CHAPTER XXX
THE DAWN BREAKS--CONCLUSION
THE most tremendous excitement followed; for the old squaw, stillclinging to Roger, was appealing to the chief. Running Elk waslistening, too, and seemed greatly interested in what she was saying.
In fact, the entire assemblage was spell-bound; warriors and squawsbent their heads forward, to better catch all that she said, andwhenever Karmeet paused to catch her breath there could be heard loudsighs.
Dick was thrilled by the sudden change in their condition. Although hecould not tell the meaning of a single word the old squaw spoke, it wasvery evident from her gesticulations that she was telling the storyof how these white boys had saved the lives of herself and the Indiangirl when the savage panther was ready to spring down upon them; andafterwards entertained them beside their camp fire, feeding them, andeven covering them with a blanket to keep the night dews off.
Yes, as the story progressed, and she became even more excited, hecould tell how she was demanding their lives as a just recompense fortheir gallantry toward herself and her girl companion; for she finallycovered both of them with her hands, and then appealed to Running Elk.
The great chief of the warlike Sioux seemed to be considering; butDick, knowing as much of Indian character as he did, felt that the casewas already decided. The honor of an Indian would never allow theirbeing injured after they had shown themselves friends of the Sioux.
"Give yourselves no further uneasiness, lads," said Jasper Williams,heartily, at that critical moment. "You have been lucky enough to do agreat service to the sister and the child of Running Elk himself, forthey bear that relationship to the chief. He is bound to free you afterthat. And every Injun in the village will want to shake hands with you.I would that my chances were half as bright."
"We will refuse to go without you, Jasper," declared Dick, firmly; forhe had already taken a great liking to the scout; and besides, was notWilliams a most important factor in the fulfillment of the mission onwhich he and Roger had started forth from the settlement away down theMissouri?
"Listen to what the great chief is about to say," remarked the scout,forgetting that he was the only one of the trio able to interpret theSioux tongue.
But, since all Indians make considerable use of gestures in theiroratory, it was not so very difficult, after all, to comprehend thetenor of what Running Elk said.
First he asked his sister several quick questions, to all of which shereplied eagerly, pointing first to Roger, and then his cousin; afterwhich she led Dove Eyes forward, and the little girl, too, recognizedthe lads. After he had quite satisfied himself that there could be nomistake, the Sioux chief addressed himself to the assembled warriors.He grew quite impassioned in his talk; and often, when he came to apause, a chorus of grunts answered him. But Dick noticed that all thenods of those grim heads were _up and down_; and, wise boy that hewas, this told him that the braves were in complete accord with whatRunning Elk was saying.
Finally the chief arose deliberately to his feet, though none of theothers who were sitting made a move. He walked over to where the threewhites stood, and held out his hand to Roger first of all; for had nothis sister declared that it was he whose "shooting-stick" had killedthe panther, and whose blanket had been used to cover their forms fromthe night air?
"Brother!"
The word fell from the lips of the chief, and rather staggered bothlads, for they had not dreamed that he knew a bit of English. But hismeaning was plainly indicated. After that they were not to be lookedupon in the light of enemies, but honored friends. An Indian alwayspays back a debt, whether of evil or good.
Then the chief turned to Dick, and performed the same service. Thelatter was shrewd enough to know that, if anything was to be done forJasper Williams, now was the accepted time. He had heard his fatheroften say "If you want to accomplish anything you must strike while theiron is hot."
So he immediately threw one arm about the shoulders of the scout, and,looking the great chief squarely in the face, indicated Williams as hespoke the words:
"Him brother too!"
Running Elk knew what was meant. He hesitated, because there hadbeen no mention made of the scout taking part in the rescue of thosewho belonged to his immediate family. But from the warriors arose achorus of sounds, as though they had been swept off their feet bythe thrilling story of the squaw; and were willing to do the thinghandsomely. So presently, in a less enthusiastic way, Running Elk heldout his hand to Jasper, who immediately seized upon it, knowing as hedid that his life was to be spared.
