The Peril Finders

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER FORTY NINE.

  GRIGGS IS STUBBORN.

  The days glided by, with the stiffness in Chris Lee's limbs growing lesspainful, and the pony recovering fast, for the clear mountain air seemedto act like a cure for wounds. Every day that came showed the injuredanimal in better condition. Its efforts to move no longer made Chriswince and forget his own pains in those he felt at seeing the mustangsuffer.

  Every one was busy, for the keeping watch regularly took up a good dealof time. Then shooting had to be attended to, so as to keep up a goodsupply of fresh meat, till the birds upon which the party depended grewshy of coming to the spring, and two or three anxious discussions hadbeen held about supplies for the future, the result of which was that adecision had been arrived at, for a departure to be made as soon aspossible.

  Chris was quite strong enough--so he declared--and at last every hourseemed to make an improvement in the mustang.

  "It's all nonsense, Ned," cried Chris, "for them to think they arestaying on account of us.--Hullo, Griggs! Were you listening?"

  "Nay; I was close here, and your chatter came rattling into my ears likepeas. We're not waiting for you now. How did your pony go thismorning?"

  "Splendid. Just halted a little on the bad leg; but it's better than itwas yesterday."

  "Did you canter this morning?"

  "Canter? We went at a good swinging gallop."

  "And what about you?"

  "Oh, I'm only a little stiff still. Here, I want for us to be off. Weshall get strong more quickly journeying over the plains or climbing inand out among the mountains. I don't like to bother my father any more,but what does he say?"

  "He says we're to start to-morrow at daybreak."

  "Hurrah!" cried Chris.

  "But we shan't, my lad."

  "Why not?"

  "Because I've seen Indians again."

  "Oh! You're always seeing Indians again. Here it has been--one day andyou declared that they were gone; then the very next day you've seenthem again."

  "Well, they showed themselves to me; I didn't want them," said Griggsdryly. "They're an artful lot. Never been away at all, I believe. Wecouldn't see 'em, but if we'd made a start they'd have been close uponour heels directly."

  "Ah, you'll have to trap them, Chris," said Ned maliciously.

  "Look here; if you say that again we shall quarrel."

  "Hear that, Griggs?"

  "Oh yes, I hear. Serve you right. Why don't you drop all that teasing?If you can't show us a better way you had better hold your tongue."

  "Very well; I can do that," said Ned haughtily.

  "There, that's enough," cried Chris. "Don't be so petty, Ned. We'vegot something else to think about besides teasing and bantering."

  "That's right," cried Griggs. "Look here, lads. I've just been tryingthat place again. I started from the mouth of the valley, and ran inand out among the rocks and trees, got to the foot of the way upquickly, and then acted just as if I had the Indians after me. I've nodoubt about it now. Once I could get them after me, I could lead them apretty race, and dodge in and out till I reached the path up to theterrace over the way, scuttle up, and let down stones enough to stopthem from coming after me, so that I don't believe they could clear theway for a week."

  "Then you are ready to try at any time?"

  "Any time the doctor likes."

  "But what about the arrows?" said Ned.

  "I'm not afraid of them hitting me, my lad," said Griggs confidently."Being shot at by fellows with bows and arrows sounds bad enough, butthere's not much risk here."

  "I don't know about that," said Chris anxiously.

  "Don't you? Well, I do. I should be running fast and dodging in andout among the rocks and trees. That would make it hard shooting for aman standing still, wouldn't it?"

  "Yes; of course," said Chris, with a dubious look all the same.

  "But the enemy won't be standing still," continued Griggs. "They'll begalloping after me as hard as they can come, not that it will be veryfast, for mounted men can't get along very well among rocks and trees.What's more, they can't shoot straight with their ponies cantering. Idon't believe there's a bit of risk for me. I shall be all right. WhatI'm afraid of is that when I come along through the narrows with thewhole herd full pelt after me, some of the mules and ponies will squealor neigh, and make the enemy suspicious. If they do hear anything,we're done."

  "But our animals will be well back in that hollow," said Chris.

  "Yes, my lad; but I want them to be planted farther back still. There'sa bit I've been looking out quite a quarter of a mile farther off, andI'm going to propose it to the doctor as being safest."

  "I'm afraid father will say that the ponies ought to be close at hand."

  "Yes, that's right, if it can be done; but it would go hard with us allif the Indians gave up the bait of the trap and turned upon those whoset it. We mustn't run risks if there's a way of doing things moresafely."

  "Well, you must talk it over with father," said Chris. "Let's see;we're going to have another look at the place this afternoon, aren'twe?"

  "We were," replied the American; "but we're not going now."

  "Why?"

  "Too many redskins about, as I told you."

  "There are always too many redskins about," cried Chris impatiently. "Iwish we could charge them boldly, and send them flying over the plains."

