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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/19928-8.txt b/19928-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7ab436d --- /dev/null +++ b/19928-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3375 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sunset Pass, by Charles King + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sunset Pass + or Running the Gauntlet Through Apache Land + +Author: Charles King + +Release Date: November 27, 2006 [EBook #19928] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUNSET PASS *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + SUNSET PASS + + OR + + RUNNING THE GAUNTLET THROUGH APACHE LAND + + BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING + + AUTHOR OF "THE DESERTER", "A WAR-TIME WOOING", ETC + + + + +COPYRIGHTED, 1890 +BY JOHN W. LOVELL COMPANY + +NEW YORK +JOHN W. LOVELL COMPANY +150 WORTH ST., COR. MISSION PLACE + + + + +[Illustration: CAPT. CHAS. KING] + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + +Capt. Chas. King + +He Drew Little Nell close to Him + +Manuelito Was shuffling about the Fire Apparently doing Nothing + +"Where's Manuelito?" + +His First Duty seemed to be to get the Provisions from the Wagon + +"Jim, Old Boy, We've got to pull Together To-night" + +"My God! There's not a Living Soul in Sight" + +Bending Down He raised Her in His Strong Arms Away He Flew at Full Speed + +The Two Men set to Work to build Their Breastwork + +Nellie, Clinging to Her Nurse, was terrified by the Sounds + +The Poor Devil was now seated, Bound and Helpless, on a Rock by the +Roadside + +"That's what Jim took for an Apache" + +One Vehement Kick and Curse He Gave Him + +With One Backward Look He staggered Wearily on + +"My God! What can have Happened? It's Captain Gwynne?" + +Evidently the One Who was shot was a Man of Some Prominence among +Them--Possibly a Chief + +All of a Sudden a Black Shadow rushed through the Air + +Down With these Stones, Now!" + +The Bullet of the Little Ballard had taken Him just under the Eye + + + + +SUNSET PASS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +A RASH RESOLVE. + + +"Better take my advice, sir. The road ahead is thick with the Patchies." + +"But you have come through all alone, my friend; why should I not go? I +have been stationed among the Apaches for the last five years and have +fought them all over Arizona. Surely I ought to know how to take care of +myself." + +"I don't doubt that, captain. It's the kids I'm thinking of. The +renegades from the reservation are out in great numbers now and they are +supposed to be all down in the Tonto Basin, but I've seen their moccasin +tracks everywhere from the Colorado Chiquito across the 'Mogeyone,' and +I'm hurrying in to Verde now to give warning and turn the troops this +way." + +"Well, why didn't they attack you, then, Al?" + +The party thus addressed by the familiar diminutive of "Al" paused a +moment before reply, an odd smile flitting about his bearded lips. A +stronger, firmer type of scout and frontiersman than Al Sieber never sat +in saddle in all Arizona in the seventies, and he was a noted character +among the officers, soldiers, pioneers, and Apaches. The former +respected and trusted him. The last named feared him as they did the +Indian devil. He had been in fight after fight with them; had had his +share of wounds, but--what the Apaches recoiled from in awe was the fact +that he had never met them in the field without laying one at least of +their number dead in his tracks. He was a slim-built, broad-shouldered, +powerful fellow, with a keen, intelligent face, and eyes that were +kindly to all his friends, but kindled at sight of a foe. A +broad-brimmed, battered slouch hat was pulled well down over his brows; +his flannel shirt and canvas trousers showed hard usage; his pistol belt +hung loose and low upon his hips and on each side a revolver swung. His +rifle--Arizona fashion--was balanced athwart the pommel of his saddle, +and an old Navajo blanket was rolled at the cantle. He wore Tonto +leggins and moccasins, and a good-sized pair of Mexican spurs jingled at +his heels. He looked--and so did his horse--as though a long, hard ride +was behind them, but that they were ready for anything yet. + +"It makes a difference, captain--their attacking me or you. I've been +alive among 'em so many years that they have grown superstitious. +Sometimes I half believe they think I can't be killed. Then, too, I may +have slipped through unnoticed, but you--with all this outfit--why! +you're sure to be spotted, followed, and possibly ambushed in Sunset +Pass. It's the worst place along the route." + +Captain Gwynne looked anxiously about him a moment. He was a +hard-headed, obstinate fellow, and he hated to give up. Two months ago +his wife had died, leaving to his care two dear little ones--a boy of +nine and a girl of six. He soon determined to take them East to his home +in far Pennsylvania. There was no Southern Pacific or any other Arizona +railway in those days. Officers and their families who wanted to go East +had to turn their faces westward, take a four or five days' "buckboard" +ride across the dusty deserts to the Colorado River, camp there perhaps +a week before "Captain Jack Mellon" came backing or sideways down the +shallow stream with his old "Cocopah." Then they sculled or ground their +way over the sand bars down to Fort Yuma, a devious and monotonous trip; +then were transferred to "lighten" or else, on the same old Cocopah, +were floated out into the head of the Gulf of California and there +hoisted aboard the screw steamers of the Ocean line--either the Newbern +or the Montana, and soon went plunging down the gulf, often very +sea-sick, yet able to get up and look about when their ship poked in at +some strange old Mexican town, La Paz or Guaymas, and finally, turning +Cape St. Lucas, away they would steam up the coast to San Francisco, +which they would reach after a two weeks' sea voyage and then, hey for +the Central Pacific, Cape Horn, the Sierras, Ogden, and the tramp to the +Union Pacific and, at last, home in the distant east, all after a +journey of five or six weeks and an expense of months of the poor +officer's pay. + +Now Captain Gwynne was what we called a "close" man. He could not bear +the idea of spending something like a thousand dollars in taking +himself, little Ned and Nellie, and their devoted old nurse, Irish Kate, +by that long and expensive route. He had two fine horses and a capital +family wagon, covered. He had a couple of stout mules and a good baggage +wagon. Jim, his old driver, would go along to take care of "the +Concord," as the family cart was termed. Manuelito, a swarthy Mexican, +would drive the mules; the captain would ride his own pet saddle horse, +Gregg, and a discharged soldier, whom he hired for the purpose, would +ride McIntosh, the other charger. All were well armed. Parties were +going unmolested over the Sunset Pass route every month. Why should not +he? + +The officers at Prescott shook their heads and endeavored to dissuade +him, but the more they argued the more determined was he. There were +tearful eyes among the ladies at Prescott barracks, where Mrs. Gwynne +had been dearly loved, when they bade good-by to the children. But one +fine day away went "the outfit;" stopped that night at Camp Verde, deep +down in the valley; started again early in the morning, despite the +protestations of the garrison, and that evening were camping among the +beautiful pine woods high up on the Mogollon range. Sieber's +pronunciation of the name--"Mogeyone"--will give you a fair idea of what +it is really like. + +And now, three days out on the Mesa, Ned and Nellie, in silence, but +with beating hearts, were listening to this conversation between their +father and the famous scout, and hoping, poor little mites, that their +father would be advised and turn back until met by cavalry from Verde; +yet so loyal to him, so trustful to him, that neither to one another nor +to Kate would they say a word. + +"Well, Sieber, I've argued this thing out with all Prescott and Verde," +said the captain at last. "I've sworn I wouldn't turn back, and so, by +jinks, I'm going ahead. It's all open country around Snow Lake, and I +can keep on the alert when we reach the Pass." + +"You know your business best, I suppose, captain, but--" and Sieber +stopped abruptly and gazed through the open windows of the Concord at +the two little forms huddled together, with such white faces, on the +back seat. + +"Well, won't you at least wait and camp here a day or so? I'll go down +by way of Wales Arnold's and get him to send up a couple of men. That +won't be going back, and you'll be tolerably safe here. The cavalry +won't be long getting out this way." + +"And meantime having my beasts eating barley by the bucketful so that I +won't have enough to get through? No, Al, I've made calculations just +how many days it will take me to get over to Wingate, and delay would +swamp me. I don't mean to discredit your story, of course, but +everybody, even at Verde, said the renegades were all down by Tonto +Creek, and I cannot believe they would be out here to the northeast. I'm +going ahead." + +"Well, Captain Gwynne, I give up. If you're bound to go there's no use +talking. Stop one moment though!" He spurred his broncho close to the +window, and thrusting in his wiry arm drew little Nell close to him, +bent and kissed tenderly her bonny face. + +[Illustration: HE DREW LITTLE NELL CLOSE TO HIM.] + +"God guard you, baby," he murmured, as finally he set her down. "Adios, +Ned, my lad," and he shook the little man heartily by the hand. "Good +luck all! Now I must gallop to make up time." He turned quickly away and +went "loping" down the trail, but his gauntlet was drawn across his eyes +two or three times before he disappeared from view. Two white little +faces gazed wistfully after him and then into each other's eyes. Irish +Kate muttered a blessing on the gallant fellow's head. "Come on, Jim," +said the captain, with darkening face, and presently the little train +was again in motion, winding over the range that, once passed, brings +them in view of Snow Lake with the gloomy, jagged rocks bounding the +horizon far beyond. There is a deep cleft that one sees in that barrier +just as he emerges from the pine woods along the ridge, and that distant +cleft is Sunset Pass. + +Though seldom traveled, the mountain road from Fort Verde over to Fort +Wingate was almost always in fair condition. Rains were very few and did +little damage, and so at a rapid, jingling trot the wagons lunged ahead +while the captain and Pike, the retired trooper, rode easily alongside +or made occasional scouts to the front. + +Knowing that his children must have heard his talk with Sieber, the +captain soon dropped back opposite the open window and thrust in his +hand for the little ones to shake. + +"You're not afraid to go ahead, Ned, my boy! I knew I could count on +you," said he heartily. "And Nell can hardly be afraid with you and her +old dragoon dad to guard her. Isn't it so, pet?" + +And the wan little face smiled back to prove Nellie's confidence in +father, while Ned stoutly answered: + +"I'm never afraid to go anywhere you want me to go, father. And then I +haven't had a chance to try my rifle yet." + +The boy held up to view a dainty little Ballard target gun--a toy of a +thing--but something of which he was evidently very proud. + +"And then we've got good old Pike, papa--and Kate here--I'm sure she +could fight," piped up little Nell, but there was no assent to this +proposition from the lips of poor Kate. All along she had opposed the +journey, and was filled with dread whenever it was spoken of. Vainly had +she implored the officers and ladies at Prescott to prohibit the captain +from making so rash an attempt. Nothing would avail. As ill-luck would +have it the lieutenant colonel recently gazetted to the infantry +regiment stationed in Northern Arizona had just come safely through from +Wingate with exactly such an "outfit," but without such guards, and +Captain Gwynne declared that what man had done man could do. There were +plenty of people who would have taken her off the captain's hands, but +nothing would induce the faithful creature to leave the motherless +"childer." She loved them both--and if they were to go through danger +she would go with them. All the same she stood sturdily out in her +resentment toward the captain and would not answer now. Jim, too, on the +driver's seat, was gloomily silent. Manuelito with the mules in rear had +listened to Sieber's warning with undisguised dismay. Only +Pike--ex-corporal of the captain's troop--rode unconcernedly ahead. What +cared he for Apaches? He had fought them time and again. + +Nevertheless when Captain Gwynne came cantering out to the front and +joined his old non-commissioned officer, it was with some surprise that +he listened to Pike's salutation. + +"May I say a word to the captain?" + +"Certainly, Pike; say on." + +"I was watching Manuelito, sir, while the captain was talking with +Sieber. Them greasers are a bad lot, sir--one and all. There isn't one +of 'em I'd trust as far as I could sling a bull by the tail. That +Manuelito is just stampeded by what he's heard, and while he dare not +whirl about and go now, I warn the captain to have an eye on the mules +to-night. He'll skip back for the Verde with only one of them rather +than try Sunset Pass to-morrow." + +"Why! confound it, Pike, that fellow has been in my service five years +and never failed me yet." + +"True enough, sir; but the captain never took him campaigning. They do +very well around camp, sir, but they'd rather face the gates of +purgatory than try their luck among the Tontos. I believe one Apache +could lick a dozen of 'em." + +The captain turned slowly back, and took a good look at the Mexican as +he sat on his high spring seat, and occasionally encouraged his team +with endearing epithets, or, as in the manner of the tribe, scored them +with wildest blasphemy. Ordinarily Manuelito was wont to show his white +teeth, and touch the broad, silver-edged brim of his sombrero, when "el +capitan" reined back to see how he was getting along. To-day there was a +sullen scowl for the first moment, and then, as though suddenly +recollecting himself, the dark-skinned fellow gave a ghastly sort of +grin--and the captain felt certain that Pike's idea was right. The +question was simply how to circumvent him. + +At sunset the little party was cosily camped on the edge of Snow Lake--a +placid little sheet far up among the mountains. The plateau was broken +by a low ridge a few miles east, through a gap in which, known as Jarvis +Pass, ran the road to Sunset Pass beyond. Horses and mules, securely +tethered, were grazing close at hand. The two wagons were drawn in near +the little camp-fire. The children were having a jolly game of hide and +seek and stretching their legs after the long day's ride in the wagon. +Kate was stowing away the supper dishes. Manuelito was stretched upon +the turf, his keen, eager eyes following every motion of his captain, +even though his teeth held firmly the little paper tobacco holder he +called his "papelito." Out on the open ground beyond the little bunch of +trees Pike could be seen, carbine in hand, scouting the prairie-like +surface and keeping guard against surprise. The sun went down. Twilight +hovered over them; Kate had cuddled her beloved "childer" into their +beds in the wagon and the captain had come around to kiss them +good-night. Manuelito still sprawled near the tiny blaze, smoking and +watching, and at last, as the bulky form of the Irish nurse-maid +disappeared within the canvas walls of the wagon, the Mexican sprang +from his recumbent position, turned, and with quick, stealthy step sped +away through the clumps of trees to where the animals were placidly +browsing. He bent his lithe body double, even though he knew that at +this moment the captain and the ex-corporal were over at the east end of +their little camp-ground, chatting together in low tones. He laughed to +himself as he reached his mules and found them heavily hoppled with iron +chains. + +"As if I would take a burro when one stroke gives me a _caballo +grande_," he muttered, and pushed still further out to where the four +horses were "lariated" near the timber. A word to "Gregg" whom he had +often cared for; a gleam of his knife from the sheath and the gallant +horse was free to follow him. Still in silence and stealth he led him +back toward the camp-fire where the saddles were piled. Still he marked +that Captain Gwynne and Pike were in earnest talk down at the other end +of the camp. Warily he reached forward to grasp the captain's saddle, +when a low exclamation was heard from that officer himself and, peering +at him through the trees, the Mexican could see that he was eagerly +pointing westward and calling Pike to his side. Instinctively Manuelito +glanced over his shoulder and saw a sight that told him horse-thieving +would not save his tawny hide; that told him their retreat was cut off, +and their only hope now was in standing together. Back among the pines +through which they had come; well upon the ridge, and not ten miles +away, blazed an Indian signal fire. It was the Apache summons for a +quick "gathering of the clans." + +Now God help the bairnies in the wagon! + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +MANUELITO'S TREACHERY. + + +All this time Darkey Jim had been sleeping soundly, wrapped in his +blankets, with his feet to the fire. There was never an hour, day or +night, when this lively African could not loll at full length, in +sunshine or shade, and forget his cares, if cares he ever had, in less +than three minutes. In this case, despite Sieber's warning, which he had +overheard, he simply took note of the fact that the captain and Corporal +Pike were looking after things and that was enough for him. There was no +use in worrying when "Marsa Gwin" was on guard, and within an hour from +the time he had had his substantial supper, Jim was snoring melodiously, +with his head buried in his arms. + +Manuelito was thoroughly aware of this trait of his "stable-mate," else +he had not dared to bring the captain's horse so close to the fire. Now +his fierce, half Indian face seemed full of perplexity and dread. The +Apache signal fire still glowed among the black pines away to the +westward. The captain and Corporal Pike were hurriedly coming towards +him through the stunted trees,--yet here he stood with "Gregg," all +irresolute, all fearful what to do. Back towards those black pines and +the long reach of road beyond he dare not go. The Tontos held the line +of retreat. Here in camp he hardly dare remain for the keen cut in +"Gregg's" side line showed plainly that the knife had