CHAPTER IX.
THE PURSUIT.
It was not the first time that Tim O'Rooney made a mistake. The Indianswere excited over something, but as yet they held no suspicion thatthree white persons stood behind them and could be so easily reached.They were talking in a wild manner, and ran several rods from the beach,when they suddenly paused and picked up an object over which theyquarreled and were almost ready to proceed to violence. From where ourfriends stood it looked as if it were nothing more than a coat or somecast-off garment that had been thrown aside by so me of the survivorswhen they were taken away by the Relief.
"No, they have not seen us yet," said Howard, who was watching themintently, while his two companions where looking upon the readiest meansof escape.
"Then why did they start after us, be the same token?" demanded Tim,with a great sigh of relief.
"They are quarreling over something that lies upon the beach."
"If they'd only have the onspakable kindness to go to fighting eachother like a lot of Kilkenny cats, and not sthop till there's not one of'em left--I say if they'd have the kindness to do that, it would befortinit for us."
"Hardly probable, Tim; the fact, is they appear to have settled thematter already, and have gone down to the edge of the sea again."
"I don't see the use of our remaining here," said Howard. "We daren't goany nearer them than we now are, while if we put back into the countrywe stand a chance of getting something to eat. As near as I cancalculate, the Salinas River isn't very far away, and California is saidto be very fertile along its streams, if it is barren in such places asthis."
"And we may come upon a party of miners further inland."
"I don't know about that," rejoined Howard. "The diggings are on theother side of the Coast Range, between that and the Sierra Nevada, inthe Sacramento Valley, and I think they are further north, too."
"Let's lave," said Tim; "if we only start tramping perhaps I may git mymind off the subjact and forgit that I'm hungry enough to eat a toad,which I'd starve to death afore I'd do the same."
While they were thus debating with themselves, Terror, unobserved by anyof them, whisked to the top of a high rock and announced his discoveryof the Indians by several loud, gruff barks. At so great a distance itwas impossible that the dog should be heard, but the danger was that thelynx-eyed savages would see him, and thus discover the presence of hisfriends. The peril was imminent, and a hasty word from Howard broughtthe Newfoundland to their feet.
But it was too late. He had scarcely ascended his perch when an Indiancaught sight of him, and giving out a strange half-whoop and stream, hestarted on a full run toward him, closely followed by half of the entireparty.
"There's no mistake this time!" exclaimed Howard, wheeling round andspringing away. "Don't wait."
There was no waiting by either Tim or Elwood. The two boys were slim andfleet-footed, and could easily distance their more awkward companion;but they could not leave him alone, although he besought them to securetheir own safety, while he would attend to his.
There were several things in favor of the fugitives and several againstthem. It was growing dark quite rapidly, and they had a good start; butthe pursuers ran over the rocks and bowlders with the facility ofmountain goats and gained very rapidly; they were also familiar with theface of the country, while our friends were literally "going blind."
"But don't we make 'em run!" called out Tim, glancing over his shoulder."Them fellers was made to travel, and if they'd only throw down theirguns and take up a sprig of the shillaleh, like an ilegant gintlemanshould do, I wouldn't ax better fun than to jine in wid 'em and tach 'ema few scientific tricks, such as can be got in Tipperary and nowhereilse--Worrah!----"
Tim's exclamation was caused by catching his foot against a large stoneand falling flat upon his face with considerable violence. He quicklyscrambled up again, while Elwood anxiously inquired whether he was hurtby the fall.
"Not by the fall, plase your honor, but by the stone that whacked mebetwaan the eyes."
"They are gaining!" whispered Howard, pausing a moment for hiscompanions to come up.
"Yes, but it will be so dark in a few minutes that they can't see us,and then we will hide ourselves until the danger is past. Let us getalong an fast as possible while the danger lasts."
They did strain themselves to the utmost, and speedily reached a moreopen country, where they could travel with greater safety. This, whichat first appeared sadly against their prospects, was really the means ofsecuring their escape. The moment they reached it they darted away atalmost double their rate of speed, and shortly reached another hillyportion, into which they plunged, and running a short distance, at asignal from Howard, they dropped flat upon their faces, and crawledbeneath thy sheltering projections of the rocks, Terror at the same timenestling down by the prostrate form of Elwood.
In a few minutes they heard the tramp of their swift-footed pursuers,who were running without exchanging words with each other, or utteringthose exultant whoops which the Indian of other portions of our countryare so accustomed to give when exulting in the certainty of capturingtheir enemies.
Our friends did not venture to exchange a word with each other until along time after the Indians had passed, and nothing could be heard toindicate that they were anywhere in the neighborhood. Then they crawlednear together and spoke in low whispers.
"They are gone!" said Elwood.
"I think so," replied Howard, "but they may be watching somewhere. Wemust be very careful. How is it, Terror, are there any strangers nearus?"
The dog snuffed the air, but made no sound, which was a negative reply.
"I guess he is right," added Howard. "We will get as far away from hereas we can, for I am sure those Indians will look around here untilmorning in the hope of getting us then."
All three crawled a considerable ways on their hands and knees, whenthey stealthily arose to their feet, and seeing nothing suspicious,followed a northeasterly direction--one that would both lead them awayfrom their pursuers and at the same time take them toward the Salinas orSan Buenaventura River, which point they hoped to reach some time thenext day.
After going some distance they walked more rapidly, and ventured toexchange words with each other. Terror kept the advance, fully aware ofthe responsibility that rested upon him. There was little fear but thathe would give timely notice of the approach of danger, and a sense ofcomparative security took possession of our friends as they proceeded.
To their great surprise, after journeying a half-mile or so, thecharacter of the country underwent a great change. The ground becamemore level, and they found themselves traveling among stunted trees andsparse vegetation. The moon did not rise until quite late, so that untilthen they could barely see each other's bodies as they moved along. Thismade them uncertain as to whether they were following the right course;but they were greatly pleased to find that they had deviated butslightly from the line they intended to pursue.
All at once a low whine from Terror arrested them. At the same instantall three detected the glimmer of a light among the trees. Cautiouslyapproaching, Tim O'Rooney in the advance, he said in his husky whisper:
"There's an owld Injin noddin' by the fire, and if he has a gun, oranything to eat, we'll try and get him to lend 'em to us!"
Adrift in the Wilds; Or, The Adventures of Two Shipwrecked Boys Page 9
