Frank in the Mountains

by Harry Castlemon

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  _THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES._

  FRANK IN THE MOUNTAINS.

  BY HARRY CASTLEMON,

  AUTHOR OF "THE GUN-BOAT SERIES," "THE GO-AHEAD SERIES," ETC.

  PHILADELPHIA: PORTER & COATES.

  CINCINNATI, O.: R. W. CARROLL & CO.

  Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by R. W. CARROLL & CO.

  In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of Ohio.

  CONTENTS.

  CHAPTER I. The Foot-race 5

  CHAPTER II. What Came of It 20

  CHAPTER III. Frank Learns Something 34

  CHAPTER IV. The Trapper a Prisoner 48

  CHAPTER V. Archie Finds a New Uncle 66

  CHAPTER VI. The Medicine-man 85

  CHAPTER VII. In the Mountains 102

  CHAPTER VIII. Frank's Friend the Grizzly 123

  CHAPTER IX. Adam Brent's Story 142

  CHAPTER X. Turning out a Panther 159

  CHAPTER XI. Frank in Search of his Supper 181

  CHAPTER XII. Adam Besieged 200

  CHAPTER XIII. Dick in a New Character 219

  CHAPTER XIV. A Ride for Life 239

  CHAPTER XV. Conclusion 257

  FRANK IN THE MOUNTAINS.

  CHAPTER I.

  THE FOOT-RACE.

  One sultry afternoon in September, about four weeks after the occurrenceof the events we have attempted to describe in the second volume of thisseries, Frank and Archie found themselves comfortably settled in newquarters, hundreds of miles from the scene of their recent exploits.According to arrangement, they accompanied Captain Porter on hisexpedition, and in due time encamped a short distance from an old Indiantrading-post, in the very heart of the Rocky Mountains.

  The journey across the plains, from Fort Yuma on the Colorado to thehead-waters of the Missouri, was accomplished without danger ordifficulty. The expedition traveled rapidly, and the only incidents thatoccurred to relieve the monotony of the ride were a buffalo hunt and achase after a drove of wild horses. On these occasions the cousinsgained hearty applause from the trappers--Frank by his skill with therifle, and Archie by his persevering but unsuccessful efforts to captureone of the wild steeds.

  Had a stranger been dropped suddenly into the midst of the scenes withwhich the boys were now surrounded, he could scarcely have realized thathe was miles and miles outside of a fence, and in the heart of awilderness which but a few years before had been in undisputedpossession of savages. The boys could hardly believe it themselves. Ifthe fort, the trappers, and the Indian camp had been removed, Frank andArchie could easily have imagined that they were in the midst of athriving farming region, and that they had only to cross to the otherside of the mountains to find themselves in the streets of a prosperousand growing city. The country looked civilized. There were well-filledbarns, rich fields of grain waiting to be harvested, and a herd ofcattle standing under the shade of the trees on the banks of the cleardancing trout brook, which flowed by within a stone's throw of thehouse. There were wagons moving to and fro, between the barns and thefields, flocks of noisy ducks and hens wandering about, and Archie saidhe was every moment expecting to see a company of school-children cometrooping by, with their dinner-baskets on their arms.

  There was one thing that did not look exactly right, and that was thefarm-house. It was built of sun-dried bricks, its walls were thick, andprovided with loop-holes, and around it were the ruins of the palisadethat had once served it as a protection against the Indians.

  The farm-house was situated in the center of a delightful valley, whichwas surrounded on all sides by lofty mountains. In one corner of thevalley, and in plain view of the house, was Fort Stockton, thetrading-post of which we have spoken. Outside the walls a band ofIndians, about a hundred in number, was encamped. They had come there todispose of their furs, and were now having a glorious time amongthemselves, being engaged in various sports, such as running, wrestling,jumping, riding, and shooting at a mark. In a little grove between thehouse and the fort the trappers belonging to Captain Porter's expeditionhad made their camp, and the Captain himself sat on the porch, smokinghis long Indian pipe, and conversing with Mr. Brent, the owner of therancho. These gentlemen were old acquaintances and friends, havingformerly been engaged in the fur trade together; and when the expeditionmade its appearance in the valley, Mr. Brent insisted that the Captainand his young friends should make their headquarters at his house, untilthey were ready to resume their journey. The boys willingly accepted theinvitation--Frank for the reason that there was a well-filled library inthe house, and Archie because he wanted to be near a new acquaintance hehad made.

  Close beside the stairs which led to the porch, Dick and old Bob laystretched out on their blankets, listening to the yells of the Indians,and watching all that was going on in the camp; and, if one might judgeby their looks and actions, they were not at all pleased with the stateof affairs. Indeed, they had kept up a constant grumbling ever sincethey came into the valley, and had repeatedly declared that they hadnever expected to see the day that Indians would be permitted to comeinto a white settlement and carry things with so high a hand.