been used, and +left him accused of treachery. Out of the fire light and back to the +grazing ground he must get the horse at once--but what then? Noiselessly +turning, he led Gregg, wondering, back to the glade in which the other +horses were tethered, and quickly drove his picket pin and put him on +the half lariat. But how was he to conceal the severed side line? Off it +came, both nervous hands working rapidly, and then when he had about +determined to cut off the lines of one of Jim's mules and so throw +suspicion on him, his African mate, he was aware of his captain striding +through the trees toward him. He could almost have run away. But the +next words re-assured him. + +"That you, Manuelito?" challenged Captain Gwynne in low, hoarse tones. +"All right! Take the side lines off Gregg and saddle him for me at once. +I have work to do." + +The Mexican could hardly believe in his escape. For the time being, at +least, he stood safe. It would be easy enough later to "lose" the +telltale side line in the waters of the lake. Manuelito cursed his folly +in having used the knife at all. Haste prompted that piece of bad +judgment. He could have unbuckled them just as well. But all the same he +blessed his lucky stars for this respite. In three minutes he had +"Gregg" saddled and ready by the little camp-fire. There stood the +captain and Pike in low and earnest conversation. + +"I shall only go out a short four miles," said the former, "but I must +satisfy myself as to whether those beggars are coming this way to-night. +Gregg and I have 'stalked' them many a time and the country is all flat +and open for six miles back." + +"I wish the captain would stay here and let me go," pleaded Pike. + +"No! I'm never satisfied without seeing for myself. You and Manuelito +will have your arms in constant readiness, and watch for me as I come +back. There's no moon--no light--but so much the better for my purpose. +Is he all ready, Manuelito? Let me glance at my little ones in the +ambulance before I start." + +Who can say with what love and yearning the father bent over those +little faces as he peered in upon them? The flickering light of the +camp-fire threw an occasional glimmer over them--just enough to enable +him to see at times the contour yet hardly to reveal the features of +"his babies." He dare not kiss for fear of waking them. "God bless and +guard you, darlings," was the choking prayer that fell from his lips. +Then, vigorous and determined, he sprang into saddle. + +"Now, Pike," he muttered, "you've been with me in many a night bivouac +and you know your orders. They never attack at night unless they know +they have an absolutely sure thing, and they haven't--with you three. +Jim, there, can fight like a tiger whenever there is need. Watch the +horses. I'll be back in an hour or there'll be reason for my staying." + +Three minutes more and they heard the rhythmic beat of "Gregg's" hoofs +out on the open plateau and dying away westward, sturdy, measured, +steady in the trot the captain preferred to any other gait. Pike moved +out to the edge of the timber, where he could hear the last of it--a big +anxiety welling up in his heart and a world of responsibility with it; +but he clutched his carbine the more firmly and gave a backward glance, +his face softening as his eyes fell upon the wagon where little Ned and +Nell lay sleeping, and darkening with menace and suspicion as he took +one swift look at Manuelito, cowering there over the fire. + +"Blast that monkey-hearted greaser!" he muttered. "I believe he would +knife the whole party just to get the horses and slip away. I'll keep my +ears open to the west--but I'll have my eyes on you." + +Once out at his chosen station, Pike found himself in a position where +he could "cover" three important objects. Here, close at his right hand, +between him and the lake, the horses and mules were browsing peacefully +and as utterly undisturbed as though there were not an Apache within a +thousand miles. To his rear, about fifty yards, were the two wagons, the +little camp-fire and flitting restlessly about it the slouching form of +Manuelito. In front of him, close at hand, nothing but a dark level of +open prairie; then a stretch of impenetrable blackness; then, far away +towards the western horizon, that black, piney ridge, stretching from +north to south across the trail they had come along that day; and right +there among the pines--Pike judged it to be several miles south of the +road--there still glared and flamed that red beacon that his long +service in Arizona told him could mean to the Apaches only one +thing--"Close in!"--and well he knew that with the coming morn all the +renegades within range would be gathered along their path, and that if +they got through Sunset Pass without a fight it would be a miracle. + +The night was still as the grave; the skies cloudless and studded with +stars. One of these came shooting earthward just after he took his post, +and seemed to plunge into vacancy and be lost in its own combustion over +towards Jarvis Pass behind him. This gave him opportunity to glance +backward again, and there was Manuelito still cowering over the fire. +Then once more he turned to the west, watching, listening. + +Many a year had old Pike served with the standards of the cavalry. All +through the great civil war he had born manful, if humble part, but with +his fifth enlistment stripe on his dress coat, a round thousand dollars +of savings and a discharge that said under the head of "Character," "A +brave, reliable and trustworthy man," the old corporal had chosen to add +to his savings by taking his chances with Captain Gwynne, hoping to +reach Santa Fe and thence the Kansas Pacific to St. Louis, to betterment +of his pocket and to the service of one, at least, of his former troop +commanders. No coward was Pike, but he had visions of a far-away home +his coming would bless, where a loved sister's children would gather +about his knee and hear his stories of battle and adventure, and where +his dollars would enable him to give comforts and comfits, toys and +"taffee" to her little ones. Was he not conscious that her eldest boy +must be now fourteen, named for him, Martin Pike, and a young American +all through? It must be confessed that as the ex-corporal stood there at +his night post under the stars he half regretted that he had embarked on +this risky enterprise. + +"If it were anybody else now but old Gwynne," he muttered to himself, +"things wouldn't be so mixed, but he never did have any horse sense and +now has run us into this scrape--and it's a bad one or I'm no judge." + +Then he glanced over his shoulder again. Manuelito was shuffling about +the fire apparently doing nothing. Presently the ex-corporal saw the +Mexican saunter up to the wagons and Pike took several strides through +the timber watching before he said a word; yet, with the instinct of the +old soldier, he brought his carbine to full cock. Somehow or other he +"could not tolerate that greaser." + +[Illustration: MANUELITO WAS SHUFFLING ABOUT THE FIRE APPARENTLY DOING +NOTHING.] + +But the suspected greaser seemed to content himself with a cursory +examination of the forage and baggage wagon and presently came slouching +back to the fire again. He had some scrap of harness in his hand and +Pike longed to know what, but it was too far from his post of +observation. He decided to remain where he was. He must listen for the +captain. All the same he kept vigilant watch of Manuelito's movements +and ere long, when the fire brightened up a bit, he made out that the +"greaser" was fumbling over nothing else than a side line. Now what did +that mean? + +Pike took a turn through the little herd of "stock," bending down and +feeling the side line of each horse and mule. All were secure and in +perfect order. The one in Manuelito's hands, therefore, was probably +"Gregg's," or an extra "pair" that he had in his wagon. There was +nothing out of the way about that after all, so Pike resumed his watch +towards the west, where still the Apache beacon was burning. + +It must have been half after ten o'clock. Manuelito had slunk down by +the fire, and not a sound was to be heard except Jim's musical snore, +and a little cropping noise among the horses. Yet Pike's quick ear +caught, far out on the prairie to the west, the sound of hoofs coming +towards him. + +"When those Apaches named a horse 'click-click' they must have struck +one that interfered," he muttered. "Now that's old Gregg coming in, I'll +bet my boots, and there's not a click about his tread. 'Course there +might be on rock, instead of this soft earth. The captain's back sooner +than I supposed he'd come. What's up?" + +Quickly, crouchingly, he hurried forward some few rods, then knelt so +that he might see the coming horseman against the sky. Then challenged +sharp and low: + +"Who comes there!" + +"Captain Gwynne," was the quick answer. + +"That you, Pike? By jove, man! I've come back in a hurry. Are the horses +all right? I want to push right on to the Pass to-night." + +"Horses all right, captain. What's the matter back there?" + +"I didn't venture too far, but I went far enough to learn by my night +glass and my ears that those scoundrels were having a war-dance. Now the +chances are they'll keep it up all night until they gather in all the +renegades in the neighborhood. Then come after us. This is no place to +make a fight. It's all open here. But the road is good all the way to +Sunset, and once there I know a nook among the rocks where we can stow +our whole outfit--where there are 'tanks' of fresh water in abundance +and where we can stand them off until the cavalry get out from Verde. +Sieber said he'd have them humming on our trail at once. Tanner and +Canker and Lieutenant Ray are there with their troops and you can bet +high we won't have long to wait. It's the one thing to do. Rouse up Jim +and Manuelito while I give 'Gregg' a rest. Poor old boy," he said, as he +noted his favorite's heaving flanks. "He has had a hard run for it and +more than his share of work this day." + +In ten minutes Black Jim, roused by vigorous kicks, was silently but +briskly hitching in his team, Manuelito silently but suddenly buckling +the harness about his mules. Irish Kate, aroused by the clatter, had +poked her head from underneath the canvas to inquire what was the +matter, and, at a few words from the captain, had shrunk in again, +stricken with fear, but obeying implicitly. + +"Let the children sleep as long as possible, Kate," were Gwynne's +orders. "The jolting will wake them too soon, I fear, but we've got to +push ahead to Sunset Pass at once. There are Indians ten miles behind +us." + +A few minutes more and all was ready for flight. + +"Now, Pike, ride ahead and keep sharp lookout for the road. I'll jump up +here beside Jim and drive, keeping right on your trail. Old 'Gregg' will +tow along behind the wagon. He is too tired to carry any one else this +day--and you--Manuelito, hark ye, keep right behind 'Gregg.' Don't fall +back ten yards. I want you right here with us, and if anything goes +wrong with your team, or you cannot keep up, shout and we'll wait for +you. Now, then, Pike, forward!" + +An hour later in its prescribed order this little convoy had wound its +way through Jarvis Pass and was trotting rapidly over the hard but +smooth roadway towards the high Sunset range. The little ones had been +aroused by the swaying and jolting and were sitting up now--silent and +full of nameless fears, yet striving to be brave and soldierly when papa +threw back some cheery word to them over his shoulders. Never once did +he relax his grasp on the reins or his keen watch for Pike's dim, +shadowy form piloting them along the winding trail. Little Ned had got +his "Ballard" and wanted to load, but his father laughed him out of the +idea. + +"The Tontos were ten miles behind us, Ned, my boy, when we left Snow +Lake, and are farther away now. These mountain Apaches in northern +Arizona have no horses, you know, and have to travel afoot. Not a rod +will they journey at night if they can help themselves--the lazy +beggars!" + +And so the poor father, realizing at last the fruits of his obstinacy, +strove to reassure his children and his dependants. Little Nell was too +young to fully appreciate their peril, and soon fell asleep with her +curly head pillowed on Kate's broad lap. Ned, too, valiant little man, +soon succumbed and, still grasping his Ballard, fell sound asleep. In +darkness and silence the little convoy sped swiftly along, and at last, +far in the "wee sma' hours," Pike hailed: + +"Here we are, right in the Pass, captain! Now can you find that point +where we turn off the road to get into the rock corral?" + +"Take the lines, Jim; I'll jump out and prospect. I used to know it well +enough." + +Down the road the captain went stumbling afoot. Everything was rock, +bowlder and darkness now. The early morning wind was sighing through the +pines up the mountain side at the south. All else was silence. + +Presently they heard him hail: + +"Come on! Here we are!" + +Jim touched up his wearied team and soon, under the captain's guidance, +was bumping up a little side trail. A hundred yards off the road they +halted and Gwynne called back into the darkness: + +"How's Manuelito getting on, Pike?" + +No answer. + +The captain stepped back a few yards and listened. Not a sound of hoof +or wheel. + +"Pike!" he called. "Where are you?" + +No answer at all. + +"Quick, Jim, give me the lantern," he called, and in a moment the +glimmering light went bounding down the rocky trail, back to the road. + +And there the two soldiers met--Pike trotting up rapidly from the west, +the captain swinging his lantern in the Pass. + +"Where's Manuelito?" was the fierce demand. + +[Illustration: "WHERE'S MANUELITO?"] + +"Gone, sir. Gone and taken the mules with him. The wagon's back there +four hundred yards up the road." + +"My God! Pike. Give me your horse quick. You stay and guard my babies." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ON THE ALERT. + + +Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the +horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him +ride away into darkness. + +"Take care of the babies," indeed! The old trooper would shed his +heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang +of howling Apaches? It could only defer the moment of their capture and +then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old +Kate? Jim, of course, would do his best, but there remained now only the +two men to defend the captain's children and their nurse against a swarm +of bloodthirsty Tontos who were surely on their trail. There was no +telling at what moment their hideous war-cry might wake the echoes of +the lonely Pass. + +With all his loyalty, Pike was almost ready to blame his employer and +old commander for riding off in pursuit of the Mexican. It was so dark +that no trail could be seen. He could not know in which direction +Manuelito had fled. It was indeed a blind chase, and yet the captain had +trotted confidently back past the deserted wagon as though he really +believed he could speedily overtake and recapture the stolen mules. Pike +thought that the captain should stay with his children and let him go in +pursuit or rather search, but every one who knew Gwynne knew how +self-confident he was and how much higher he held his own opinion than +that of anybody else. "It is his confounded bull-headedness that has got +us into this scrape," thought poor Pike, for the twentieth time, but the +soldier in him came to the fore and demanded action--action. + +Knowing the habits of the Apaches it was his hope that they would not +follow in pursuit until broad daylight and that it would be noon before +they could reach the Pass. By that time, with or without the mules, +Captain Gwynne would certainly be back. Meanwhile his first duty seemed +to be to get the provisions from the wagon up to the little fastness +among the great bowlders where the children, guarded by poor, trembling +but devoted Kate, were now placidly sleeping--worn out with the fatigue +of their jolting ride from Snow Lake. She kept Black Jim with a loaded +rifle close by the side of the family wagon and prevented his falling +asleep at his post, in genuine darkey fashion, by insisting on his +talking with her in low tones. She kept fretting and worrying about the +absence of the captain and the non-arrival of Manuelito with his wagon. +She asked Jim a hundred questions as to the cause of the delay, but he +could give no explanation. It was with joy inexpressible, therefore, +that she heard Pike's well-known voice hailing them in cheery tones. He +wanted Jim. + +[Illustration: HIS FIRST DUTY SEEMED TO BE TO GET THE PROVISIONS FROM +THE WAGON.] + +"Where's the captain and the wagon?" demanded Kate in loud whisper. + +"Up the road a piece," answered Pike in the most off-hand way +imaginable. "We'll have it here presently but Jim'll have to help. We've +lost a linch-pin in the dark. Come along, Jim." + +"Shure you're not going to take Jim away and leave me alone with the +poor children. Oh, corporal, for the love of the blessed saints don't do +that!" + +"Sho! Kate. We won't be any distance away and there ain't an Indian +within ten miles. They wouldn't dare come prowling around at night. +Here, you take Jim's gun and blow the top of the head off the first +Apache that shows up. We'll be back in five minutes. How are the +kids--sleeping?" + +"Sleeping soundly, God be praised, and never draming of the awful peril +we're in." + +"Peril be blowed!" answered Pike stoutly. "We're safer here than we +could be anywhere east of the Verde and as soon as it's good and light +and the horses are rested, we'll be off for the Colorado Chiquito and +leave the Tontos miles behind. Take things easy, old girl, and don't +worry. Come along, Jim." + +And so away they went through the inky darkness, plunging along the +rocky and winding path by which they had brought the ambulance up the +steep. Not until they had got down into the road itself did Pike give +his negro comrade an idea of what had happened. Then, speaking low and +seizing the other's arm, he began: + +"Jim, old boy, we've got to pull together to-night. There's nothing the +matter with the wagon--that's all right, but that whelp Manuelito has +run off with the mules and the captain's put out after him. It'll be +daylight soon and he'll get the son of a gun--sure, and then hurry back +to join us; but the wagon lies just where I think you and I can start it +down the road and fetch it nearer camp. Then we can rake out what +provisions we want in case we have to stand a siege. See?" + +[Illustration: "JIM, OLD BOY, WE'VE GOT TO PULL TOGETHER TO-NIGHT."] + +Black Jim's eyes nearly popped from their sockets. He had been on scouts +with his master, and bragged