The Dog Crusoe and His Master: A Story of Adventure in the Western Prairies

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER XX.

  _New plans_--_Our travellers join the fur-traders, and see manystrange things_--_A curious fight_--_A narrow escape, and a prisonertaken_.

  Not long after the events related in the last chapter, our fourfriends--Dick, and Joe, and Henri, and Crusoe--agreed to become for atime members of Walter Cameron's band of trappers. Joe joined becauseone of the objects which the traders had in view was similar to hisown mission--namely, the promoting of peace among the various Indiantribes of the mountains and plains to the west. Joe, therefore,thought it a good opportunity of travelling with a band of men whocould secure him a favourable hearing from the Indian tribes theymight chance to meet with in the course of their wanderings. Besides,as the traders carried about a large supply of goods with them, hecould easily replenish his own nearly exhausted pack by hunting wildanimals and exchanging their skins for such articles as he mightrequire.

  Dick joined because it afforded him an opportunity of seeing the wild,majestic scenery of the Rocky Mountains, and shooting the big-hornedsheep which abounded there, and the grizzly "bars," as Joe named them,or "Caleb," as they were more frequently styled by Henri and the othermen.

  Henri joined because it was agreeable to the inclination of his ownrollicking, blundering, floundering, crashing disposition, and becausehe would have joined anything that had been joined by the other two.

  Crusoe's reason for joining was single, simple, easy to be expressed,easy to be understood, and commendable. _He_ joined--because Dick did.

  The very day after the party left the encampment where Dick had shotthe grizzly bear and the deer, he had the satisfaction of bringingdown a splendid specimen of the big-horned sheep. It came suddenlyout from a gorge of the mountain, and stood upon the giddy edge of atremendous precipice, at a distance of about two hundred and fiftyyards.

  "_You_ could not hit that," said a trapper to Henri, who was ratherfond of jeering him about his shortsightedness.

  "Non!" cried Henri, who didn't see the animal in the least; "say youdat? ve shall see;" and he let fly with a promptitude that amazed hiscomrades, and with a result that drew from them peals of laughter.

  "Why, you have missed the mountain!"

  "Oh, non! dat am eempossoble."

  It was true, nevertheless, for his ball had been arrested in itsflight by the stem of a tree not twenty yards before him.

  While the shot was yet ringing, and before the laugh above referred tohad pealed forth, Dick Varley fired, and the animal, springing wildlyinto the air, fell down the precipice, and was almost dashed topieces at their feet. This Rocky Mountain or big-horned sheep was aparticularly large and fine one, but being a patriarch of the flockwas not well suited for food. It was considerably larger in size thanthe domestic sheep, and might be described as somewhat resembling adeer in the body and a ram in the head. Its horns were the chief pointof interest to Dick; and, truly, they were astounding! Their enormoussize was out of all proportion to the animal's body, and they curvedbackwards and downwards, and then curled up again in a sharp point.These creatures frequent the inaccessible heights of the RockyMountains, and are difficult to approach. They have a great fondnessfor salt, and pay regular visits to the numerous caverns of thesemountains, which are encrusted with a saline substance.

  Walter Cameron now changed his intention of proceeding to theeastward, as he found the country not so full of beaver at thatparticular spot as he had anticipated. He therefore turned towardsthe west, penetrated into the interior of the mountains, and took aconsiderable sweep through the lovely valleys on their western slopes.

  The expedition which this enterprising fur-trader was conducting wasone of the first that ever penetrated these wild regions in search offurs. The ground over which they travelled was quite new to them, andhaving no guide they just moved about at haphazard, encamping on themargin of every stream or river on which signs of the presence ofbeaver were discovered, and setting their traps.

  Beaver skins at this time were worth 25s. a-piece in the markets ofcivilized lands, and in the Snake country, through which our friendswere travelling, thousands of them were to be had from the Indians fortrinkets and baubles that were scarce worth a farthing. A beaver skincould be procured from the Indians for a brass finger-ring or a pennylooking-glass. Horses were also so numerous that one could be procuredfor an axe or a knife.

