CHAPTER IV.
THE START.
Although Hugh called Jack very early next morning, it already wasdaylight and the sun was just rising. Jack saddled Pawnee, rode out intothe pasture and drove in the horses, and before breakfast they had cutout their pack animals and saddled them, and left them standing in thecorral. The night before, Hugh had laid out their provisions, which wereof the simplest kind; a sack of flour, some corn meal, oat meal, bacon,coffee, sugar and salt, were all they took. Their mess-kit consisted oftwo frying pans, a coffee pot, a small water bucket, a tin pan, a bakeoven, tin plates and cups, and knives, spoons and forks. They tookalong, also, a dozen good butcher knives, a new axe and a small hatchet.Besides this, there was a coil of rope, from which lariats and lashropes could be cut, in case of need.
Immediately after breakfast, Jack helped Hugh make up the loads,although really there was not much that he could do, except to look onand learn. They were to put the bedding and the mess outfit on onehorse, the provisions on another, and the trade goods were to be carriedby the two others.
Hugh said, "I wanted to get an early start this morning, if we could,because I expect likely the first day out we'll have some trouble withthe horses. You see, they're fat and fresh, haven't been doing nothingall winter, and they won't want to travel away from home; so it's likelywe won't go very far, and we'll have a long day. Now, you run down tothe corral, son, and bring up the dun; we'll load him with some of thistrade stuff and see how he does. Maybe you'd better let Jo pack on theoff side this morning, 'cause we want to make these loads stay, if wecan. You'll have plenty of chances to pack before we get back again, andI expect by the time we ride in here in the fall you'll be a regular oldgovernment packer."
Jack went down to the corral and got the horse. He could not helpfeeling a little disappointed that he was not to help put on the loads.He felt as if, from this morning until the time of their return, hewould like to take an equal share in all the work that was to be done;still, he could see that what Hugh said was wise, and that it wasimportant to have the packs well put on this morning, when the horseswere all fresh; so he led the dun up to the bunk-house, and stood backand watched the packing, trying to follow each operation. While he didthis, he realised that his memory of the few lessons in packing that hehad had the fall before was not very fresh, and this quite reconciledhim to seeing Jo handle the ropes.
The dun laid back his ears, and rolled his eyes, and humped up his backa little, as the saddle cinches were tightened, but stood quiet whilethe packs were put in place, and the manta thrown over them. He jumped alittle as the lash rope touched his hips, when Hugh was preparing tothrow it, but when the first pull was made by Jo, in tightening thelash cinch he bowed his back, put down his head, and made as if he wouldbuck. Rube had him by the hackamore, however, and the men on either sideclung to the ropes, and at last he was quieted until all the pulls hadbeen made and the lash rope was fastened. But soon as Rube let go thehackamore, and he had taken a step or two and felt the swaying load onhis back, he put down his head and began to buck in good earnest. Roundand round he went, taking high jumps, and throwing his heels so far intothe air that it seemed as if he must turn a somersault every time hestruck the ground. Sometimes the load almost overbalanced, and hestaggered, but the ropes held tight, and at last, tired of the hardwork, he stood still. One of the men walked up to him and led him backto the bunk-house door, when the ropes were again tightened a little,and he was once more set free.
By this time Jack had gone down and brought up the black horse, on whicha load was put, but he stood quiet. The provisions were put on the painthorse, which also was quiet; but the rattling of the dishes in theirwooden box set the bay horse to bucking, though he did not keep it uplong.
"There," said Hugh, when the bay had been caught again, and his loadinspected, "I expect that's about as good as we can make it. Now then,son, it's time for you and me to saddle up, and then we can roll."
Jack brought Pawnee up to the house, and Hugh soon rode up on old Baldy.Mr. Sturgis, Mrs. Carter, and Rube and Jo all stood there to watch thetravellers start. Hugh tied a lariat to the hackamore of the bay horse,and, after shaking hands with every one, started off down the valley;while Jack, somewhat moved at the parting, shook hands very earnestlywith all, and then, riding out on the hillside, drove the three packhorses after Hugh. Once or twice he turned about in his saddle and tookoff his hat and waved it to the little group standing together by thebunk-house, who waved their hands or their handkerchiefs in response.
