The Silver Canyon: A Tale of the Western Plains

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER SEVEN.

  ANOTHER ALARM.

  To the surprise and satisfaction of Bart, all was well in the camp atdaybreak when he looked round; the horses were grazing contentedly atthe end of their tether ropes, and the Indians were just stirring, andraking together the fire that had been smouldering all the night.

  Breakfast was prepared, and they were about to partake thereof, when theDoctor took counsel with Joses as to what was best to be done.

  "Do you think they will molest us now?" he asked.

  "No, master, I don't think so, but there's no knowing how to take anIndian. I should be very careful about the horses though, for a goodhorse is more than an Indian can resist."

  "I have thought the same; and it seems to me that we had better stayhere until this party has gone, for I don't want them to be following usfrom place to place."

  "There's a band of 'em somewhere not far away," said Joses, "depend uponit, so p'r'aps it will be best to wait till we see which way they go,and then go totherwise."

  Soon after breakfast the chief came up to the waggon and held out hisarm to be examined, smiling gravely, and looking his satisfaction, as itwas very plain that a great deal of the swelling had subsided.

  This went on for some days, during which the Indians seemed perfectlycontent with their quarters, they having found a better supply of water;and to show their friendliness, they made foraging expeditions, andbrought in game which they shared in a very liberal way.

  This was all very well, but still it was not pleasant to have them asneighbours, and several times over the Doctor made up his mind to startand continue his expedition, and this he would have done but for thefact of his being sure that their savage friends, for this they nowseemed to be, would follow them.

  At the end of ten days the chief's arm had wonderfully altered, and withit his whole demeanour, the healthy, active life he led conducinglargely towards the cure. But he was always quiet and reserved, makingno advances, and always keeping aloof with his watchful little band.

  "We are wasting time horribly," said the Doctor, one morning. "We'llstart at once."

  "Why not wait till night and steal off?" said Maude.

  "Because we could not hide our trail," said Bart. "The Indians couldfollow us. I think it will be best to let them see we don't mind them,and go away boldly."

  "That's what I mean to do," said the Doctor, and directly they had endedtheir meal, the few arrangements necessary were made, and after goingand shaking hands all round with the stolid Indians, the horses weremounted, the waggon set in motion, and they rode back along the valley.Passing the Indian camp, they arrived at the opening through which,bearing off to the west, the Indians reached the plains, and for hourskept on winding in and out amongst the hills.

  It was after sundown that the Doctor called a halt in the wild rockypart that they had reached, a short rest in the very heat of the daybeing the only break which they had had in their journey. In fact, asdarkness would soon be upon them, it would have been madness to proceedfarther, the country having become so broken and wild that it would havebeen next to impossible to proceed without wrecking the waggon.

  Their usual precautions were taken as soon as a satisfactory nook wasfound with a fair supply of water, and soon after sunrise next morning,all having been well during the night, the Doctor and Bart started for alook round while breakfast was being prepared, Bart taking his rifle, asthere was always the necessity for supplying the wants of the camp.

  "I wonder whether we shall see any more of the Indians," said Bart, asthey climbed up amongst the rocks to what looked almost like a gatewayformed by a couple of boldly scarped masses, in whose strata linesvarious plants and shrubs maintained a precarious existence.

  "I wonder they have not followed us before now," replied the Doctor."Mind how you come. Can you climb it?"

  For answer, Bart leaped up to where the Doctor had clambered as easilyas a mountain sheep, and after a little farther effort they reached thegate-like place, to find that it gave them a view right out on to thepartly-wooded country beyond. For they had left the level, changelessplain on the other side of the rocks, and the sight of a fresh characterof country was sufficient to make the Doctor eagerly take the littletelescope he carried in a sling, and begin to sweep the horizon.

  As he did so, he let fall words about the beauty of the country.

  "Splendid grazing land," he said, "well-watered. We must have a stayhere." Then lowering his glass, so as to take the landscape closer in,he uttered an ejaculation of astonishment.

  "Why, Bart," he said, "I'm afraid here are the Indians Joses saw thatnight."

  "Let me look, sir," cried Bart, stretching out his hand for the glass,but only to exclaim, "I can see them plainly enough without. Why, theycannot be much more than a mile away."

