Scouting with Kit Carson

by George Cary Eggleston

  CHAPTER XX--WILD HORSES

  Apparently the two grizzlies were confident that they would be able towait as long as the man whom they had compelled to seek refuge in thetree. The slow minutes passed, and even Reuben, who was watching fromthe distance and as yet had not been discovered by the bears, wasbecoming cramped and impatient. He was not willing to call to hisfriend, for he dared not do anything to attract the attention of hisenemies. He was well assured that he would not be able to drive themaway as successfully as had Kit Carson by wielding a club.

  At last when what Reuben was convinced was at least two hours hadpassed, apparently the two bears decided to abandon their vigil.Apparently, too, they did this not because they were discouraged, butbecause their feeling of hunger drew them in another direction. Withthe strange lope or rolling motion with which bears run, both grizzliesadvanced to the place where the elk which Kit Carson had shot waslying. This was not far distant from the trees in which the youngtrappers were hiding, and in a brief time the sounds of the repast weredistinctly heard. Snarls and occasional growls were frequent. Once oneof the bears rose to a sitting posture and viciously struck hiscompanion on the head with his paw. The action apparently did notarouse the anger of the second bear, who was thoroughly busy in histask of devouring the body of the slain elk.

  Would the animals never eat their fill? Reuben, cramped and with everynerve tingling, had watched the savage beasts, hoping that they soonwould be satisfied and then would depart from the region.

  At last, when the grizzlies had devoured most of the body, apparentlysatisfied with their repast, they both turned and for a momentthreatened to come back to the place where they had tried to climb thetree in which the young scout had found refuge.

  Apparently, however, recollections of their experiences at the hands ofthe fearless young hunter were still vivid. Abruptly they turned away,and, swinging and swaying, made their way toward the mountains and soondisappeared from sight.

  With the departure of the bears Reuben was confident that he and hisfriend might safely leave their places of refuge. As Reuben started todescend the tree he was startled by a call from his comrade.

  "Don't do that, lad!"

  "But they have gone," protested Reuben.

  "You can't trust them. No one knows how far away they are. They maysimply be waiting for us."

  "But I'm all cramped, I have been here so long. It doesn't seem to me Ican stay much longer."

  "Oh, yes, you can," called Kit Carson encouragingly. "We can stay hereall night, if we have to."

  It was late in the afternoon when at last a low call from Kit Carsoncaused Reuben to descend the tree. His muscles were so stiff fromremaining such a long time in his cramped position that it was withdifficulty that he was able to walk. His friend stopped for a moment assoon as he drew near and showed Reuben how he stretched his own wearymuscles and exercised his arms which were almost numb.

  "Do you think the bears have gone for good and all?" inquired Reuben.

  "I think so. You had better load your rifle, though I don't know thatit would do you very much good. I have known a grizzly to be shot inthe head, and, as far as one could see, pay about as much attention tothe bullet as he would to a pebble. They must have heads that aremighty strong and thick. However," he continued, "see that your rifleis all ready and we'll start."

  Cautiously the two trappers made their way from the place where bothhad been so nearly caught, and after a quarter of an hour had elapsedKit Carson declared that the bears must have gone in the oppositedirection from the one which they were following and were no longer tobe feared. Somewhat assured by his companion's confidence, Reubennevertheless kept a careful watch as with his friend he advancedthrough the valley.

  The young hunter was greatly surprised when they came near to the endof the valley to discover a small Indian village before them. He hadbeen unaware of the presence of the redmen and now that he saw thiscamp his fears returned.

  "Come on, lad. Don't be afraid," said Kit Carson quietly. "I have beenhere a great many times."

  "You have?" exclaimed Reuben. "I didn't know there was an Indian campwithin ten miles of ours."

  "Well, you see there is," replied the scout dryly.

  "How long has it been here?"

  "A year or more."

  "How do you know?"

  "I told you I have been over here a good many times and I know allabout it. I have talked with some of the braves and they think I'malmost fit to be received into the tribe." Kit Carson spoke quietly,and yet there was a tone in his voice that caused Reuben to glancesharply at him. There was no change, however, in the expression of theface of the scout, and as apparently he did not wish to continue theconversation the subject was dropped.

  Not long afterward, however, both trappers were welcomed into theIndian village. The suspicion which possessed Reuben he was not ableentirely to conceal. Even the dogs that came sniffing about his feetseemed to be treacherous. Few words were spoken to him, although hiscompanion was cordially received and the statement which he hadrecently made to Reuben was manifestly confirmed. The Indians alllooked upon him as a friend, and in the spirit of friendship bade himand his companion welcome.