  "Times aint as they used to be, Bob," said Dick, knocking the ashes fromhis pipe, and filling up for a fresh smoke. "When me an' ole Bill Lawsontrapped in this yere valley, years ago, I never thought that I shouldset here, as I do now, an' let a hul tribe of screechin' varlets jumpabout afore my very eyes, without drawin' a bead on some of 'em. Thiscountry is ruined; I can see that easy enough."

  "Dick is growling again," said Archie. "If he could have his own way,there wouldn't be an Indian in the world by this time to-morrow."

  The cousins occupied an elevated position on the porch, from which theycould observe the proceedings in the Indian camp. Near them stood theson of the owner of the rancho, Adam Brent. He was about Archie's ageand size, only a little more thick-set and muscular; and with his brown,almost copper-colored complexion, dark eyes, and long black hair, mighteasily have passed for an Indian. His dress consisted of a hunting shirtof heavy cloth, buckskin leggins and moccasins, and a fur cap, which hewore both summer and winter.

  Our heroes had made some alterations in their costumes since we last sawthem. They had worn the Mexican dress while in California, because itwas particularly adapted to the warm climate; but now they had discardedtheir wide pants for buckskin trowsers and leggins, although they stillheld to their sombreros, light shoes, and jackets.

  The boys had spent but three days at Mr. Brent's rancho, but they werealready famous, for Dick and Bob had never neglected an opportunity torelate the story of their adventures and exploits in California. Whenthey visited the fort, the officers and soldiers looked at them asthough they had been some curious wild animals; the trappers belongingto the expedition treated them with a great deal of respect; and theirnew acquaintance, Adam Brent, acknowledged that he had been greatlymistaken in the opinions he had formed concerning boys from the States.They arose still higher in his estimation
before he bade them good-by.

  When Archie spoke, Bob and Dick raised themselves on their elbows andlooked at him.

  "Yes, little un, I am growlin' agin," said the latter; "an' I reckonyou'd growl too, if you knowed as much about them Injuns as I do. I'llallow that if I could have my way thar wouldn't be as many of 'em bythis time to-morrow as thar are now, but I wouldn't like to sweep 'emout of the world by any onnateral means. I'll tell you what I'd do," headded, pointing to the grove in which the trappers were encamped. "Tharare twenty fine fellers layin' around under them trees, an' I like 'em,'cause they're honest men, an' hate Injuns as bad as I do. I'd say to'em: 'Boys, get up an' show them ar' red skins what sort of stuff you'remade of!' They'd do it in a minit, an' be glad of the chance; an'thar'd be a thinnin' out of them Injun's ranks that would do your eyesgood to look at."

  "Perhaps some of you would get thinned out too," said Frank. "ThoseIndians are all well armed."

  "I know that; but I, fur one, would be willin' to run the risk. I don'tlike to see 'em playin' about that ar way. When I walk through theircamp, it is as hard fur me to keep from pitchin' into one of 'em as itis for a duck to keep out of the water."

  "Let's go down there," said Archie. "I'd like to see what is going on."

  Frank replied by picking up his hat; while Adam looked toward hisfather, who shook his head very decidedly. The cousins were a good dealsurprised at this, and they had been surprised at the same thing morethan once during their short stay at the rancho. Adam was never allowedto go anywhere, unless his father went with him. Mr. Brent kept watch ofhim night and day, and never appeared to be at ease if his son was outof his sight. He seemed to be afraid that some mischief would befall himunless he kept him constantly under his eye.

  "You will have to go without me," said Adam, with some disappointment inhis tone.

  "Don't you get tired of staying about the house all the time?" askedArchie. "I'd dry up like a mummy, for want of some jolly exercise tostir up my blood."

  "I do get very tired of it," replied Adam, "but I can't help it. Itwould be as much as my life is worth to go out of sight of this house.If I should go down to that camp, I might never come back again. I'lltell you a story before you leave us."

  Frank and Archie would have been glad to postpone their visit to thecamp, and to listen to the story then and there; but Adam left them, andentered the house. Dick and Bob accompanied them to the fort, and whileon the way the boys talked over what Adam had said to them, andspeculated upon the causes that rendered it necessary for him to be keptso close a prisoner; but that was a mystery, and would probably remainso until Adam saw fit to enlighten them.

  After a few minutes' walk they reached the camp, and seated themselvesupon a little knoll, under the shade of a spreading oak, to watch thegames. The principal sport, among the younger members of the tribe,seemed to be running foot-races; and, in this, one youthful savageexcelled all his companions. He was a tall, active fellow, apparentlyabout Frank's age, as straight as an arrow, and very muscular. He easilydistanced every one of his competitors, and finally he stepped up to thevisitors, and fastening his eyes upon Frank, asked him if he could run.

