The Free Rangers: A Story of the Early Days Along the Mississippi

by Joseph A. Altsheler

  CHAPTER XIII

  THE WHITE STALLION

  Shif'less Sol led the way through the forest and four ghostly figuresfollowed in single file. They made no noise as they passed among thecypresses and magnolias, and oaks of the drooping foliage. No one spoke,but the leader laughed more than once in his throat, a laugh which neverpassed the lips, but which was full of satisfaction nevertheless. He feltthat he, Solomon Hyde, nicknamed the shiftless one, had not lived in vain.He had achieved the greatest triumph of a life already crowded withdangers and deeds. To use the phrase of a later day, it was his crowdedhour, and his four comrades gave him all the honor and glory of it.

  They came presently to a still, dark channel of water, the bayou, andstopped on its bank. A light wind had risen, and as it blew among thecypresses and magnolias and oaks of the drooping foliage, it blew the songof the triumph of Shif'less Sol. The moonlight fell on his face now and ashis features drew into a smile he, at last, permitted himself to laughoutright.

  "It was wonderful, Sol," said Henry. "We always knew that you were nearus, and we knew, too, that because you were near us we were near tofreedom."

  He stepped forward, grasped the hand of the shiftless one, and gave it afervent shake. Paul at once did the same, then followed Long Jim and TomRoss. Shif'less Sol's face became beatific. He had received his silenttribute and it was enough. The flavor of it would be with him all the restof his life.

  "What did you fellers think?" he asked, "when them two big knives camefallin' down on the floor. I'd hev called to you, but I wuz afeard I'dstir up them two sentinels on the other side of the house."

  "We knew it was you, Sol," replied Paul, "and we knew then that our escapewas certain. Where did you get the knives?"

  "I stole them from a tool house," replied Sol with pride. "I guess theyuse 'em to cut cane with, or something like that."

  "We certainly cut dirt with 'em at a great rate," said Henry, "and here weare free, the five of us together again, but without arms except the twoknives you threw to us."

  The moonlight was deepening and the shiftless one stood in the center ofit. His figure seemed suddenly to swell and the calm, victorious light ofthe supreme conqueror came into his eyes.

  "Boys," he said, and his voice was even and precise, as a victor's shouldbe, "when I undertook this here job o' settin' us on our feet agin, Iundertook to do it all. I not only meant to put us on our feet, but to gitus ready fur runnin', too. Boys, I hev took 'The Gall-yun' from theSpaniards ag'in an' she's waitin' fur us."

  "What! what!" they cried in chorus. "You don't mean it, Sol?"

  "I shorely do mean it. All the boats that they expect to use to-day wuzanchored in the bi-yoo or hay-yoo or whatever they call it. 'TheGall-yun,' our gall-yun, wuz at the end o' the line nearest to the bigriver. Nobody wuz on board, but she wuz tied to the boat next to her. Islipped on her--it was pow'ful dark then an' the Spaniards wuz keepin' aslip-shod watch, anyhow--cut the rope an' floated her down the stream,where I've tied her up under sech thick brush that nobody 'cept ourselvesis likely to find her. She'll be thar, waitin' fur us, an' don't you doubtit. An' fellers all our rifles an' ammunition an' things are on her. Itwuz the captain's boat, an' I s'pose he thought he might ez well hev themtrophies, an' use 'em."

  "Is this really true, Sol?" exclaimed Paul, although he did not doubt.

  "Gospel truth. We're jest ez well off ez we wuz afore we wuz captured. Idon't think, either, them Spaniards will miss 'The Gall-yun' untilmornin'. So we kin be up an' away with somethin' o' a start."

  "Lead on, Sol," said Henry.

  Sol led, and resumed the noiseless Indian file. They found the good ship,"The Galleon," under the overhanging bushes where Sol had left her, andrejoicingly they took possession again of the boat, their arms, andsupplies.

  "Now for New Orleans and the Governor General," said Paul, as they pushedout into the bayou. There was no current here, but their powerful arms atthe oars soon sent the boat into the Mississippi. There they set the sailwhich had been left unchanged, and as a good wind caught it they went onat a quickening pace. Wind, current, and oars combined made the low bankspass swiftly by.

  It was now the darkest hour and all things were veiled. Each felt a greatsatisfaction. They had the courage, after such a great and skillfulescape, to attempt anything.

  "It's only lately that I've been gittin' friendly with the Missip," saidShif'less Sol. "It's a pow'ful big river an' a new one, but me an' thisriver are already jest like brothers. It ought all to belong to us peopleo' Kentucky. When we git to be a great big settled country, hev we got tofloat everything down it, right in among the Spaniards or the French, an'they able to stop us ef they want to? 'Pears to me thar oughtn't to beanything but a string o' free countries all along the length o' this bigriver."