prodigiously around garrison about how they +fought Tontos down along the Black Mesa and in the infested "Basin." + +To hear Jim talk one would fancy he had killed at least half a dozen +Indians in hand to hand encounters. Indeed he had behaved with +self-possession and a very fair degree of coolness in the two affairs +which Gwynne's troop had had when Jim happened to be along. But this was +different. Then they had forty or fifty veteran soldiers. Here--only old +Pike and himself were left to defend the position--and no one might say +how many Apaches might come along. Besides it was still dark (and +Napoleon said all men were cowards in the dark), though far in the east +a grayish pallor was creeping up from the horizon. Who could blame poor +Jim if his knees shook and his teeth chattered a little, but he went +manfully along by Pike's side and soon they reached the abandoned wagon. + +As luck would have it, Manuelito had stopped where the road began a +pretty sharp descent and Pike felt sure that if they could only start +the thing they could run the wagon almost opposite their hiding place. +Then it would be far easier to get the stores up the rocks. Taking the +pole himself and telling him to "put his shoulder to the wheel" Pike +sung out a cheery "Heave!" and, slowly at first, then more rapidly, the +vehicle with its precious freight came thundering down the rocky and +almost unused road. Pike had to hold back with all his might and to +shout for Jim to join him, but between them they managed to control the +speed of the bulky runaway and to guide it safely to a point not far +from their little camp. The old trooper rummaged about until he found +the lantern hanging under the seat. This he quickly lighted, and then, +loading a sack of barley for the horse on Jim's shoulders, and lugging a +box of hard bread under one arm and of bacon under the other, he led the +way up among the rocks until they reached Kate's "field hotel," as he +called it. There they dumped their load under the ambulance. Pike +whispered a jovial "Go to sleep, old girl. You're all safe" to the still +trembling Irish woman, then down they went for another load. This time +they came laden with a wonderful assortment. Coffee, sugar, condensed +milk, canned corned beef, potted ham, canned corn and tomatoes, some +flour and yeast powders, a skillet or two, the coffee pot, some cups, +dishes, etc., and these, too, were placed close to the ambulance, to +Kate's entire mystification; and then, sending Jim down for another +little load, Pike set to work to build a tiny fire far back in a cleft +in the rocks. + +"We'll all be glad of a cup of coffee now," he said to himself, "and so +will the captain; he should be brought back before day. We may have no +chance for cooking after the sun is up. Thank God, there's water in +plenty here in these hollows." + +Out in the Arizona mountains one may journey day after day in July or +August, and all through the fall and winter, and cross gulley, gorge, +ravine, cañon and water cross and find them all dry as a bone--not a +drop of water running. It is useless to dig below the surface, as one +could do in sandy soil and find water, for it is all rock. Indeed it +would be impossible to dig; nothing short of blasting would make an +excavation. But a kind Providence has decreed that the scout or traveler +should not be left to die of thirst. Here and there in the low ground or +in the ravines are deep hollows, in which the water has gathered during +the rainy season, and this is almost always palatable and sweet. One +only has to know where these "tanks" are, and he is all right. Both +Captain Gwynne and Pike had twice been over to the Pass before, and, +spending a day or more there scouting the neighborhood, had noted the +little nook among the great bowlders and the abundant supply of water. +It was God's mercy that this was the case. + +And now as he boiled his coffee in the little niche whence no betraying +gleam from his fire could shoot out across the gorge, Pike gave himself +over to a calm look at the situation. If the captain recovered the mules +and got back by sunrise--despite fatigue they could give them and the +horses a good feed of barley and then push for the Colorado Chiquito, +some twenty miles away. Once across that stream they were comparatively +safe, for the Apaches had a superstitious feeling against venturing +beyond. That country was considered as belonging to the Maqui Pueblo +Indians, of whom the wild Tontos stood a little in dread. Then, a little +further on, began the Navajo country, and the Navajos--once the most +fearless and intractable of mountain tribes--were now all gathered in at +their reservations about old Fort Defiance,--the richest Indians in +sheep, cattle and "stock" on the face of the globe. No Apache dare +venture on their territory, and white men, on the contrary, were safe +there. "If we can only get away before those scoundrelly Tontos get +after us," said Pike to himself. "Even if the captain doesn't get the +mules, we can abandon the wagon and the heavy luggage, cram the +ambulance with provisions and make a run for it to Sunset crossing. I +wonder which way that blackguard of a greaser did go. He would hardly +dare go back the way he came with every chance of running slap into the +Tontos. He has taken hard tack and bacon enough to keep him alive +several days. It's my belief he means to hide somewhere about Jarvis +Pass until he sees the Indians following our trail and then, when they +are fairly past, to make a run for the Verde. The cowardly hound!" + +Then Jim came stumbling up the path with his load and the lantern. Pike +gave him a big tin mug of steaming coffee and a couple of "hard tack." +Took another down to Kate, whom he pacified by saying that the captain +was with Manuelito and the mules and bidding her to lie down and get a +little sleep before day. Then he went back to Jim. + +"Now young man," said he, "I want you to listen carefully to what I say. +You had a nap last evening--a sound sleep in fact and I've not had a +wink. If I can get an hour or an hour and a half it will fetch me out +all right for the day's work. This coffee will freshen you up and keep +you awake. You stand guard until sunrise--until the sun is well up, in +fact, then call me. Keep your ears wide open; listen for every sound; if +it's the captain coming back you'll hear the hoof beats down there on +the road; if it's Apaches you won't hear anything. But you take my word +for it, Jim, they won't attempt to follow beyond Snow Lake to-night. +They can't be here before noon, and by that time we'll be miles away +towards the river. Don't get stampeded. Just keep cool; watch and +listen. If Kate asks anything more about the captain tell her he's down +by the wagon. It was too heavy to fetch up here. I don't want to make a +man lie, but we mustn't let her and those poor little kids know he's +away. Now are you game for it, Jim?" + +The negro mechanically took the rifle that Pike handed to him. "I'll do +my best, corporal," he said. + +"That's a trump! Now I believe I can rest easy," answered Pike, and so +saying he unrolled his blankets, spread them on the ground close by the +ambulance, looked to the chamber of his revolver to see that every +cartridge was all right, lay his rifle by the wheel, lay down and rolled +himself into his soldier bedding, and was asleep in three minutes. + +How long afterwards it was that he was aroused Pike could not begin to +guess. It seemed to him that he had not slept five minutes yet he had +had a good, long, refreshing nap, and now it was broad daylight. The sun +was shining brightly and Black Jim was bending over him; his finger on +his lips. Pike sat up and rubbed his eyes. The first question he longed +to ask was: "Has the captain got back?" but Jim pointed to the ambulance +and, listening, the old trooper heard childish voices, soft and low; +their bubbling laughter telling of their utter ignorance of the dread +anxiety which hovered over the camp. Kate, worn out, was evidently still +asleep and the children were chatting blithely together but taking care +not to disturb their kind old nurse. Little Ned poked his hand out +through the narrow space between the curtain and the frame of the door +and peeped through with one merry blue eye as he shook hands with Pike, +who had scrambled to his feet. + +"Where's papa?" he whispered. + +"He's all right, little man," answered Pike, smiling cheerfully up at +the bright boy face, though the old soldier's heart was heavy as lead. +"He's all right. He's down looking after the mules with Manuelito. You +and Nellie hungry? I'll get you some breakfast presently, but better let +old Kate sleep as long as she can." + +"I'd like to come out, corporal, and look around," whispered Ned. + +"Wait a little while, my lad. It's very early and the air is pretty +keen. I'll let you out presently. See if you can find papa's field +glasses in there anywhere. I want to take a look at the road with them." + +Ned withdrew his little brown fist and could be heard groping around the +dark interior. The captain had so arranged the seats in his "family +wagon" that they could be turned and flattened against the sides of the +vehicle, leaving a clear space in which there was abundant room for Kate +and the children to lie at full length and sleep in comfort, and this +was their tent and sleeping apartment. The captain and his party slept +as we always used to sleep when scouting in the dry season in Arizona, +without shelter of any kind, in the open air. + +Presently the little fellow re-appeared at the aperture. + +"Here it is, Pike," he whispered. "But you'll have to open the door to +get it out." + +Pike turned the handle, took the "binocular," gave Ned a jovial nod and +another shake of the hand, closed the door and strode away signalling +Jim to follow him. When they were out of earshot of the ambulance he +turned: + +"Have you heard nothing--no hoof beats?" + +"Not a thing," answered Jim. "We can't see the wagon from here, but I +could hear anything if anything had come." + +Pike looked wistfully back up the Pass. In one or two places the road +was visible from their lookout, winding and twisting around the rocks. + +Three hundred yards away it turned around the foot of a hill and from +that point was utterly lost to view. Pike looked at the sun, then at his +old silver watch. "After seven o'clock, by jove! and not back yet," he +muttered. "It's full time we were off for the Chiquito, but we can't +stir without the captain." Then he turned once more to Jim. "Water the +horses and give them a good measure of barley each, then put some dry +wood on those embers in the niche there--be sure and make no smoke--and +cook some breakfast for us all. I've got to go up to that point yonder. +From there I can see all over the open country to the west, and the +road, too, as far as Jarvis Pass. These glasses will show every moving +object to me, and I haven't a doubt I'll see the captain somewhere out +there in the distance coming back to join us. Darn the mules! I don't +much care whether he gets them or not, but I'd like about two minutes' +private interview with that blasted greaser." + +So saying, Pike got a pail of water from the "tank," liberally soused +his head, face and neck in the clear, cold water; then, throwing his +rifle over his shoulder, the brave fellow went springing down the +winding trail to the roadway and then strode westward up the Pass. A few +moments brought him to the base of the little hill, a short, sharp climb +brought him to its crest, and there, kneeling, he adjusted the glasses, +and for a long, long minute swept the open country and the winding road +lying before him in the bright sunshine. He could see every inch of the +way to Jarvis Pass, and when at last he lowered the glass he groaned +aloud: "My God! My God! There's not a living soul in sight." + +[Illustration: "MY GOD! THERE'S NOT A LIVING SOUL IN SIGHT."] + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ON THE WATCH. + + +For fully half an hour poor old Pike remained there at his post of +observation, every now and then vainly scanning the plateau through his +field glass. Meantime he was talking over the situation to himself. "The +jig is up now. I've got to go back to camp presently. I'll have to tell +them the captain is still away and that I have no idea where he has +gone. I might just as well make a clean breast of it and admit that +Manuelito has deserted and gone off with the mules, and that the old man +(for by this half-endearing appellative the soldiers often spoke of +their captain) is in pursuit. I don't suppose he found their trail until +broad daylight anyhow." Then he looked back towards the nook in which +his precious charges were doubtless impatiently awaiting his return. He +could just see the top of the ambulance over the ledge of rock that hid +it from the road. "Jim is just giving them his breakfast about this +time," he went on with his self-communion. "They could not eat another +mouthful if I were to go back now with my bad news. Better wait until +they've had a square meal before I tell them. They can bear it better +then." + +Still the stout-hearted veteran would not give up hope. Again he swept +the road with his glass, searching wistfully for some little dust cloud +or other sign of coming horseman across the wide, open plateau, but all +was silence and desolation, and, at last, feeling that he must go back +to camp and get something to eat, he shouldered his rifle and went down +the hill, his heart heavy as lead. + +Of course it was still possible for him to hitch up the team and make a +run for it, with Kate and the children, for Sunset Crossing, but he felt +confident that neither Kate nor little Ned would listen to such a +project if it involved leaving the captain behind. There was yet a +chance of his old commander's returning in time. Although he was not to +be seen anywhere over the twenty-mile stretch towards Jarvis Pass it was +all the more probable that he might have found Manuelito's trail leading +into the mountains north or south of the gorge in which they were now +hiding. The Mexican had long been employed in the pack train and had +been up through this range towards Chevelon Fork--he had heard him say +so. Very probably, therefore, he had struck out for the old "short cut" +back to the Verde. It was impracticable for wagons but easy enough for +mules--and it lay, so Pike judged, ten or fifteen miles south of the +Pass. The very thing! It would be the most natural course for him to +follow since the signal fire west of Snow Lake had showed them the +evening previous that the Indians were on their trail. Doubtless the +captain had reasoned it out on the same line and ridden southward along +the western base of the range until he had overtaken his treacherous +employé. A huge shoulder of the mountain shut off the view in that +direction, but the theory seemed so probable to Pike that his spirits +began to rise again as he struck the road Why! It might readily be that +at this moment the captain was not more than a mile or two away, and +hurrying back, fast as the mules would let him, to join the loved ones +whom he had left at camp. + +"It's a theory worth banking on for an hour or two at least," said Pike +to himself. "By Jinks! I'll swear to it as long as it can possibly hold +good. There's no use in letting them worry their hearts out--those poor +little kids. God be with us and help me to bring them safely through!" +And so, much comforted in spirit, the old trooper--half New England +Puritan, half wild frontiersman--strode briskly down the road, +determined that he would make no move for the Colorado until he knew +from the evidence of his own eyes that the Apaches were coming in +pursuit. + +The shortest way from Jarvis Pass to the point where they now lay +resting, was by way of the road along which they had come the night +before, on both sides of which, as has been said, the country lay +comparatively clear and open for miles to both north and south. Pike +felt certain that with the aid of his glass he could see the Indians +almost as soon as they got out upon the plain and while still many a +long mile away. Then there would be abundant time to bundle their +supplies into the ambulance, run it back to the road, stow Kate and the +children safely in the interior and whip up for "the Chiquito," leaving +their pursuers far behind. What a mercy it is, thought Pike, that these +Tontos have no horses! The captain, too, he argued, even if he had not +started before, would have an eye on that road wherever he was, and +would gallop for camp the moment he saw the distant signs of the coming +foe. + +Even as he trudged along, whistling loudly now by way of conveying an +idea of jollity to the anxious little party at the ambulance, Pike's +keen eyes were scanning the mountain sides. North of the Pass the ground +did not begin to rise to any extent until fully half a mile away, but +southward the ascent began almost at the roadside and was so steep as to +be in places almost precipitous. A thick growth of scrub oak, cedar and +juniper covered the mountain and here and there a tall tree shot up like +some leafy giant among its humbler neighbors; and, standing boldly out +on the very point where the heights turned southward, was a vertical +ledge of solid rock. Pike stopped instantly. "Now that's a watch-tower +as is a watch-tower!" he exclaimed. "I'll scramble up and have a look +from there before I do another thing." So saying he left the road and +pushing his way among the stunted trees and over rocks and bowlders he +soon began a moderately steep climb. Long accustomed to mountain +scouting, the craft of the old Indian fighter was manifest in his every +movement. He carefully avoided bending or breaking the merest twig among +the branches, and in stepping he never set foot on turf or soft earth, +but skipped from rock to rock, wherever possible, so as to leave no +"sign" behind him. It was more a matter of habit than because he +believed it necessary to conceal his trail from the Indians in this +case. No human being on earth can follow an enemy, like an Apache; a +bent twig, a flattened bit of sod, even a tiny impression in the loose +sand or rocky surface will catch his eye in an instant, and tell him +volumes. Pike knew well that there was no such thing as hiding the trail +of his party, and thinking of them he stopped to take breath and look +down. Their little fastness was hidden from him by the trees, but he +could see the baggage wagon down in the road, and, being unwilling to +have Kate and the little ones worrying about his long continued absence, +he set up a loud and cheery shout. + +"Hullo--o--o Jim!" + +Jim's voice came back on the instant. "What d'you want?" + +"Just save a little breakfast for the captain and me, will you? We'll be +hungry