After that it was easy to communicate, for Williams could act asinterpreter. He answered all the questions of the chief, and even triedto explain just why the expedition, led by Captain Lewis, was in thecountry, telling Running Elk that they had no designs on the land ofthe Sioux, but were simply passing through, and that it would likelybe a great many years before he would see another paleface in all thatsection.
No doubt what the scout told Running Elk would prove of great value,later, to the exploring party, since it opened the eyes of the Siouxchief to certain facts he had not known before. It was likely to keepthe Sioux from going on the warpath against the little band of daringwhites--at least this particular branch of them--and that would beworth something in the long winter months, while the men of the partyhad to do more or less hunting in order to supply the camp with freshfood.
There was one thing more Dick thought to do. The Wolf was one of hiscompany, and he could not bear the thought of abandoning him to hisfate. So he urged upon Jasper to try to have him included in the partywhen they went forth from the village of the Sioux on the morrow.
Perhaps, after all, one poor Mandan brave did not amount to much, inthe estimation of Running Elk, who thought he should do the thing upcompletely while about it; for lo, and behold, Wolf was brought forthat the time of their departure, though the populace that watched theirgoing had only frowns for the Indian.
Roger's last act, after again shaking the hand of the chief, was topass over to where the old squaw was standing, a smile on her broadbrown face, and take her hand in his, as though he would try to expresshis gratitude; after which he bent down and kissed the little Indiangirl who had learned her first words of English from him, while seatedat their lonely camp fire that night in the timber.
He would often remember Dove Eyes, and her eagerness to learn to speakthe language of the palefaces.
Thus it was that the four went out of the Sioux village unharmed, evenhonored with loud yells that might be taken for the Indian way ofcheering. Jasper Williams declared that it was the nearest approachto a miracle he ever expected to see in all his days; and that thekind deed which the two lads had done on that other occasion had beenreturned to them many fold.
And so the bread cast upon the waters had come back to them after manydays. No matter how long they might live, Dick and Roger would alwaysbelieve that it paid to stand up for the weak, and even risk theirlives in defense of the helpless. Only for that little happening whatmight not have been their fate on this morning that saw them startedback toward the Mandan town?
Of course they reached the camp in good time, and great was theastonishment of the explorers when they heard that the boys andWilliams had been prisoners in the village of the great Sioux chief,Running Elk, who until then had evinced the most bitter hostilitytoward the whites, laboring under the belief, which was fostered by thehalf-breed traders, that they had come to steal away the lands of theredmen.
Jasper Williams gladly signed the paper Dick had with him, in thepresence of both Captain Lewis and Captain Clark, who were only toopleased to add their honored names as witnesses.
"I must say," remarked the soldier leader of the expedition, as heshook the hand of each of the boys cordially, after this operation hadbeen duly carried out, and the precious paper carefully placed awayin a pocket of Dick's hunting tunic, "that I never did anything withgreater satisfaction in all my life, because you boys have certainlyshown yourselves to be
a credit to your brave grandfather, in takingyour lives in your hands, and venturing all the way up into thisunknown wilderness, upon the noble mission of saving the homes of yourpeople."
"Yes," added his associate, just as warmly, as he too insisted uponsqueezing the hands of the cousins, "and if, after mature deliberation,you decide to remain over with the expedition until spring, and go withus to the wonderful Western sea, across the mighty mountains of whichwe have all heard so much, depend on it you will find a warm welcomehere. For we have already come to regard you with affection, andnothing would please us more."
Dick looked at Roger, and the latter smiled happily, for to tell thetruth the heart of the more impulsive lad was very strongly set uponremaining with these intrepid men. Deep down in his soul was plantedthe love for looking on new and wonderful sights; and for years Rogerhad watched the glowing sun sink to rest night after night with asecret hope that some day he might be given the opportunity to followits track, and gaze upon sights that the eyes of white men had neverbefore beheld.