  "And they seem to be journeying in our direction," replied the Doctor."Let's get back quickly, and try if we cannot find another hiding-placefor the waggon."

  Hurrying back, Bart started the idea that these might be the main bodyof their friendly Indians.

  "So much the better for us, Master Bart, but I'm afraid that we shallnot be so lucky again."

  "I half fancied I saw our chief amongst them," said Bart, giving vent tohis sanguine feelings.

  "More than half fancy, Bart," replied the Doctor, "for there he sitsupon his horse."

  He pointed with his glass, and, to Bart's astonishment, there in thelittle wilderness of rocks that they had made their halting-place forthe night, was the chief with his eleven followers who were alreadytethering their horses, and making arrangements to take up theirquarters close by them as of old.

  "Do you think they mean to continue friendly?" asked Bart uneasily, forhe could not help thinking how thoroughly they were at the mercy of theIndians if they proved hostile.

  "I cannot say," replied the Doctor. "But look here, Bart, take thechief with you up to the gap, and show him the party beyond. His menmay not have seen them, and we shall learn perhaps whether they arefriends or foes."

  On reaching the waggon, as no attempt was made by the Indians to jointhem or resume intercourse, Bart went straight up to the chief, and madesigns to him to follow, which he proceeded to do upon his horse, butupon Bart, pointing upwards to the rocky ascent, he leaped off lightly,and the youth noticed that he was beginning to make use of his injuredarm.

  In a very short time they had climbed to the opening between the rocks,where, upon seeing that there was open country beyond, the Indian atonce crouched and approached cautiously, dropping flat upon the earthnext moment, and crawling over the ground with a rapidity thatastonished his companion, who was watching his face directly after, totry and read therefrom whether he belonged to the band of Indians in theopen park in the land beyond.

  To Bart's surprise, the chief drew back quickly, his face changed, andhis whole figure seemed to be full of excitement.

  He said a few words rapidly, and then, seeing that he was notunderstood, he began to make signs, pointing first to the opening outinto the plain, and then taking out his knife, and striking with itfiercely. Then he pointed once more to the opening, and to his woundedarm, going through the motions of one drawing a bow.

  "Friends, friends, friends," he then said in a hoarse whisper, repeatingthe Doctor's word, and then shaking his head and spitting angrily uponthe ground, and striking with his knife.

  He then signed to Bart, to follow, and ran down the steep slope just asone of his followers cantered hastily up.

  Both had the same news to tell in the little camp, and though the Doctorcould not comprehend the Indian chief's dialect, his motions weresignificant enough, as he rapidly touched the barrels of his followers'rifles, and then those of the white party, repeating the word,"Friends."

  The next moment he had given orders which sent a couple of his men upthe rocks, to play the part of scouts, while he hurriedly scanned theirposition, and chose a sheltered place, a couple of hundred yards back,where there was ample room f
or the horses and waggon, which were quietlytaken there, the rocks and masses of stone around affording shelter andcover in case of attack.

  "There's no doubt about their being friends now, Bart," said the Doctor;"we must trust them for the future, but I pray Heaven that we may not beabout to engage in shedding blood."

  "We won't hurt nobody, master," said Joses, carefully examining hisrifle, "so long as they leave us alone; but if they don't, I'm afraid Ishall make holes through some of them that you wouldn't be able tocure."

  Just then the Indian held up his hand to command silence, and directlyafter he pointed here and there to places that would command good viewsof approaching foes, while he angrily pointed to Maude, signing that sheshould crouch down closely behind some sheltering rocks.

  The Doctor yielded to his wishes, and then, in perfect silence, theywaited for the coming of the Indian band, which if the trail were noted,they knew could not be long delayed.

  If Bart had felt any doubt before of these Indians with them beingfriendly, it was swept away now by the thorough earnestness with whichthey joined in the defence of their little stronghold. On either sideof him were the stern-looking warriors, rifle in hand, watchful of eyeand quick of ear, each listening attentively for danger while waitingfor warnings from the scouts who had been sent out.

  As Bart thought over their position and its dangers, he grew troubled atheart about Maude, the sister and companion as she had always seemed tohim, and somehow, much as he looked up to Dr Lascelles, who seemed tohim the very height of knowledge, strength, and skill, it filled hismind with forebodings of the future as he wondered how they were tocontinue their expedition to the end without happening upon someterrible calamity.