as wolves when we get in." + +"Is papa there?" piped up little Ned in his childish treble. + +"No--he's down around the west side. He'll be in presently. I look for +him every minute. He's all right, Ned." + +"Where you at?" shouted Jim again in his southern vernacular. + +"Up here on the hill. I'm going a piece farther to look at a big rock. +I'll be down in ten or twenty minutes." + +And so having cheered and re-assured them, Pike pushed on again. A few +minutes' sharp climbing brought him to the base of the ledge which +proved to be far bigger and higher than he had supposed, and all the +better for his purpose. Clambering to the top he could hardly repress a +shout of exultation. Not only had he now a commanding view of all the +plateau over to the ridge through which wound Jarvis Pass, but he could +even see over beyond towards Snow Lake, while northward for several +miles the western foothills of the range were open to his view. It was +by long odds the best lookout he could have found and he only regretted +that his view southward was still shut off. Adjusting his binocular he +again gazed long and carefully over all the plain and especially along +the western edge of the range to the north, but the search was fruitless +as before. Not a living, moving object was in sight. + +Finding an easy descent on the side farthest from camp and opposite that +on which he had clambered to the top Pike half slid, half swung himself +to the base again, and there he came upon a sight that filled his soul +with joy. From base to summit the ledge was probably fifty feet in +height and was so far tilted over on the western side as to have an +overhang of at least fifteen. More than this, there was a great cleft +near the base and an excavation or hollow running inwards and downwards, +perhaps fifteen feet more. Pike went in to explore, and, to his farther +satisfaction, found a "tank" where the water had gathered from the +melting snows and in the rainy season. He tasted it and found it cool +and fresh, and then, sprawling at full length, he drank eagerly. + +"What a find!" he almost shouted, with glee. "We can store Kate and the +children back in there, throw up a little barrier of rock at the front +with loopholes for our rifles. Not a bullet or arrow can reach us from +any direction except the tops of those trees yonder, and God help the +Tonto that tries to climb 'em. And, even if the captain don't come, by +Jinks! we can stand off all the Apaches in Arizona. It won't be more +than three days before Al Sieber will be galloping out with a swarm of +the old boys at his back, and if Jim and I, in such a fort as this, +can't lick Es-Kirninzin and his whole gang, call me a 'dough boy!'" + +The more he explored, the better was Pike pleased with the situation, +and in five minutes he had made up his mind what to do. The little nook +in which the party had been hiding was all very well for the night and a +good refuge for the horses as well as the human beings, but in broad +daylight the Indians would have no difficulty in finding and surrounding +it, and there was hardly any space within its rocky walls which would be +safe from bullet or arrow when once the assailants got up the hillside. +Here, however, they could stand a siege with almost perfect safety. From +above or from the flanks the Indians could not reach them at all, and if +they attacked from the front--up hill--nothing but a simultaneous and +preconcerted rush of the whole band could succeed, and Pike knew the +Apache well enough to feel secure against that possibility. + +Now it was possible to wait for the captain indefinitely. If he got back +in abundant time for them to load up and push out for the Colorado +Chiquito before the Indians reached the Pass--well and good. If he did +not--well, thought Pike, from here I can see the scoundrels when they +are still miles away, and all we've got to do is stock this cave with +blankets, provisions and ammunition, build our breastwork and let 'em +come. "With Kate and the kids out of harm's way, back in that hole, I +wouldn't ask anything better than to have those whelps of Tontos trail +us up here and then attempt to rout us out. We'd make some of 'em sick +Indians; wouldn't we, old girl?" wound up the ex-corporal apostrophizing +his Henry rifle. + +Greatly elated over his discovery, Pike went scrambling down the rocky +hillside in the direction of camp. He no longer took any precautions +about concealing his "trail." He well knew that in the two or three +trips it would take to bring their stores and then Kate and the children +up to the cave, such "signs" would be left that the Apaches could follow +without the faintest hesitation. + +Five minutes brought him into the midst of his charges, and here for a +moment the stout-hearted soldier was well nigh unmanned. Instantly he +was besieged with eager and anxious inquiry about papa, and poor little +Nellie, who had come running eagerly forward when she heard his cheery +voice, looked wistfully beyond him in search of her father, and seeing +at last that Pike had come alone, she clasped her little arms about his +knees and, looking imploringly up in his face, burst into tears and +begged him, amid her sobs, to say why papa did not come. Bending down, +he raised her in his strong arms and hugged her tight to his heart. + +[Illustration: BENDING DOWN HE RAISED HER IN HIS STRONG ARMS.] + +"Don't cry, little sweetheart," he plead. "Don't worry, pet. Papa isn't +far away. He's coming soon and I've got such a beautiful playhouse for +you and Ned and Kate up there on the hill. We won't go up just now, for +we all want to be here to give papa his breakfast when he comes in. And +my! how hungry I am, Nellie! Won't you give old Pike some coffee now, +and some bacon and _frijoles_?" + +Nellie, like a little woman, strove to dry her tears and minister to the +wants of her staunch old friend, the corporal. Ned manfully repressed +his own anxiety and helped to comfort his little sister, but Kate +retired behind the ambulance and wept copiously. She knew that something +must be wrong. No mere matter of a mule astray would keep the captain +from "the childer" all this long while. Black Jim had set the coffee pot +and skillet again on the coals and in a few moments had a breakfast +piping hot, all ready for the present camp commander who, meantime, +slung aside his slouch hat and neck-handkerchief, rolled up his sleeves +and was giving himself a plentiful sluicing of cold water from one of +the "tanks" below them. Then, as he went up to take his rations, he sung +out gaily to Ned: + +"Here, Ned, my boy. We ought to have a sentry posted to present arms to +the captain when he comes in. Get your rifle and mount guard until I get +through here." And Ned, proud to be so employed, and out in the Indian +country, too, was presently pacing up and down on the side nearest the +road, with all the gravity and importance of a veteran soldier. + +Pike made great pretence of having a tremendous appetite and made little +Nell help him to coffee twice, refusing to take sugar except from her +hand. Once during his repast, poor old Kate came forth from behind the +ambulance, and with her apron to her eyes slowly approached them, but +the trooper sternly warned her back, saying no word but pointing +significantly to the ambulance. He did not mean to have the little ones +upset by the nurse's lamentations. His "square meal" finished, he asked +Nellie to see to the breakfast for her father being carefully kept in +readiness and then, sauntering off towards the road, called Jim to +follow him. + +Then, while they were apparently examining the bolts of the baggage +wagon, he gave the darkey his instructions. + +"Jim, I don't know when the captain will get back or how far he's gone, +but I haven't a dread or fear of any kind now. Up there where you see +that big gray rock I've found a cave that is the most perfect defensive +position I ever saw. No bullet can reach it from any point, and on the +contrary, from the mouth of the cave, we command the whole hillside. Now +if those Apaches are bound to follow, they ought to be along here about +noon. If the captain gets here in plenty of time we'll pull out for the +Chiquito. If he doesn't I mean to move the whole outfit up to the cave. +I want you now to roll and strap all the blankets; to get the provisions +and everything of that kind in shape so that we can easily 'pack' them, +then I'm going back to the top of the rock to keep a look out. I can see +way beyond Jarvis Pass, and if the Indians are following I'll spot them +before they get within ten miles of us. See?" + +Quarter of an hour later Pike was once more on the top of the rock. +First he glanced at his watch. Just nine o'clock. Then he sprawled at +full length upon the blanket he had brought with him, levelled his +glasses and, resting his elbows on the rock, gazed long and earnestly +over the winding road. Presently he sat up, whipped off the red silk +handkerchief about his neck, carefully wiped the eye and object glasses +of his binocular and his own tired old eyes and, once more prone on his +stomach, gazed again; then twisted the screw a trifle as though to get a +better focus; gazed still another time; lowered the glass; rose to his +knees, his eyes gleaming brilliantly and his teeth setting hard; once +more levelled the glass and looked with all his soul in his eyes and +then slowly let the faithful binocular fall to the blanket by his side +as he spoke aloud: + +"By Jove! They're coming." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE PRISONER. + + +What Pike saw, far over on the plateau towards Jarvis Pass would perhaps +have attracted no attention from tourist or casual looker through a +field glass, but to him--an old trooper, Indian fighter and mountaineer, +it conveyed a world of meaning. Against the dark background of that +distant ridge and upon the dun-colored flat along which the road +meandered, the old corporal could just make out a number of dingy white +objects--mere specks--bobbing and twinkling in the blazing sunshine. +Nothing of the kind had been there when he looked before and he knew +only too well what it meant. Those dirty white specks were the +breech-clouts and turbans worn by nearly all the Tonto warriors in +preference to any other head-gear or clothing,--a cheap cotton cloth +being always kept in abundant supply at the agencies solely for their +use. Some of them, it is true, wore no turban at all, their luxuriant +growth of coarse black hair tumbling about their shoulders and trimmed +off in a "bang" just level with their fierce, beady eyes, being all the +head covering they needed. But the breech-clout was universal and some +few even wore loose cotton shirts. These, with the moccasin and leggin +invariably worn, the leggin generally in a dozen folds at the ankle, +made the war toilet of the intractable Tonto. There was none of the +finery of the proud warriors of the plains--the Sioux, Cheyenne or +Crow--but for all that, when those Apaches took to the war-path, the +soldiers used to say, "It meant business." + +"They will be here in three hours at the rate they're coming; three +short hours, too, for those beggars can keep up a jog trot all day long. +Now for it! captain or no captain." + +With that brief soliloquy Pike slid down from his perch, and for the +second time that morning made his way down the hillside and back to +camp. Here he found Kate and the children as full of eager and anxious +inquiry about papa as before, and could only comfort them by saying that +the mules must have run far to the south and were proving more than +ordinarily obstinate about coming back. Still, he said, papa is sure to +be here before noon, and indeed he hoped, and more than half believed, +that such would be the case. Knowing the danger that menaced his little +ones, it could not be that the captain would not use every endeavor to +get back to them before the Indians could reach the Pass. + +Jim had obeyed his instructions to the letter. There were the two big +rolls of blankets, securely strapped; there were the supplies; the +bacon, bread, _frijoles_, coffee, sugar, canned meats and vegetables. +Even some jams and jellies for the children, together with the coffee +pot, skillets, plates, cups and saucers all stowed away in the big iron +kettle that hung under the wagon and in a pail or two, ready to be +plumped into the ambulance if a start was to be made for the river, or +"toted" up the hill if the order was to take to the cave. And then the +irrepressible propensity of the negro had cropped out again. There lay +Black Jim peacefully snoring in the sunshine, oblivious of all danger. + +"Now, Kate, as the captain has my horse, I'm going to borrow his +awhile," said Pike. "I want to ride down the range a little way and see +if I can't help him home with the mules. You are perfectly safe here. +Just as safe, at least, as you would be if I were with you. I wouldn't +go and leave you if it were not absolutely necessary, as I believe it to +be. You'll take care of her, won't you, Ned, my boy?" + +The little fellow looked up bravely. "Nellie and I aren't afraid," he +said. "Only we do want papa to come and get something to eat. Jim told +me not to let the fire go out and I put on a little dry wood now and +then." + +But Kate sat with her apron to her eyes, rocking to and fro in +speechless misery and dread, Nellie striving vainly to comfort her. All +unconscious of the coming peril, the little ones were fearless and +almost content. They had no sympathy for their old nurse's terror. Pike +stopped and spoke once again to Kate before riding away, but in ten +minutes, mounted on a fresh and spirited horse, with his rifle athwart +the pommel and the field glasses in their case swinging by their strap +from his shoulder, he cantered boldly up the Pass and was soon well out +upon the open plain. His idea was to ride straight out to the west along +the road, five or six miles and more if necessary, scour the country +southward with the glasses in search of Captain Gwynne, and if he saw +nothing of him to get near enough to the advancing Apaches to see about +how large a party they were, then to whirl about, put spurs to his +horse, ride like the wind for camp, get Kate, the children, Jim and the +blankets and provisions up to the cave and be all ready for the Tontos +when they came. "Gregg" was curveting and prancing even now, eager for a +gallop, but Pike's practised hand kept him down to a moderate gait and +in this way he rode steadily westward towards a distant rise in the +midst of the undulating plateau, and there he felt confident he could +see all that there was to be seen. It was just ten o'clock when he +reined in at the top of a gentle ascent and unslung his glasses. First +he looked towards Jarvis Pass to see how far away were the enemy and how +many in number. Despite the windings of the road and occasional stunted +trees or bushes, the first glance through the binocular placed them at +once. Yes, there they were in plain view--certainly not more than four +miles away. Not only could he count the breech-clouts and turbans now, +but the swarthy, sinewy bodies could be made out as they came bobbing at +their jog trot along the trail. "Twenty-five in that party at least," +muttered Pike, "and coming for all they're worth. But what on earth are +they bunched so for? There seems to be half a dozen in a clump, right in +the middle of the road." Long and earnestly he studied them; a strange, +worried expression coming into his face. Then, just as he had done at +the rock, Pike wiped the glasses and his own eyes, and then gazed again. + +"By heaven!" he muttered at last. "That's a prisoner, sure as fate, that +they are lashing and goading along ahead of them. Who on earth can it +be? Oh, God grant it isn't the captain!" Rapidly then he swept the +plateau southward, searching the foothills of the range south of the +Pass, his whole heart praying for some glimpse of horse and rider, but +it was all unavailing. Then, with one more look at the coming foe, poor +Pike turned, with almost a groan of misery and anxiety, gave "Gregg" one +touch of the spur and a flip of the reins, and away he flew at full +speed back to his duty at the Pass. One minute he reined in as he neared +the gorge to note the direction taken by Manuelito. There were the +tracks of the two mules, and running southward out across the open +plain, but the captain had turned south almost the instant he had got +out from among the foothills. His trail started parallel with the range. +Surely then he ought to have returned to camp by this time. + +[Illustration: AWAY HE FLEW AT FULL SPEED.] + +And now, as once again he neared the little fastness in the rocks, Pike +drew rein and rode at easy, jaunty lope down the Pass. He would not +alarm his charges by hoof-beat that indicated the faintest haste. When +he and "Gregg" came into view no one of the anxious watchers could have +dreamed for an instant that he had seen a horde of fierce Apaches +hastening to overtake them. + +"Just as I thought," he sung out cheerily. "The captain went right down +the range to the south and the mules strayed off across the plateau, so +they missed each other and he won't come back till he gets them. It's +all right, but I expect he's pretty hungry by this time." Then, +springing from the saddle, he picked little Nell up in his arms: + +"And now, baby, you want to see the beautiful house I found for you, +don't you? We'll all go up and take a look at it and have lunch up +there--and lots of fun--while we wait for papa." And then with a kiss he +set her down and stalked over to where Jim was still snoring in the +sunshine! + +"Wake up, Jim!" he cried, giving him a lively shake or two. "Wake up and +give me a lift here. Nellie wants to see her stone house." + +It took some hard shaking--it generally does--to rouse the darkey from +his slumber, but Jim presently sat up, rubbed his eyes, looked around +him, and then, as though suddenly recovering his faculties, sprang to +his feet. + +"Unsaddle 'Gregg' and put the saddle, bridle and blanket with the other +stuff, Jim," whispered Pike. "We must take our horse equipments and +harness with us. We've got to move up to the cave. No hurry, mind you. +You fetch the blankets first. I'll carry Nellie." + +Then calling to Ned to bring his Ballard--there were lots of squirrels +up the hill--a fiction that can hardly have been very heavily charged +against him, Pike quickly lifted Nellie to his shoulders and strode off +up the rocks. "You come, too, Kate. It's quite a climb but it'll do you +good," he shouted, and presently he had his whole procession strung out +behind him and clambering from bowlder to bowlder. Long before they +reached the ledge they had to let poor Kate recover breath and, after +one or two halts of this kind, Pike sent Jim ahead with