The Peril Finders

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER FIFTY TWO.

  THE PROGRESS OF THE PLAN.

  "A narrow escape," said Bourne, and another arrow passed over withoutinjury to any one present, for the simple reason that all had obeyed thewarning and dropped behind the nearest cover.

  "Be on the alert," cried the doctor from the other side. "That meansthey are coming back."

  "And Griggs was to have been with us by this time to help in the fight.Father, this looks bad."

  The doctor met his son's eyes, and then turned to look in the directionfrom which their companion would be bound to arrive if he had managed toescape over the terraces to make for the gully.

  "Don't judge rashly, my boy," said the doctor. "He has had very littletime yet.--Are you all ready for the enemy?"

  "Yes," came back quickly enough; but there was no enemy visible.

  "Could you see who sent that arrow, Wilton?"

  "No, but there are two ponies grazing up yonder. I fancy they mustbelong to the last Indians we saw come by."

  "It looks like it, as only two shots have come. But we shall have thewhole body coming back soon."

  "Close upon a hundred," said Wilton, "and we are five."

  "Yes, five, in a strong fortress, with modern weapons againstinstruments of barbarism; and what is more, we have dealt the enemy sucha blow as will take them long enough to get over."

  "But I wish we were all together, father, instead of being divided.Wouldn't it be better if we tried to get to them?"

  "No," said the doctor quietly. "We are quite right here for thepresent, and perhaps we shall have our side strengthened soon by thecoming of friend Griggs."

  "Ah!" sighed Chris, "if he only would!"

  Another arrow struck the rocks close to where Bourne and his friendswere watchfully scanning the gulch between them and the old camp, anddirectly after a shot was fired, making every one start to look wherethe little grey puff of smoke arose, and Wilton was calmly reloading hisrifle.

  "I marked that fellow down," he said coolly.

  "Did you hit?" said the doctor.

  "I think so. He has altered his position, and is lying flat."

  "Don't fire! A friend!" came in a familiar voice from behind them, andthe boys gave a cheer, which was answered by Griggs, who now appeared,coming at a trot along the gulch from the direction of the gully, andbegan to climb up on the doctor's side.

  "I did hope to be in time," he said, as he reached Chris and lay down,breathing hard. "Not done much, I hope?"

  "You are in time," cried Chris, catching at the American's hand, to havehis own pressed firmly.

  "We've been in great anxiety about you, Griggs," cried the doctor,pressing his friend's other hand.

  "You'd have felt worse than that, sir, if you'd seen my wig," said theAmerican, with a chuckle. "They came so near catching me that my hairbegan to rise at the thought of being cut shorter than ever it was cutbefore, and made into an ornament. They nearly had me before I got tothe first terrace. You know I--There's a chap yonder going to send anarrow at us, Chris, lad. You'd better shoot."

  Chris followed the direction indicated by the American's pointingfinger, saw where a big Indian was drawing his bow, showing only hisface and arms round a corner, and drew trigger, with the result that hestruck the stone and sent splinters flying, and after them the Indian,evidently hurt badly, for he held his left arm with his right-hand.

  "Go on, Griggs," said Chris, reloading. "You were saying, `You knowI--' and then you stopped."

  "To be sure," said Griggs, whose breath was still coming in gasps, as helay on his chest with his rifle ready now for a shot. "I was going tosay, You know I can run fast."

  "Yes, yes," cried Chris eagerly. "Go on."

  "I did," said Griggs, "as hard as I could; but a galloping horse is toomuch for me, and I won't back myself against one again."

  "But you got into safety," cried Chris.

  "Only just. I believe I saved myself by about one inch and a half.That was enough, though, to let me shut and lock the door we had gotready."

  "Did you fire?" asked the doctor.

  "Fire? Never had time, sir. But there, I managed to shut up, I hope,so that the brutes couldn't follow me, and then I hurried on to joinyou. Tut, tut, what a cracker that is! I didn't hurry a bit. It was aregular crawl to the gully. Think me long?"

  "Horribly," cried Chris.

