CHAPTER XVIII
BEAR STEAKS
For a moment the two parties remained watching each other narrowly--onone side the whites, and on the other the Indians, who surrounded, andfar outnumbered our friends. The redmen were wrapped in their blankets,and they did not show a weapon, though it could hardly be doubtedbut that, under the gaudy folds, they carried rifles surreptitiouslyobtained.
“What’s best to do?” asked Jerry, in a low voice.
“Let’s see what they’re going to do, first,” suggested Jim Nestor.“It’s too bad we jumped out so suddenly, without even a pistol. Andif we make a move to get ’em now it will only start the trouble allthe sooner. If we can get along peaceably so much the better. I don’thanker for a fight.”
The Blackfeet must have been wonderfully astonished to see sucha strange craft descend so suddenly among them, but, with thecharacteristics of their race, they maintained a dignified silence,save for a few grunts, and an occasional low-voiced remark.
“I guess they take us for visitors from the clouds,” said Ned, in ahalf-whisper.
“I’m not so sure of that,” replied Jim. “I shouldn’t be surprised ifsome of them had seen an airship before.”
“Where?” asked Bob, half incredulously.
“Why, sometimes the government gives permission to the Indians to goout in traveling Wild West shows, and often at the exhibitions there’llbe an airship flight. Some of the Indians may have seen one, and comeback to tell the others about it. In that case they wouldn’t show muchsurprise. But, at the same time, if they had never seen one, and if weshould suddenly sprout wings, and begin flying about ourselves, theywouldn’t show any curiosity. It’s part of their training, I guess.”
But now, after the first shock of what must have been a surprise wasover, the Indians seemed disposed to be friendly enough. They evidentlysaw that the party of whites was unarmed--at least they had no weaponsin their hands, though the Indians did, as the boys and their friendscould see when a breeze blew their blankets aside, disclosing thestocks of rifles held under the gay coverings.
One of the Blackfeet--evidently the leader--approached the group ofwhites who stood in front of the airship, and, holding up his hand,with the palm outward, an almost universal sign of peace, gravelyuttered one word:
“How!”
“How!” replied Harvey Brill, and then, to the no small surprise of theboys, the old miner began a string of guttural words that caused thefaces of the Indians to light up. They were being addressed in theirown tongue.
“I didn’t know you could sling Blackfeet talk,” said Jim, when hispartner had finished.
“Oh, I’m not much good at it, but I can manage to carry on a littleconversation. It’s just as I expected, these chaps have left thereservation. They say they don’t like it there--too small,--and theywant to live freer. They’re out for a good time.”
“And does that mean trouble for us?” asked Jerry.
“Well, it may and it may not. The Indians have been cooped up for along time, and they’ve lost much of their wildness. But it never alldies out, and, once they feel that they are free--even though theyknow they may be punished for what they do--they may go on a rampageagain--just for fun, as they think.”
“Then we’ve got to be careful,” suggested Ned, who was eyeing theredmen with interest.
“We sure have. I’ve told ’em we’re after bugs, and such like, but Idon’t know whether they believe it or not. There’s one thing sure,they’ll never bother him,” and he pointed to Professor Snodgrass, who,totally oblivious to his surroundings, or any danger, was scurryingabout, catching bugs and specimens in his little nets.
“Why not?” Bob wanted to know.
“Because they think he’s a little crazy--touched in the head, you know.I heard some of ’em say so. The Indians--at least most of ’em--regard acrazy person as particularly under the protection of the Great Spirit,and they’ll never harm one.”
“Then maybe we can get the professor to protect us if worst comes toworst,” suggested Ned.
“Oh, I don’t imagine anything will happen right away,” went on HarveyBrill. “They say they are going off to hunt and fish, and all they askis to be let alone. That may be so, or it may not. Time will tell.I’ve told ’em we are flying about with the professor, and that we maydisappear any moment.”
“We can’t until that rudder’s fixed--worse luck,” exclaimed Jerry.“We’ll get right at it.”
“Yes, I wouldn’t delay any longer than I had to,” spoke Jim Nestor.“Some of those fellows are rather savage looking. I wouldn’t want toanger one if I didn’t have a gun.”
“Are they much surprised at the _Comet_?” asked Bob.
“They won’t let on, if they are,” replied the miner.
The leader of the Blackfeet now addressed Harvey Brill again, and, atthe close of a short conversation, the redmen, without any furthergreetings, filed off in the woods.
“They say they’re going to look for hunting and fishing grounds,” saidthe miner. “I only hope they keep away.”
“Well, let’s have something to eat, anyhow!” exclaimed Bob, with a sighof relief, as the last of the natives disappeared.
“That’s Bob’s remedy for every kind of trouble,” cried Jerry, with agrin. “All right, Chunky. You get the grub and I’ll see what I can dowith this rudder.”
Jerry found that it would take longer to fix than he anticipated, as hehad to unship it.
“We’ll be here three days, anyhow,” he remarked.
“Then we might as well take it easy,” decided Ned. “I wonder if wecould do any hunting around here?”
“I saw signs of bear when I was here before,” said Harvey Brill. “Ishouldn’t wonder but what you might get a pop at one if you struck atrail. I’ll go along if you like. With those Blackfeet roaming aroundthese woods I don’t like you to take chances alone.”
“Then I’ll stay here, and sort of keep on the watch in camp,” said Jim,for they had made a camp in the place where the airship had descended.
“And don’t let the professor wander too far away,” cautioned Mr. Brill,as he and Ned prepared to go on a hunt.
“I’ll have a good fire to cook any bear steaks, if you bring in any,”said Bob. Jerry was left to labor over the rudder. He needed only suchhelp as Bob or Jim Nestor could give.
Ned and Harvey Brill traveled on for some miles without getting anysign of game. Then the miner, who had been something of a hunter in hisday, came to a sudden stop, and, pointing to the ground, said:
“There are the tracks, boy!”
“Bear?” asked Ned excitedly.
“That’s what! And they’re fresh, too!”
Cautiously they followed the trail, the tracks becoming more pronouncedeach minute. Finally, as they turned a rocky headland, they came to alittle glade, and there, feeding on some berry bushes, they saw a largebrown bear.
“Get him, boy!” exclaimed Harvey, generously giving up his chance. “Hisback is toward us, and the wind’s blowing from him to us. Plug himright under the ear!”
Ned felt himself beginning to tremble, but he conquered the inclination,and raised his gun. The muzzle wavered a bit, but he managed to steadyhimself.
Suddenly the bear, as if some instinct warned him of the presence ofenemies, raised his head and gave a loud “woof!” Instantly Ned fired,and to his delight he saw bruin give a convulsive leap into the air,and then whirl about, to fall a moment later.
But, before the animal reached the ground there was the report ofanother rifle at right angles to where our friends stood, and a puff ofsmoke told of the presence of another hunter.
“Someone else is after him!” exclaimed Harvey; “but you winged himfirst, Ned! Come on, he’s dead I guess!”
Together they sprang forward, but they had hardly reached the carcassof the bear, which was twitching in the death tremor, before therestepped from the underbrush the Blackfeet Indian leader. He held asmoking rifle in his hand, and as he sta
lked forward he said with ascowl:
“Me shoot! That Indian bear!”
“Get out!” cried Mr. Brill. “Those are our bear steaks! We shot himfirst!”
“Indian bear!” said the warrior, fiercely; and, as he raised his hand,there came out from the bushes several of his followers.
The Motor Boys on the Border; Or, Sixty Nuggets of Gold Page 19