the blankets and +bade him come back at once and tow, push or "boost" the stout Irishwoman +to their destination. At last the rock was reached, Ned and Nellie +shouting with delight over the wonderful cave and speedily making +themselves at home in its inmost recesses, Kate breathless and exhausted +and bemoaning the fates that brought her on such an uncanny trip. The +blankets were spread out on the smooth surface of the rock within the +great, gloomy hollow. Jim was sent down for another load while Pike +clambered up to his watch-tower and took a long look with his glass. The +Indians had not yet reached the rise from which he had counted their +numbers at ten o'clock. + +In an hour more all the provisions they could need for several days, +more blankets and pillows, all the arms and ammunition, all the harness +and horse equipments had been lugged up to and safely stowed in and +about the cave. "They'll burn the wagons, blast them!" muttered Pike to +himself, "but we can leave the horses there. They won't harm them +because they will want them to get away with in case they find the +cavalry on their trail. The chances are the horses can be recovered, but +darn me if I'll let 'em have saddle, bridle or harness to run off +anything with." Then once more he had climbed to his post and was +diligently watching the road, while Jim, obedient to orders, was rolling +rocks and bowlders around to the opening of the cave. + +"What's thim for?" demanded Kate. + +"Corporal Pike's goin' to build a wall here to keep out the bears," said +Jim, with lowered voice and a significant glance at the children +prattling happily together at the back of the cave, and poor Kate knew +'twas no use asking questions. + +And now, through the glasses, Pike could see the Tontos gathered on the +low hillock which had been the western limit of his morning ride. They +seemed to have come suddenly upon "Gregg's" hoof prints and to have +halted for consultation. Full half an hour they tarried there and the +children began to clamor for the promised luncheon. Sauntering down by a +roundabout way the veteran picked up an armful of dry twigs, sticks and +dead boughs and tossed them down at the mouth of the cave. Then, behind +the rock, he built a small fire of the dryest twigs he could find, +explaining that he didn't want smoke in the dining room, and soon had +his skillet heating and his kettle of water at the boil. Jim was +directed to cook all that was needed for luncheon and to have plenty for +the captain, who would be sure to come back mighty hungry in course of +the afternoon, and the corporal was speedily at his post again. What +could it mean? The Tontos were still hanging about that little hill six +miles out there on the plain. Was it possible they had abandoned the +pursuit? + +Noon came; one o'clock, two o'clock. They had all had luncheon, and Pike +had been scrambling up and down the rock like a monkey, and still there +was no forward movement of the foe. Every time he looked they were still +lounging or squatting, so he judged, about the stunted trees on the +knoll, and there was nothing to explain the delay. It must have three +o'clock when at last the binocular told him they were again in motion +and coming rapidly toward him. He could see the dirty white +breech-clouts floating in the breeze and could almost distinguish the +forms of the warriors themselves. Leaving his glass on the top of the +ledge he slid down to the base again, called quietly to Jim, and the two +men set to work to build their breastwork. Bowlders big and little, +rocks of every possible shape and size were all around them, and in +three-quarters of an hour they had a stout parapet fully four feet high, +whose loopholes commanded the approach up the hillside, and yet were +secure from fire from above, below or either flank. Then back he went to +his watch-tower. + +[Illustration: THE TWO MEN SET TO WORK TO BUILD THEIR BREASTWORK.] + +The instant he adjusted the glass and levelled it at the road, Pike gave +vent to an expletive that need not be recorded here, but that indicated +in him a most unusual degree of excitement. No wonder. The Tontos were +now in plain view--only two miles and a half out there on the +plain,--and though they were spread out, as a rule, to the right and +left of the road, quite a number of them came jogging along the road +itself, and right in the midst of these, led by an Indian in front and +guarded by two or three in rear--were the missing mules. Even at that +distance Pike could swear to them. On they came, rapidly, relentlessly, +well knowing that even if their human prey had escaped them the big +wagon must be somewhere about the Pass and loaded still with provisions. +Nearer--nearer jogged the leaders; but now the old trooper was carefully +studying a dark object on the back of the foremost mule--a pack of some +kind--and marvelling what it could be,--wondering, too, what they had +done with their prisoner. He was sure they had one as they came along +that morning. At last they were within a mile of the heights and the +western entrance to the Pass, and now their speed slackened. They began +opening out farther and farther to the right and left, and the nearer +they came to the foothills the slower and steadier became their advance. +The mules and their attendants were kept well in the background and for +the life of him Pike could not tell what that queer looking "pack" could +be. Slowly, steadily, the Tonto skirmish line came on. Every moment +brought them nearer to the mouth of the Pass. The sun was low down in +the west and threw long shadows of the approaching foe before them. +Little by little, crouching, almost crawling, the more daring spirits +among them would give a spring and a rapid run to the front of forty or +fifty yards. Evidently they expected to be greeted with a sharp fire +somewhere about the Pass, and did not dare push ahead in their usual +order. And now they had reached the entrance to the defile. Two or +three, as flankers, remained well out to the right and left among the +trees; two or three stole cautiously ahead down the road. Pike watched +their every move, yet found himself every few seconds fixing his gaze on +that foremost mule now placidly cropping the scant herbage while the +skirmish line pushed ahead. Presently a signal of some kind was given +and repeated. The Indians in charge of the mules hastened with them to +the mouth of the Pass, and as they did so, that singular pack came +closer under Pike's powerful glass. + +"It's their prisoner," he uttered. "They have driven and goaded him +until he fainted from exhaustion. Then they had to wait for the mules to +be brought up to the hillock--then lashed the poor fellow upon the back +of one of them and pushed ahead." For some purpose of their own they +were keeping him alive, and death by fearful torture was something to be +looked forward to in the near future. The corporal continued to gaze as +though fascinated until the leading mule got almost under him, and then +he gave a groan of helplessness and misery as he exclaimed, "My God! My +God! It's Manuelito!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MANUELITO'S FATE. + + +For ten minutes Pike remained at his post of observation on top of the +rock, watching the Indians as they slowly and cautiously moved down the +Pass in the direction of the abandoned camp. The children, worn out with +their play, and the fatigues of the climb, were sleeping soundly in the +little cave on the peak,--Nellie, with her fair head pillowed in patient +Kate's lap. Black Jim, too, was lying where the sun shone full upon him, +and snoring away as placidly as earlier in the morning. + +Kate, far back in the cave, had no idea what was going on in the Pass +below; but her soul was still filled with dread and anxiety. The old +trooper knew well that just as soon as the Indians came to the wagons +and found them abandoned, their first care would be to secure all the +plunder from them possible. Then they would probably dispose of +Manuelito after their own cruel designs; and then, if darkness did not +come on in the meantime, they would probably begin their search for the +fugitives. There would be no difficulty to Indian trailers in following +their track up the mountain side; of this Pike was well assured. But the +wary old trooper had taken the precaution, every time that he and Jim +had gone to and from the camp, to take a roundabout path, so as to bring +their trail around the base of the mountain in front of the cave, and in +this way the Indians in following would come directly in front of their +barricade at the mouth and from sixty to a hundred yards down the hill +and within easy range and almost sure shot of the defenders. + +And now, peering down into the road far below, Pike could see that the +leading Indians had come in sight of the big baggage wagon and that they +were signalling to those in the rear, for almost instantly three or four +sinewy, athletic young fellows sprang up among the trees and bowlders on +the north side of the Pass, and crouching like panthers, half crawling, +half springing, they went flitting from rock to rock or tree to tree +until lost to the view of the lone watcher on the great ledge, but it +was evident that their purpose was to reconnoitre the position from that +side, as well as to surround the objects of their pursuit should they +still be there. Almost at the same instant, too, an equal number of the +Tontos came leaping like goats a short distance up the slope towards +Pike's unconscious garrison, but speedily turned eastward, and, adopting +precisely the same tactics as those of their comrades across the road, +rapidly, but with the utmost stealth and noiselessness, bore down on the +abandoned nook. + +"Mighty lucky we got out of that and found this," muttered Pike. "It +won't be five minutes before they satisfy themselves that there is no +one left to defend those wagons or the horses--and the moment they +realize it there'll be a yell of delight." + +Sure enough! After a brief interval of silence, there came from below a +shout of exultation, answered instantly by triumphant yells from the +Indians in the roadway, and echoed by a wail of mortal terror from poor +Kate, crouching below in the cave. Pike lost no time in sliding down the +rocks and striving to comfort her. Nellie, clinging to her nurse, was +terrified by the sounds. Little Ned, pale, but with his boyish face set +and determined, grasped once more his little Ballard rifle, and looked +up in the corporal's face as much as to say: Count on me for one of your +fighting men! Trembling, shivering and calling on the blessed saints, +poor Kate stood there wringing her hands, the very personification of +abject fright. Jim, coming around to the mouth of the cave, spoke +sternly to her; told her she ought to be ashamed of herself for setting +so bad an example to little Nell. "Look at Ned," he said, "see how the +little man behaves; his father would be proud of him." And then Pike +spoke up. "Don't worry, don't be so afraid, Kate; they have got all they +want just now. They'll just plunder and gorge themselves with food, and +then they will have Manuelito to amuse themselves with. It is getting +too late in the day for them to attempt to follow us. They have got too +much to occupy themselves with anyhow. Don't you worry, old girl; if +they do come this way, as they may to-morrow morning, we'll give them a +dose that will make them wish they had never seen a Yankee." + +[Illustration: NELLIE, CLINGING TO HER NURSE, WAS TERRIFIED BY THE +SOUNDS.] + +The Indian shouts redoubled; every accent was that of triumph. They were +evidently rejoicing over the rich find in the ambulance and the baggage +wagon. Of course a great deal of property had been left there for which +Pike's party would have no possible use up here in the cave, and this +included plenty of food. The horses, too, delighted the Tontos, and, as +Pike said, they would doubtless be occupied some little time with the +division of the spoils, and longer in having a grand feast. + +Looking down the road he could see the two mules browsing peacefully +side by side, Manuelito still lashed to the back of one of them. Two +young Indians stood guard over him and their four-footed captives; but +even these fellows were by no means forgotten, for every now and then +Pike could see their friends running back to them with something to eat +and, after exchanging a word or two, hurrying again to the wagons. + +After a while poor Kate, partially assured by Pike's words, but more +shamed into silence by the bravery of little Ned, subsided into a corner +of the cave, and there seated herself, moaning and weeping, but no +longer making any outcry. Pike decided that it would be necessary for +him to go once more to his watch-tower, and as far as he could, watch +the programme of the Apaches the rest of the day. Before starting, +however, he called up Jim and gave him his instructions: "You see that +the sun is almost down. The chances are that they will be so much +interested in what they have found that darkness will settle down upon +us before they fairly get through with their jubilee. Then, again, it +may be that the bloody hounds will have some fun of their own with poor +Manuelito to-night. I've no sympathy for the scoundrel, but I can't bear +the idea of one who has served with us so long being tortured before our +very eyes. We can't help it, however, there are only two of us here, and +our first object is to protect these poor little children, and that +wretched old Kate of a nurse there. Stay here with your rifle behind the +barricade. I'll whistle if any Indian attempts to follow our trail; then +I'll come down here as quickly as possible. But keep a bright lookout +yourself. Watch those trees down there to the front. Note everything +occurring along the road as far as you can see. There goes one of the +beggars back to that point now. Even in the midst of their fun they +don't neglect precautions. See! he's going to climb up there on that +little hill just where I was watching this morning. Yes, there he goes. +Now you will see him lie down flat when he gets to the top, and peer +over the rocks to the west. What he is looking out for, I don't know, +but it may be that they expect the cavalry even more than we do. They +possibly have had signal fires from the reservation warning them that +the cavalry have already left the Verde. I hope and pray they have. Now, +keep up your grit, Jim; don't let anything phaze you. If you want help, +or see anything, whistle, and I'll come down." + +Already it was growing darker down the gorge. Pike could see that the +Apaches had lighted a fire in the road close to the wagons. Evidently +they were going to begin some cooking on their own account, and were +even now distributing the provisions they had found. Two of them had +released Manuelito from the mule, and the poor devil was now seated, +bound and helpless, on a rock by the roadside, looking too faint and +terrified to live. The captain's field glass revealed a sorry sight to +the old soldier's eyes as he peered down at the little throng of savages +about the baggage wagon, now completely gutted of its contents; and +though he despised the Mexican as a traitor and thief and coward, it was +impossible not to feel compassion for him in his present awful plight. +There was something most pitiable in the fellow's clasped hands and +abject despair. He had lived too long in Arizona not to know the fate +reserved for prisoners taken by the Indians, and he knew, and Pike knew, +that, their hunger once satisfied, the chances were ten to one they +would then turn their attention entirely to their captive, and have a +wild and furious revel as they slowly tortured him to death. + +[Illustration: THE POOR DEVIL WAS NOW SEATED, BOUND AND HELPLESS, ON A +ROCK BY THE ROADSIDE.] + +The sun had gone down behind the range, far over to the west, as Pike +reached once more the top of his watch-tower, and every moment the +darkness deepened down the Pass. Up here he could not only see the +baggage wagon in the road, but the top of the ambulance, and two of the +horses were also visible, and occasionally the lithe forms of the Tontos +scurrying about in the firelight. Evidently the old cook fire in the +cleft of the rocks had been stirred up and was now being utilized by +half the band, while the others toasted the bacon and roasted _frijoles_ +down in the road. The yells had long since ceased. Many of the warriors +were squatting about the baggage wagon gnawing at hard bread or other +unaccustomed luxuries, but those at the ambulance were chattering like +so many monkeys and keeping up a hammering, the object of which Pike +could not at first imagine, until he suddenly remembered the locked box +under the driver's seat, the key of which was always carried by the +captain. Then a flash of hope shot over him as he recalled the fact that +when they left their station Captain Gwynne had stowed away in there +three or four bottles of whiskey or brandy. It would take them but a +little while, he knew, to break into the enclosure, and then there would +be a bacchanalian scene. + +"Oh, that it were a barrel instead of a bottle or two," groaned Pike. +"As it is there's just enough to exhilarate the gang and keep them, +singing and dancing all night; but a barrel!