CHAPTER XXVIII.
A PAH UTAH'S METHOD OF FISHING.
The gray light of dawn was spreading over the wood and river when ElwoodBrandon again opened his eyes. He was somewhat startled to see nothingof the Pah Utah, although his canoe was still in the advance; but asecond look showed that they were resting against the bank, and theIndian lay asleep in the front of his boat, his body and face coveredentirely by his somber-hued blanket.
"No doubt he needs rest, and so I will not wake him!" was Elwood'sthought, as he carefully raised himself to the sitting position. But hehad scarcely moved when the end of Shasta's blanket was raised, and theboy saw his dark eyes fixed inquiringly upon him. Satisfied that therewas nothing wrong the blanket dropped again and all was still.
Elwood now looked around. Howard was sleeping soundly, his feet restingagainst the shaggy sides of Terror, who was equally oblivious to theexternal world. There could be no doubt of Tim's somnolence for he gaveunmistakable evidence of it. The light was just sufficient to afford adistinct view of the other shore, and in the clear summer air of themorning it had a cool appearance, very pleasing and refreshing to theeye.
Elwood, of course, had no knowledge of the distance they had come duringthe night; but he believed Shasta had not slept more than an hour ortwo, and that as a consequence they were many miles from their startingpoint--far enough at any rate to make them perfectly easy regarding thetroublesome visitors of yesterday.
He noticed the peculiar character of the place in which Shasta had runthe canoe. It was a small indentation covered with overhanging limbs andshrubbery in such manner that while the whites could peer out upon theriver there was no danger of their being seen by any passers-by, unlessparticular suspicion was directed toward the spot.
Elwood's limbs were so cramped from the forced position in which he hadlain during the night, that he concluded there could be no harm instepping ashore to yawn and stretch himself. Of course he would takegood care not to wander away from the boat, as he had seen the danger ofsecession in a small party like theirs. As he was stepping over thecanoe he saw Shasta looking at him so intently that he paused. The PahUtah nodded, but made a rather odd gesture, which Elwood took as acaution not to wander away. He nodded assent and stepped out upon theland. At this juncture Howard awoke and followed him.
"Shall we try and hunt something for breakfast?" asked Elwood.
"Tim's troubles have proved that it is hardly safe; I think we hadbetter leave all such matters to Shasta."
This was good advice certainly, and the boys acted upon it. They walkedup and down the banks of the river admiring the beautiful scenery, butseeing nothing of wild animals. They heard the whirr of a flock of birdsoverhead, alarmed by the apparition of two human beings, but theluxuriant vegetation allowed but a glimpse of them as they shot away.
While a few rods distant, they heard the discharge of a rifle, and in nolittle trepidation they hastened back to their friends. They wererelieved by finding that it had been done by Tim O'Rooney for thepurpose of affording a means of ignition to some sticks and leaves. Heand the Pah Utah were on shore, making as much preparation for theirbreakfast as though they had a dozen men to provide for.
"What does yez think of it?" asked Tim.
"All very well, but where is your breakfast?"
The Irishman jerked his thumb in a very significant manner towardShasta.
"You don't mean to eat him," laughed Elwood.
"Git out wid yer nonsense!" retorted Tim. "He and meself have beentalking together, and we've fixed the whole thing."
"What language did you use?"
"This kind of talk."
And the Irishman explained himself by several extravagant butmeaningless gestures.
The fire being nicely burning, Shasta took some white crumbs from a sortof receptacle in his hunting-shirt, stepped carefully into the canoe,and then gently dropped them upon the surface of the water. Our friendwatched his movements with interest.
Leaning carefully over the boat, he curved his arm and held his closedfingers so that they were just within the water, looking down into thestream all the time with the fixedness of gaze that characterizes thehawk when about to dart downward after his prey.
Suddenly a flight ripple was heard, and before either of the three onshore comprehended what he was doing, something flashed before theirgaze, and a plump, glistening fish, fully two pounds in weight, layfloundering at their feet.
"Capital!" shouted Elwood in his excitement, and he was proceeding topay the Pah Utah several highly flavored compliments, when he raised hishand as a warning for them to remain quiet. Bending still further overthe canoe, he soon thrust his hand beneath, and with the samelightning-like quickness flung a still larger fish up the bank. This wascontinued for some time, until he had five fine plump-looking fellowsall shining and fresh, waiting for the hungry stomachs.
They had an abundance of food, and its preparation now only remained.Here Shasta displayed his remarkable culinary skill. With his keen-edgedhunting-knife he slitted the fish, excepting Terror's portion, which ofcourse was devoured raw, the entire length of the bodies, and throwingaside the superfluous portion, then skewered them upon some green prongsin such a manner that they were completely flat, and the entire internaland external surface exposed.
The fire, which had been burning some time, was now raked down untilseveral square feet of live red coals lay bare, when one of the fish washeld down within a few inches. As soon as one side was thoroughly cookedthe other was turned under, and after this same fashion the four weremost speedily and thoroughly prepared for the palate.
"Luxurious!" exclaimed Howard, as he took his prize and buried his teethin its flesh. "It is cooked to perfection--a trifle of pepper and saltwould make this the best dish I ever tasted."
"I never enjoyed a meal more," replied Elwood. "But when I come tothink, the first one I tasted in California was nearly as good as this."
Tim was too much engaged to take time for conversation. He waited untilhe had filled himself to repletion, when he gave a great sigh of reliefand remarked:
"I ain't hungry--not a bit; I've lost me appetite very quickly. Mr.Shasta, you're an excellent cook--worthy of the honor of attending tothe wants of Timothy O'Rooney, Esquire."
The Pah Utah paid no heed to this praise, but contented himself withdevouring his fish, which he did until he had all that he wished, whenfrom some hidden recess he produced a beautifully carved Indian pipe.
"There I'm wid yees agin," remarked Tim, as he replenished his own. "Thepipe is very soothin' to one's faalings after sevare labor, as mebrother's wife used to say after whacking a few hours wid herbroomstick--what is your opinion upon the same, Mr. Shasta?"
The Indian nodded his head and murmured some unintelligible reply.
"Precisely," assented Tim, as he puffed forth a thick volume of smoke;"that's me own idaas exactly, and the boys here will bear me witnessthat I've always contended for the same."
"What's that?" asked Elwood.
"Ax him," replied Tin, nodding his head toward his dusky friend. "He'sable to explain better nor is meself."
Adrift in the Wilds; Or, The Adventures of Two Shipwrecked Boys Page 28