CHAPTER XIII
DICK'S GREAT EXPLOIT
It was a singular and weird sound, the blowing of the great cow's hornon the mountain, and then the distant reply from another horn as great.It was both significant and sinister, such an extraordinary note that,despite Dick's experience and courage, his hair lifted a little. Hewas compelled to look back at the camp and the coals of the fire yetglowing to reassure himself that everything was normal and real.
"I wish there wasn't so much snow," said Shepard, "then the sergeant,Mr. Reed and myself could scout all over the country around here,mountains or no mountains."
They were joined at that moment by Reed, the long mountaineer, who hadalso been listening to the big horns.
"That means them gorillers, shore," he said. "We've got some p'isonpeople uv our own, an' when the gorillers come in here they j'ined 'em,and knowin' ev'ry inch uv the country, they kin guide the gorillerswharever they please."
"You agree then with Mr. Shepard that these signals are made by Sladeand Skelly's men?" asked Dick.
"Shorely," replied the mountaineer, "an' I think they're up to somesort uv trick. It pesters me too, 'cause I can't guess it nohow. Idone told the colonel that we'd better look out."
Colonel Winchester joined them as he was speaking, and listened to thedouble signal which was repeated later. But it did not come again,although they waited some time. Instead they heard, as they had heardall through the night, the occasional swish of the soft snow slidingdown the slopes. But Dick saw that the colonel was uneasy, and thathis apprehensions were shared both by Shepard and the mountaineer.
"Do you know how many men these brigands have?" Colonel Winchesterasked of Reed.
"I reckon thar are five hundred uv them gorillers," replied themountaineer. "Some uv our people spied on 'em in Burton's Cove an'counted 'bout that number."
Colonel Winchester glanced at his sleeping camp.
"I have three hundred," he said, "but they're the very flower of ouryouth. In the open they could take care of a thousand guerrillas andhave something to spare. Still in here--"
He stopped short, but the shrewd mountaineer read his meaning.
"In the mountings it ain't sech plain sailin'," he said, "an' you'vegot to watch fur tricks. I reckon that when it comes to fightin' here,it's somethin' like the old Injun days."
"I can't see how they can get at us here," said Colonel Winchester,more to himself than to the others. "A dozen men could hold the exitby the creek, and fifty could hold the entrance."
Despite his words, his uneasiness continued and he sent for thesergeant, upon whose knowledge and instincts he relied greatly in sucha situation. The sergeant, who had been watching at the other end ofthe valley, came quickly and, when the colonel looked at him with eyesof inquiry, he said promptly:
"Yes, sir; I think there's mischief a-foot. I can't rightly make outwhere it's going to be started, but I can hear it, smell it an' feelit. It's like waitin' in a dip on the prairies for a rush by the wildSioux or Cheyenne horsemen. The signs seem to come through the air."
Dick's oppression increased. A mysterious danger was the worst of all,and his nerves were on edge. Think as he might, he could not conceivehow or where the attack would be made. The only sound in the valleywas the occasional stamp of the horses in the woods and behind thewindrows. The soldiers themselves made no noise. The steps of thesentinels were softened in the snow, and the fires, having sunk to bedsof coals, gave forth no crackling sounds.
He stared down the gap, and then up at the white world of wallscircling them about. The sky seemed to have become a more dazzlingblue than ever, and the great stars with the hosts of their smallerbrethren around them gleamed and quivered. The stamp of a horse cameagain, and then a loud shrill neigh, a piercing sound and full ofmenace in the still night.
"What was that?" exclaimed the sergeant in alarm. "A horse does notneigh at such a time without good reason!"
And then the storm broke loose in the valley. There was a series ofshort, fierce shouts. Torches were suddenly waved in the air. Manyhorses neighed in the wildest terror and, all of them breaking throughthe forest and windrows, poured in a confused and frightened streamtoward the entrance of the valley.
Then the experience of the sergeant in wild Indian warfare was worthmore than gold and diamonds. He knew at once what was occurring and heshouted:
"It's a stampede! There have been traitors here, and they've driventhe horses with fire!"
"And maybe some of them have managed to slip down the mountain side!"said Shepard.
It was well for them all that they were men of decision and supremecourage. The terrible tumult in the valley was increasing. Thehorses, a stampeded mass, were driving directly for the entrance. Onlyone thing could stop them and that the guards then did. They snatchedmany burning brands from the nearest fire and waved them furiously inthe face of the frightened herd, which turned and ran back the otherway, only to be confronted by other waving brands that filled them withterror. Then the horses, instinctively following some leader, turnedagain and ran back to their old places among the trees and behind thewindrows, where they stood, quivering with terror.