--that would stupefy them +one after another and Jim and I could have gone down and murdered the +whole crowd. Not one of 'em would ever have known what hurt him." + +Ha! a sound of crashing, splitting wood. A rush, a scuffle--then a yell +of triumph and delight. Every Indian in the roadway sprang to his feet +and darted off up the rocks to swell the chorus at the ambulance. Even +Manuelito's guard left his prisoner to take care of himself and ran like +a deer to claim his share of the madly craved "fire water." A few years +before and most of them hardly knew its taste, but some of their number +had more than once made "John Barleycorn's" acquaintance and had told +wondrous tales of its effects. In less than a minute, with the single +exception of their sentry on the hill, every Tonto was struggling, +shouting, laughing and leaping about the family wagon, and Pike knew +from the sounds that the captain's little store of liquor was rapidly +disappearing. Every moment the noise waxed louder and fiercer as the +deep potations of the principal Indians did their poisonous work. There +were shrill altercations, vehement invective and reproach; Pike even +hoped for a minute that there had been enough after all to start them +fighting among themselves, but the hope was delusive. All was gloom and +darkness now in the Pass except immediately around the two fires. He +could no longer see Manuelito or the mules, but suddenly he heard a +sound of a simultaneous rush and an instant after with hideous shouts +and yells the whole band leaped into view and went tearing down into the +road and up to the rocks where their helpless prisoner still sat bound +and helpless--more dead than alive--and Pike heard the shriek of despair +with which the poor fellow greeted his now half crazy captors. + +"My God!" groaned the old soldier, "it is awful to have to lurk here and +make no move to help him. He would have cut all our throats without a +twinge of conscience, but I can't see him tortured nor can I lift a hand +to save him. And here's Kate, and those poor little ones. They can't +help hearing his cries and shrieks. What an awful night 'twill be for +them! No use of my staying up here now. I must go down to them." + +Far back in the black recesses of the cave he found them,--Nellie +trembling and sobbing with her head pillowed in Kate's lap and covered +with a shawl so as to shut out, if possible, the awful sounds from +below. The Irishwoman, too, was striving to stop her ears and was at the +same time frantically praying to all the saints in the calendar for help +in their woeful peril, and for mercy for that poor wretch whose mad +cries and imprecations rang out on the still night air even louder than +the yells of his captors. Manful little Ned sat close by his sister's +side, patting her arm from time to time with one hand while he clung to +his rifle with the other. The boy did not shed a tear, though his voice +trembled and his lips quivered as he answered Pike's cheery words. Jim +knelt at his post at the stone breastwork keeping vigilant watch, though +his teeth chattered despite his best efforts, and his eyes were +doubtless bulging out of their sockets. + +"You mustn't be sitting here all in the dark," said Pike. "Keep up a +little fire, Ned, my boy. It's so far back and so far up the hill that +the Indians cannot possibly see the light it may make even were they to +come around to the east side of the mountain. They won't to-night, +though. They've found papa's stock of whiskey and brandy and are already +half drunk. They'll lie around there all night long and never come +hunting for us until after sunrise to-morrow, if they do then. We'll +just have fun with these fellows until the cavalry come from Verde, as +come they will, I haven't a doubt, now that papa has found that he was +cut off and has ridden back on the trail to meet and hurry the troops. +He knows well that you and Jim and I could take care of Nellie and stand +off these beggars until he could reach us. Now, light the lantern and +stow it in that niche yonder. And you, Kate, lie down and cover yourself +and the children with blankets. I'm going out where I can watch what +they're doing." + +So saying, Pike took his rifle and the field glasses and, after a word +with Jim, passed around to the east front of the ledge. It was too dark +to enable him to venture down the bowlders, or to attempt to climb again +to the top of the rock, but he found a spot among the stunted trees from +which he could just see the back part of the baggage wagon and the +Apaches flitting about it in the light of their fire. Leveling his +glasses he could make out that several of the Indians were grouped about +some object in the road, and presently one or two came running to the +spot with buckets of water which they dashed over a prostrate form. It +was Manuelito, who had probably fainted dead away. + +Then, as the Mexican apparently began to recover his senses, he was +lifted roughly from the ground and borne, moaning and feebly struggling, +towards the wagon. Into this he was tossed head foremost, so that only +his feet and legs were visible to the anxious watcher up the hill. +Securely bound, and already half dead from the tortures inflicted on +him, unable to move hand or foot, the poor wretch lay there, alternately +praying and weeping. What the next move of the Apaches would be was not +long a matter of doubt. The whole band, with the exception of their +sentinels, were now dancing and leaping about their captive, singing +some devil-inspired chant, which occasionally gave place to yells of +triumph. Presently the younger men began piling up wood under the back +of the wagon--under the Mexican's manacled feet; and then brands and +embers were thrust underneath. Pike turned sick with horror and +helplessness at the sight, for he knew instantly what it meant. The +wagon was to be the wretched Manuelito's funeral pyre. They meant to +burn him to death by inches. Suddenly a bright flame leaped up from the +bottom of the stack of fuel; broader, brighter, fiercer it grew until it +lapped up over the floor of the wagon. A scream of agony rang through +the Pass, answered by jeering laughter and fiendish yells. The next +minute the whole band were circling round the wagon in a wild war-dance; +their yells, their savage song, completely drowned the shrieks of the +tortured man. The whole wagon was soon a mass of flames, and more fuel +was added. Presently the rear axle came down with a crash, sending +showers of sparks whirling through the night air, and Pike turned away +faint and trembling. + +Another instant, however, and every faculty was on the alert, every +nerve strung to its highest tension, and the old soldier sprang back to +the cave in answer to Jim's call. + +"Look!" whispered the negro. "Look down there! There's some one moving +among those rocks." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +PIKE'S STRANGE DREAM. + + +Kneeling behind their rocky barrier the two men silently peered into the +darkness down the hill. The great ledge of rock under which they were +hiding concealed from their view the burning fires of the Indians down +in the roadway to the east. But the reflection of the fire could be +plainly seen on the rocks and trees on the north side of the Pass. Here +and there stray beams of light shot through the firs and cedars and +stunted oaks that lay below them among the bowlders; and somewhere down +among these little trees, watchful Jim declared that he had seen +something white moving cautiously and stealthily to and fro. Pike +closely questioned him, whispering his inquiries so as not to catch the +ears of Kate or the children, but Jim stoutly declared that he could not +be mistaken. He had marked it twice, moving from place to place, before +he had quit his post and called to the corporal to come and verify for +himself what he was sure he had seen. For a few moments Pike thought +that it might be the Apache sentinel who had, possibly, left his +position on the little hill across the road, and was seeking on his own +account some clue to the whereabouts of the fugitives from the camp. +Pike had seen one or two Indians running up the road to where the +sentinel was stationed in order to give him some of the plunder which +they had taken from the wagon, and it was now so dark that he could no +longer see objects out on the plain, and, as he could hear approaching +horsemen just as well on this side of the road as on that, it was quite +possible that this Indian was the cause of Jim's warning. + +Several minutes passed without either of them seeing anything. Then +suddenly Jim's hand was placed on the corporal's arm, and in a low, +tremulous voice he whispered: "Look! Look!" + +Following with his eyes the direction indicated by Jim's hand, Pike +could just see, probably two hundred or two hundred and fifty yards away +down the hillside, something dirty white in color, very slowly and very +stealthily creeping from one bowlder to another. The tops and crests of +the trees and bowlders, as has been said, were tinged by the light of +the fires still burning down in the roadway. The Indian yells were +gradually ceasing as, one after another, seemingly overcome by the +liquor that they had been drinking, they subsided into silence. A number +of them, however, still kept up their monotonous dance, varied every now +and then by a yell of triumph; but the uproar and racket was not to be +compared with what had been going on during the torture to which +Manuelito had been subjected before they had mercifully, though most +horribly, put an end to his sufferings. + +Nothing but the embers of the wagon and the unconsumed iron work, of +course, now remained in the road. Pike judged too that the ambulance had +been burned, and that nothing remained of that. But all thought as to +what was going on among the Indians in the Pass was now of little +account as compared with the immediate presence of this object below +him. Could it be one of the Apaches? Could it be the sentinel from the +other side? Its stealthy movements and the noiseless way in which it +seemed to flit from rock to rock gave color to his supposition, and yet +it appeared unnatural to Pike that any one of the Indians should +separate himself from his comrades and go on a still hunt in the dead of +the night for traces of their hated foes. + +"I cannot see it now," whispered Jim. "Where is he gone?" + +"Behind that big rock that you see touched by the firelight down yonder. +Our trail is just about half way. Look! There it is again! Nearer, too, +by fifty yards. I wish he'd get on top of one of those bowlders where +the light would strike him. Then we might make him out. By Jove! He's +coming up the hill. Whatever you do, don't fire. I'll tend to him." + +With straining eyes they watched the strange, stealthy approach of the +mysterious object. Every now and then it would totally disappear from +sight and then, a moment or two afterwards, could again be dimly seen, +crouching along beside some big rock or emerging behind the thick +branches of some stunted tree. Nearer it came until Pike was sure it +must have reached the "trail" they had made in their journeys up and +down the hill. + +"I never saw an Apache that could move about in the dark as quickly as +that fellow. Jim, by Jimminy, I'll bet it's no Indian at all!" + +"What is it, then?" muttered Jim, whose teeth would chatter a little. He +had all a darkey's dread of "spooks" and was more afraid of a possible +ghost than an actual Tonto. + +"That's a lynx or a wild-cat, man! They have a dingy white coat to their +backs, in places at least, and you've only stirred up some mighty small +game. See here, Jim, you're getting nervous. I'll have to call Ned out +here with his little Ballard to take your place if you are going +to--There! What did I tell you?" + +A heap of fresh fuel--probably dry cedar boughs--had just been thrown on +the coals by some of the determined dancers down in the road and a broad +glare of firelight illumined the Pass. Again the rocks and trees down in +front of the cave were brilliantly tinged, and, as though determined to +have a good look at these strange "goings on," there suddenly leaped +from the darkness and appeared in view upon the flat top of one of the +biggest bowlders a little four-footed creature gazing with glowing eyes +upon the scene below. + +"There's your Indian, James, my boy," softly laughed Pike and, turning, +he called back into the cave: + +"Ned, are you asleep?" + +"No," was the prompt answer. "Do you want me, Pike?" + +"Come here and I'll show you a pretty shot for your Ballard." + +Ned was at his side in an instant, bringing his little rifle with him, +and the old soldier pointed down the hill. + +"That's what Jim took for an Apache," he said. + +[Illustration: "THAT'S WHAT JIM TOOK FOR AN APACHE."] + +"So did you, Pike; you needn't try to make fun of me," was Jim's answer, +half surly, half glad, because his fears were now removed. + +"Is it a panther?" whispered Ned. "Oh!--can't I take a pop at him?" + +"Not a shot. It would simply be telling those blackguards where we were +hiding and spoil all the fun I expect to have in the morning. That's no +panther; they have a tawny hide; but it's the biggest catamount or +wild-cat I ever set eyes on. Now go back to Kate, bundle up in your +blankets and keep warm and go to sleep. Jim and I stand guard to-night." + +And, obediently, the boy crept away. Pike looked after him with +moistening eyes--all his jovial, half-laughing manner changing in an +instant. + +"God bless the little man! He's as brave and plucky as a boy could be, +and hasn't so much as whimpered once," muttered the ex-corporal to +himself. "What would I not give to know where his father was this +night!" + +Then he turned to Jim who had somewhat sulkily drawn away to the other +end of the little parapet. + +"Come back, Jim, my boy. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he said. +"You were perfectly right in keeping such close watch on everything and +anything the least suspicious and I was wrong if I ridiculed it. Now +we've got to divide the night between us. You lie down at once and go to +sleep. I'll keep guard till one or half past; then you relieve me until +daybreak." + +And Jim, nothing loth, crept back towards the glowing coals and rolled +himself in his heavy blanket, leaving the old corporal to his solitary +reflections, and these were of a character so gloomy, so full of anxiety +and dread, that one only marvels how he was able to keep up, before Kate +and the children, the appearance of jollity and confidence that had +marked throughout this trying day his whole demeanor. + +"I would give anything to know where the captain is to-night!" again he +muttered as his weary eyes gazed over the jagged hillside below him. The +Indian fires were waning again and the gleams of light on rock and tree +were growing fainter and fainter. The sounds of savage revelry, too, +were more subdued, though a hoarse, monotonous chant came up from below. +As has been said, Pike's watch-tower and fortress was fully a quarter of +a mile south of the road and about a third of a mile from the abandoned +camp, but in the absolute silence that reigned in every other quarter +the sounds from the Apache war-dance in that clear mountain air were +almost distinctly audible. The awful groans and cries of Manuelito were +still ringing in his ears, and, to himself, the old soldier confessed +that his nerve was not a little tried by the fearful sights and sounds +of the early evening. It was poor preparation for the fight that he felt +morally certain would speedily follow the rising of the morrow's sun, +but Pike had been through too many an Indian war and in too many tight +places before to "lose his grip," as he expressed it, now. + +"If I only had those poor little kids safe with their father nothing +would suit me better than to be here with four or five of the old +'Troop' and let the whole of the Apache nation try to rout me out," he +said to himself. "Even as it is, I'm bloodthirsty enough now, after what +I've seen and heard to-night, to be impatient for their attack. By gad! +we've got a surprise in store for them if only Jim don't get stampeded." + +Turning to listen for sounds from his little garrison, Pike could +distinguish two that were audible and that prevailed above all or any +others: Kate was tearfully moaning and praying aloud; Jim placidly +snoring. + +"That nigger could lie down and go to sleep, by thunder, if he knew the +world was coming to an end in less than an hour. I'll have to watch here +till nearly dawn and have the strongest coffee I can brew all ready for +him or he'll be going to sleep on his post and letting those hounds +crawl right upon us. Coffee's a good idea! I'll have some myself." + +So saying the veteran stole back into the cave, noiselessly filled the +battered coffee-pot and set it on the coals, said a few reassuring words +to Kate and begged her to remember him in her prayers, laughed at her +doleful and despairing reply and returned to his post. + +All quiet. Even the wild-cat had disappeared and there was now no longer +light by which he could have detected the creature. Pike almost wished +he hadn't gone, for, as he grimly said, the fellow might have been good +company and kept him from getting sleepy. Little by little the Indian +chant was getting drowsy and the weird dancers, some of the younger +braves, tired of the sport when there were neither admiring squaws or +approving old chiefs to look on. The chiefs in this case, of course, had +consumed the greater portion of the whiskey and were now sleeping off +its soporific effects, and the youngsters could only remain where they +were, keep watch and ward against surprise, and make no move in any +direction until their elders should be themselves again, unless the +sudden coming of enemies should compel them to rouse their leaders from +their drunken slumbers and skip like so many goats for the highest parts +of the mountain. + +Looking at his watch as he sipped his tin of coffee Pike noticed that it +was now eleven o'clock. "Oh, if I only knew that all was well with the +captain," he muttered. "And if I only knew where Sieber and the cavalry +were to-night." + +Not until after two o'clock in the morning did the old soldier decide +that it was time to "turn over the command" and seek a little rest +himself. He knew that he would not be half fit for the responsibilities +of the coming day unless he could get a few hours' sleep, and as Jim had +now been snoring uninterruptedly for over four hours, Pike concluded to +call him, give him some strong coffee and some sharp instructions, and +put him "on post." It took no little shaking and kicking to rouse the +boy, but presently he sat up, just as he had done at the ambulance, with +the yawning inquiry, "What's the matter?" + +"Nearly half-past two, Jim, and your turn for guard. Stir out here, now. +Douse your head with some of this cold water. It will freshen you up. +Then I'll give you a good tin of coffee." + +Jim obeyed, and after stumbling stupidly around a moment, and then +having a gourd or two of water dashed over his face and neck, he +pronounced himself all right and proceeded to enjoy the coffee handed +him. + +"Now, Jim," said Pike, "the wild-cat's gone, and no Apaches will be apt +to prowl up here to-night, but I want you to keep the sharpest lookout +you ever did in all your life--not only over their movements down in the +road, but for cavalry coming from the west. There's just no telling how +soon those fellows may be out from Verde, and when they come we want to +know it. The Indians have their sentries out, so they evidently expect +them. Watch them like a hawk, but don't give any false alarm or make any +noise. Let me sleep until it begins to get light, then call me. Now, can +you do it?" + +"Of course I can, corporal, but where are you going to sleep?" + +"Right here by you. I'll hand your blankets and mine out by the parapet, +so that if you want me, all you have to do is put out your hand. If you +are chilly, or get so towards daybreak, throw that saddle blanket over +your shoulders." + +For a long time, despite fatigue and watching, Pike could not get to +sleep. He lay there looking up at the stars shining in the clear heavens +and thinking how peaceful, how far removed from strife or