CHAPTER XII.
REVERSING POSITIONS.
Pausing on the edge of the natural clearing which had been the scene ofthe terrific race between himself and Blazing Arrow, Wharton lookedback, and in the gathering darkness saw a flickering figure on thefarther side, where the trail re-entered the wood, and he knew it wasthat of the champion runner of his tribe, whom he had not only defeatedin the contest of fleetness, but in the singular battle of wits whichfollowed.
"I'd wager a good deal, if I had a chance," muttered the lad, "that hefeels just a little impatient with himself. I am quite sure that mattershaven't gone to suit him."
It was in the power of the youth to turn the tables still morecompletely on the dusky miscreant. He had but to wait where he was untilhe was within easy range, and then shoot him down. It need not be said,however, after what had taken place a short time before, that this was acrime which nothing could have induced young Edwards to commit, eventhough he knew the Shawanoe was as eager as a tiger to secure his life.
"We're likely to come together again before this business is over," hereflected, "where I won't feel so much like letting you alone as I donow."
There was one uncomfortable proceeding which he did not mean to undergo;that was to have Blazing Arrow dogging at his heels like a sneaking wolfawaiting the chance to pounce upon him unawares. It is hard to imagine amore trying situation than that of knowing an enemy is stealing behindyou in the darkness, on the alert to dart forward when your vigilance isrelaxed, and make his attack with the deadly quickness of therattlesnake.
Walking but a short way, Wharton stepped aside from the trail and stoodmotionless among the trees, where an owl would not have noticed him inflying along the path. He was not kept waiting many minutes. A softtap-tap sounded on the ground as Blazing Arrow, in a loping trot, leftthe clearing and plunged into the wood, and then a faint, shadowy figurewas dimly seen moving between the trees.
Directly opposite Wharton it came to a halt. Because of the obscurity hecould not be seen except in motion, but the watcher knew what thatmeant. He was listening. He could not be assured what the youth in frontwas doing, and since his experience with him, the redskin understoodthat he had a young man above the ordinary as his antagonist.
A minute later Wharton saw something flicker in the gloom. The Shawanoehad started on again. This time he did not trot, for the protrudinglimbs interfered and would have made too much rustling. He walkedrapidly enough, however, to overtake any one going at the usual rate.
Waiting until he believed he was at a safe distance in advance, the ladstepped back upon the trail and continued his journey toward the warparty, where he hoped to be of service to his friend.
Since the white and red men had exchanged situations, Wharton had now toguard against running into the one in advance. If the Shawanoe shouldlearn what had been done he would be sure to try some trick on theyouth. By crouching along the path he could leap upon him as he passedand bear him helplessly to the ground.
It need not be said that young Edwards was on the alert. He could nothave been more so, frequently pausing to listen, or to use his eyes, sofar as possible, in the darkness.
Unable to hear anything through the air, he knelt down and pressed hisear to the ground. That served him no better, and he slowed hisprogress, and stopped more frequently.
"I wonder whether he has any suspicion that I am behind him?" was histhought. "It may be," he added grimly, "that he is thinking what sort ofyarn to get up to explain why he hasn't brought me with him. If I am notcareful he may nab me after all. I'd like to know whether he still hasthe headache, or whether he hasn't set me down as a fool for letting himoff when I had the chance to finish him."
If it should so prove that Blazing Arrow was not aware that, instead offollowing the white youth, the reverse was the case, the space betweenthem was certainly increasing, for one was going slow and the otherfast.
When the distance passed became considerable, Wharton began to feelhope. They were close to where he had already undergone several stirringadventures, and he was almost certain the savage runner knew nothing ofhis whereabouts. Finally he turned off from the trail almost at thepoint where he had started to run away from Blazing Arrow and hiscompanions.
Attentively listening and watching, he heard nothing, and then began aguarded examination of the immediate neighborhood. It was there theShawanoes had crouched when he bounded across the gorge in quest of hisrifle, but it was not to be expected that they had remained there eversince. The examination convinced him that all had moved somewhere else.
Wharton's concern being now for Larry Murphy, he did some closereasoning.
"I know he will, risk his life to help me, whom he naturally thinks isin a bad way, but how is he going to do it, or how has he got across tothis side of the torrent? He can't make the leap that I did, and I amquite sure he wouldn't try to swim, because that would compel him to gobelow the falls. The chances are that he is on the other side."
This conclusion, it will be perceived, was correct; but had the reasonerknown of that fallen tree spanning the gorge, it is likely his decisionwould have been different.
Before repeating the leap he had already made, Wharton spent more timein what may be called reconnoitering.
It was altogether beyond reason that the Shawanoes should be looking forany such performance, and with little hesitation, therefore, he walkedout from the shadow, ran across the moonlit space of rocks, and, withthe same ease and grace as before, placed himself on the other bank. Hequickly scurried to cover, and then awaited the result.
It was nothing, so far as he could tell. Still at a loss which way toturn or what to do, but hoping that Larry might be somewhere withinreach, he made the signal which has been described elsewhere.
"If he hears that he will know what it means. By gracious, he has heardit!"
From a point close at hand, and directly behind him, came the response,although, as the reader well knows, it was not the lips of Larry Murphythat made it.
Blazing Arrow: A Tale of the Frontier Page 12