CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
AN AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING AND SUSPICIOUS ENDING.
Let loose in the wilderness! How romantic, how inexpressiblydelightful, that idea seems to some minds! Ay, even when the weight ofyears begins to stiffen the joints and slack the cords of life thememory of God's great, wild, untrammelled, beautiful wilderness comesover the spirit like a refreshing dream and restores for a timesomething like the pulse of youth.
We sometimes think what a joy it would be if youth could pass throughits blessings with the intelligent experience of age. And it may bethat this is to be one of the joys of the future, when man, redeemed anddelivered from sin by Jesus Christ, shall find that the memory of thesorrows, sufferings, weaknesses of the past shall add inconceivably tothe joys of the present. It may be so. Judging from analogy it doesnot seem presumptuous to suppose and hope that it will be so.
"Sufficient unto the day," however, is the joy thereof.
When the two canoes pushed off and swept rapidly over the fair bosom ofRed River, the heart of Archie Sinclair bounded with a feeling ofexultant joy which it would have been very hard indeed to convince himwas capable of increase, while the bosom of his invalid brother wasfilled with a sort of calm serenity which constituted, in his opinion atthe time being, a quite sufficient amount of felicity.
When we add that the other hunters were, in their several ways, prettymuch in the same condition as the boys, we have said enough to justifythe remark that their circumstances were inexpressibly delightful.
Proceeding some distance up stream they finally diverged into a minortributary which led to waters that were swarming with water-fowl andother game.
"This is a grand burst, Little Bill," said Archie, as he plied hispaddle vigorously, and glanced over his shoulder at the invalid behindhim.
"Prime!" answered Billie. "Isn't it?" he added, with a backward glanceat Okematan.
"Waugh!" replied the reticent savage.
"Ay, `Waugh!' that's all you'll get out of him when he's puzzled," saidArchie; "though what he means by it is more than I know. You must speakrespectable English to a Red-skin if you want to convince him. Why, ifhe had understood you literally, you know--and obeyed you--he'd have hadsomething to do immediately with the lock of his gun."
"I have often wondered, Archie," returned his brother with a languidsmile, "what a lot you manage to say sometimes with nothing in it."
"Ha! ha!--ho! ho! what a wag you're becoming, Little Bill. But I thank'ee for the compliment, for you know it's only philosophers that can sayan awful lot without a'most sayin' anything at all. Look at Oke there,now, what a depth of stupidity lies behind his brown visage; whatbucketsful of ignorance swell out his black pate, but he expresses itall in the single word `Waugh!' because he's a philosopher. If he waslike La Certe, he'd jabber away to us by the hour of things he knowsnothin' about, and tell us long stories that are nothin' less than biglies. I'm glad you think me a philosopher, Little Bill, for it takesall the philosophy I've got to keep me up to the scratch of goin' aboutthe world wi' you on my back. Why, I'm a regular Sindbad the Sailor,only I'm saddled with a young man o' the plains instead of an old man ofthe sea. D'ee understand what I'm saying, Oke?"
The chief, who understood little more than that his own name and that ofLa Certe were mentioned, nodded his head gravely and allowed the cornersof his mouth to droop, which was his peculiar way of smiling--a smilethat might have been unintelligible to his friends had it not beenrelieved and interpreted by a decided twinkle in his eyes.
While they were conversing, the two canoes had rounded a rocky point andswept out upon a lake-like expanse in the river, which was perfectlysmooth and apparently currentless. Several islets studded its calmbreast and were reflected in the clear water. These were wooded to thewater's edge, and from among the sedges near their margin several flocksof wild-fowl sprang up in alarm and went off in fluttering confusion.
It chanced that just then a trumpet-like note was heard overhead, as aflock of wild geese passed the spot and came suddenly close within rangeof the canoes which had been concealed from them by the bushes thatfringed the river.
Guns were seized at once by the bowmen in each canoe, but Archie wassmarter than Fergus. Before the Highlander had got the weapon well intohis hands the boy fired and one of the flock fell into the river with aheavy plunge.
Little Bill signalised the successful shot with a high-toned cheer, andthe Indian with a low-toned "Waugh," while Fergus made a hurried andtherefore bad, shot at the scared flock.
"That wass a fery good shot, Archie," remarked Fergus, as the canoesranged up alongside of the dead bird.
"Yours was a very good one, too, Fergus," returned the boy; "only notquite straight."
The smile on the face of Okematan proved that he understood the drift ofthe reply, and that this was the style of humour he appreciated sohighly in his young friend. We civilised people may wonder a little atthe simplicity of the savage, but when we reflect that the chief hadbeen born and bred among the solemnities of the wilderness, and had beenup to that time wholly unacquainted with the humours and pleasantriesthat sometimes accompany juvenile "cheek," our wonder may perhaps besubdued.