A crackling of rifles had begun before the horses were driven back, andbullets pattered in the valley. Dark figures appeared crouched againstthe slopes, and jets of fire ran like a red ribbon upon the white ofthe snow.
"The gorillers!" cried Reed. "They've crep' over the ridges, spite uvall our watchin'."
Colonel Winchester did not lose his head for an instant, nor did any ofhis young soldiers, who had been trained to think as well as obey.Without waiting for orders they had already won an important victory byturning the horses back with fire, and the colonel, with the help ofhis officers, formed them rapidly to meet the attack. The house, thestable and the corn crib were filled with sharpshooters and others laydown among the trees or behind any shelter they could find. A numberwere detailed rapidly to tether the horses, and make them secureagainst a second fright. Warner was sent to the men guarding theentrance, Pennington to those at the exit, while Dick was kept with thecolonel, who crouched, after his arrangements were made, in a littleclump of trees near the center of the valley.
Colonel Winchester was willing enough to risk his life but knowing thatit was of the highest importance now to preserve it he did not take anyrisks through false pride. Besides Dick he kept Reed, Shepard and thesergeant with him.
The ring of fire on the slopes had been increasing fast, and theassailants found much shelter there among the dwarf pines and cedars.Bullets were pattering all over the valley. Several of the Winchestershad been slain in the early firing, and they lay where they had fallen.Others were wounded, but they bound up their own hurts and used theirrifles, whenever they could pick out a figure on the slopes.
"You spoke of traitors, Mr. Reed," said the colonel. "Did you knowwell all the men who came to help in the preparations for us?"
"All but two," replied the mountaineer. "One was named Leonard and theother Bosley. They come from the other side uv the mounting with someuv the boys an' we thought they wuz all right, but I reckon they mustbe the traitors, an' I reckon too they must hev helped some uv thegorillers into the camp. I ain't seed a sign uv either sence themhosses wuz headed back. I guess we wuz took in, an' I'm pow'ful sorry,colonel."
"You're not to blame, Mr. Reed. It's not always possible to guardagainst treachery, but since we've defeated their attempt to stampedeour horses we'll defeat all other efforts of theirs."
"Colonel, would you mind lendin' me them glasses uv yourn fur a look?The night's so bright I guess I kin use 'em nigh ez well ez in the day."
"Certainly you can have them, Mr. Reed. Here they are."
The mountaineer took a long look through them, and when he handed themback he uttered a clucking sound, significant of satisfaction.
"I 'lowed it was him, when I saw him crawlin' behind that bush," hesaid, "an' now I know."
"Who is who?"
said Dick.
"It's that feller Bosley what came with the rest uv the boys. I knowthat gray comfort what's tied 'roun' his neck, an' the 'coonskin capwhat's on his head. He jest crawled behind that little twisted pine upthar, an' took a pot shot at some uv us down here."
"I wish I could reach him," said Shepard.
"Ef you could I wouldn't let you," said the mountaineer grimly.
"Why?"
"'Cause he's my meat. He come here with my people, an' played a trickon us, a trick that might hev wiped out all uv Colonel Winchester'smen. No man kin do that with me an git away. He's piled up a pow'fulbig score an' I'm goin' to settle it myself."
"How?"
"See this rifle uv mine? I reckon it ain't got all the fancy tricksthat some uv the new repeatin' breech-loadin' rifles hev. It's jest acap an' ball rifle, but it's got a long, straight barrel an' a delicatetrigger, an' it sends a bullet wherever you p'int it. It's killedsquirrels, an' rabbits, an' wil' turkeys an' catamounts, an' b'ars, an'now I reckon it's goin' to hunt higher game."
The man was talking very quietly, but when Dick caught the light in hiseye he knew that he meant every word. It was a cold, implacable look,and the face of the mountaineer was like that of an avenging fate.
"I loaded it with uncommon care," he continued, looking affectionatelyat his rifle, and then looking up again, "an' now that the colonel'sglasses hev showed the way I kin see that feller peepin' from roun' hisbush, tryin' to git another shot, mebbe at me an' mebbe at you. It's along carry, but I'm shore to hit. I had a chance at him then, but I'low to wait a little!"
"Why do you wait?" asked Dick curiously.
"I'm givin' him time to say his prayers."
"Why, he doesn't know that you're going to shoot at him, and hewouldn't pray, even if he did."