  Let not the reader, however, hastily conclude that the traders cheatedthe Indians in this traffic, though the profits were so enormous. Thering or the axe was indeed a trifle to the trader, but the beaver skinand the horse were equally trifles to the savage, who could procure asmany of them as he chose with very little trouble, while the ring andthe axe were in his estimation of priceless value. Besides, be itremembered, to carry that ring and that axe to the far-distant hauntsof the Red-man cost the trader weeks and months of constant toil,trouble, anxiety, and, alas! too frequently cost him his life! Thestate of trade is considerably modified in these regions at thepresent day. It is not more _justly_ conducted, for, in respect of thevalue of goods given for furs, it was justly conducted _then_, buttime and circumstances have tended more to equalize the relativevalues of articles of trade.

  The snow which had prematurely fallen had passed away, and thetrappers now found themselves wandering about in a country sobeautiful and a season so delightful, that it would have seemed tothem a perfect paradise, but for the savage tribes who hovered aboutthem, and kept them ever on the _qui vive_.

  They soon passed from the immediate embrace of stupendous heights anddark gorges to a land of sloping ridges, which divided the countryinto a hundred luxuriant vales, composed part of woodland and part ofprairie. Through these, numerous rivers and streams flowed deviously,beautifying the landscape and enriching the land. There were also manylakes of all sizes, and these swarmed with fish, while in some of themwere found the much-sought-after and highly-esteemed beaver. Saltsprings and hot springs of various temperatures abounded here, andmany of the latter were so hot that meat could be boiled in them.Salt existed in all directions in abundance and of good quality. Asulphurous spring was also discovered, bubbling out from the base of aperpendicular rock three hundred feet high, the waters of which weredark-blue and tasted like gunpowder. In short, the land presentedevery variety of feature calculated to charm the imagination anddelight the eye.

  It was a mysterious land, too; for broad rivers burst in many placesfrom the earth, flowed on for a short space, and then disappearedas if by magic into the earth from which they rose. Natural bridgesspanned the torrents in many places, and some of these were socorrectly formed that it was difficult to believe they had not beenbuilt by the hand of man. They often appeared opportunely to ourtrappers, and saved them the trouble and danger of fording rivers.Frequently the whole band would stop in silent wonder and awe as theylistened to the rushing of waters under their feet, as if anotherworld of streams, and rapids, and cataracts were flowing below thecrust of earth on which they stood. Some considerable streams werelikewise observed to gush from the faces of precipices, some twenty orthirty feet from their summits, while on the top no water was to beseen.

  Wild berries of all kinds were found in abundance, and wildvegetables, besides many nutritious roots. Among other fish, splendidsalmon were found in the lakes and rivers, and animal life swarmed onhill and in dale. Woods and valleys, plains and ravines, teemed withit. On every plain the red-deer grazed in herds by the banks of lakeand stream. Wherever there were clusters of poplar and elder trees andsaplings, the beaver was seen nibbling industriously with his sharpteeth, and committing as much havoc in the forest as if he had beenarmed with the woodman's axe; others sported in the eddies. Racoonssat in the tree-tops; the marten, the black fox, and the wolf prowledin the woods in quest of prey; mountain sheep and goats browsed on therocky ridges; and badgers peeped from their holes.

  Here, too, the wild horse sprang snorting and dishevelled from hismountain retreats--with flourishing mane and tail, spanking step, andquestioning gaze--and thundered aw
ay over the plains and valleys,while the rocks echoed back his shrill neigh. The huge, heavy,ungainly elk, or moose-deer, _trotted_ away from the travellers withspeed equal to that of the mustang: elks seldom gallop; their bestspeed is attained at the trot. Bears, too, black, and brown, andgrizzly, roamed about everywhere.

  So numerous were all these creatures that on one occasion the huntersof the party brought in six wild horses, three bears, four elks, andthirty red-deer; having shot them all a short distance ahead of themain body, and almost without diverging from the line of march. Andthis was a matter of everyday occurrence--as it had need to be,considering the number of mouths that had to be filled.