"This would be a splendid place to camp for the rest of the day,"suggested Davidson, while they rested on their paddles after the goosehad been secured. "We must lay in a small stock of fresh provisions,you know, if we are to push on to-morrow or next day to our huntingground. What say you, Okematan?" he added in Cree, turning to theirguide.
"The will of the Paleface chief is the wish of Okematan. Let himspeak."
"Well, then, I vote for encamping on the small island over there, in themiddle o' the lake--for it's far more like a lake than a riverhereabouts--that one over which the hawk is hovering."
"I vote for it too," said Archie.
"So do I," chimed in Little Bill.
"I will be sayin' ditto to that," put in Fergus.
"Moreover," suggested Dan, "I vote for roasting the goose at once."
"Ay, and eating him right away," said Archie. As the invalid followedthis up with a feeble cheer, the proposal was carried into effectwithout delay.
The islet was low and flat, and so thickly covered with bush that itafforded a most enticing spot for a night-encampment. There was alsoplenty of dead wood on it, with which to replenish the fire, and variouspeeps through sundry openings afforded exquisite views of woodland andriver with which to charm the eyes. Over all, the sun was pouring hisnoontide rays in a glorious flood.
We need not waste time in going into the details of the feast thatfollowed: how the goose was delightfully plump and tender--especiallytender to teeth that would have scarcely observed the difference if ithad been tough--how, in addition to the goose, they had wild-ducksenough--shot earlier in the day--to afford each one a duck to himself,leaving a brace over, of which Okematan ate one, as well as his share ofthe goose, and seemed to wish that he might eat the other, but hedidn't, for he restrained himself; how they drank tea with as much gustoand intemperance as if it had been a modern "afternoon"; and how, afterall was over, the Red-man filled the pipe-head on the back of his irontomahawk and began to smoke with the air of a man who meant business andregarded all that had gone before as mere child's-play.
The afternoon was well advanced when the feast was concluded, forappetites in the wilderness are not easily or soon satisfied.
"I feel tight," said Billie with a sigh and something of pathos in histone, when he at last laid down his knife--we cannot add fork, for theyscorned such implements at that time.
"That's right, Little Bill," said Archie, "try another leg or wing--now,don't shake your head. We've come on this trip a-purpose to make youfat an' strong. So you must--here, try this drum-stick. It's only alittle one, like yourself, Billie."
"True, Archie, but I'm too little to hold it. I feel like an egg now."
"Hallo! Oke, are you overcome already?" asked Archie.
"The sun sinks to rest at
night and the birds go to sleep. If we intendto hunt we must begin now."
"It's always the way," returned the boy with an air of discontent;"whenever a fellow gets into a state of extreme jollity there's sure tobe something bothersome to come and interrupt us. Obfusticate yourfaculties with some more smoke, Oke, till Billie and I finish our tea.We can't shoot with half-empty stomachs, you know."
"They must be three-quarters full by this time--whatever," remarkedFergus, wiping his clasp-knife on the grass.
Just then, Dan Davidson, who had gone to explore the islet, returnedwith the information that some hunters must have recently visited thesame place, for he had discovered the remains of an encampment at theextreme eastern side, which looked as if it had been recently occupied,for bones of wild-fowl were scattered about, the meat on which wasneither dried nor decayed.
On hearing this, Okematan rose quickly, put out his pipe, and stuck thetomahawk in his belt. The sluggish good-natured air of contentment withwhich he had been smoking vanished; the half-sleepy eyes opened, and afrown rested on his brow as he said, shortly--
"Okematan goes to look."
"May I go with you?" asked Dan.
"No. Okematan goes alone. It is known that a band of Saulteaux havebeen seen. They are roused just now by the actions of the great whitechief and the words of my Nation. Rest here till I come. Go on eating.If they are here they may be watching us now."
"D'ee hear that, Little Bill? You've got to go on eating," said Archie."Our guide commands it. If you disobey, the rascally Saulteaux willcome down upon us somehow."
But Archie's light-heartedness was not shared by his older companions.They knew too well that the disturbed state of the country at the time,and especially the ill-will engendered between the Crees and Saulteauxby the ill-advised action of Lord Selkirk's agents, rendered anexplosion not improbable at any time, and a certain feeling ofdisappointment came over them when they reflected that the huntingexpedition, which they had entered on with so much enthusiastic hope,might perhaps be brought to an abrupt close.
"If there's to be any fighting I shall only be in your way," said theinvalid in a tone in which there was much of sadness, though none offear.
"Not a bit of it, Little Bill," returned Dan, quickly. "You'll be innobody's way in the canoes. You're as light as a feather. If we hadeven to take to the bush, Archie could run with you; an' when he getstired, Fergus and I would think no more o' you than a grasshopper."