  "Never to come back again," said Ned sharply.

  "Yes, that would be very nice, my lads," replied Griggs; "but it willnot do to be impatient."

  "_Im_patient!" cried Ned. "We've been patient enough."

  "Not quite, my lads. Don't you see that we're playing a very ticklishgame? The plan is to get out of this valley ourselves, where we areregularly locked in, and to put the redskins in our place, locking themin. It would be rather remarkable if it wasn't a ticklish job."

  Just then the doctor came into the shelter where the boys had beentalking, bringing with him Wilton, who had been shooting, or rather,trying to shoot, for he had had no success; and they too were talkingearnestly about ways and means.

  "Oh, here you are, Griggs," cried the doctor. "Had a good turn atscouting?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "And all seems favourable for our attempt to-morrow?"

  "No, sir. The Indians have shifted their quarters, and they're in aboutas awkward a position as they could contrive for our purpose."

  "Then what do you propose?"

  "Nothing, sir, but wait."

  "But we really cannot wait any longer, Griggs. Provisions failing toofast. We must get away from here to some good hunting-ground. Do theIndians seem to be camping, or only on the move?"

  "They seem to me to be hatching up some dodge or another," repliedGriggs. "I shouldn't be a bit surprised if we saw them over the waythere--just one or two, scouting; and if we do I should be for a standat arms all night, for it might mean an attack after dark."

  The doctor stood at the opening, looking across the valley, as ifimpressed by the American's words and expecting moment by moment to seeone of the Indians creeping along the edge of the cliff.

  Then he began to walk up and down slowly, evidently deep in thought.

  At last he started, as he suddenly became aware of the fact that everyone present was watching him keenly waiting for him to speak.

  "There," he said, "I've made up my mind. It is very evident that we maywait here till our stores are exhausted, and be as far off theopportunity we seek as ever. The Indians can wait; we cannot, and theyseem to know it. I believe they feel that if they are patient theiropportunity will come. I have felt something of the kind, but I amconvinced now that it will not, and that we must chance something andmake it."

  "Going to give up young Chris's plan?" said Griggs slowly.

  "No; I'm going to put it in force at once. We start to-night."

  A thrill of excitement ran through Chris, and his heart began to beat.Then he was listening, so to s
peak, with all his might.

  "We shall make no particular movement till after dark," continued thedoctor, "only go on as usual apparently, in case there are eyes watchingus, as is most likely to be the case."

  Griggs nodded his head.

  "But all the same we can be making our preparations. The barrels can befilled with water, and every one's bottle. Provisions can be packed inour wallets; in fact, everything held ready for a start. Finally, justat dusk the animals can be driven in for food and water, and--"

  The doctor stopped, and looked full in the American's eyes.

  "Not allowed to go off again?"

  "Exactly," replied the doctor. "But before any more is said, Griggs, Iwant to offer you the opportunity to draw back."

  "What for?" said Griggs sharply.

  "Because it is a very risky thing to do. You propose offering yourselffor a mark to the Indians' arrows, and--"

  "Not a bit of it, sir. I'm going to take care they don't hit me."

  "Yes, yes, but you know what I mean."

  "Right; I do, neighbour, and it's very handsome of you to offer me thechance to back out. But I'm not going to. I've made up my mind thatit's about twice as risky to hold back, for sure as the United Statesare the finest in the world, if we stop here much longer these cunningsavages will give us a surprise which will end in their losing a lot ofmen through shot-holes in different parts of their persons; but thosewho escape being hurt will have the satisfaction of taking possession ofall the traps of half-a-dozen folk who came to look for gold, but foundonly a place to lay their bones alongside of some other folks who gotinto trouble here ages and ages ago."

  "Then you mean to hold to your plan?"

  "I mean to do a bit to carry out young Chris's plan, and shut up theredskins for a week or two, perhaps a month, while we get right away."

  "There is a horrible side to it, Griggs."

  "Would be if we let them get the better of us, sir."

  "You mean the shutting up the enemy here to starve?" said Bourne.

  "Tchah!" ejaculated Griggs, so sharply that the boys started. "Serve'em right if they did, sir. What business have they to want our scalps?But we shouldn't shut them up to starve. They'd have weeks of workbefore they could get their horses out but without horses they'd be outin a week. Starve? Nonsense! They'd have the water; they can makefires, and cook their horses. It takes a deal to starve a redskin. Butthere, I don't want to make speeches. It's all settled, gentlemen. Butyou've got to tell the lookout what's coming off."

  "I'm going up to have a few words there at once," said the doctor."Now, every one understands that he is to be ready, without showing anywatchful Indian scout that there is something on the way."

  No one spoke, but the looks directed at the doctor gave answers enough,and the afternoon was spent in preparation for what all felt might provethe most momentous adventure of their lives.