  The feathered tribes were not less numerous. Chief among these wereeagles and vultures of uncommon size, the wild goose, wild duck, andthe majestic swan.

  In the midst of such profusion the trappers spent a happy time of it,when not molested by the savages, but they frequently lost a horse ortwo in consequence of the expertness of these thievish fellows. Theyoften wandered, however, for days at a time without seeing an Indian,and at such times they enjoyed to the full the luxuries with which abountiful God had blessed these romantic regions.

  Dick Varley was almost wild with delight. It was his first excursioninto the remote wilderness; he was young, healthy, strong, andromantic; and it is a question whether his or his dog's heart, or thatof the noble wild horse he bestrode, bounded most with joy atthe glorious sights and sounds and influences by which they weresurrounded. It would have been perfection, had it not been for thefrequent annoyance and alarms caused by the Indians.

  Alas! alas! that we who write and read about those wondrous scenesshould have to condemn our own species as the most degraded of all theworks of the Creator there! Yet so it is. Man, exercising his reasonand conscience in the path of love and duty which his Creator pointsout, is God's noblest work; but man, left to the freedom of his ownfallen will, sinks morally lower than the beasts that perish. Wellmay every Christian wish and pray that the name and the gospel of theblessed Jesus may be sent speedily to the dark places of the earth;for you may read of, and talk about, but you _cannot conceive_ thefiendish wickedness and cruelty which causes tearless eyes to glare,and maddened hearts to burst, in the lands of the heathen.

  While we are on this subject, let us add (and our young readerswill come to know it if they are spared to see many years) that_civilization_ alone will never improve the heart. Let history speak,and it will tell you that deeds of darkest hue have been perpetratedin so-called civilized though pagan lands. Civilization is like thepolish that beautifies inferior furniture, which water will wash offif it be but _hot enough_. Christianity resembles dye, which permeatesevery fibre of the fabric, and which nothing can eradicate.

  The success of the trappers in procuring beaver here was great. In allsorts of creeks and rivers they were found. One day they came to oneof the curious rivers before mentioned, which burst suddenly out ofa plain, flowed on for several miles, and then disappeared into theearth as suddenly as it had risen. Even in this strange place beaverwere seen, so the traps were set, and a hundred and fifty were caughtat the first lift.

  The manner in which the party proceeded was as follows:--They marchedin a mass in groups or in a long line, according to the nature ofthe ground over which they travelled. The hunters of the party wentforward a mile or two in advance, and scattered through the woods.After them came the advance-guard, being the bravest and most stalwartof the men mounted on their best steeds, and with rifle in hand;immediately behind followed the women and children, also mounted, andthe pack-horses with the goods and camp equipage. Another band oftrappers formed the rear-guard to this imposing cavalcade. There wasno strict regimental order kept, but the people soon came to adopt thearrangements that were most convenient for all parties, and at lengthfell naturally into their places in the line of march.

  Joe Blunt usually was the foremost and always the most successful ofthe hunters. He was therefore seldom seen on the march except at thehour of starting, and at night when he came back leading his horse,which always groaned under its heavy load of meat. Henri, being ahearty, jovial soul and fond of society, usually kept with the mainbody. As for Dick, he was everywhere at once, at least as much so asit is possible for human nature to be! His horse never wearied; itseemed to delight in going at full speed; no other horse in the troopcould come near Charlie, and Dick indulged him by appearing now atthe front, now at the rear, anon in the centre, and frequently_nowhere_!--having gone off with Crusoe like a flash of lightningafter a buffalo or a deer. Dick soon proved himself to be the besthunter of the party, and it was not long before he fulfilled hispromise to Crusoe and decorated his neck with a collar of grizzly bearclaws. Well, when the trappers came to a river where there were signsof beaver they called a halt, and proceeded to select a safe andconvenient spot, near wood and water, for the camp. Here the propertyof the band was securely piled in such a manner as to form abreastwork or slight fortification, and here Walter Cameronestablished headquarters. This was always the post of danger, beingexposed to sudden attack by prowling savages, who often dogged thefootsteps of the party in their journeyings to see what they couldsteal. But Cameron was an old hand, and they found it difficult toescape his vigilant eye.

