Wanderings on the prairie--A war party--Chased byIndians--A bold leap for life. For many days the three hunters wandered overthe trackless prairie in search of a village of theSioux Indians, but failed to find one, for the Indianswere in the habit of shifting their ground and followingthe buffalo. Several times they saw small isolated bandsof Indians; but these they carefully avoided, fearingthey might turn out to be war parties, and if they fellinto their hands the white men could not expect civiltreatment, whatever nation the Indians might belong to.
During the greater portion of this time they met withnumerous herds of buffalo and deer, and were well suppliedwith food; but they had to cook it during the day,being afraid to light a fire at night while Indians wereprowling about.
One night they halted near the bed of a stream whichwas almost dry. They had travelled a day and a nightwithout water, and both men and horses were almostchoking, so that when they saw the trees on the horizonwhich indicated the presence of a stream, they pushedforward with almost frantic haste.
"Hope it's not dry," said Joe anxiously as they galloped up to it.
"No,there's water, lads," and theydashed forward to a pool that had not yet been driedup. They drank long and eagerly before they noticedthat the pool was strongly impregnated with salt. Manystreams in those parts of the prairies are quite salt, butfortunately this one was not utterly undrinkable, thoughit was very unpalatable.
"We'll make it better, lads," said Joe, digging a deephole in the sand with his hands, a little below the pool.
In a short time the water filtered through, and thoughnot rendered fresh, it was, nevertheless, much improved.
"We may light a fire to-night, d'ye think?" inquiredDick; "we've not seed Injuns for some days.""P'r'aps 'twould be better not," said Joe; "but I daresaywe're safe enough."A fire was therefore lighted in as sheltered a spot ascould be found, and the three friends bivouacked asusual. Towards dawn they were aroused by an angrygrowl from Crusoe.
"It's a wolf likely," said Dick, but all three seized andcocked their rifles nevertheless.
Again Crusoe growled more angrily than before, andspringing out of the camp snuffed the breeze anxiously.
"Up, lads! catch the nags! There's something in thewind, for the dog niver did that afore."In a few seconds the horses were saddled and thepacks secured.
"Call in the dog," whispered Joe Blunt; "if he barksthey'll find out our whereabouts.""Here, Crusoe, come--"It was too late; the dog barked loudly and savagelyat the moment, and a troop of Indians came coursingover the plain. On hearing the unwonted sound theywheeled directly and made for the camp.
"It's a war party; fly, lads! nothin' 'll save ourscalps now but our horses' heels," cried Joe.
In a moment they vaulted into the saddle and urgedtheir steeds forward at the utmost speed. The savagesobserved them, and with an exulting yell dashed afterthem. Feeling that there was now no need of concealment,the three horsemen struck off into the open prairie,intending to depend entirely on the speed and staminaof their horses. As we have before remarked, theywere good ones; but the Indians soon proved that theywere equally well if not better mounted.
"It'll be a hard run," said Joe in a low, mutteringtone, and looking furtively over his shoulder. "Thevarmints are mounted on wild horses--leastways theywere wild not long agone. Them chaps can throw thelasso and trip a mustang as well as a Mexican. Mindthe badger-holes, Dick.--Hold in a bit, Henri; yer nagdon't need drivin'; a foot in a hole just now wouldcost us our scalps. Keep down by the creek, lads.""Ha! how dey yell," said Henri in a savage tone,looking back, and shaking his rifle at them, an act thatcaused them to yell more fiercely than ever. "Dis oldpack-hoss give me moche trobel."The pace was now tremendous. Pursuers and pursuedrose and sank on the prairie billows as they sweptalong, till they came to what is termed a "dividingridge," which is a cross wave, as it were, that cuts theothers in two, thus forming a continuous level. Herethey advanced more easily; but the advantage wasequally shared with their pursuers, who continued theheadlong pursuit with occasional yells, which served toshow the fugitives that they at least did not gainground.
A little to the right of the direction in which theywere flying a blue line was seen on the horizon. Thisindicated the existence of trees to Joe's practised eyes,and feeling that if the horses broke down they couldbetter make a last manful stand in the wood than onthe plain he urged his steed towards it. The savagesnoticed the movement at once, and uttered a yell ofexultation, for they regarded it as an evidence that thefugitives doubted the strength of their horses.
"Ye haven't got us yet," muttered Joe, with a sardonicgrin. "If they get near us, Dick, keep yer eyesopen an' look out for yer neck, else they'll drop a nooseover it, they will, afore ye know they're near, an' haulye off like a sack."Dick nodded in reply, but did not speak, for at thatmoment his eye was fixed on a small creek ahead whichthey must necessarily leap or dash across. It waslined with clumps of scattered shrubbery, and heglanced rapidly for the most suitable place to pass.
Joe and Henri did the same, and having diverged alittle to the different points chosen, they dashed throughthe shrubbery and were hid from each other's view.
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