And now that chance lay at his door, if only Dick would decide to stay.
Meanwhile Jasper Williams was explaining just how it came that hissignature was so necessary on the paper which meant so much to theArmstrongs.
It seemed that his mother had been connected with a French family, andthat, in taking title to the property which he settled on near the St.Louis trading post, David Armstrong had neglected to properly securethe signature of Jasper's parents, as would have been wise.
As they were both gone long since, the only one who could attach hissignature to the document was Jasper himself; otherwise the propertycould be taken possession of, after due process of law, by any onewho might have brought it in. This the scheming Lascelles must havelearned, and the first thing old David knew of the matter was anotification that, unless he wished to be evicted in the spring, hewould have to purchase the several farms over again, paying what wasconsidered an enormous price in those pioneer days.
Of course, now that the precious signature of Jasper Williams, son ofHelene Villefue, was properly affixed to the paper, David Armstrongcould afford to snap his fingers at the crafty French trader, and defyhim. When the scout made this affirmation it gave the two boys thegreatest satisfaction possible.
"We have nothing to regret in deciding to make this trip, have we,Dick?" exclaimed the impulsive Roger.
"I should say not," replied his cousin; "and if we had to do the wholething over again, even knowing how close to death we should be brought,I am sure neither of us would hesitate for a second. And to think thatnow our homes will never be taken away from our mothers. That was thecruel part of it; and for one I can never forgive that French trader,Francois Lascelles, for trying to do such a rascally thing."
"And as he is somewhere up in this country, as we have reason tobelieve," added Roger, "looking for Jasper Williams with the intentionof trying to keep him from signing his name to this paper, why, we mayrun across him sooner or later--that is, of course, if we decide toremain over with the expedition, which I truly hope may be the case."
"We will take a couple of days to talk it over," was all Dick wouldsay; but in his eyes shone a light that gave Roger great hope.
And in the end that was the way it turned out, much to the delight ofthe younger lad, who would have been grievously disappointed had itbeen decided best for himself and cousin to return home that fall.
The two captains had interested themselves greatly in the welfare ofthe boys, whom they had come to admire very much. They fancied thathaving these lads in camp, with their cheery ways and sunny faces,would be a pleasure for all concerned during the long winter days andnights. And accordingly they used what influence they could command toget Dick to look at the thing reasonably.
The result was as might have been expected. A picked party had beenmade up to start down the river to St. Louis in a boat secured from theMandans, with a message for the President, and the boys were influencedto entrust their precious document to the charge of one of the men,who was commanded by Captain Lewis to surely deliver it, togetherwith letters from the boys, directly into the hands of GrandfatherArmstrong, before starting for Washington.
For Dick and Roger had succumbed to the great temptation to accept thegenerous offer of the leader of the explorers, and remain over thewinter with them, going on in the spring to the distant Pacific, andseeing those wonderful Rocky Mountains of which they had heard suchamazing stories.
This they eventually did; and it may be well understood that such acontinuation of their journey opened up a new field of adventures forour heroes, some of which will be found related in the pages of thenext volume of this series, to be called, "The Pioneer Boys of theYellowstone."
And while they had seen no more of the half-breed, Batiste Dupuy, orhad the ill luck to run across the French trader, Francois Lascelles,while ascending the Missouri, it might be that those same individualswould once more come forward later on, to annoy Dick and Roger underthe false impression that they had not yet secured the signature ofJasper Williams to the document.
Free from the care that had so long been oppressing them, the boyscould now look forward to a long period of enjoyment as the fall drewon, and they became better acquainted with their Mandan friends, andaccompanied the warriors on many of their hunts. And while they arethus enjoying themselves to the full, we will take our leave of them.
THE END.
The Pioneer Boys of the Missouri; or, In the Country of the Sioux Page 33