"Mebbe not, but I was raised right, an' I know my duty. I ain't goin'to send no man to kingdom without givin' him _time_ to pray. Ef hewon't use it the blame is his'n, but that ain't no reason why Ioughtn't to give him the _time_."
"How long?"
"Wa'al, I reckon 'bout three minutes is 'nough fur a right good prayer.Thar, he's shot ag'in, but I don't know whar his bullet went. He'susin' up his prayin' time fast."
Reed never altered his quiet, assured tone. He reminded Dick ofWarner, talking about his algebra, and the lad was impressed so much byhis manner that he believed he was going to do as he said. He beganunconsciously to count the seconds.
"Time's up," said Reed at length, "an' that traitor is pokin' his head'roun' fur another shot."
He raised suddenly his long-barreled rifle, took a quick aim, andpulled the trigger. A stream of fire poured from the muzzle, thefigure of a man leaped from the bush and then rolled down the snowyslope.
"I give him plenty uv time," said Reed as he reloaded. "Now I reckonI'll look fur that other feller, Leonard. I'll know him when I seehim, an' this old cap-an'-ball rifle uv mine knows too how to talk totraitors."
Dick left presently with a message to a captain who was in command ofthe force detached to hold the entrance to the valley. He ran part ofthe way in the shelter of the trees and crept the rest, reaching thecaptain in safety. Warner was there also, and the fire upon them fromthe slopes was hot.
"There has been no attempt to force the gate-way here," said Warner."Since they failed with the horses they wouldn't dare try it. Besides,our sharpshooters are doing execution. Those in the upper story of thehouse have an especially good chance. Look at the black dots in thesnow high up on the slopes. Those are dead guerrillas. There, two menfell! Perhaps if they had known the kind of regiment it was they werecoming after they wouldn't have been in such a hurry to attack us."
He spoke with pride, but Dick felt some chagrin.
"That's true," he said, "though I don't like our regiment to bebesieged here by a lot of guerrillas. It's an ignominy. It's notenough for us to hold our own against 'em, because they're the peoplewe came to get, and we ought to get 'em."
"I dare say the colonel thinks as you do and he's already planning howto do it. This is a smart little battle, as it is. Thosesharpshooters of ours in the houses are certainly making it warm forthe enemy!"
The firing was now very fast, and, as long as the brilliancy of thenight remained unobscured, much of it was deadly, but a great amount ofsmoke gathered, and, as it rose, it formed a cloud. The showers ofbullets then decreased in volume and a comparative lull came. But themen of Slade and Skelly could yet be seen on the crests and slopes, andthere was no indication that they would draw off.
Dick made his way back to Colonel Winchester, who was still in theclump of trees, a central point, from which he could direct thedefense. The colonel, as Dick clearly saw, felt chagrin. While theyhad prevented the stampede of the horses, and were holding off Sladeand Skelly, the roles which he had intended for the forces to play werereversed. They had come forth to destroy the guerrillas, and now theyhad to fight hard to keep the guerrillas from destroying them. Despitetheir shelter, about fifteen of the Winchester men had been slain, andperhaps twenty-five wounded, a loss over which the colonel grieved.Doubtless as many of the guerrillas had fallen or had been hurt, butthat was a poor consolation.
It was obvious too that Slade and Skelly were handling their forceswith much skill, utilizing for shelter every bush and dwarfed tree onthe slopes, and never exposing themselves, except for a moment or two.Had there not been so many sharpshooters among the Winchester men theymight have escaped almost without any damage, but for some of thedeadly riflemen in the valley a single glimpse was enough.Nevertheless Colonel Winchester's dissatisfaction remained. He feltthat a force such as his, which had come forth to do so much, should doit, and he ransacked his brain for a plan.
"Mr. Reed," he said to the mountaineer, who had remained with him, "doyou think we could send a detachment through the pass down the streamand take them in the rear? That is, this force might climb the slopesbehind them, and attack from above?"
The mountaineer chewed his tobacco thoughtfully, looked up at theridges, and then at the gorge down which they could hear the waters ofthe little creek rushing.
"It's a big risk," he replied, "but I 'low it kin be done, thoughyou'll hev to pick your men, colonel. You let me be guide and be shoreto send the sergeant, 'cause he's a full fo'-hoss team all by hisself.An' Mr. Shepard ought to go along too. All the others ought to beyoungsters, an' spose you let Mr. Mason here lead 'em."