  From this point all the trappers were sent forth in small partiesevery morning in various directions, some on foot and some onhorseback, according to the distances they had to go; but they neverwent farther than twenty miles, as they had to return to camp everyevening.

  Each trapper had ten steel traps allowed him. These he set everynight, and visited every morning, sometimes oftener when practicable,selecting a spot in the stream where many trees had been cut down bybeavers for the purpose of damming up the water. In some places asmany as fifty tree stumps were seen in one spot, within the compass ofhalf an acre, all cut through at about eighteen inches from theroot. We may remark, in passing, that the beaver is very much like agigantic water-rat, with this marked difference, that its tail is verybroad and flat like a paddle. The said tail is a greatly-esteemedarticle of food, as, indeed, is the whole body at certain seasons ofthe year. The beaver's fore legs are very small and short, and it usesits paws as hands to convey food to its mouth, sitting the while in anerect position on its hind legs and tail. Its fur is a dense coat ofa grayish-coloured down, concealed by long coarse hair, which liessmooth, and is of a bright chestnut colour. Its teeth and jaws are ofenormous power; with them it can cut through the branch of a tree asthick as a walking-stick at one snap, and, as we have said, it gnawsthrough thick trees themselves.

  As soon as a tree falls, the beavers set to work industriously to lopoff the branches, which, as well as the smaller trunks, they cut intolengths, according to their weight and thickness. These are thendragged by main force to the water-side, launched, and floated totheir destination. Beavers build their houses, or "lodges," under thebanks of rivers and lakes, and always select those of such depth ofwater that there is no danger of their being frozen to the bottom.When such cannot be found, and they are compelled to build in smallrivulets of insufficient depth, these clever little creatures dam upthe waters until they are deep enough. The banks thrown up by themacross rivulets for this purpose are of great strength, and would docredit to human engineers. Their lodges are built of sticks, mud, andstones, which form a compact mass; this freezes solid in winter, anddefies the assaults of that housebreaker, the wolverine, an animalwhich is the beaver's implacable foe. From this lodge, which iscapable often of holding four old and six or eight young ones, acommunication is maintained with the water below the ice, so that,should the wolverine succeed in breaking up the lodge, he finds thefamily "not at home," they having made good their retreat by theback-door. When man acts the part of housebreaker, however, hecunningly shuts the back-door _first_, by driving stakes through theice, and thus stopping the passage. Then he enters, and, we almostregret to say, finds the family at home. We regret it, because thebeaver is a gentle, peaceable, affectionate, hairy little
creature,towards which one feels an irresistible tenderness. But to return fromthis long digression.

  Our trappers, having selected their several localities, set theirtraps in the water, so that when the beavers roamed about at nightthey put their feet into them, and were caught and drowned; foralthough they can swim and dive admirably, they cannot live altogetherunder water.

  Thus the different parties proceeded; and in the mornings the camp wasa busy scene indeed, for then the whole were engaged in skinning theanimals. The skins were always stretched, dried, folded up with thehair in the inside, and laid by; and the flesh was used for food.

  But oftentimes the trappers had to go forth with the gun in one handand their traps in the other, while they kept a sharp look-out on thebushes to guard against surprise. Despite their utmost efforts, ahorse was occasionally stolen before their very eyes, and sometimeseven an unfortunate trapper was murdered, and all his traps carriedoff.

  An event of this kind occurred soon after the party had gained thewestern slopes of the mountains. Three Iroquois Indians, who belongedto the band of trappers, were sent to a stream about ten miles off.Having reached their destination, they all entered the water toset their traps, foolishly neglecting the usual precaution of oneremaining on the bank to protect the others. They had scarcelycommenced operations when three arrows were discharged into theirbacks, and a party of Snake Indians rushed upon and slew them,carrying away their traps and horses and scalps. This was not knownfor several days, when, becoming anxious about their prolongedabsence, Cameron sent out a party, which found their mangled bodiesaffording a loathsome banquet to the wolves and vultures.