  "I think that is what is likely to happen," said Paul looking into thefuture, as he did so often. "We'll always be pressing down, and we can'thelp it."

  "Anyhow," resumed Shif'less Sol, "I'm glad that we've left that thar placeo' Booly, or Bee-yu-ly, or whatever they call it. Funny these furrin'people can't pronounce names like they spell. Now we Americans, an' theEnglish, who use our language, call words jest ez they are, but you neverknow what a Frenchman or a Spaniard is goin' to make out o' 'em."

  They made good progress throughout the day, and saw no sign of theflotilla of Alvarez which they had feared might overtake them. They wereagreed that it would be wise for them to reach New Orleans first, andhence they went boldly forward into the country that they regarded as thatof the enemy, confident of their fortune.

  The river widened and narrowed frequently, but always it was very deep. Itwas not beautiful here, but the vast current flowing between low shoreshad a somber majesty all its own. Its effect upon the imagination of everyone of them was heightened by the knowledge that the stream had come animmeasurable distance, from unknown regions, and that in the coming it hadgathered into itself innumerable other rivers, most of which also had comefrom lands of mystery.

  They stopped one morning in the mouth of a clear creek that flowed intothe Mississippi, and decided to spend the day in making repairs, a generalcleaning-up, and a search for fresh food. It was the universal opinionthat they would profit more by such a halt than by pushing on regardlessof everything.

  It was a beautiful spot in which they lay. They had gone about a hundredyards up the creek, and its waters here, about thirty feet across and fiveor six feet deep, were perfectly transparent. But this silver stream themoment it entered the Mississippi was lost in the great, brown current,swallowed up in an instant by the giant river.

  The banks of the creek were low and on either side brilliant wild flowersgrew to the very water's edge. Ferns, lilies, and other plants of deeperhues, were massed in great beds that ran from the creek edges back to theforest. Tall birds on immensely long and slender legs stood in theshallower water and now and then as quick as a flash of lightning darteddown a hooked bill. Invariably the bill came up with a fish struggling inits grasp.

  Beautiful flamingoes hovered about the bank and many birds of brilliantplumage darted from tree to tree. Few of these sang, except the mockingbird, which gave forth an incessant mellow note. But it was a scene ofuncommon peace and beauty and all felt its influence.

  Henry looked at the creek and the forest through which it came with anappreciative eye. He knew because the waters of the creek were clear thatit must flow through hard, firm ground, and he was thinking at that momentof a plan which he intended to carry out later.

  Their first work was with the boat. In its long voyage on the river it hadgathered mud and other objects on its bottom. This they could seeperfectly now that it lay in the clear water, and Shif'less Sol and JimHart volunteered to scrape it with two of the shovels that were containedin the invaluable store house of "The Galleon."

  Their offer was accepted, and taking off their clothing, they sprang intothe water. Once a huge cat fish from the Mississippi, unused to man,brushed against Long Jim's leg, its hor
n raking him slightly. With a shoutLong Jim sprang almost out of the water and clambered up the side of theboat.

  "Somethin' big bit me!" he cried. "It took one uv my legs with him!"

  "It's only a scared cat fish and you still have two legs, Jim," repliedHenry laughing boyishly, because a boy he was in spite of his size andexperience.

  Jim looked down, and a great smile of delight unfolded like a fan acrosshis face from side to side.

  "Guess you're right, Henry," he said, "an' I am still all in one piece."

  He sprang back into the water, and he and Sol soon finished their task.After that it was arranged that Sol, Jim, and Tom should give a thoroughfurbishing to the boat's interior, wash and dry their spare clothing andbedding, while Henry and Paul went on a hunt for a deer to replenish theirlarder.

  "You see, Paul," said Henry, "the waters of this creek are quite clear,which means that it comes through good, hard ground. It's likely that itisn't far back to one of the little prairies which I've heard are commonin this part of Louisiana, and in a wild country like this where there's aprairie there's pretty likely to be deer."

  The logic seemed good to Paul. At any rate he was willing enough to go ona hunt, stretch his legs, and see a new region. Saying that they shouldprobably be gone all day they started at once, leaving the othersabsorbed in the task of housecleaning.

  They reached solid ground not far from the creek's edge and walked alongbriskly, following the course of the stream back toward its source. Thesoil was black and deep and the forest magnificent. Great beeches andhickories were mingled with the willows and live oaks and cypresses, andthe foliage was thick, green, and beautiful. The birds seemed innumerable,and now and then flocks of wild fowl rose with a whir from the creek'sedge. Keen, penetrating odors of forest and wild flower came to theirnostrils.