Colonel Winchester did not resent at all these suggestions, which heknew to be excellent, and, while at first, for personal reasons of hisown, he hesitated about sending Dick on so perilous an errand, he knewthat he was better fitted for it than any other young officer in hiscommand, and so he chose him. The plan, too, appealed to him strongly.He had taken lessons from the grand tactics of Lee and Jackson. Leewould keep up a great demonstration in front, while Jackson, circlingin silence, would strike a tremendous and deadly blow on the flank.The longer he thought about it the more he was pleased with it. If theflanking force could cut through the gorge the prospect of success wasgood, and fortunately the night had turned darker, the snow cloudsreappearing.
The colonel picked one hundred and fifty of his best men, with Shepard,Reed and Whitley to guide, and Dick to lead them. Warner andPennington protested when they were not allowed to go, but the colonelquieted them with the assurance that they would soon have plenty ofdangerous work to do in the valley. To Dick he said gravely:
"Before now you've nearly always been a staff officer and messenger,and this is the most important command you've ever held. I know you'llacquit yourself well, but trust a lot to your guides."
"I will, sir," said Dick earnestly. He felt the full weight of hisresponsibility, but his courage rose to meet it. It was the largesttask yet confided to him, and he was resolved to make it a success. Henoticed also that fortune, as if determined to help the brave, wasalready giving him aid. More stars were withdrawing into the void, andthe clouds were increasing. The night had grown
much darker, and a fewflakes of snow wandered lazily down, messengers of the multitude thatmight follow.
The increasing dusk did not diminish the activity of the brigands onthe slopes. It was obvious that they had an unlimited supply ofammunition, as they sent an unbroken stream of bullets into the valley,and pink dots ran like ribbons around its entire snowy rim. But in thevalley itself all the fires had been put out, and it was fairly darkthere, enabling Dick's command to gather unseen by the enemy.
"Now, Dick," said Colonel Winchester, "I trust you. Go, and may luckgo with you."
He led his men away, the three guides by his side, and they used everyparticle of cover they could find, in order that the movement mightremain invisible until the last possible moment. They hugged thefringe of forest, and when they reached the gorge he felt sure theywere still unseen, although it was only the easy part of their taskthat had yet been done. But the lazy flakes had increased in number,and the canopy of cloud was still being drawn across the heavens. Hegave the word to his men to be as silent as possible, not to let anyweapon rattle or fall, and then they entered the gorge in two filesseparated by the creek, the narrow ledges affording room for only oneman on either side.
Dick kept his outward calm, but the great pulses in his throat andtemples were beating hard. Reed was just ahead of him, and on theother side of the creek the sergeant led, with Shepard following.Large flakes of snow fell on his face and melted there, but they werewelcome messengers, telling him that the cloak for the movement wouldnot only remain, but would increase in extent.
After the first curve the stream took a sharp descent, but the land oneither side widened a little, permitting two to walk abreast. Thevalley and the slopes encircling it were now entirely shut out fromtheir view, but they heard the crackling of the rifles in greatervolume than ever. Colonel Winchester, true to Lee and Jackson's plan ofgrand tactics, had opened an extremely heavy fire on the enemy, as soonas his flanking column had disappeared in the gorge.
"I 'low the signs are good," whispered Reed. "Them that lay an ambushsometimes git laid in an ambush theirselves. I felt pow'ful bad atbein' held in a trap here in my own mountings by them gorillers, butmebbe we'll do some trap-layin' uv our own."
"I feel sure of it," said Dick. "Look! the stream ahead of us is linedwith bushes which will afford concealment for our march, and the slopesbeyond are covered with scrub forest."
"Like ez not the gorillers come that way, an' when we circle about wekin foller in thar tracks."
Dick felt that fortune was showering her favors upon him. The laststar was now gone, and the entire sky was veiled. The big flakes ofsnow were falling fast enough to help their concealment, but not fastenough to impede their movements. A mile down the gorge and theyhalted, still unseen by the enemy, due doubtless to the heavy firing inthe valley which was engrossing all the attention of the guerrillas.They could hear it very distinctly where they were, and they were quitesure that it would not permit Slade and Skelly to detach any part oftheir force for purposes of observation. So Dick gave orders for hismen to turn and begin the ascent of the slope, under shelter of thescrub forest of cedars. They were to go in a column four abreast,carefully treading in the tracks of one another, in order that theymight not start a slide of snow.
Dick's pulses beat hard, until they reached the shelter of the cedars,but no lurking guerrilla or posted sentinel saw them and they drew intothe forest in silence and unobserved. Here they paused a few minutesand listened to the heavy rifle fire in the valley.
"It looks like a success, sir," said Shepard. "If we catch 'em betweentwo fires victory is surely ours."