  After this sad event, the trappers were more careful to go in largerparties, and keep watch.

  As long as beaver were taken in abundance, the camp remainedstationary; but whenever the beaver began to grow scarce, the camp wasraised, and the party moved on to another valley.

  One day Dick Varley came galloping into camp with the news that therewere several bears in a valley not far distant, which he was anxiousnot to disturb until a number of the trappers were collected togetherto go out and surround them.

  On receiving the information, Walter Cameron shook his head.

  "We have other things to do, young man," said he, "than go a-huntingafter bears. I'm just about making up my mind to send off a party tosearch out the valley on the other side of the Blue Mountains yonder,and bring back word if there are beaver there; for if not, I meanto strike away direct south. Now, if you've a mind to go with them,you're welcome. I'll warrant you'll find enough in the way ofbear-hunting to satisfy you; perhaps a little Indian hunting to boot,for if the Banattees get hold of your horses, you'll have a long huntbefore you find them again. Will you go?"

  "Ay, right gladly," replied Dick. "When do we start?"

  "This afternoon."

  Dick went off at once to his own part of the camp to replenish hispowder-horn and bullet-pouch, and wipe out his rifle.

  That evening the party, under command of a Canadian named Pierre, setout for the Blue Hills. They numbered twenty men, and expected to beabsent three days, for they merely went to reconnoitre, not to trap.Neither Joe nor Henri was of this party, both having been out huntingwhen it was organized; but Crusoe and Charlie were, of course.

  Pierre, although a brave and trusty man, was of a sour, angrydisposition, and not a favourite with Dick; but the latter resolved toenjoy himself, and disregard his sulky comrade. Being so well mounted,he not unfrequently shot far ahead of his companions, despite theirwarnings that he ran great risk by so doing. On one of these occasionshe and Crusoe witnessed a very singular fight, which is worthy ofrecord.

  Dick had felt a little wilder in spirit that morning than usual, andon coming to a pretty open plain he gave the rein to Charlie, and withan "_Adieu, mes camarade_," he was out of sight in a few minutes. Herode on several miles in advance without checking speed, and then cameto a wood where rapid motion was inconvenient; so he pulled up, and,dismounting, tied Charlie to a tree, while he sauntered on a short wayon foot.

  On coming to the edge of a small plain he observed two large birdsengaged in mortal conflict. Crusoe observed them too, and would soonhave put an end to the fight had Dick not checked him. Creeping asclose to the belligerents as possible, he found that one was a wildturkey-cock, the other a white-headed eagle. These two stood withtheir heads down and all their feathers bristling for a moment; thenthey dashed at each other, and struck fiercely with their spurs, asour domestic cocks do, but neither fell, and the fight was continuedfor about five minutes without apparent advantage on either side.

  Dick now observed that, from the uncertainty of its motions, theturkey-cock was blind, a discovery which caused a throb of compunctionto enter his breast for standing and looking on, so he ran forward.The eagle saw him instantly, and tried to fly away, but was unablefrom exhaustion.

  "At him, Crusoe," cried Dick, whose sympathies all lay with the otherbird.

  Crusoe went forward at a bound, and was met by a peck between the eyesthat would have turned most dogs; but Crusoe only winked, and the nextmoment the eagle's career was ended.

  Dick found that the turkey-cock was quite blind, the eagle havingthrust out both its eyes, so, in mercy, he put an end to itssufferings.

  The fight had evidently been a long and severe one, for the grass allround the spot, for about twenty yards, was beaten to the ground, andcovered with the blood and feathers of the fierce combatants.

  Meditating on the fight which he had just witnessed, Dick returnedtowards the spot where he had left Charlie, when he suddenly missedCrusoe from his side.

  "Hallo, Crusoe! here, pup! where are you?" he cried.

  The only answer to this was a sharp whizzing sound, and an arrow,passing close to his ear, quivered in a tree beyond. Almost at thesame moment Crusoe's angry roar was followed by a shriek from some onein fear or agony. Cocking his rifle, the young hunter sprang throughthe bushes towards his horse, and was just in time to save a BanatteeIndian from being strangled by the dog. It had evidently scented outthis fellow, and pinned him just as he was in the act of springing onthe back of Charlie, for the halter was cut, and the savage lay on theground close beside him.