  Both boys threw up their heads, inhaled the odors, and thrilled in everyfiber. They were very young, care could never stay with them long and nowthey felt only the sheer, pure delight of living. They looked back. Theforest had already shut out their boat, and one who did not know would nothave dreamed that the longest river in the world was only a mile or twoaway. They were alone in the wilderness and they did not care. They weresufficient, for the moment, each to the other.

  As they advanced, the creek narrowed and the forest thickened. The treesnot only grew closer together, but there was a vast mass and network oftrailing vines, extended from trunk to trunk and bough to bough. One hugeoak in the very center of an intricate maze of vines was drawn far overand its boughs were twisted into strange, distorted shapes. It was obviousto both that the vines, singly so feeble, collectively so powerful, haddone it, and they stood a moment or two wondering at this proof of thepower of united and unceasing effort.

  They went a mile or so further on, and Henry led the way toward the leftand from the creek. An instinct or the lay of the land, perhaps, warnedhim that the open country was in that direction. The trees, had begun tothin already, and in another mile they came out upon a beautiful littlerolling prairie. It was quite clear of trees; grass, mingled with wildflowers, grew high upon it, and at the far edge they saw the figures ofanimals grazing.

  "Deer!" exclaimed Paul. "There they are, Henry! Just waiting for us!"

  Henry took a long and keen look, then shook his head.

  "No, not deer, Paul," he said. "Now guess what they are."

  "They can't be buffaloes," replied Paul. "I think, Henry, I'm right;they're deer."

  "No," said Henry, "they're horses."

  "Horses! Why there are no plantations hereabouts!"

  "Not tame horses. Wild horses. Descendants of the horses that theSpaniards brought to Mexico two or three hundreds ago."

  "And which have been spreading northward ever since," continued Paul,alive with interest. "Let's try to get a near look at them, Henry."

  "I'm with you," said Henry.

  Full of boyish curiosity they went around the prairie, keeping in the edgeof the woods until they came much nearer to the herd of wild horses,which numbered about thirty. As a considerable wind was blowing their odoraway from the animals, they could approach very closely without theirpresence being suspected.

  The horses were clean limbed and well-shaped, and all except one weresmall and dark of color. But that one was a noticeable exception. He wasalmost pure white, far larger than the others, and he had a great flowingwhite mane and tail.

  The herd grazed in a bunch, but the magnificent white stallion stood aparton the side next to the woods. He, too, grazed at intervals, but most ofthe time he stood, head erect like a sentinel or rather a leader. Itseemed to both the boys that his whole attitude was full of spirit andmajesty, the vast freedom of the wilderness. He carried, too, theresponsibility for the whole herd and he knew it.

  "A prairie King," whispered Paul. "Wouldn't I like to catch such asplendid animal, Henry, and ride him into New Orleans!"

  "No you wouldn't, Paul," replied Henry, "That stallion wasn't made to beridden by anybody. Look. Paul, look!"

  Henry's last word rose to an excited whisper, and Paul's gaze quicklyfollowed his pointing finger. Even then he would not have seen anythinghad he not looked long and carefully. At last he made out a long, tawnyshape on a low-lying bough of a tree at the very edge of the forest. Theshape was flattened against the bough and almost blended with it.

  "A panther!" whispered Paul.

  Henry nodded. It was, in fact, a large specimen of the panther or southerncougar, and Henry whispered again:

  "See what he is after!"

  A small colt from the herd had wandered dangerously near to the forest andthe bough on which the cougar lay, watching him with the yellow, famishedeyes of the great, hungry cat.

  "Shoot him, Henry! Shoot him!" whispered Paul. "You can reach him with abullet from here. Don't let him kill the poor, little colt!"

  "I'd do it if it were needed," replied Henry, "but I don't think it willbe. See, Paul, the Prairie King suspects!"

  The great white stallion raised his head a little higher. It may be thathe caught a glimpse of the tawny form and yellow, hungry eyes amid thefoliage of the bough, or it may be that a sudden flaw in the wind broughtto his nostrils the pungent odor of the big cat. He reared and stamped,the startled colt turned away, and the cougar, afraid that he was about tolose his chance, sprang.

  A yellow compact mass, bristling with sharp, white teeth and long, hookedclaws shot through the air, but the distance was too great. The colt hadturned just in time, and the cougar fell short. He gathered himselfinstantly for another spring, but quick as he was, he was not quickenough.

  The boys heard a fierce neigh, and the great stallion, wild with rage,launched himself upon the cougar. Agile and powerful though the great catwas, the sharp hoofs trampled him down. Taken at a disadvantage, just atthe moment when his first spring had spent itself, he was no match for theprotector of the herd. No bone could resist the impact of those heavyterrible hoofs. No skull was thick enough to save. The cougar squealed,clawed, and bit wildly, but in an incredibly quick space he was trampledto death and lay quite still. The boys believed that every bone in himmust have been broken.

