by Zane Grey
XVI. THE FOREST'S GREATEST FOE
Jim Williams sent out a sharp call. From the canyon-slope came answeringshouts. There were sounds of heavy bodies breaking through brush,followed by the thudding of feet. Then men could be plainly heardrunning up the trail. Jim leaned against the door-post, and the threefellows before him stood rigid as stone.
Suddenly a form leaped past Jim. It was Dick Leslie, bareheaded, hishair standing like a lion's mane, and he had a cocked rifle in hishands. Close behind him came old Hiram Bent, slower, more cautious,but no less formidable. As these men glanced around with fiery eyes thequick look of relief that shot across their faces told of ungroundedfears.
"Where's Buell?" sharply queried Dick.
Jim Williams did not reply, and a momentary silence ensued.
"Buell lit out after the Greaser," said Bill, finally.
"Cut and run, did he? That's his speed," grimly said Dick. "Here, Bent,find some rope. We've got to tie up these jacks."
"Hands back, an' be graceful like. Quick!" sang out Jim Williams.
It seemed to me human beings could not have more eagerly and swiftlyobeyed an order. Herky and Bill and Bud jerked their arms down andextended their hands out behind. After that quick action they againturned into statues. There was a breathless suspense in every act. Andthere was something about Jim Williams then that I did not like. I wasin a cold perspiration for fear one of the men would make some kind ofa move. As the very mention of the Texan had always caused a littlesilence, so his presence changed the atmosphere of that cabin room.Before his coming there had been the element of chance--a feeling ofdanger, to be sure, but a healthy spirit of give and take. That had allchanged with Jim Williams's words "Hands up!" There was now somethingterrible hanging in the balance. I had but to look at Jim's eyes, narrowslits of blue fire, at the hard jaw and tight lips, to see a glimpse ofthe man who thought nothing of life. It turned me sick, and I was all ina tremor till Dick and Hiram had the men bound fast.
Then Jim dropped the long, blue guns into the holsters on his belt.
"Ken, I shore am glad to see you," said he.
The soft, drawling voice, the sleepy smile, the careless good-will allcame back, utterly transforming the man. This was the Jim Williams I hadcome to love. With a wrench I recovered myself.
"Are you all right, Ken?" asked Dick. And old Hiram questioned me witha worried look. This anxiety marked the difference between these men andWilliams. I hastened to assure my friends that I was none the worse formy captivity.
"Ken, your little gun doesn't shoot where it points," said Jim. "I shorehad a bead on the Greaser an' missed him. First Greaser I ever missed."
"You shot his ear off," I replied. "He came running back covered withblood. I never saw a man so scared."
"Wal, I shore am glad," drawled Jim.
"He made off with your mustang," said Dick.
This information lessened my gladness at Greaser's escape. Still, Iwould rather have had him get away on my horse than stay to be shot byJim.
Dick called me to go outside with him. My pack was lying under one ofthe pines near the cabin, and examination proved that nothing had beendisturbed. We found the horses grazing up the canyon. Buell had takenthe horse of one of his men, and had left his own superb bay. Mostlikely he had jumped astride the first animal he saw. Dick said I couldhave Buell's splendid horse. I had some trouble in catching him, as hewas restive and spirited, but I succeeded eventually, and we drove theother horses and ponies into the glade. My comrades then fell to arguingabout what to do with the prisoners. Dick was for packing them off toHolston. Bent talked against this, saying it was no easy matter to drivebound men over rough trails, and Jim sided with him.
Once, while they were talking, I happened to catch Herky-Jerky's eye.He was lying on his back in the light from the door. Herky winked atme, screwed up his face in the most astonishing manner, all of which Ipresently made out to mean that he wanted to speak to me. So I went overto him.
"Kid, you ain't a-goin' to fergit I stalled off Buell?" whispered Herky."He'd hev done fer you, an' thet's no lie. You won't fergit when we'rerustled down to Holston?"
"I'll remember, Herky," I promised, and I meant to put in a good wordfor him. Because, whether or not his reasons had to do with kidnappingand ransom, he had saved me from terrible violence, perhaps death.
It was decided that we would leave the prisoners in the cabin and ridedown to the sawmill. Hiram was to return at once with officers. If nonecould be found at the mill he was to guard the prisoners and take careof them till Dick could send officers to relieve him. Thereupon wecooked a meal, and I was put to feeding Herky and his companions. Dickordered me especially to make them drink water, as it might be a day orlonger before Hiram could get back. I made Bill drink, and easily filledup Herky; but Bud, who never drank anything save whiskey, gave me ajob. He refused with a growl, and I insisted with what I felt sure wasChristian patience. Still he would not drink, so I put the cup to hislips and tipped it. Bud promptly spat the water all over me. And I aspromptly got another cupful and dashed it all over him.