  "I reckon he can," replied Dick, before Frank could speak. "Fur one ofhis years he is about the liveliest feller on his legs I ever seed; an'I've met a heap of smart youngsters in my day, I tell you. You haint gotno business with him. He would go ahead of you like a bird on the wing."

  "Ugh!" exclaimed the young Indian.

  "It's a fact; an' that aint all he can do, nuther. He can not only beatyou runnin', but he can out-ride, out-shoot, an' out-jump you; an' hecan take your measure on the ground as fast as you can get up."

  The Indian listened attentively to all the trapper had to say, and thenturned and surveyed Frank from head to foot. A white boy would havethought twice before selecting so formidable an opponent; but theIndian, evidently having great confidence in his powers, stepped back,and motioned to the young hunter to follow him--an invitation whichFrank had no desire to accept. He would not have been at all averse to afriendly trial of speed and skill with the young warrior, if Dick hadnot been so lavish in his praises; but what if he should be beaten afterall the complimentary things the trapper had said about him? The Indianhad shown himself to be a great braggart. Whenever he won a race, heannounced the fact by a series of hideous yells, that were heard allover the camp; and if he should chance to distance Frank, how he wouldcrow over him!

  "I believe I won't try it, Dick," said the latter.

  "What!" exclaimed old Bob, in great amazement. "Are you goin' to setthar an' take a banter like that, an' from an Injun, too? I haint beenfooled in you, have I? Come on, and show the red skins what you cando."

  "Yes, go Frank," chimed in Archie, "and take some of the conceit out ofthat fellow. I know you can beat him. See how impudent he looks!"

  Frank glanced toward the Indian, who stood patiently awaiting a responseto his challenge, and meeting with a sneering smile, which told him asplainly as words that he was believed to be a coward, he sprang to hisfeet, and accompanied by his cousin and the trappers, followed theIndian toward the race-course. The latter kept up a loud shouting as hewalked along, and Frank noticed, with no little uneasiness, that theIndians, old and young, abandoned their own sports and fell in behind.

  "They 're goin' out to see the race," said Dick. "That boaster istellin' 'em how bad he is goin' to beat you. I reckon he'll be about thewust fooled man them Injuns ever seed."

  The prospect of a contest between a white boy and one of their ownnumber, created quite a commotion among the savages; and by the timeFrank and his companions reached the race-course, the village had beendeserted. Among the spectators were the officers of the fort, and fourwhite trappers who made their home among the Indians. In these last, ifFrank had noticed them, he would have recognized old acquaintances, whomhe had good reason to remember; but as they did not make themselves veryconspicuous, he did not see them. They did not seem to care much aboutthe race, but they appeared to be greatly interested in Dick and Bob,and their young friends. They looked at Frank, then held a whisperedconsultation, and one of them left his companions, and, mounting a smallgray horse, rode off toward the mountains; while the others devotedtheir entire attention to Archie, whom they watched as closely as ever acat watched a mouse. If Frank could have seen that horse, it is possiblethat there would have been an uproar in that camp immediately; and ifArchie had known what the men were saying about him, and what they wereintending to do with him, he would have wished himself safe back inCalifornia again.

  When Frank reached the race-course, and looked back at the cloud ofspectators that hung upon the outskirts of the village, his heart failedhim; but it was only for a moment. It was too late to think of backingout, and with a firm determination to win the race, he began preparingfor it by throwing off his hat and jacket, and tying his handkerchiefaround his waist. At this moment the principal chief of the bandappeared upon the ground, and assumed the management of affairs. He wasa very dignified looking Indian, stood more than six feet in hismoccasins, wore a profusion of feathers in his hair, a red blanket overhis shoulders, and was altogether the finest specimen of a savage theboys had ever met. Frank was very much interested in him; but beforemany hours had passed over his head, he had reason to wish he had neverseen him.

  "He is my beau ideal of a warrior," whispered Archie. "He looks exactlyas I imagined all Indians looked before I knew as much about them as Ido now. Isn't he splendid, Dick?"

  "Sartin," replied the trapper. "I'd like to meet him alone in themountains, an' show him how easy I can raise that har of his'n. Now,youngsters, if you are all ready, I am. I see that some of the Injunsare goin' to run the race too--jest to encourage their man, youknow--an' I am goin' with you. Do your level best, now."

  The race-course was about half a mile long. At the end of it was a treewhich the runners were to double, terminating the race at the place fromwhich they started. This the chief explained to Frank in broken Engl
ish,and, after placing the rival runners side by side, and glancing up anddown the course to satisfy himself that the way was clear, he raised ayell as the signal to start. Before his lips were fairly opened the racewas begun.