  The herd had run some distance away in fright at the cougar's leap, butwhile the swift combat lasted it stood looking on. Now the stallion, aftera last look at the slain robber, turned and walked away in triumph to theherd that he had protected so well. It seemed to the glorified fancy ofthe boys that he held his head higher than ever, and that his great maneand tail flowed away in new ripples. He stalked proudly at the head of theherd down to the other side of the prairie, where they went placidly onwith their grazing.

  "That is certainly one thing that turned out right," said Paul in agratified tone.

  "The hoofs of a powerful and enraged wild stallion are a terrible thing,"said Henry. "Even a deer, which is far smaller, can kill a man with itshoofs. But if you'll look again, Paul, you'll see that a new dangerthreatens our king of horses."

  Paul followed Henry's gaze, and he
distinctly saw two or three humanfigures at the edge of the wood. These figures were hidden from the horsesby a swell of the prairies, and, as in the case of the cougar, the windblew their odor away. "Indians?" asked Paul.

  "I can't tell at this distance," replied Henry, "but it's more likely thatthey belong to the party of Alvarez, and perhaps they know that wildhorses frequent this prairie and others hereabouts. See what they aredoing!"

  Paul saw well enough, One man carrying on his arm a coll of rope, thelariat of Mexico, lay down in the long grass which completely hid him, butboth Henry and Paul knew that he was creeping forward inch by inch towardthe beautiful stallion that was grazing not ten yards from the woods.

  "When he comes close enough, if he can do so before the horse takes thealarm," said Henry, "he will throw the rope and catch the horse by theneck in the running noose at the end."

  "But the horse will take alarm," said Paul hopefully.

  "I don't know," said Henry. "He may think in his horse mind that one enemyin one day is as much as he has need to dread."

  It seemed that Henry was right. Exultant in his victory over the cougar,the Prairie King had relaxed his vigilance. More often now his head wasdown, cropping the grass like the rest of the herd. Henry and Paulbelieved that they could see the grass rippling as the new and morecunning enemy crept forward. But it was only agile fancy--they were toofar away.

  "What ever happens it's bound to happen soon," said Henry.

  Even as he spoke the man in the grass sprang to his feet, threw forth hisright arm, and the rope shot out like a snake uncoiling itself as itsprang. Both Paul and Henry felt a pang when they saw the loop enclose theneck of the noble horse, while the man himself and his comrades utteredloud shouts of exultation.

  "He has caught him!" exclaimed Paul sadly.

  "Yes," said Henry, "and I'm sorry, but it was a wonderful feat of skilland patience!"

  The frightened herd ran away, and the white stallion reared and struggled,his great eyes red and distended with rage and astonishment. Two men ranforward and seized the rope which their comrade had thrown so skillfully.Then the three pulled hard.

  But the quarry was too magnificent. They had miscalculated the whitestallion's strength. Caught by the neck, he dragged, nevertheless, allthree over the prairie, and then, suddenly making a mighty lunge, tore therope from their grasp, leaving them thrown headlong to the earth. Away hewent, the long rope flying out behind him like a streamer.

  Doubtless some failure of the noose to draw tightly around his neck hadsaved the horse, and this was proved when the rope catching in a bushslipped off over his head as he struggled again. Then the stallion, bychance, or because his horse's mind inclined him to it, uttered a long,shrill neigh of triumph, kicked his heels high in the air, and gallopedaway, his flowing tail streaming out behind him, a banner of triumph.

  "He's won again," said Henry in a tone of gladness. "I told you that horsewasn't made ever to be ridden."

  "But he has to struggle continually for life and freedom," said Paul.

  "Just the same as we do," rejoined Henry. "See those fellows are pickingthemselves up; but they've been slow about it."

  "I don't blame them. I fancy they suffered some pretty severe bruises whenthe horse jerked them down. Paul, I think I can make out two white facesin that party, which almost certainly means that they are the men ofAlvarez. And it says to us that we ought to hurry."

  "But not without our deer, I hope," said Paul. They gave one last look atthe far edge of the prairie, where they could still dimly see the whitestallion, now keeping well away from the woods.

  "I don't think anything will get him," said Henry, "and I hope not. Justas we do, he loves to be free."

  They, too, re-entered the woods and were fortunate enough to find a deerquickly. Henry was willing to risk the chance of the shot being heard bytheir enemies and his bullet brought it down. Then they cut up the bodyand took it back to the boat, where they told all that had occurred. Theothers agreed that if Alvarez and his men were in the vicinity they oughtto leave at once, and, transferring the drying clothes from the bank tothe boat, they entered the Mississippi once more and set sail down itsstream.