  "No wonder, my lad. It was a horrible crawl, for I was regularly done.I felt what the Amurricans call real bad. But now tell me, did thewhole band come by here?"

  "As far as we can tell," replied the doctor.

  "That's right. I never had time to look back, but it seemed to me as ifthe whole Indian nation was after my scalp on horseback. They didn'tget it, did they, Chris?"

  "Get it? No, of course not."

  "I'm glad of that; but it felt precious cold two or three times. Butnow tell me--you've begun shooting--are the enemy coming on?"

  "I believe we have only been attacked by a couple of stragglers--two whopassed through the narrow gap here last."

  "And you've filled the gap well up?"

  "Oh yes. No horse could get by here."

  "That's right! Then the big lot haven't found out yet that they'retrapped?"

  "Certainly not," said the doctor.

  "Then there's going to be a big fight when they do find it out," saidGriggs quietly. "I don't want them to come yet till my hand grows a bitsteady, for, kill and slay or no, we've got to bring down all we can."

  "I suppose so," said the doctor gravely. "It's their lives or ours."

  "Yes. They'll be real mad; and we've got to give them a lesson--onethat will make them shy of trying bows and arrows against rifles.--Yes,getting all right again now," continued the speaker, in answer to eagerinquiries from the other side of the gap.

  "That's right," said Bourne. "Lee."

  "Yes?"

  "What do you think of making for the ponies and mules now, before theIndians find that they're trapped?"

  "May I tell him, sir?" said Griggs sharply.

  "Yes, say what you think," cried the doctor.

  "Look here, Mr Bourne," said Griggs quickly; "the doctor thinks thesame as I do--that it would be mad, giving ourselves up to be massacred.We've got to hold this barricade for our lives, and shoot down everyman who tries to climb it. There must be no misses this time. Do youhear, boys? You're fighting for your fathers' lives as well as yourown. It's no time to be sorry for the poor Indians now. Shoot yourbest, and leave them to be sorry for themselves.--By the way, Chris, mylad, can you give me a drink out of your water-bottle? I'm pretty welldried-up. I had to fling mine away so as to run lighter, and it wasgetting so close that I was very nearly sending my rifle and cartridgesoff as well. But I managed to bring them home.--Hah!" he continued,after a long draught from the bottle Chris handed to him. "What finestuff water is. I think we've found out that, Squire Bourne, even if wehaven't found the gold."

  "Hush! Listen!" cried the doctor, and he held up his hand.

  For there was a peculiar reverberation from the rocks farther on towardsthe rock city--a sound that thrilled the listeners through and through.

  "Yes, that's them coming, sir," said Griggs coolly. "They're onlyriding gently, though, and it doesn't seem as if they know what'shappened to them yet. We shall see them along that curve soon. Now,doctor, will you give your orders about how we are to shoot?"

  "Slowly and steadily," replied the doctor, "and always at the leadingmen. Listen, Wilton; we three will fire one by one while you all holdyour hands to be ready to keep on while we reload, so that they will notbe able to advance without seeing their men constantly falling. Theremust be no excitement, always a careful, steady aim."

  "When shall we begin?" asked Wilton.

  "As soon as the first man rides out into the open yonder."

  "Then it's time to begin at once, sir," said Wilton sharply, "for herethey come."

  "Yes," said the doctor firmly. "Keep wel
l in cover, every one. Waittill I give the word. I want the leaders to see that the way is barredagainst their retreat."

  "They're beginning to see it already," said Griggs, as about twenty ofthe Indians rode round the curve into sight, and their quick eyesgrasped the fact at once that something had happened at the gap sincethey passed by.

  "Look out! 'Ware arrows," said Griggs, in a low, deep growl. "Tell'em, doctor, that they needn't mind those plaything toys so long as theykeep well under cover."

  "We can hear what you say," said Bourne, and an anxious half-minutepassed, before there was a sudden yell, sounding wild and harsh, to echoand re-echo from the mighty walls on either side, while as it wentreverberating on from side to side, to die away in the distance, therewas another shout, and close upon it the whizz of a flight of arrows,and then a tinkling, splintering sound as they struck against thestones, to snap or glance off, the air just about the barrier seemingfor a moment full of the glistening barbed wands.