"Bud, you'll drink or I'll drown you," I declared.
So while Bill cracked hoarse jokes and Herky swore his pleasure, I madeBud drink all he could hold. Jim got a good deal of fun out of it,but Dick and Hiram never cracked a smile. Possibly the latter two sawsomething far from funny in the outlook; at any rate, they were silent,almost moody, and in a hurry to be off.
Dick was so anxious to be on the trail that he helped me pack my pony,and saddled Buell's horse. It was one thing to admire the big bay fromthe ground, and it was another to be astride him. Target--that was hisname--had a spirited temper, an iron mouth, and he had been used to asterner hand than mine. He danced all over the glade before he decidedto behave himself. Riding him, however, was such a great pleasure thata more timid boy than I would have taken the risk. He would not letany horse stay near him; he pulled on the bridle, and leaped whenevera branch brushed him. I had been on some good horses, but never onone with a swing like his, and I grew more and more possessed with thedesire to let him run.
"Like as not he'll bolt with you. Hold him in, Ken!" called Dick, ashe mounted. Then he shouted a final word to the prisoners, saying theywould be looked after, and drove the pack-ponies into the trail. As werode out we passed several of the horses that we had decided to leavebehind, and as they wanted to follow us it was necessary to drive themback.
I had my hands full with the big, steel-jawed steed I was trying to holdin. It was the hardest work of the kind that I had ever undertaken. Ihad never worn spurs, but now I began to wish for them. We traveled ata good clip, as fast as the pack-ponies could go, and covered a longdistance by camping-time. I was surprised that we did not get out of thecanyon. The place where we camped was a bare, rocky opening, with a bigpool in the center. While we were making camp it suddenly came over methat I was completely bewildered as to our whereabouts. I could not seethe mountain peaks and did not know one direction from another. Evenwhen Jim struck out of our trail and went off alone toward Holston Icould not form an idea of where I was. All this, however, added to myfeeling of the bigness of Penetier.
Dick was taciturn, and old Hiram, when I tried to engage him inconversation, cut me off with the remark that I would need my breath onthe morrow. This somewhat offended me. So I made my bed and rolled intoit. Not till I had lain quiet for a little did I realize that every boneand muscle felt utterly worn out. I seemed to deaden and stiffen moreeach moment. Presently Dick breathed heavily and Hiram snored. The redglow of fire paled and died. I heard the clinking of the hobbles onTarget, and a step, now and then, of the other horses. The sky grewever bluer and colder, the stars brighter and larger, and the night windmoaned in the pines. I heard a coyote bark, a trout splash in the pool,and the hoot of an owl. Then the sounds and the clear, cold night seemedto fade away.
When Dick roused me the forest was shrouded in gray, cold fog. No timewas lost in getting breakfast, driving in the horses,
and packing.Hardly any words were exchanged. My comrades appeared even soberer thanon the day before. The fog lifted quickly that morning, and soon the sunwas shining.
We got under way at once, and took to the trail at a jog-trot. I knew myhorse better and he was more used to me, which made it at least bearableto both of us. Before long the canyon widened out into the level forestland thickly studded with magnificent pines. I had again the feeling ofawe and littleness. Everything was solemn and still. The morning air wascool, and dry as toast; the smell of pitch-pine choked my nostrils. Werode briskly down the broad brown aisles, across the sunny glades, underthe murmuring pines.
The old hunter was leading our train, and evidently knew perfectlywhat he was about. Unexpectedly he halted, bringing us up short. Thepack-ponies lined up behind us. Hiram looked at Dick.
"I smell smoke," he said, sniffing at the fragrant air.
Dick stared at the old hunter and likewise sniffed. I followed theirlead, but all I could smell was the thick, piney odor of the forest.
"I don't catch it," replied Dick.
We continued on our journey perhaps for a quarter of a mile, and thenHiram Bent stopped again. This time he looked significantly at Dickwithout speaking a word.
"Ah!" exclaimed Dick. I thought his tone sounded queer, but it did notat the moment strike me forcibly. We rode on. The forest became lighter,glimpses of sky showed low down through the trees, we were nearing aslope.
For the third time the old hunter brought us to a stop, this time on theedge of a slope that led down to the rolling foot-hills. I could onlystand and gaze. Those open stretches, sloping down, all green and brownand beautiful, robbed me of thought.
