, when their horse was almost exhausted, and his pace
had descended to a walk, Steve suddenly sat up and shook himself as if
he had but just awakened.
"I seed somethin' over thar!" he exclaimed, pointing to the right. "And
I guess as it ain't Injuns. Likely enough it'll be Tom and the boys.
Let's give 'em a halloo."
But, before he could call out, a sharp hail came through the darkness.
"Stand thar!" someone shouted. "Ef yer move we'll put lead into
yer----Jest sing out and say whar yer come from, and what's yer
business."
"It aer Tom sure enough," cried Steve. "Hi, Tom!" he called back at the
top of his voice.
In less than a minute Tom and Jacob rode up, and at once dismounted.
"A fine scare ye've given us!" exclaimed Tom, striding to the side of
the horse. "When it fell night and yer didn't turn up, we didn't make so
much of it. 'Cos we'd heard shots, and thought ye'd most likely been
gettin' meat. But when it got later and later, and there warn't a sound,
why, me and Jacob saddled up and come back on the trail. What's kept
yer?"
A few words sufficed to tell them.
"Yer can take it for sartin as we've got ter fight it out," said Steve
in his cool voice. "Them critters has had a knock as they can't forgit,
and won't forgive. Two of their young braves has been downed by this
here Jack, and a third aer got a headache that'll last him past the
mornin'. Wall, what'll yer do? Yer kin put me on one side. I kin lie up
in the wagon, and I kin shoot. But I ain't no good fer riding."
It was obviously a case where conjunction of forces was necessary, and
at once Tom took Steve up in front of his saddle, while Jack climbed up
behind Jacob. Then, leaving the Indian horse, they spurred away across
the plain, and within an hour had found the camp and their friends.
"They'll be here with the mornin' light, them critters," said Tom,
addressing all hands. "And ef we've got an ounce of sense we'll be
makin' ready fer 'em. Now it seems to me as we'd better carry on a
runnin' fight. 'Cos ef we stay, and fix up a bit of a fort, them
varmint'll sit down to starve us out, ef it takes 'em a month."
"That aer sense," agreed Jacob. "There never was a critter ter sit down
and wait like an Injun. He's got the patience, yer see, and doin'
nothin' kinder suits him. He aer an idle dog when he's not fightin' and
takin' scalps. Wall, how's it ter be done, Tom?"
"Jest like this. I war in a muss same as this once before, though there
warn't so many of the varmint. We fought 'em runnin', same as they do at
sea when thar's a naval battle. Guess that wagon aer big enough to take
the hull crowd, and, that being the case, we'll pile into it. Jacob
here'll drive the hosses. Our mounts'll be tied up along by the
wheelers, so as we kin get at 'em slippy ef we want. Then we'll make a
kind of cover under the tilt, something that'll keep out their arrows
and bullets, and the same forward and aft. Ef we can't make a handsome
fight of it then, why we ain't fit ter get through. Let's have a light.
David and Jacob here kin get to at the cover. Jest take some of them
'ere empty sacks and nail 'em to the bottom boards. Then string 'em up
to the tilt hoops. When ye've kind of made a long sack yer can fill it
with grass. Ef it's stuffed in well it'll stop a bullet, and the weight
won't be anythin' ter speak of. Make it jest a nice height ter cover a
kneeling man. Jack, you kin jist sit down along of Steve and get to at
some food. Ye'll want it badly by this. I'll make back along the track a
little and keep a watch, while ye other boys kin hitch the hosses in,
get the guns ready, and lay out ammunition. Thar ain't no use in movin'
yet. Better wait till daylight, ef them critters'll allow us."
There was calmness and order and method about these experienced scouts,
and at once each man occupied himself with the task allotted by Tom. As
for Jack, he was ravenous, and at once began to forage for food for
himself and Steve.
"You kin jist give my back another rub when we've filled up inside,"
said Steve, as Jack laid him down at the tail of the wagon. "I kin move
a hull foot now, and bend the knee a little. That shows the works is
gettin' in gear again. But they've had a mighty shakin', they have, and
seems to me it war near bein' a bad business altogether."
Four hours later, when the dawn began to break, the little band of
scouts was marching slowly and steadily across the plain, Jacob plying
the whip from the front of the wagon, where a breastwork of boxes had
been built to protect him. On either hand rode Tom and Seth and the
others, their eyes searching the plain for a sight of the enemy. But for
a while nothing was seen of them. Away behind them a black pall of smoke
covered the countryside as far as the eye could see, and beyond, no eye
could penetrate.
"But they're there, the skunks!" exclaimed Tom, as he rode knee to knee
with Jack. "Steve's had a sight more experience on the plains than any
man of us, and he allows as thar ain't a chance but that they'll
follow. As fer me, I feel sure as they won't dare to sit down and take
their lickin' humble. Yer see, it's a case of what their people'll say
when they returns home. Ef they come with a tale of defeat they'll never
hear the end of it, and the squaws will jeer at them. They're dead bound
to go on with the chase, and they won't give it up till they've got our
scalps, or till we've given 'em a proper hidin'. Say, Carrots, Steve aer
talkin' a heap. Aer it all true what he says? I know he ain't the one to
make a thing bigger than it aer, but he's had a bad shake, and maybe
he's a bit wandering. Aer it true as you stood beside him through thick
and thin?"
Jack modestly acknowledged that he had refused to desert his comrade,
and for a while he had to listen to the praise of the man who had first
befriended him. Then, too, the other hunters rode their horses up--for
Steve had called them one by one to the wagon, where he lay at full
length--and eagerly shook Jack's hand.
"Yer ain't no longer a tenderfoot," said one of them. "I allow as a
youngster can do a brave thing once, and save an old hunter's life. But
it ain't often a youngster from the towns gets his teeth into it, so to
speak, and when there's a chance of skipping from a hull heap of Injuns,
refuses point-blank, but sticks to his partner. And Steve says as you
got quite uppish. Treated him like a kid, and that ef you hadn't done so
both of you'd have gone under. Shake, Jack, I'm glad I am along with the
party."
It may be imagined that our hero was covered with confusion; for there
was no conceit about Jack, and he had no desire to receive thanks or
praise from anyone. Still, all the same, his senses tingled, and it was
a happy young fellow who rode beside Tom. For Jack felt within himself
that he had acted as a man should. He felt now, more than ever, that he
could hold his head up and scoff at those who had accused him of that
crime for which he would have been convicted had he stayed at Hopeville.
More than that, so helpful are kind words from those who surround us, he
began to look to the future hopefully. He felt as if the tide of
misfortune had turned, and that somewhere, sooner or later, he would be
successful in his search for that miscreant who had gone off like a
craven, and had left no word, not even a wish, to clear the young fellow
accused of the crime which he himself had committed.
"Thar they aer, ridin' strong!" cried Tom, suddenly pointing across to
the left. "They've rid round the edge of the fire, and by the way their
cattle is goin' they've had a longish way to come. Boys, it aer time to
get into the wagon. Jest get yer barrels filled, and then lay doggo.
There'll be time and enough to fire. What we want is to coax them
critters ter come within easy distance, and then we'll give 'em pepper.
'Tain't no use to play with 'em. We've got ter handle them roughish,
and, when they starts in shootin', jest remember we've got ter give 'em
pepper."