  "Fire!" said the doctor loudly, and _crack_--_crack_--_crack_ withmeasured slowness the rifles of all three rang out, to raise a fresh setof echoes, and as these were still repeating themselves another and afiercer yell rang out, for three of the mounted men had gone down andtheir horses had dashed forward, charging right at the barrier, snortingand tossing their manes, but only to turn back, startled by the heap ofrocks piled-up before them, and returned at a fierce gallop, to confusethe crowd they had left, when the rifles from the other side flashed outfire and white puffs of smoke, and three more of the enemy went down, tofree their startled and plunging ponies from their riders' reins.

  A yell more fierce than ever arose from the little crowd of Indians,whose mounts began to partake of the excitement imparted by the poniesthat had begun to tear to and fro in the narrow gulch, while afterdischarging another innocuous flight of arrows against the barrier ofstones, about a dozen of the savages came on, yelling and belabouringtheir mounts, driving them nearly frantic as they urged them forward.

  The riders were evidently imbued with a mad belief that their half-wildsteeds would surmount the barrier by leaps and climbing, as after ashort wild career they were forced right at the rugged mass of stones.Fully half breasted it, some to fall, others to wrench themselves round,while others again flung their riders, to gallop back snorting withexcitement, as they returned to dash into the halting mob they had leftand add fresh confusion there.

  They were exciting moments at the barrier. One Indian pitched upon hishead to lie senseless, but three more regained their feet, tore theirknives from their belts, and placing them between their teeth to leavetheir hands free, began to climb up the slope of rough jagged stones totake vengeance upon the whites who had dared to oppose their attack.But not one of them reached the top of the hurled-down masses of rock,which were, after all, not half-way up to where the little partycrouched, patient, cool, and watchful, as they obeyed their leader'sorders not to waste a shot.

  The result of the desperate attack was that one man stopped short,tottered, and fell back, to roll over to the bottom and then begin tocrawl slowly back, leaving his comrades motionless where they hadfallen.

  There was a few moments' pause as the one man crept painfully back, andthen about a dozen of the Indians dismounted and joined in driving thefrantic ponies that were galloping about through an opening made forthem by the waiting band.

  This done the party remounted, and set up another furious yell tofrighten the defenders from their posts.

  Needless to say, this was as vain as the next and larger flight ofarrows, which splintered amongst the stones or glanced off to fly faroverhead.

  There was no firing now by the defenders, for the need was not urgent."Let them exhaust themselves," cried the doctor, "and find out thattheir efforts are vain."

  Still there was no lack of bravery amongst the savages, who, some twentystrong, being as many as could act in the narrow gully, charged homeagain, directly after sending in their arrows, and accompanying thebeating of their ponies' hoofs with yell after yell.

  This time there was no waiting on the part of the defenders, who beganfiring as soon as the advance commenced, with the result that severalIndians dropped, to encumber the way and unsettle the serried band ofplunging steeds, while the rest, on breasting the rocks, recoiled, andin a state of panic turned, regardless of yells and blows, to gallopback after the fashion of their kind, crowding together till theyreached their fellows once again, to stand shivering, snorting, andstamping, but leaving two struggling in the bottom of the gulch incompany with six of their riders, wounded or dead.

  "That ought to settle them," said Wilton, who knelt carefully wiping hisrifle.

  "I hope so," said Bourne. "I'm tired of this murderous work."

  "'Tis bad, sir," said Griggs, from the other side; "but it rests withthe redskins."

  "Do you think they will give up now, Griggs?" said the doctor.

  "No, sir; I don't," was the reply.

  "Oh, Griggs, you're making the worst of it," cried Chris.

  "No, my lad, I'm not. It's of no use for me to talk nonsense. I knowtoo much of Indian nature. All they're thinking of now is how to get atus, and have revenge for what we have done."

  "Then you think they will attack again?"