  Dick called off the dog, and motioned to the Indian to rise, which hedid so nimbly that it was quite evident he had sustained no injurybeyond the laceration of his neck by Crusoe's teeth, and the surprise.

  He was a tall strong Indian for the tribe to which he belonged, soDick proceeded to secure him at once. Pointing to his rifle and tothe Indian's breast, to show what he might expect if he attempted toescape, Dick ordered Crusoe to keep him steady in that position.

  The dog planted himself in front of the savage, who began to tremblefor his scalp, and gazed up in his face with a look which, to say theleast of it, was the reverse of amiable, while Dick went towards hishorse for the purpose of procuring a piece of cord to tie him with.The Indian naturally turned his head to see what was going to be done,but a peculiar _gurgle_ in Crusoe's throat made him turn it roundagain very smartly, and he did not venture thereafter to move amuscle.

  In a few seconds Dick returned with a piece of leather and tied hishands behind his back. While this was being done the Indian glancedseveral times at his bow, which lay a few feet away, where it hadfallen when the dog caught him; but Crusoe seemed to understand him,for he favoured him with such an additional display of teeth, andsuch a low--apparently distant, almost, we might say, subterranean--_rumble_, that he resigned himself to his fate.

  His hands secured, a long line was attached to his neck with a runningnoose, so that if he ventured to run away the attempt would effect itsown cure by producing strangulation. The other end of this line wasgiven to Crusoe, who at the word of command marched him off, whileDick mounted Charlie and brought up the rear.

  Great was the laughter and merriment when this apparition met the eyesof the trappers; but when they heard that he had attempted to shootDick their ire was raised, and a court-martial was h
eld on the spot.

  "Hang the reptile!" cried one.

  "Burn him!" shouted another.

  "No, no," said a third; "don't imitate them villains: don't be cruel.Let's shoot him." "Shoot 'im," cried Pierre. "Oui, dat is de ting; ittoo goot pour lui, mais it shall be dooed."

  "Don't ye think, lads, it would be better to let the poor wretch off?"said Dick Varley; "he'd p'r'aps give a good account o' us to hispeople."

  There was a universal shout of contempt at this mild proposal.Unfortunately, few of the men sent on this exploring expedition wereimbued with the peace-making spirit of their chief, and most of themseemed glad to have a chance of venting their hatred of the poorIndians on this unhappy wretch, who, although calm, looked sharplyfrom one speaker to another, to gather hope, if possible, from thetones of their voices.

  Dick was resolved, at the risk of a quarrel with Pierre, to save thepoor man's life, and had made up his mind to insist on having himconducted to the camp to be tried by Cameron, when one of the mensuggested that they should take the savage to the top of a hill aboutthree miles farther on, and there hang him up on a tree as a warningto all his tribe.

  "Agreed, agreed!" cried the men; "come on."

  Dick, too, seemed to agree to this proposal, and hastily orderedCrusoe to run on ahead with the savage; an order which the dog obeyedso vigorously that, before the men had done laughing at him, he was acouple of hundred yards ahead of them.

  "Take care that he don't get off!" cried Dick, springing on Charlieand stretching out at a gallop.

  In a moment he was beside the Indian. Scraping together the little ofthe Indian language he knew, he stooped down, and, cutting the thongsthat bound him, said,--

  "Go! white men love the Indians."

  The man cast on his deliverer one glance of surprise, and the nextmoment bounded aside into the bushes and was gone.

  A loud shout from the party behind showed that this act had beenobserved; and Crusoe stood with the end of the line in his mouth,and an expression on his face that said, "You're absolutelyincomprehensible, Dick! It's all right, I _know_, but to my feeblecapacity it _seems_ wrong."

  "Fat for you do dat?" shouted Pierre in a rage, as he came up with amenacing look.

  Dick confronted him. "The prisoner was mine. I had a right to do withhim as it liked me."