"Look thar!" cried Hiram Bent.
His tone startled me. I faced about, to see his powerful armoutstretched and his finger pointing. His stern face added to my suddenconcern. Something was wrong with my friends. I glanced in the directionhe indicated. There were two rolling slopes or steps below us, and theywere like gigantic swells of a green ocean. Beyond the second one rose along, billowy, bluish cloud. It was smoke. All at once I smelled smoke,too. It came on the fresh, strong wind.
"Forest fire!" exclaimed Dick.
"Wal, I reckon," replied Hiram, tersely. "An' look thar, an' thar!"
Far to the right and far to the left, over the green, swellingfoot-hills, rose that rounded, changing line of blue cloud.
"The slash! the slash! Buell's fired the slash!" cried Dick, as onesuddenly awakened. "Penetier will go!"
"Wal, I reckon. But thet's not the worst."
"You mean--"
"Mebbe we can't get out. The forest's dry as powder, an' thet's theworst wind we could have. These canyon-draws suck in the wind, an' firewill race up them fast as a hoss can run."
"Good God, man! What'll we do?"
"Wait. Mebbe it ain't so bad--yet. Now let's all listen."
The faces of my friends, more than words, terrified me. I listened withall my ears while watching with all my eyes. The line of rolling cloudexpanded, seemed to burst and roll upward, to bulge and mushroom. In afew short moments it covered the second slope as far to the right andleft as we could see. The under surface was a bluish white. It shotup swiftly, to spread out into immense, slow-moving clouds of creamyyellow.
"Hear thet?" Hiram Bent shook his gray head as one who listened to diretidings.
The wind, sweeping up the slope of Penetier, carried a strong, pungentodor of burning pitch. It brought also a low roar, not like the wind inthe trees or rapid-rushing water. It might have been my imagination, butI fancied it was like the sound of flames blowing through the wood of acampfire.
"Fire! Fire!" exclaimed Hiram, with another ominous shake of his head."We must be up an' doin'."
"The forest's greatest foe! Old Penetier is doomed!" cried Dick Leslie."That line of fire is miles long, and is spreading fast. It'll shoot upthe canyons and crisscross the forest in no time. Bent, what'll we do?"
"Mebbe we can get around the line. We must, or we'll have to make tracksfor the mountain, an' thet's a long chance. You take to the left an'I'll go to the right, an' we'll see how the fire's runnin'."
"What will Ken do?"
"Wal, let him stay here--no, thet won't do! We might get driven back alittle an' have to circle. The safest place in this forest is where wecamped. Thet's not far. Let him drive the ponies back thar an' wait."
"All right. Ken, you hustle the pack-team back to our last night's camp.Wait there for us. We won't be long."
Dick galloped off through the forest, and Hiram went down the slope inalmost the opposite direction. Left alone, I turned my horse and drovethe pack-ponies along our back-trail. Thus engaged, I began to recoversomewhat from the terror that had stupefied me. Still, I kept lookingback. I found the mouth of the canyon and the trail, and in what Ithought a very short time I reached the bare, rocky spot where we hadlast camped. The horses all drank thirstily, and I discovered that I washot and dry.
Then I waited. At every glance I expected to see Dick and Hiram ridingup the canyon. But moments dragged by, and they did not come. Here therewas no sign of smoke, nor even the faintest hint of the roar of thefire. The wind blew strongly up the canyon, and I kept turning my earto it. In spite of the fact that my friends did not come quickly I hadbegun to calm my fears. They would return presently with knowledge ofthe course of the fire and the way to avoid it. My thoughts were mostlyoccupied with sorrow for beautiful Penetier. What a fiend Buell was! Ihad heard him say he would fire the slash, and he had kept his word.
Half an hour passed. I saw a flash of gray down the canyon, and shoutedin joy. But what I thought Dick and Hiram was a herd of deer. They wererunning wildly. They clicked on the stones, and scarcely swerved for thepack-ponies. It took no second glance to see that they were fleeingfrom the fire. This brought back all my alarms, and every moment that Iwaited thereafter added to them. I watched the trail and under the treesfor my friends, and I scanned the sky for signs of the blue-white cloudsof smoke. But I saw neither.
"Dick told me to wait here; but how long shall I wait?" I muttered."Something's happened to him. If only I could see what that fire isdoing!"