  "Sure to, sir," replied Griggs; "but perhaps not with a rush. If theydon't, they'll wait till it's dark, and then leave their horses behindand come on with their knives."

  "Ugh!" ejaculated Chris. "That will be bad for us."

  "Horrid," said Griggs coolly. "It seems--Hallo! They're coming onagain. Give 'em a volley, sir, this time."

  "Yes," cried the doctor eagerly, as he saw at a glance that the Indianswere gathering for another rush. "Hold your fire," he cried loudly,"till they are three parts of the way here, and then all together. I'llgive the word."

  "But suppose they come on, dismount, and attack afterwards," said Chris.

  "You have the second barrels," said the doctor. "Be ready. Here theycome."

  For once more the savages were putting their regular tactics to thetest, coming on yelling and waving their weapons, using them to frightentheir foes as much as to madden their ponies into a furious gallop, andthis right in the rear of another flight of arrows, half of which camefrom the Indians who remained behind for want of room.

  To the boys this was the most exciting charge of all, for during theothers they had something to do or see, as the firing was kept up almostfrom the first. Here they had to wait--only for moments, it is true,but moments which seemed like minutes, and during which they had nogathering smoke to hide the gleaming teeth, flashing eyes, and savagehate depicted in the red and painted faces coming swiftly on.

  "Fire!" shouted the doctor, his voice sounding sharp and clear above therattle, of hoofs, the yells of the savages, and the reverberations fromthe rocky sides of the gulch.

  Every finger pressed the trigger at the same moment; there was a flash,six jets of grey smoke driven full in the faces of the on-coming ponies,and then one great crack, followed by a deafening roar, whichcombination checked the ponies as if by magic, making them rear up,dismounting several of their riders. Then they all tore back, leavingeight or nine Indians scrambling to their feet, to run after theirsteeds, others lying struggling among the stones, and, plain to see, twomore tottering upon their ponies' backs, one falling forward to cling tohis mount's neck, another to sink backward and drop off, and another towrench himself round and shake his bow at the occupants of the barrierin impotent fury, before throwing up his hands and lying back clingingto his seat till his pony had plunged into the little crowd waitingtheir return.

  "The most effective action yet," said the doctor hoarsely, as thereloading ended.

  "Yes, sir, I think that's best," responded Griggs.

  "But such a sickening slaughter of the poor ignorant wretches," criedBourne bitterly.

  "That's what I used to think when I was first up in the Rockies, sir,"said Griggs coolly, "till I had been about a bit, and seen w
here theredskins up there had been amongst the settlers' ranches. Pleasanthomes burned down, and men, women, and children lying where they hadbeen murdered and cut about--people who had been living hopeful lives,hard workers whose only crime against the Indians was trying to get aliving out of a few acres instead of by hunting and war. I used to feeljust as you do, Mr Bourne; but I don't now."

  "I know, I know," cried Ned's father passionately; "but they are soignorant of our power."

  "Yes, sir, but we're not of theirs," replied Griggs. "Now, doctor,they're drawing off. Had enough of it for one day, and it's time to bestirring."

  "What, retreat?"

  "Not yet, sir. Here's my idea. They'll wait till it's dark, attack usthen with knives and tomahawks, coming on silently, leaving their horsesbehind, and we shan't have a chance."

  "Then what do you propose?" said the doctor.

  "Just this, sir, if you can't see a better way. We three stop here,ready to have a shot at any Indian who shows himself, while Mr Bourne,young squire, and Chris go off to the mules and horses."

  "No," cried Chris; "I'm not going to leave my father."

  "Wait, my boy," said the doctor sternly.

  "But, father--"

  "Silence, sir!"

  "Hadn't done speaking, my lad," said Griggs, looking at the boy with asmile. "Here's the rest of it. Mr Bourne and Squire Ned get oldSkeeter to the front; and set off at once as fast as the mules will go,which only means a walk."

  "But where--where?" cried Bourne excitedly.

  "Anywhere, sir, except into the soda-plains. The thing you've got to dois to put as many miles between you and here as you can manage in thenext twenty-four hours."

  "What, and desert you?" cried Bourne. "How are you going to manage tofind us?"