  Reuben, who was eager to be back in camp, found it difficult tounderstand why Kit Carson insisted upon remaining longer in thevillage. Indeed, an hour elapsed before he gave the word and thejourney was resumed.

  "I'm going to marry the daughter of the chief," said Kit Carson,speaking almost as if he were referring to some ordinary occurrence.

  "What!" exclaimed Reuben, as he spoke gazing in amazement at hiscompanion.

  "That's just what I'm going to do," said Kit Carson, smiling slightlyat the astonishment of his friend.

  "But I don't see----" began Reuben.

  "No, you don't see, but I do, and that's enough."

  "Well, you're the one to be pleased," said Reuben. "I wish you muchjoy."

  "Thank you," replied the scout, laughing quietly. "I reckon some of myfriends back at Pain Court would think I was out of my head to marry anIndian squaw. From the expression on your face, Reuben, I can see thatyou, too, have something of the same idea in your mind."

  Reuben did not respond, and for a time the two men continued insilence.

  "I have known that little Indian girl," explained Kit Carson, after along silence, "more than a year. She is as pretty as a picture and asgood as she is pretty. It was a long time before the old chief wouldgive her to me, but to-night he told me that he had decided that if Iwanted her for my wife and would promise that she might stay in thevillage while I was trapping he would not oppose me any longer. And hedoesn't like the white men, either," he added with a laugh.

  "How is it that he is willing for you to have her, then, if he doesn'tlike the whites?"

  "Oh, he has a notion," replied Kit Carson simply, "that he can trustme. He says if I say I will do a thing I don't try to lie out of it."

  "He's right about that," said Reuben warmly. "That's just the wayeverybody that knows you feels."

  "Thank you." There was a tender expression in the eyes of the youngscout that prevented Reuben from making any further protest against theaction of his friend.

  "I am going to take you with me to-morrow into the village and let yousee how they treat me. Just now, however, Reuben, I would rather youwould not say anything about what I have just told you."

  Abruptly both men stopped, and in a low voice Reuben said: "What isthat? It sounds like thunder."

  "It is a drove of wild horses," answered Kit Carson quickly. "Come withme and we'll see what they are."

  The sun was now about a half-hour above the horizon. In the soft lightof the closing day the sound of the approaching body was almost weird.The band of wild horses was steadily drawing nearer the place where thetwo scouts had concealed themselves. The wind was blowing toward them,or otherwise the horses would not have approached the spot. They werealmost as keen in their ability to detect by their sense of smell thepresence of an enemy as w
ere the prowling beasts.

  In a brief time the drove came within sight. At the head was theleader, a powerful and beautiful creature, running easily, his headcarried high and his pride showing in his every movement.

  "Did you ever see such a tail on a horse?" exclaimed Kit Carson in alow voice. "Look at it--it sweeps the ground! Do you know, I believeI'll get that fellow. If there is anything I am fond of it's a goodhorse."

  The scout's fondness for fleet-footed ponies was well known by hisfriends. Not a man in the camp was his equal as a rider. He seldom useda saddle, and whatever the motion of the animal he was riding might be,Kit Carson bestrode it almost as if they were parts of the same being.

  Reuben, whose heart was beating wildly as he saw the drove approach,said in a whisper: "How will you get him?"

  "We'll fix that up to-morrow. We'll see to-night where they go."

  The approaching horses soon swept past the hiding-place of the twotrappers, and turning abruptly disappeared from sight at the entranceto one of the valleys.

  "They will stay there all night," said Kit Carson quickly. "Come onnow, lad, we'll go back to camp."

  "What makes you think they will stay all night? They may leave beforemorning."

  Kit Carson smiled and shook his head, but made no further response, andin a brief time, delaying only until they had secured a few rabbits anda deer which they chanced to see, soon rejoined their companions.

  For some reason Kit Carson was silent concerning their visit at theIndian village, and Reuben himself naturally did not refer to it. Theleader, however, made much of the drove of wild horses, and it wasplain that the young scout's enthusiasm increased as he described thestrength and beauty of the black pony at its head.

  "I must have him," he said.

  "That's easy to say," suggested one of the men. "I have heard otherstalk the same way, but when you run down a pony like that you'll haveyour work cut out for you."

  "But I'm going to get him," said Kit confidently. "And I'll tell youhow."

  In a low voice he explained to his companions the plan which he hadformed for catching the black leader. Every man in the camp wasinterested, but when at last they sought their tents it had beendecided that only Reuben and two others were to share in the attempt.