Chapter VII
Among those who journeyed with Quannah were the youths of the QuahadaComanches who had reached the age of twelve. These boys knew how to usebows and arrows as well as the older men. Children of the tribe weregiven tiny bows and arrows for toys as soon as they were big enough tohold them, and each day they practised shooting at targets, while theirparents watched them proudly.
They were also taught to ride a pony bare-back, lying close against itsneck and leaning forward, so that from the opposite side nothing couldbe seen of the little rider except one brown leg and a hand that clungto the pony's thick mane.
Another lesson they had to learn was to creep silently through thegrass, taking great care not to make it move so that other boys couldnot see where they were hiding. Because of this training and their smallsize, some of these boys had been allowed to travel with the warriorsunder Quannah, that they might be used as spies when the Indians drewnear the camps of the white men.
So when the different couriers returned to Quannah and reported that thewhite men were coming from every side to surround the Comanches, andthat part of these men were between Quannah's band and the camp wherethe Comanche women and children had been left, Quannah called hisfollowers about him while the old Medicine Man stood beside the chief.
Star, who had been resting for a short time after his long trip, liftedhis head curiously as he noticed the warriors gathering. Then as he sawRunning Deer close to the edge of the group about Quannah, he leapedlightly to his feet and hastened to his mother's side. She rubbed hernose against his to show how pleased she was at the way he had done hispart of Quannah's work. Then Quannah began speaking.
"We must go back to take care of the women and children," the chief saidvery plainly.
Star saw all the warriors nodding to show that they agreed with thechief, but no one spoke a word. It was so quiet that the chirp of agrasshopper close to Star's feet could be heard distinctly, and the songof a mockingbird sounded clearly from a nearby tree. Even the big herdof twelve hundred ponies seemed to be listening for Quannah's words.There was no moving of restless hoofs, or soft sounds of grass rootsbeing torn by grazing ponies.
Star felt a thrill of joy at what the chief said, for he knew that hewould be near Songbird again. Then if the white men came, he could helpher run away, as his mother had helped Quannah escape and hide. Heturned to speak about this to his mother, but Running Deer shook herhead quickly and he was silent. Quannah was talking.
"The white men are between us and the camp where we left our women andchildren," he said slowly. "To the front of us are more white men. Theyare coming from the east and the west, also. We must make a path throughthem to reach our camp. The white men outnumber us many times. If weface them in open battle they will kill or take us all prisoners, thenour women and children will be helpless."
"Our chief speaks the truth," the Medicine Man spoke, and the othersgrunted and nodded at one another to show that he was right.
"To-day," Quannah went on, "we must ride hard until we are near thewhite men, then we will halt and hide. It is the dark of the moon now,and when the sun has gone, I shall send the smallest boys on ourswiftest ponies to stampede the ponies of the white men. While all isconfusion in their camp, we can dash past them in the dark, taking theirponies with us as we go on our way. Without ponies how can they catchus?"
All the warriors showed their satisfaction in the words and looks thatStar and Running Deer understood plainly. In a short time the Indianswere riding the trail that led directly back toward the camp of thesquaws and children and old, weak men who could not fight.
During the day messengers were sent ahead, and Star kept close besidehis mother on whom Quannah was riding. When the couriers returned latein the afternoon, Star and Running Deer listened intently to theirwords.
"The white men are moving toward us," spoke one man who had ridden awaythat morning. His tired pony stood with low-hanging head while its drawnsides and quick breathing told how hard the pace had been. "When the sungoes to sleep for the night, they will be not more than two hours fromhere."
"They have big white ponies," another messenger said. "Last night I layso close to their camp that I could hear voices in the strange whitetepees. A few men who do not sleep walk around and keep watch. All ofthe men have fire-sticks. The ponies are unsaddled and each one is tiedto a long rope, so they make a line, side by side!"
"That is good!" Quannah's eyes brightened.
Turning to the Medicine Man he spoke in a low voice, so that neitherStar nor Running Deer was able to hear what he said. The other Comanchesbegan making preparations for food, so Running Deer, with Star at herside, moved slowly away, cropping the thick, tender grass as they talkedtogether.
"Mother, do you think we will be sent to-night?" Star asked suddenly.