The camping-place was low down between two slopes, one of which was highand had a rocky cliff standing bare in the sunlight. I conceived theidea of climbing to it. I could not sit quietly waiting any longer. So,mounting Target, I put him up the slope. It was not a steep climb, stillit was long and took considerable time. Before I reached the gray cliffI looked down over the forest to see the rolling, smoky clouds. Weclimbed higher and still higher, till Target reached the cliff and couldgo no farther. Leaping off, I tied him securely and bent my efforts togetting around on top of the cliff. If I had known what a climb it wasI should not have attempted it, but I could not back out with the summitlooming over me. It ran up to a ragged crag. Hot, exhausted, and out ofbreath, I at last got there.
As I looked I shouted in surprise. It seemed that the whole of Penetierwas under my feet. The green slope disappeared in murky clouds of smoke.There were great pillars and huge banks of yellow and long streaks ofblack, and here and there, underneath, moving splashes of red. The thingdid not stay still one instant. It changed so that I could not tellwhat it did look like. Them were life and movement in it, and somethingterribly sinister. I tried to calculate how far distant the fire was andhow fast it was coming, but that, in my state of mind, I could not do.The whole sweep of forest below me was burning. I felt the strong breezeand smelled the burnt wood. Puffs of white smoke ran out ahead of themain clouds, and I saw three of them widely separated. What theymeant puzzled me. But all of a sudden I saw in front of the nearest aflickering gleam of red. Then I knew those white streams of smoke rosewhere the fire was being sucked up the canyons. They leaped along withamazing speed. It was then that I realized that Dick and Hiram had beencaught by one of these offshoots of the fire, and had been compelled toturn away to save their lives. Perhaps they would both be lost. For amoment I felt faint, but I fought it off. I ha
d to think of myself. Itwas every one for himself, and perhaps there was many a man caught onPenetier with only a slender chance for life.
"Oh! oh!" I cried, suddenly. "Herky, Bud, and Bill tied helpless in thatcabin! Dick forgot them. They'll be burned to death!"
As I stood there, trembling at the thought of Herky and his comradesbound hand and foot, the first roar of the forest fire reached my ears.It threatened, but it roused my courage. I jumped as if I had beenshot, and clattered down that crag with wings guiding my long leaps. Nocrevice or jumble of loose stones or steep descent daunted me. I reachedthe horse, and, grasping the bridle, I started to lead him. We hadzigzagged up, we went straight down. Target was too spirited to balk,but he did everything else. More than once he reared with his hoofs highin the air, and, snorting, crashed down. He pulled me off my feet, hepawed at me with his great iron shoes. When we got clear of the roughestand most thickly overgrown part of the descent I mounted him. ThenI needed no longer to urge him. The fire had entered the canyon,the hollow roar swept up and filled Target with the same fright thatpossessed me. He plunged down, slid on his haunches, jumped the logs,crashed through brush. I had continually to rein him toward the camp. Hewanted to turn from that hot wind and strange roar.
We reached a level, the open, stony ground, then the pool. Thepack-ponies were standing patiently with drooping heads. The sun wasobscured in thin blue haze. Smoke and dust and ashes blew by with thewind. I put Target's nose down to the water, so that he would drink.Then I cut packs off the ponies, spilled the contents, and filled mypockets with whatever I could lay my hands on in the way of eatables.I hung a canteen on the pommel, and threw a bag of biscuits overthe saddle and tied it fast. My fingers worked swiftly. There was afluttering in my throat, and my sight was dim. All the time the roar ofthe forest fire grew louder and more ominous.
The ponies would be safe. I would be safe in the lee of the big rocksnear the pool. But I did not mean to stay. I could not stay with thosemen lying tied up in the cabin. Herky had saved me. Still it was notthat which spurred me on.
Target snorted shrilly and started back from the water, ready tostampede. Slipping the bridle into place, I snapped the bit between histeeth. I had to swing off my feet to pull his head down.
Even as I did this I felt the force of the wind. It was hard to breathe.A white tumbling column of smoke hid sky and sun. All about me it waslike a blue twilight.
The appalling roar held me spellbound with my foot in the stirrup. Itdrew my glance even in that moment of flight.
Under the shifting cloud flashes of red followed by waves of fireraced through the tree-tops. That the forest fire traveled through thetree-tops was as new to me as it was terrible. The fire seemed to makeand drive the wind. Lower down along the ground was a dull furnace-glow,now dark, now bright. It all brought into my mind a picture I had seenof the end of the world.
Target broke the spell by swinging me up into the saddle as he leapedforward with a furious snort. I struck him with the bridle, and yelled:
"You iron-jawed brute! You've been crazy to run--now run!"