"Dear me!" said Mrs. Carter, as the figures grew smaller and smaller, asthey rode down the valley, "it does seem a shame to let a baby like thatgo off into the Indian country. I'll bet his ma don't know what riskshe's taking."
"Pshaw," said Jo, "I tell you that boy's as good as a man; I'd ratherhave him for a partner than a heap o' men I know; and the old man's asgood as two men, any day in the week. You bet they'll have an awful goodtime, and won't see no trouble. I just wish't I was goin' with 'em."
"No," said Mr. Sturgis, "I don't think they'll have any trouble; Jack'sa level-headed fellow, with a good deal more discretion than most boysof his age. There's a bare chance of course that they may meet somehostile Indians, but they're well mounted, and I don't think they'llhave trouble."
For the first two or three miles after their start the horses went onvery well, but about the middle of the morning, those that Jack wasdriving began to give him a little trouble. They were now getting into acountry away from their usual range, and began to try to turn about andgo home, and for the next half hour Jack was pretty busily employedturning back one after another that fell out of line and tried toretrace its steps. At length Hugh halted and dismounted, and motioningJack to drive the pack horses by him, they sat down, and while Hughsmoked, had a little talk.
"Are they bothering you much?" asked Hugh.
"Yes," said Jack, "they keep trying to go back all the time; and thatDun is the worst of the bunch; he just won't go on."
"Well, we'll have to try to shove him along as far as Powell's place,and when they get a little tired, toward afternoon, likely they'll gobetter. I wouldn't be surprised though if it wouldn't be a good idea forus to borrow a horse from Powell, for you to ride during the day. Idon't want you to run Pawnee down, chasing horses; I want to bring himinto the Piegan camp fat, because I expect you'll do all your buffalorunning on him. He's fat and strong now, and you don't weigh much, butstill its pretty hard work running here and there, trying to keep abunch of horses together, even if there's only three or four of 'em."
"Yes," said Jack, "I want to keep Pawnee in good shape, but I think thatafter the horses get used to their loads, and get used to travellingtogether, they'll go better, won't they?"
"I expect they will, and we needn't make up our minds about getting anyhorse until we get to Powell's. Maybe to-morrow we'll get Charlie toride out with us for two or three hours, and help drive them horses. Iexpect if we can get 'em started right to-morrow, they'll go alongpretty good."
After fifteen or twenty minutes they mounted and started on again. Thehorses had been feeding busily all this time, and now when they weredriven along after the lead horse, they went more quietly, and made lesstrouble. Still, the day seemed a long one to Jack. They passed plenty ofantelope on the prairie, but he had no time to think of them; he feltobliged to watch the horses constantly, and to keep them as close behindHugh as he could. The prairie was full of pleasant sights and sounds,but there was no chance for him to enjoy them.
He felt very glad when, late in the afternoon, the low buildings of thePowell place came in sight. Half an hour later they were near enough tosee the men working about the house, and then to see two figures inskirts come to the door and look out at them, and then at last to hearthe delighted whoop of Charlie and the cheery greeting of Mr. Powell, asthey came forward to shake hands with them. The horses were quicklyunpacked and put in the pasture, the loads put under cover, and then allthe family gathered around Jack and Hugh t
o hear the news from theneighbouring ranch.
"So you're really going to make that trip you talked about, are you,Jack?" said Charlie. "I tell you I'd give all my old boots if I weregoing along."
"So would I mine, Charlie," Jack replied. "I'll bet we could have a goodtime together. It's a great chance. You see, we're going up into thebuffalo country, and we're going to be with the Indians, and see whatthey do and how they live. There ain't many fellows have a chance likethis, and I wish you could be one of 'em."
"Well," said Charlie, "I know I can't; I've got to stay here and chasearound over this prairie, riding for stock and killing wolves, when Imight be going up there with you. It seems pretty hard, but I don't knowas I ought to complain. I know father needs me, and now we're justgetting a good start in stock, and if I were to go away he'd have tohire somebody to take my place, and he couldn't afford to do that. Yousee, father ain't like your uncle; I expect your uncle's a pretty richman, but father ain't got anything except what you see here, and whatstock we've got out on the range; then, besides that," he added, "Idon't believe mother would be willing to have me go; she thinks it'sawful dangerous for you and Hugh to go up there alone. We talked aboutthat often last winter, and she said she didn't believe your mother'dever let you go."