  "Oh, I'll find you by your trail when the time comes, sir," said Griggs,laughing. "Don't you be afraid of that. Don't even think about it,only of getting right away."

  "I see," said the doctor, and he frowned down Chris, who was about tospeak. "Now go on."

  "There's not much more to say, sir. We shall stay here till dusk,giving the redskins a reminder now and then that we're on the alert; andat last, when we feel that they're coming on for the attack, into thesaddles we jump, and steal off till we're out of hearing, and then crawltill we make sure of the trail of the mules, and then gallop."

  "But the ponies will have gone with the mules," cried Chris excitedly.

  "You'd better not let them," said Griggs, with a grim smile at the boy."You've got to see the train started well on its way from the bottom ofthe gully, and then bring the horses here--all six, mind."

  "Yes, I see," said Chris, brightening up, the sun seeming to come out onhis gloomy, powder-smirched face. "But what about Ned's and MrBourne's ponies?"

  "They'll have to be contented with mules. They've only got to walk, andthere are several now with half loads. We shall want their ponies forspare mounts, so as to give the others a rest now and then, for when weleave here we shall have to make the best of our way."

  "Oh!" cried Chris joyously. "I wish I were as clever as you are,Griggs."

  "It's all right, my lad," said the American grimly; "don't be in ahurry. I've learned a bit about the Indians, and you've got that tobegin with; by the time you get as old as I am you'll have picked up adeal more than I know, and you will not think much of me then. Now,doctor, what's your idea?"

  "Yours, Griggs," cried the gentleman addressed. "It cannot be bettered.You hear, Bourne?"

  "Yes, I hear," was the reply; "but about the Indians. You will notescape them; they'll follow your trail."

  "A bit," said Griggs, "while they're hot and wild after finding out thatwe've tricked them and gone; but I seem to think that they won't trampfar and leave their mustangs shut up in the valley. They'll come backto get them out, and that will take them days, even if they do it then;while if they can catch us after giving us about a week's law, I shallfeel disposed to forgive them."

  "We need not discuss the matter further, eh, Wilton?" said the doctor,turning to the young man, who had crouched close by, watching the spotwhere the Indians had disappeared.

  "No. It's all cut and dried," said the young man quietly. "Be off,Bourne; you're going to have the best of it."

  "That father isn't," said Ned sharply. "I don't think it's fair. LetChris go. I want to stop and fight."

  "Nay, nay, nay," said Griggs, smiling; "don't be greedy, lad. You'vekilled quite as many redskins to-day as is good for you. Be satisfied.I dare say we can contrive a bit more fighting for you by and by."

  "He may have all my share," said Chris, screwing up his face. "I hateit. It's horrible."

  "Obey orders," said the doctor, smiling. "Bourne, will you get off atonce?"

  "Yes," was the reply.

  "And you, boys. I don't think any eyes can reach us, for we get no morearrows now; but all the same, I would not show. Crawl down to thebottom; you will be safe from all observation there, and you can riseand walk as soon as you are past the first curve. Till we meet again."

  "Till we meet again," said Bourne and Ned in a breath, and they began tocrawl down the far side of the gulch from where they had made theirdefence.

  "As for you, my boy," continued the doctor, "you will bring the poniesdown, following the mules, and coming to a halt at that spring by thebig needle-like stone. There's some browsing for them there."

  "Am I to stay with them, father?" said Chris.

  "Of course, my boy, to be ready for starting at a moment's notice."

  "But if you have to fight again?"

  "We three will do our best."

  "But only three, father?"

  "Only three, but three men fighting with a knowledge that if things goagainst them they have ponies waiting for them, ready for a retreat.Now, my boy. Duty. Be off. And mind, you'll take no notice of a fewshots."

  Chris made no reply. His rifle was already slung, and after one glanceup the gulch towards the valley, without seeing a sign of the enemy, hebegan to back down the slope, creeping and crawling till it was safe torise, and then hurrying after Bourne and Ned, overtaking them longbefore they could reach the entrance to the steep slope of the gully.