"Besides beatin' 'em, thar's one thing I hope fur," said Reed. "Efthat traitor Leonard hasn't fell already I'm prayin' that I git a lookat him. My old cap-an'-ball rifle here is jest ez true ez ever."
The mountaineer's eyes glittered again, and Dick did not feel thatLeonard's fate was in any doubt. But there was little time for talk,as the column began the march again and pressed on under cover of thecedars until they came without interruption and triumphantly to thevery crest of the slope. The firing was still distinctly audible here,and the other half of the army was undoubtedly keeping the guerrillasbusy.
On the summit Dick gave his men another brief breathing spell, and thenthey began their advance toward the battle. He threw in advance thebest of the sharpshooters and scouts, including Whitley, Shepard andReed, and then followed swiftly with the others. Half the distance anda man behind a tree saw them, shouted, fired and ran toward theguerrillas.
Dick, knowing that concealment was no longer possible, cried to his mento rush forward at full speed. A light, scattering fire met them. Twoor three were wounded but none fell, and the entire column swept on atas much speed as the deep snow would allow, sending in shot after shotfrom their own rifles at the guerrillas clustered along the crests andslopes. The light was sufficient for them to take aim, and as theywere sharpshooters the fire was accurate and deadly.
Their shout of victory rose and swelled, and the mountain gave it backin many echoes. Dick, feeling his responsibility, managed to keepcool, but he continually shouted to his men to press on, knowing howfull advantage should be taken of a surprise. But they needed nourging. Aflame with fire and zeal they charged upon the guerrillas,pulling the trigger as fast as they could slip in the cartridges, andSlade and Skelly, despite all their cunning and quickness, were unableto make a stand against them.
A great shout came up from the valley. The moment Colonel Winchesterheard the fire on the flank he knew that his plan, executed with skillby one of his lieutenants, was a success, and, gathering up his ownforce, he crept up the slopes, his men sending their fire into theguerrillas, who were already breaking.
Dick's troop was doing great damage. The guerrillas in their rovingsand robberies had never before faced such a fire and they fell fast,the deep snow making flight difficult. Reed, who was at Dick's side,suddenly uttered a cry.
"I see him! I see him!" he shouted.
The long-barreled cap-and-ball rifle leaped to his shoulder, and whenthe stream of fire gushed from the muzzle, Leonard, the mountaineer,fell in the snow and would never betray anybody else. Most of theguerrillas were now fleeing in panic, and Dick heard the shrill,piercing notes of Slade's whistle as he tried to draw his men off inorder. For a moment or two he forgot his duties as a leader as, pistolin hand, he looked for the little man under the enormous slouch hat.Once more the feeling seized him that it was a long duel between Sladeand himself that must end in the death of one or the other, and hemeant to end it now. Despite the fierce notes of the whistle, comingfrom one point and then another, he did not see him. He caught aglimpse of the gigantic form of Skelly, but he too was soon gone, andthen when he felt the restraining hand of Shepard upon his arm he cameout of his rage.
"Look there!" cried Shepard.
About a score of the guerrillas had been cut off from their comradesand were driven toward the valley, where they remained on its edge,crouched down, and firing. The deep snow in which they knelt wasquivering. Dick shouted to his men to draw back. Then the huge bank ofsnow gave way and slid down the slope, carrying the guerrillas, andgathering volume and force as it went. A terrified shouting came fromthe thick of it, as the avalanche hurled itself into the valley, wherethe bruised and broken guerrillas were taken prisoners withoutresistance.
Dick, after one glance at their fate, continued the pursuit of the mainband down the other slope. He knew that they were robbers andmurderers, and he felt little scruple. His sharpshooters fairly mowedthem down as they fled in terror, but all who threw up their hands orsignified otherwise that they wished to surrender were spared.
Still bearing in mind that it was their duty not merely to scatter butto destroy, he urged on the pursuit continually, and Shepard and thesergeant aided him. They gave Slade and Skelly no time to reform theirmen, driving them from every clump of trees, when they attempted it,and continually reducing their numbers.
The rout was complete, and Dick's heart beat high with triumph, becausehe knew that his force had been the striking arm. They were nearly atthe foot of the far side of the mountain, when he saw Slade among thebushes. He shouted to him to surrender, but the outlaw, suddenlyaiming a pistol, fired pointblank at the young lieutenant's face. Dickfelt the bullet grazing his head, and he raised his own pistol to fire,but Slade was gone, and, although they trailed him a long distance inthe snow, they did not find him.
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