"Iss it carryin' him you will be taalkin' of?" said Fergus. "Ay, ay! Iwould be forgettin' that he wass on my back if I had him there."
As he spoke, the Indian returned to the camp with the cat-like tread socharacteristic of the Red-man.
"A big band has been here," he said. "They slept on the island lastnight, and the signs show that they do not come as friends."
"Are you sure of that?" asked Dan.
"Okematan is sure of nothing. Even the sun may not rise to-morrow."
"Had we not better, then, return at once to the Settlement, and tellwhat we have seen?" said Dan.
"If we did, the Saulteaux would see us and give chase. Their canoes arebig and have strong men in them. They would overtake us soon and ourscalps would be swinging at their belts to-morrow."
"Not pleesant to think of--whatever," said Fergus.
"What, then, do you advise?" asked Dan. "You understand the ways of thewilderness, and we will follow your lead."
The chief appeared to think for a few moments.
"We will remain where we are," he said; "only we will send the boys offin one of the canoes, as if to shoot some ducks for us. The Saulteauxwill think that we are lazy, idle men, who like to lie in camp and sleepor smoke while the boys hunt for us. When night comes we will escape inthe dark and go down the river to warn the settlers."
"But what if they attack us before night comes on?" asked Dan.
"They will not do that," answered the Indian, gravely. "They know thatwe are well supplied with powder and shot. They know that some one mustlead in every attack, and that such leaders would be doomed to death.Saulteaux do not love death. They prefer life. They will not come tillit is dark."
"Ha! ha!" laughed Fergus, who seemed greatly tickled with the latterpart of the chief's observation, "fery goot! ho! fery goot!--they do notlove death, an' it iss life they will be preferrin'. Ay, ay! It issthe Heelandman that will be of much the same opeenion, only, whenfightin' hes got to be done, he's not afraid to do it in daylight."
"He may not be afraid, Fergus," said Dan, "yet I suspect that theRed-man's tactics are often the wisest, for what would be the use ofmaking an attack in daylight, at the cost of several lives, when theattack might be made quite as well, if not better, at night, without theloss, perhaps, of any life at all?"
"I will not be sayin'," returned Fergus, who was of an argumentativedisposition, "anything at all about attackin' by day or by night. Iwill only be remarkin' that the Heelandman iss like the savitch in thathe prefers life to death."
"Come along to the fire, Fergus," said Dan, laughing; "I will argue thatout with you."
"It will be difficult to argue, then, for there iss no argument in it atall. It is only a statement of opeenion."
"Well, but surely it is possible to controvert your opinion! Besides,we are somewhat exposed where we stand. Even an arrow might reach usfrom the near bank."
"Never you fear, Tan. They will not be so foolish as to fire now,instead of attack at night. They are sly--whatever."
While the two friends were thus conversing, the Cree chief was arrangingthe smaller of the canoes for the use of the young hunters--that is, hetook out all the lading, making it so light that it would skim over thewater like an egg-shell with the slightest impulse of the paddle.
"You'll have to put a big stone in the stern, Oke," said Archie, "tomake up for Little Bill's lightness--"
"For your heaviness, you mean," interrupted the invalid.
"No; I mean what I say, Billie, for you are light-headed as well aslight-hearted--a sort o' human balloon, ready to go up like a rocket atany time--so that even an or'nary man like me weighs you down. Besides,Oke, he steers better than me and I shoot better than him. Also, I likethe hardest work, so I always take the bow."
Arranging things according to directions, the Indian held the canoesteady while the brothers stepped carefully in--for they had learnedfrom experience that the birch-bark canoe, besides being easily broken,is apt to overturn on small provocation.
"Let not Arch-ee go near the river-bank on either side," said the chiefin a warning voice, as he was about to shove the frail bark out upon theglassy water. "The Saulteaux might catch him. And let him not go farup or down stream. Let him keep among the reeds round the island.There are many ducks there. Shoot plenty, as if Arch-ee had nosuspicion--no fear of Indians."
"I say, Oke," demanded the lad, with what was meant for an overwhelmingfrown, "do you mean to hint that I _have_ any fear of the Indians?"
"Okematan has the belief that Arch-ee never knew fear at all," returnedthe chief, earnestly; "that he has the courage of the youngbuffalo-bull."
"Well, I'm not quite so sure o' that," returned the boy, with a modestlook. "I would not myself put it quite so strong, you know. But you'rea wise chief, and I hope you've got a lot of brothers as wise asyourself. Good-bye, Oke--shove off. Now, then, mind how you steer,Little Bill."
The Buffalo Runners: A Tale of the Red River Plains Page 21