  "Maude ought to have been left with friends, or sent to the city. Itseems to me like madness to have brought her here."

  Just then Dr Lascelles crept up cautiously behind him, making him startand turn scarlet as a hand was laid upon his shoulder; for it seemed tohim as if the Doctor had been able to read his thoughts.

  "Why, Bart," he said, smiling, "you look as red as fire; you ought tolook as pale as milk. Do you want to begin the fight?"

  "No," said Bart, sturdily; "I hope we shan't have to fight at all, forit seems very horrid to have to shoot at a man."

  "Ever so much more horrid for a man to shoot at you," said Joses in ahoarse whisper as he crawled up behind them. "I'd sooner shoot twelve,than twelve should shoot me."

  "Why have you left your post?" said the Doctor, looking at him sternly.

  "Came to say, master, that I think young miss aren't safe. She willkeep showing herself, and watching to see if you are all right, andthat'll make the Indians, if they come, all aim at her."

  "You are right, Joses," said the Doctor, hastily; and he went softlyback to the waggon, while Joses went on in a grumbling whisper:

  "I don't know what he wanted to bring her for. Course we all like her,Master Bart, but it scares me when I think of what it might lead to ifwe get hard pressed some of these days."

  "Don't croak, Joses," whispered Bart; and then they were both silent andremained watching, for the chief held up his hand, pointing towards therocks beyond, which they knew that their enemies were passing, and whosetops they scanned lest at any moment some of the painted warriors mightappear searching the valley with their keen dark eyes.

  The hours passed, and the rocks around them grew painfully heated by theardent rays that beat down upon them. Not a breath of air reached thecorner where such anxious guard was kept; and to add to the discomfortof the watchers, a terrible thirst attacked them.

  Bart's lips seemed cracking and his throat parched and burning, but thiswas all borne in fortitude; and as he saw the Indians on either side ofhim, bearing the inconveniences without a murmur, he forebore tocomplain.

  Towards mid-day, when the heat was tremendous, and Bart was wonderingwhy the chief or Dr Lascelles did not make some movement to see whetherthe strange Indians had gone, and at the same time was ready to declareto himself that the men sent out as scouts must have gone to sleep, hefelt a couple of hands placed upon his shoulders from behind, pressinghim down, and then a long brown sinewy arm was thrust forward, with thehand pointing to the edge of the ridge a quarter of a mile away.

  Dr Lascelles had not returned, and Joses had some time before creptback to his own post, so that Bart was alone amongst their Indianfriends.

  He knew at once whose was the pointing arm, and following the indicateddirection, he saw plainly enough first the head and shoulders of anIndian come into sight, then there was apparently a scramble and a leap,and he could see that the man was mounted. And then followed anotherand another, till there was a group of half a dozen mounted men, who hadridden up some ravine to the top from the plain beyond, and who were nowsearching and scanning the valley where the Doctor's encampment lay.

  Now was the crucial time. The neigh of a horse, the sight of anuncautiously exposed head or hand, would have been sufficient to betraytheir whereabouts, and sooner or later the attack would have come.

  But now it was that the clever strategy of the chief was seen, for hehad chosen their retreat not merely for its strength, but for itsconcealment.

  Bart glanced back towards the waggon, and wondered how it was that thisprominent object had not been seen. Fortunately, however, its tilt wasof the colour of the surrounding rocks, and it was pretty well hiddenbehind some projecting masses.

  For quite a quarter of an hour this group of mounted Indians remainedfull in view, and all the time Bart's sensations were that he must beseen as plainly as he could see his foes; but at last he saw them slowlydisappear one by one over the other side of the ridge; and as soon asthe last had gone the chief uttered a deep "Ugh!"

  There was danger though yet, and he would not let a man stir till quitehalf an hour later, when his two scouts came in quickly, and said a fewwords in a low guttural tone.

  "I should be for learning the language of these men if we were to staywith them, Bart," said the Doctor; "but they may leave us at any time,and the next party we meet may talk a different dialect."

  The chief's acts were sufficient now to satisfy them that the presentdanger had passed, and soon after he and his men mounted and rode offwithout a word.