"Well," said Jack, "I don't believe there's much danger, because ifthere was, Uncle Will wouldn't have been willing to have me go, and Iknow he wanted me to. He said from the start that it would be a mightygood thing for me; and then, besides that, Hugh knows so much aboutIndians; they say that he's smarter even than an Indian about readingthe signs of the prairie, and telling who is about, and what's likely tohappen. Uncle Will said that he never would think of letting me go withany one except Hugh, for he thinks Hugh can carry a person through allright anywhere."
"I guess that's so; everybody that I ever heard talk about him in thiscountry says that he's the smartest mountain man that there is. Why,last fall, after you went away, old Jim Baker and his brother Johnpassed through here, and they asked especially after Hugh, and when theylearned that he was working over at your uncle's, they turned off andwent over there, two days' travel out of their road, to see him. JimBaker didn't say anything, he never talks at all, but John said thatHugh was one of the old kind; that there were only a few of them leftnow in the mountains, and he wanted to see Hugh, and so did hisbrother."
"Well," said Jack, "we're going to make the trip, and I believe we'regoing to get through all right, and not have a bit of trouble, and Iwish you were going with us."
"So do I wish it, but I know I ain't, so it's no use crying over it."
Lying about the Powell house Jack saw two of the wolf puppies that hehad helped dig out the summer before. They seemed tame enough, a gooddeal like big dogs, but they did not make friends with strangers, asdogs would have done, but instead, moved off out of the way. WithCharlie and Bess, however, they seemed on very good terms, and verygrateful for any petting or attention. The sight of these great beastsmade Jack think a little sadly of his own wolf, Swiftfoot, far away inNew York.
Bess, too, talked with Jack about the trip that he was making, andseemed to feel a little uneasy about its possible dangers, while Mrs.Powell said she thought it a shame that Jack should be allowed to goaway off among the Indians, where she was sure he was going to bekilled.
Hugh laughed at her doleful prophecies, and said, "Why, Mrs. Powell,there ain't a mite o' danger. I wasn't much older than Jack when I firstcame out into this country, and I've been travelling about now for morethan forty years, and nothing's ever happened to me. It seems strangethat a sensible woman like you should have such queer ideas."
The journey formed the principal topic of conversation that evening, butHugh and Jack remembered to tell Mr. Powell about the cow that had beenkilled as they were riding out two days before, and about the swiftpunishment that had fallen on the two wolves. When bedtime came, Hughand Jack spread their blankets on the kitchen floor, and were soonsleeping soundly.
Next morning Hugh asked Mr. Powell if he could spare them a saddlehorse, and if he would let Charlie ride a few miles with them, untilthey learned how the animals could travel on this second day. If theywent well, the horse could be sent back by Charlie, but if it wasnecessary to keep it, Jack would send back a note, asking his uncle tofurnish Mr. Powell with a horse to take its place through the summer.
This morning the horses took their loads better. The Dun bucked alittle, but not nearly so much as the day before, while the otherhorses, as soon as their loads were put on and they were turned loose,began to feed quite contentedly. Jack and Charlie packed on the offside, both pulling at the ropes, but Jack arranging them, underCharlie's direction. When they started, the animals fell into line verypromptly, and walked briskly along close behind the lead horse. Theygave no trouble whatever, and seemed to have made up their minds thatthey were going somewhere, and must follow Hugh. So about the middle ofthe morning Hugh told Charlie that it was not necessary for him to comeany further, and that they would not need to take along the extra horse.So they shook hands there, and Charlie rode off back to the ranch at agallop, while the pack train started on its journey north. Jack felt nowas if they were really cut off, for he knew that they would probably notsee a white face again until they reached the far-away Missouri River.
Jack Among the Indians; Or, A Boy's Summer on the Buffalo Plains Page 5