"Maybe," she answered. "I am the swiftest pony of the herd, and you haveproved your speed and strength to-day. It would be a great honour ifboth of us were sent. But now stop talking. Eat, that you may rest, forno one can tell when we may be needed, nor how long and hard the trailbefore we can graze and rest again."
Star obeyed. After he had eaten his fill of juicy grass he wandered withhis mother to a stream where they thrust their noses into the clear,cool water and drank all they wished. Then the two of them found a spotwhich they pawed to make more soft, and doubling their front knees theysank slowly to the ground and soon lay sleeping side by side.
Several hours had passed when Star wakened suddenly at a whisper fromhis mother, whose lips touched one of his ears. It was quite dark, butthe stars gleamed overhead. When the little spots of light flickered inthe sky Star knew that it was from the hoofs of ponies in the HappyHunting Grounds just as the Comanche ponies made sparks of fire whenrocks were tossed together violently by the ponies' flying hoofs.
"Listen!" whispered Running Deer. "The men are picking the ponies forto-night's work!"
The colt's body quivered with excitement, his lips twitched and his earscocked sharply, while his eyes peered into the darkness where he couldhear the soft tread of moccasined feet that were coming nearer andnearer to him and his mother. He wanted to leap up and call out to thewarriors that he was awake and ready, but a nudge from his mother madehim lie down quietly and wait.
In a few seconds an indistinct figure stood beside him. A hand touchedhis forelock. Star rose quickly to his feet as a rawhide noose slippedabout his neck. He felt his mother's nose against his own, but the nipshe gave him this time was not an angry one. It told him as plainly asshe could speak how proud she was that her son had been picked out forthe work.
"Do your best," he heard her say. "Remember, you are my colt. Yourhonour is my honour. If you fail it is my disgrace as well as yours!"
Then he was led away, leaving his mother watching him as he disappearedin the darkness of night. She knew that the quick little bite he hadgiven her was a promise that he would not forget all she had taught him.
The man whom Star followed stopped where Quannah and all the warriorsstood with two little Comanche boys, who were looking up at the chiefand listening carefully to every word he was speaking to them. Star wasclose enough to hear what was said.
"Ride swiftly," Quannah commanded. "Make no noise. When you are nearthe white men's camp lie closely and hold your hands tightly across yourponies' noses to keep them from calling out to the white men's poniesand warning them of danger."
"We will do as you say," the boys promised sturdily.
"Good!" the chief answered. "Leave your ponies while you crawlcautiously to the rope that holds the white men's ponies. Cut the ropeand leap on the nearest pony, then shout loudly and beat the ponies withthe pieces of buffalo hide you carry. That will frighten them so theywill run away. Your own ponies will follow. You must drive the whitemen's ponies toward the place where we will be waiting to help you. Thuswe will capture the white men's ponies, so the men cannot follow us toour women and children."
"We understand," replied the boys in one voice, w
hile the Indianswatched them and whispered to one another, "These children will be greatwarriors when they are full-grown men!"
Once again Quannah spoke to the boys. "The honour of the QuahadaComanches is in your hands. Guard it with your lives. If you arecaptured, let no man know why you were sent, nor where we are waiting.Do not whisper it even between your two selves, for the wind might stealyour words and carry them to the white men's ears."
Then the old Medicine Man stepped before the two children, and his thinarms and trembling hands were extended over their heads. The boys kneltdown. Around them like shadows in the faint starlight stood all theQuahada Comanche warriors, and their chief watched the two slender lads,his eyes full of pride.
"Great Spirit, hear the cry of your children. Help us save the game andthe grass that we may live in peace and happiness in the land you gaveto our fathers long ago. Send their spirits from the Happy HuntingGrounds this night that they may travel beside these children and givethem courage and cunning to save the Comanche people. We are weak, weare few, and the white men are many and strong. We must go out to fightand we ask the Great Spirit to help us, for with the Great Spirit andthe spirits of our forefathers we shall win over all our foes!"
In the silence that followed the Medicine Man's blessing, the boys roseto their feet. Then Star shivered with excitement as one of the boysgrasped the mane that fell thickly on the pony's neck. With a quick,light bound the lad vaulted to Star's bare back. Beside them the otherboy was astride a pony named Hawk.
Silently the circle of warriors parted so that there was a space. Theyoung riders leaned down on the necks of the ponies and darted, side byside, through the pathway of Comanches, then on through darkness thatwrapped the prairie like a heavy black cloak.
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