  "True, true," cried several of the men who had begun to repent oftheir resolution, and were glad the savage was off. "The lad's right.Get along, Pierre."

  "You had no right, you vas wrong. Oui, et I have goot vill to give youone knock on de nose."

  Dick looked Pierre in the face, as he said this, in a manner thatcowed him.

  "It is time," he said quietly, pointing to the sun, "to go on. Yourbourgeois expects that time won't be wasted."

  Pierre muttered something in an angry tone, and wheeling round hishorse, dashed forward at full gallop, followed by the rest of the men.

  The trappers encamped that night on the edge of a wide grassy plain,which offered such tempting food for the horses that Pierre resolvedto forego his usual cautious plan of picketing them close to the camp,and set them loose on the plain, merely hobbling them to prevent theirstraying far.

  Dick remonstrated, but in vain. An insolent answer was all he got forhis pains. He determined, however, to keep Charlie close beside himall night, and also made up his mind to keep a sharp look-out on theother horses.

  At supper he again remonstrated.

  "No 'fraid," said Pierre, whose pipe was beginning to improve histemper. "The red reptiles no dare to come in open plain when de moonso clear."

  "Dun know that," said a taciturn trapper, who seldom ventured a remarkof any kind; "them varmints 'ud steal the two eyes out o' you' headwhen they set their hearts on't."

  "Dat ar' umposs'ble, for dey have no hearts," said a half-breed; "deyhave von hole vere de heart vas be."

  This was received with a shout of laughter, in the midst of which anappalling yell was heard, and, as if by magic, four Indians were seenon the backs of four of the best horses, yelling like fiends, anddriving all the other horses furiously before them over the plain!

  How they got there was a complete mystery, but the men did not waitto consider that point. Catching up their guns they sprang after themwith the fury of madmen, and were quickly scattered far and wide. Dickordered Crusoe to follow and help the men, and turned to spring on theback of Charlie; but at that moment he observed an Indian's head andshoulders rise above the grass, not fifty yards in advance from him,so without hesitation he darted forward, intending to pounce upon him.

  Well would it have been for Dick Varley had he at that time possesseda little more experience of the wiles and stratagems of the Banattees.The Snake nation is subdivided into several tribes, of which thoseinhabiting the Rocky Mountains, called the Banattees, are the mostperfidious. Indeed, they are confessedly the banditti of the hills,and respect neither friend nor foe, but rob all who come in their way.

  Dick reached the spot where the Indian had disappeared in less than aminute, but no savage was to be seen. Thinking he had crept ahead, heran on a few yards farther, and darted about hither and thither,while his eye glanced from side to side. Suddenly a shout in the campattracted his attention, and looking back he beheld the savage onCharlie's back turning to fly. Next moment he was off and away farbeyond the hope of recovery. Dick had left his rifle in the camp,otherwise the savage would have gone but a short way. As it was, Dickreturned, and sitting down on a mound of grass, stared straight beforehim with a feeling akin to despair. Even Crusoe could not have helpedhim had he been there, for nothing on four legs, or on two, could keeppace with Charlie.

  The Banattee achieved this feat by adopting a stratagem whichinvariably deceives those who are ignorant of their habits andtactics. When suddenly pursued the Banattee sinks into the grass, and,serpent-like, creeps along with wonderful rapidity, not _from_ but_towards_ his enemy, taking care, however, to avoid him, so that whenthe pursuer reaches the spot where the pursued is supposed to behiding, he hears him shout a yell of defiance far away in the rear.

  It was thus that the Banattee eluded Dick and gained the camp almostas soon as the other reached the spot where he had disappeared.

  One by one the trappers came back weary, raging, and despairing. In ashort time they all assembled, and soon began to reproach each other.Ere long one or two had a fight, which resulted in several bloodynoses and black eyes, thus adding to the misery which, one wouldthink, had been bad enough without such additions. At last theyfinished their suppers and their pipes, and then lay down to sleepunder the trees till morning, when they arose in a particularly silentand sulky mood, rolled up their blankets, strapped their things ontheir shoulders, and began to trudge slowly back to the camp on foot.