battle, they +seemed to be. Then he kept an eye on Jim, and was glad to note that the +darkey seemed alert and aware of his responsibilities, for every few +minutes he would creep out and peer around the shoulder of the ledge +where he could get a better view of anything going on down in the road, +and, after half an hour of this sort of thing, he reported to Pike that +he "reckoned the whole gang had gone to sleep down there." The old +trooper assured him, however, that some must be on the alert and warned +him to relax in no way his vigilance, and then at last wearied Nature +asserted her rights, and the soldier fell asleep. + +Four o'clock came,--five o'clock,--and there had been no sound from +below. Then, far in the east the skies began to hoist their colors in +honor of the coming Day God, and rich crimson and purple soon blended +with the richer gold, and all around the rocky fastness the pale, wan +light of the infant morn stole over rock and tree, and still old Pike +slept, but not the deep, restful slumber of three hours before. He was +dreaming, and his dreams were troubled, for his limbs were twitching; he +rolled over and moaned aloud; inarticulate sounds escaped from his lips; +but still, as one laboring with nightmare, he could not wake--could not +shake off the visions that oppressed him. In his sleep he saw, and saw +beyond possibility of doubt, that the Apaches were hurriedly rousing +their comrades; that they were quickly picking up their rifles and then +nimbly speeding up the rocks; that even as they came towards him up the +mountain side several of their number went crouching along towards the +east and eagerly watching the roadway through the Pass, and, following +their fierce eyes, he could see, winding up the gorge, coming at a trot, +a troop of the longed-for cavalry--coming not from the west, as he had +expected, but from the direction of the magnificent sunrise that flashed +on their carbines and tinged the campaign hats with crimson. At their +head rode two officers, and one, he knew at once, must be his old +captain, but why that bandage about his head? Why the rude sling in +which his arm was carried? Plainly visible though they were to him, the +Apaches were completely hidden from the approaching troops. Two minutes' +ride brought the leaders to the smouldering ruins of the baggage wagon, +at sight of which, and the charred and unrecognizable body in their +midst, his captain had groaned aloud, then forced his "broncho" up the +rocky path to where they had made their camp, and then, when he saw the +ruined ambulance and all the evidences of Apache triumph, he reeled in +his saddle and would have fallen headlong had not two stout troopers +held him while their young lieutenant thrust a flask of brandy between +the ashen lips; and then in his wild vision Pike saw them ride on and on +up the road right beneath them--only a quarter of a mile away--never +heeding, never looking for him and his precious charges. He strove to +shout: he screamed aloud, yet only a suffocated groan seemed to issue +from his lips; he shouted to Jim to fire and so attract their attention, +but there was no response; and then, in his agony, he started up, wide +awake in an instant, and, hurling off his blankets, seized his rifle and +sprang to his feet. + +Broad daylight; sunbeams dancing through the trees; and there, doubled +up at the back of the parapet, lay that scoundrel Jim--asleep on guard. +One vehement kick and curse he gave him: then peered over the barrier +down the rocky hillside. God of heaven! what a sight met his eyes! The +Apaches were almost on them. + +[Illustration: ONE VEHEMENT KICK AND CURSE HE GAVE HIM.] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE CAPTAIN'S RIDE. + + +It is high time now that we should hear something of Captain Gwynne +himself, and leave for the time our little garrison in the cave at +Sunset Pass. Let us follow the movements of the father for whom the +children were so anxiously and tearfully praying. + +Galloping away on Pike's horse in close pursuit, as he supposed, of +Manuelito and the mules, the captain had turned south the moment he +cleared the rocky buttresses that formed the western gateway to the +Pass. He had reasoned that the Mexican would not dare go back along the +road on which they came, because in so doing he must infallibly run +straight into the Apaches, who were following in pursuit. Knowing, as +did Pike, that Manuelito was well acquainted with the short cut through +the mountains down to the valley of the Verde, miles to the south of the +winding and roundabout way on which they were compelled to come by road; +knowing, too, that this trail was far to the south of where they had +seen the Indians' signal fires,--Gwynne's whole idea seemed to be that +Manuelito would take the shortest line to reach that rough but easily +known trail. He did not hesitate, then, a moment in turning short to the +south, and riding confidently along to the western foothills, expecting +every moment to hear the bray of the mules or the sound of their hoof +beats. He knew that the moment these creatures heard the hoof beats of +his own horse, they would be almost sure to signal. Just what to do with +Manuelito himself, he had not yet determined; but it was his purpose to +force him back to camp at the point of the pistol, if necessary; then to +bind him to the wagon; make him drive, at least until they reached Fort +Wingate over in New Mexico beyond the Navajo Reservation, and turn him +over there to the military authorities for such disposition as they +might choose to make of him. Of course, he would have no further +employment in Arizona, for his character was blasted forever. Mile after +mile, however, the captain rode without hearing one of the anticipated +sounds, and the further he rode the lighter it grew. Far down, to the +south, now, he could dimly see objects that looked like four-footed +creatures, moving rapidly. Unluckily, he had with him only a light, +short-ranged pair of glasses, and he could not distinctly make out what +they were; but believing that they could be nothing but Manuelito and +the mules, he put spurs to his weary horse, and pushed rapidly in +pursuit--wondering, however, how it was that the Mexican, with the +slow-moving mules, could have got so far to the front. Five miles +further he rode and by that time the sun was up above the mountains of +New Mexico, over to the east, and lighting up the whole plateau to his +right. By this time, too, the objects, of which he had been in pursuit, +had totally disappeared from his sight, and looking around him he could +see nowhere sign of hoof or any trail that would indicate that the mules +had come that way. However, as he might be anywhere from ten yards to +ten miles from the exact line Manuelito traveled, this gave him no +concern. He decided that he would push on until he came upon the cavalry +trail up which he had ridden a year before on an expedition with their +good guide Sieber to Chevelon Fork. By this time, too, he knew that he +must be twelve miles from camp, and that in all probability the Indians +had left their position west of Snow Lake, and were already coming in +pursuit. He dreaded to think of the peril in which his children might +be; but he had every confidence in Pike; he believed in Jim's pluck and +fighting qualities, and he reasoned that it would be one or two o'clock +before the Indians could possibly reach the Pass, and that he could +easily get back long before that time. Riding, therefore, still further +to the south, he pursued his search for an hour longer, and then came +suddenly upon a sight that thrilled his heart with hope and joy. Right +before him, coming across the southern edge of the plateau, and winding +up the mountains to the left, was an unmistakable cavalry trail, not +more than a day or two old. Evidently some troop was out from Verde and +had taken the old short cut to Chevelon Fork, expecting by that route to +make the quickest time to the Sunset crossing of the Colorado River. In +all probability this was one of the troops coming out in search of and +to succor him and his party. Reining his jaded horse to the left, the +captain rapidly followed on the trail. He reasoned that the four-footed +creatures that he took to be the mules were in all probability a portion +of the pack-train of the troop that had so recently passed along, or it +might be one or two troopers who had been making scouts to the right or +to the left of the trail, and were now following the main body. All +thought of pursuing Manuelito further was abandoned. His sole object was +to overtake, as quickly as possible, the little command of cavalry that +he knew to be in his path, and then to guide them by the shortest line +back to Sunset Pass, and to the defence of the dear ones there awaiting +him. If he had good luck, he might catch them before they had gone many +miles. The trail he knew would speedily lead him over into the valley of +Chevelon Fork, and following this they would emerge on the east side of +the mountain. Perhaps it might be fortunate that he did not overtake +them until they were east of the range; for the Apaches would certainly +not expect the cavalry to come from the Colorado side of the mountain; +but would be looking for them from the west, and the chances, therefore, +would be all the more in favor of their dealing them a crushing blow, +and punishing them as they deserved for their assault on defenseless +women and children. + +On, on he rode, urging his horse as rapidly as it was possible for him +to go over the rocky, broken trail. Two hours' ride brought him no +nearer, apparently, to the comrades he was pursuing. Three hours' ride +brought him down into the valley of Chevelon Fork and half way through +the range. It was not until one o'clock that he found himself at such a +point that he could look forward and see part of the country toward the +Colorado Chiquito; but not a vestige of the cavalry or pack-train was +anywhere in sight, and his horse was now so weary that he could only +answer with a groan the touch of the spur, and could not by any +possibility accelerate his speed. Two o'clock came, and the anxious +father found himself, he knew not how many miles away from Sunset +Pass,--away from the children so anxiously praying for him, and awaiting +his coming. + +He was growing faint from long fasting, and the horse was so jaded that +the captain dismounted and was fairly towing him along behind him with +the bridle rein. In this way they had slowly and painfully climbed a +steep and rocky ascent where the trail seemed to make a short cut across +a deep bend of the stream, and reaching the summit they stopped to rest, +panting hard with fatigue. Again the captain resorted to his little +glasses and looked long and eagerly over the broad stretch of country to +the east, but it was all in vain. No living creatures were in sight. + +Directly in front, the trail wound downwards over an incline so steep +that it looked as though horses and mules could never have made those +hoof tracks, but that only goats could have gone that way. The poor old +bay looked piteously at his master as though imploring him not to force +him to undertake that steep descent, but Gwynne could show no mercy now. +He had come too far to turn back. His only hope, if he could not find +the scouting party, was to make his way along the east side of the range +back to the little camp in Sunset Pass. He prayed God to watch over and +protect his little ones, and then, with almost a sob rising to his +throat, he tried to speak cheerfully to poor "Mac;" he patted the +drooping head of his faithful old servitor and, calling to him to +follow, he pressed forward, and half sliding, half stepping, he began +the steep descent. The poor horse braced his fore feet and stiffened his +knees and came skating over the loose slate after him. All went +tolerably well until they were about two hundred feet from the rushing +waters of the fork, foaming and swirling over the rocks below, and +there, coming upon a sharp point around which they had to make their +way, Gwynne had taken only three or four steps downward and was about to +turn and speak encouragingly again to "Mac," when the horse's fore feet +seemed to shoot from under him; he rallied, gathered himself, stumbled, +and then, plunging heavily forward, crashed down upon his master, rolled +completely over him, and then went sliding and pawing desperately to the +edge of the rocky precipice, over which he shot, a huge, living bowlder +and fell with a thud upon the jagged rocks below. For some minutes +Gwynne lay where he had been hurled, stunned and senseless; then he +slowly revived, found that his left arm was severely wrenched and +bruised, and that the blood was streaming from a long gash in his +forehead. Slowly and painfully he made his way to the foot of the steep, +bathed his head in the cool waters and bound it up as well as he could +with his big silk handkerchief. He was fainter, weaker now, than he had +been before, but never for an instant could he forget the little ones at +the Pass. + +"Oh, God help me and bring me back to them in time," he prayed; and +then, holding his maimed left arm in his right hand, and with one +backward look up the cañon at the now lifeless carcass of poor "Mac," he +staggered wearily on, following the trail of the cavalry. + +[Illustration: WITH ONE BACKWARD LOOK HE STAGGERED WEARILY ON.] + +Late that evening, just as darkness was settling down over the valley of +the Colorado Chiquito, the soldiers of a little detachment, chatting +gleefully around their bivouac fires and sipping their fragrant coffee, +were startled by the sudden sight of a man with ghastly, blood-stained +features and dress, who reeled blindly into their midst and then fell +forward upon his face, to all appearances dead. + +Some of them, believing Indians to be upon them, sprang for their arms; +others bent to the aid of the stricken man. They turned him over on his +back, brought water and bathed the blood from his face, and then a +sergeant cried: + +"My God! What can have happened? It's Captain Gwynne! Here, Murphy, call +the lieutenant, quick!" + +[Illustration: "MY GOD! WHAT CAN HAVE HAPPENED? IT'S CAPTAIN GWYNNE!"] + +In an instant the young officer commanding the party came running to the +scene and bent breathlessly over the senseless form. + +"It is Captain Gwynne," he said; "bring more water. Go to my pack, one +of you, and get the sponge you'll find there. Fetch me my flask, too. +Which way did he come? Did none of you see?" + +"None, sir. The first we knew he was right over us. He never spoke a +word, but fell like a log." + +And then the rough-looking, bearded, anxious faces hovered about the +prostrate man. His heart-beats were so faint that the young officer was +terribly alarmed. No surgeon was with the little party and he hardly +knew what to do. The whiskey forced down Gwynne's throat seemed +powerless to revive him. Full an hour he lay almost motionless, then +little by little the pulse grew firmer and respiration audible. At last +there was a long, deep sigh, but still he did not open his eyes. +Consciousness returned only very slowly, and when Mr. Hunter had called +him by name time and again and begged him to speak, he sighed even more +deeply than before, the lids slowly drew back, and the almost sightless +eyes looked feebly around. Then, with sudden flash of memory, the poor +captain strove to rise. "My babies!" he moaned; "my babies!" + +"Where did you leave them, captain? Tell us. I'll send for them +instantly," said Hunter. "Sergeant, saddle up right off. This means +something." + +More whiskey, a long draught, and more cold water, presently revived him +so that he could speak collectedly. + +"I left them with Pike--in the Pass. My Mexican ran away with the +mules--followed and found your trail--my horse fell on me and then +rolled over a precipice--killed. I've come on foot ever since." + +"Thank God, you're here safe anyhow! Now lie still. I'll leave a guard +with you and we'll go as fast as we can through the darkness and find +Ned and Nellie." + +"No! no! I must go. I will go, too. See, I can stand. Give me a horse." + +And so, finding him determined and rapidly regaining strength, Hunter +made the captain eat all he could bear to swallow then, and, stowing +more food in their saddle bags, away went the gallant little troop +hurrying through the starlit night for Sunset Pass and rescue. + +But the way was long; road or trail there was none. Over rugged height, +through deep ravine, they forced their way, but not until all the sky +was blushing in the east did they come to the old Wingate road, and the +gloomy entrance to the Pass. Up they rode at a steady trot, Gwynne and +Hunter leading, and, at a sudden turn of the road, far in towards the +western side, their horses recoiled, snorting with fear, from a heap of +smouldering embers, in the midst of which lay a fearful something,--the +charred and hissing body of a human being. Gwynne groaned aloud at the +sight and then drove his horse up a rocky pathway to the left, the +others following. There lay the smoking ruins of an ambulance with +scraps of clothing heaped about on every side, and here the stricken +father's waning strength left him entirely. With one heartbroken cry, +"My babies--my little ones. They are gone! gone!" he was only saved from +falling by the prompt action of two stalwart troopers. + +In ten minutes, supporting the fainting soldier as best they could, the +detachment was marching rapidly westward. + +"Sieber with the scouts can't be farther away than Jarvis Pass. We'll +meet him," said Hunter to his sergeant, "and trail these Scoundrels to +their holes." + +His words were true. Before ten o'clock they had met, not only Sieber, +but Turner's troop from Verde, coming full tilt, and Gwynne was now +turned over to the doctor's care. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE ATTACK. + + +Startled suddenly from his sleep, it was indeed a dreadful sight, and +one calculated to shake the nerves of many an old soldier, that greeted +Pike's eyes as he peered over the rocky parapet in front of him. One +glance was sufficient. Looking down behind the wall, he seized Jim by +the throat, shaking him vigorously and at the same time placing his +other hand over his mouth so that he might make no outcry. "Wake up, +Jim! Wake up! and see what your faithlessness has brought upon us! Look +down the hill here! Look through that loophole and see what you've +done!" + +Terrified, with his eyes starting from their sockets, Jim obeyed, and +his black face showed in an instant the full realization of the scene +before him. + +"Now, is your rifle all ready?" whispered Pike. "Don't rouse those poor +little people in there until we have to. They must stay way back in the +cave. Now, observe strictly what I tell you: I want you to aim at the +taller of those two Indians who are the leaders. Do not fire until I +give the word; but be sure you hit. Recollect now, you've got to fire +down hill, and the bullets fly high. Aim below his waistband, then +you'll probably strike him either through the heart or the upper chest. +Now, go to your loophole and stay there. Are you ready, Jim?" + +"I'm ready, boss. Just wait one minute until I get my rifle through +here." + +Kneeling beside his own loophole, Pike once more looked down the hill. +Not over a hundred yards away--crouching along, following step by step +the trail that he and Jim had made--pointing with their long bony +fingers at every mark on the ground or upon the trees--two lean, +keen-eyed, sinewy Apaches were slowly and silently moving up the +mountain side in a direction that would take them diagonally across the +front of the hill. Behind them, among the trees and bowlders, and spread +out to the right and left, came others,--all wary, watchful, silent,--as +noiseless and as stealthy in their movements as any panther could +possibly be. Pike could see that they were armed mostly with rifles. He +knew that very few of them had breech-loaders at that time; but still +that there were some among them which they had obtained by murdering and +robbing helpless settlers, or mail messengers. + +With abundant ammunition close at hand, with the advantage of position +and the fact that he meant to have the first fire, Pike calculated that +the moral effect would be such that he could drive them back, and that +they would not resume the attack until after a consultation among +themselves. The two who were so far in front of the others were steadily +approaching the little barricade, only the top of which could readily be +seen from below and was hardly distinguishable from the general mass of +rocks and bowlders by which it was surrounded. + +He knew it could not be long, however, before the quick eyes of the +Apaches detected it, and that they would know at once what it meant. +"However," thought Pike, "before they see it those two villains in front +will be near enough for us to have a sure shot, and then, I don't care +how soon they know we're here. Now, Jim," he whispered, "watch your +man!--recollect--you aim at that tall fellow on your own side,--I'll +take the little, skinny cuss--the one who is just turning towards us +now. They are not more than seventy-five yards away. Aim low!"--There +was a moment of breathless silence. "Are you ready, Jim?" whispered +Pike. + +"Yes, all ready, corporal." + +"All right!--One minute now--get you a good aim!--Draw your bead on +him!--Wedge your rifle in the rock, if necessary! Got it?" + +"I think so, corporal." + +"All right then! _Fire!_" + +Bang! bang! rang out almost simultaneously the reports of two rifles. +The smoke floated upward. Pike and Jim had the good sense not to attempt +to lift their heads or peer over the barriers, but to content themselves +with looking through the loopholes. One look revealed the scene. "The +little, skinny cuss," as Pike had called him, clasping his hands to his +breast, had fallen head foremost among the rocks up which he was +climbing. But the tall Indian, giving a spring like that of a cat, had +leaped behind a bowlder full ten feet away from him, and the next +instant,--bang! went his rifle, and a bullet whizzed overhead and +struck, flattening itself upon the rocks. + +"Oh, you've missed him, Jim," said Pike, reproachfully. "Now, look out +for the others!" + +The rest of the Apaches, hearing the shots, with the quickness of +thought, had sprung for shelter behind the neighboring trees or rocks. +Not one of their number, by this time, failed to know just where these +shots had come from; and in a minute more, from all over the hillside +below, thick and fast, the reports of the rifles were ringing on the +morning air and the bullets came singing about the stone parapet, some +of them chipping off little fragments from the top of the parapet +itself, but most of them striking the great mass of rocks overhead and +doing no harm whatever, except to spatter little fragments of lead upon +the parapet and its gallant defenders. + +"Watch for them! Keep your eyes peeled, Jim! Every time you see a head +or an arm or a body coming from behind a rock or tree, let drive at it! +It will give the idea that there are more of us up here than we really +have, and we've got all the ammunition we can possibly use. Don't be +afraid! I'll tell you when to save your cartridges. There's one now! +Watch him!" Bang! went Pike's rifle. It was a good shot; for they could +see that the bullet barked the tree just where the Apache was standing; +but apparently it did no harm to the Indian himself; for the answering +shot of his rifle was prompt, and the bullet whizzed dangerously near. + +"That fellow's a cool hand!" said Pike. "Watch him, Jim, you're a little +further that way. He'll be out again in a minute. What's the reason your +man hasn't fired?--the man behind the rock that I told you to kill?" + +"Because I'm certain that I hit him," said Jim, "and I reckon by this +time he isn't doing any more shooting." + +"Watch carefully, anyhow," was the reply. "They'll soon try, when they +find there are very few of us, to crawl up the hill upon us. Then's the +time you've got to note every movement! See! there comes one fellow +behind that rock now. He's crawling on all fours. Thinks we can't see +him. Now just hold on until he comes around that little ledge!--I'll +take him! I've got him! Now!" + +And again Pike's rifle rang out, and to his intense delight the Indian +sprang to his feet--staggered an instant--and then fell all in a heap, +huddled up around the roots of the tree which he was just striving to +reach. Some one down among the Indians gave a yell of dismay. Evidently +the one who was shot was a man of some prominence among them--possibly a +chief. + +[Illustration: EVIDENTLY THE ONE WHO WAS SHOT WAS A MAN OF SOME +PROMINENCE AMONG THEM--POSSIBLY A CHIEF.] + +"They'll try and haul his body out of the way, Jim. Watch for at least +one or two of them coming up there! He may be only wounded, and they'll +try to get him into safety. If they do--fire at the first man you see!" + +Another minute, and then both the rifles blazed again. Two daring young +Indians had made a rush forward, and had attempted to seize their +wounded comrade; but the shots of the rifles whistling close about their +ears, caused them to desist, to throw themselves on their faces, and +then to roll or crawl away behind the adjacent rocks. Evidently they +didn't care to expose themselves to the chance of further loss. Two +Indians lying dead, and one over behind a rock possibly wounded, was +enough to discourage even an Apache. + +"They'll show again in a minute, though, Jim. Keep watch! They won't go +away and leave those two bodies there if they can possibly help +themselves. Some of them will stay. Of course, they'll have a +consultation and then see if they can't get at us from the flank or from +the rear. They can't; but they don't know it. That'll be their next +game." + +And so for the next five or ten minutes the siege was carried on, Jim +and the old corporal watching the hillside, but meantime there was +consternation back in the cave. Poor old Kate mingled moaning with +prayers and tears; little Nellie, frightened, of course, as any child +would be, lay sobbing with her head buried in Kate's lap. But Ned, brave +little man that he was, had grasped his rifle, the Ballard, of which so +much has already been said, and, crouching eagerly forward, before Pike +knew it, the boy was close beside him at the stone wall, and had placed +his hand upon his arm. + +"Corporal, let me come in here beside you, there's room for another. Do +let me have one shot at them? Papa would if he were here, and I know +it!" + +This was altogether too much for Kate to bear. She dare not come +forward, but from the dark recess in which she and Nellie were hidden, +her cries and prayers broke forth again: + +"For the love of all the saints, corporal, don't let that boy stay out +there! Bring him back here to me! His father would kill me if anything +happened to him! Oh, listen to me, Pike! Send the boy back again! Make +him come!" + +But so far from paying any attention to Kate's admonition, Pike turned +with kindling eyes and patted the little fellow on the shoulder: "You're +your father's own boy? Ned, and you shall stay here with me for the +present at least, and if there should be a chance of a shot--one I can +give you without exposing you--I'm going to let you have it. Kneel low +down there, and don't lift your head above the parapet whatever you do! +Stay just where you are." + +With that the old trooper, whose rifle was still projecting through the +loophole, again turned his attention to the Indians lurking among the +rocks and bowlders down the hill. The two bodies still lay there--Jim's +rifle covering them and threatening any Indians who might attempt to +drag them away. + +Every now and then, a black head would appear from behind some tree, but +the instant it did so the darkey's rifle would ring out, the bullet +would go whistling close beside it, the head would pop suddenly back, +and Jim as promptly would re-load his rifle. + +It was beginning to grow monotonous. The Indians--probably because they +knew they were only wasting their scanty ammunition--had ceased firing, +and were evidently calling to one another and signaling from behind the +rocks and trees where they had taken refuge. So long as they remained +down there in front Pike had no possible concern. His only fear, as has +been said, was that they should make a combined rush. If they were to +have sense enough to do that, and ignore the probability of losing three +or four of their number in the attempt, it would be all over with the +little party in the cave. + +But the corporal had served too long among the Apaches to greatly dread +any such move. They were already shaken by the severity of their +reception and of their losses. He knew that they could not be aware that +only two men and a little boy constituted the whole force of the +defenders, for they would have come with a rush long before. + +Their plan now would doubtless be to leave a few of their number in +front to keep the besieged in check while the greater part of the band +surrounded the big ledge and sought a means of getting at the little +garrison from flank or rear. + +What he hoped for was a chance of dealing them one more blow before they +could crawl back out of range and presently the opportunity came. Two or +three of the band who were farthest to the rear had managed to slip back +some distance down the hill and occasional glimpses could now be caught +of them as they stealthily made their way out towards the western slope. +It was not long before their dirty white breech-clouts could be +distinguished as they slowly and cautiously came creeping up hill. + +"By George! Jim," muttered the old man with the ejaculation that with +him supplied the place of trooper profanity--"I believe you're right +about your Indian. You probably wounded him and he's lying behind that +rock now, and those fellows are coming up to help him. Don't fire! +They're too far away for a down-hill shot. Wait till I tell you. Now, +Ned, my boy, run back and comfort Nellie a minute. I don't want you here +where a glancing shot might hit you. The moment we get them started on +the run, I'll call you." + +Ned looked far from satisfied with the proposition, but the corporal was +the commanding officer, and there was nothing to do but obey. He went +reluctantly. "Mind, corporal, you've promised I should have a shot," he +said, and Pike nodded assent, although he could not turn from his +loophole. Another minute and the Henry rifle barked its loud challenge +down the slope, and the old trooper's keen, set features relaxed in a +grin. + +"Now they've got two to lug," he muttered to Jim. "Lord! See that beggar +roll over those rocks!" + +Again there came yells and shots from down the hill but both were +harmless. Cowed, apparently, by the sharp shooting of the defenders, the +Apaches who had sought to rescue their wounded mate continued in hiding +behind the rocks where they had taken shelter. The others, farther to +the east, were slipping back as fast as they could, but studiously +keeping out of sight of those death-dealing loopholes. Presently it was +apparent to the corporal that a number of them had got together far down +the hill and were holding excited controversy, probably as to the best +means of getting possession of their dead friends and then, their living +enemies. Pike looked at his watch. It was half after seven and they had +been fighting an hour. + +And now came a lull. Once in a long while some one of the besiegers +would let drive a bullet at the loopholes, but Apache shooting was never +of the best and though the lead spattered dangerously near, "the miss," +quoth Pike, "is as good as any number of miles." On the other hand, +whenever or wherever an Indian head, leg or arm appeared, it was +instantly saluted by one, sometimes two, quick shots, and there could be +no doubt whatever that the palefaces, as the Tontos supposed them all to +be, were fully on the alert. + +"Now, Jim, it won't be long before they will be showing around on all +sides. Pile on a few more stones above that loophole that looks to the +west. The next thing you know there'll be a head and a gun poked out +from behind that shoulder of rock beyond you. I'll watch my side and +keep a look on down the hill, too." + +And now the hours seemed to drag with leaden weight. All was silence +around them, yet Pike knew that this made their danger only the more +imminent. He could nowhere see a sign of their late assailants except +the stiffening bodies down the hill, but he had not a doubt that while +some watched the front, most of them, making wide detours, were now +lurking on every side, and looking for a possible opening. Every now and +then he had to give a quick glance over his shoulder to see that Jim was +alert and watchful. It would not do to have him fall asleep now. And +then once in a while he listened, God only knows how wistfully, for the +sound of cavalry coming across the westward plain. It surely was time +for Sieber and the troops to be coming if the former had carried out his +intentions. Pike could see nothing of the road towards Jarvis Pass and +only a glimpse here and there of the plateau itself. The foliage in the +larger trees was too thick. He longed to clamber to his watch-tower but +felt well assured that one step outside the parapet would make him a +target for the Indian rifles. First as an experiment he put his hat on a +stick and cautiously raised it above their barricade. Two bullets +instantly "zipped" over his head and dropped flat as pancakes from the +rock overhead. The experiment was conclusive. + +At last the straining ears of the watchers were attracted by strange +sounds. Low calls in savage tongue from down the hill were answered on +both sides and from above. The Indians had evidently thoroughly +"reconnoitred" the position, and had found that there was actually no +place around the rock from which they could see and open fire on the +besieged. The sun was now high overhead. Odd sounds as of dragging +objects began to be heard from the top of the rock, and this was kept up +for fully an hour. Neither Pike nor Jim could imagine what it meant, but +neither dared for an instant to leave his post. + +It must have been eleven o'clock and after, when, all of a sudden, a +black shadow rushed through the air, and Pike started almost to his feet +as a huge log fell from above and bounded from the jagged rocks in front +of them. Then came another, tumbling one upon the other, wedging and +jostling, and speedily rising in a huge pile several feet high. More and +more they came; then smaller ones; then loose dry branches and roots in +quantities. And then, as the great heap grew and grew, an awful thought +occurred to the old trooper. At first it seemed as though the Indians +meant to try and form a "curtain," sheltered by which they could crawl +upon their foes; but when the brushwood came, a fiercer, far more +dreadful purpose was revealed. "My God!" he groaned, "they mean to roast +us out." + +[Illustration: ALL OF A SUDDEN A BLACK SHADOW RUSHED THROUGH THE AIR.] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +LITTLE NED'S SHOT. + + +From the babel of voices that reached old Pike's ears every now and +then, and the bustle and noise going on overhead, he judged that there +must be twenty or thirty Indians busily engaged in the work of heaping +up firewood in front of the cave. The mountain side, as he well knew, +was thickly strewn with dry branches, dead limbs, uprooted trees and all +manner of combustible material, and the very warriors who, when around +their own "rancheria," would have disdained doing a stroke of work of +any kind, were now laboring like so many beavers to add to the great +pile that was already almost on a level with the breastwork and not more +than eight feet away. Some of the logs first thrown had rolled off and +scattered down the slope, but enough had remained to make a sure +foundation, and once this was accomplished the rest was easy work. + +Poor Jim looked around imploringly at his superior. + +"Ain't dey some way to stop that, corporal?" he asked. + +"Don't you worry, Jim," was the prompt reply. "It will take them an hour +more at least to get it big enough and then 'twill do no great harm. We +can knock down our barricade so that they can't use it and fall back +into the cave where it's dark and cool and where the smoke and flame +can't reach us. Keep your eyes on your corner, man!" But though he spoke +reassuringly, the old soldier felt a world of anxiety. Under cover of +that huge heap of brushwood, growing bigger every minute, it would soon +be possible for the Indians from below to crawl unseen close upon them, +and set fire to the mass. + +Even now he felt certain that there were several of the more daring of +the Apaches lurking just around the corners which he and Jim were so +faithfully guarding. The negro seemed so utterly abashed at his having +been overcome by sleep during the hour before the dawn, and possibly so +refreshed by that deep slumber, that now he was vigilance itself. + +Within the cave old Kate had seen, of course, the falling of the logs +and brushwood, and though she could not comprehend their object it +served to keep in mind that their savage foes were all around her and +her little charges, and to add to her alternate prayer and wailing. +Unable to leave his post, Pike could only call sternly to her from time +to time to cry shame upon her for frightening Nellie so, and to remind +her that they had shot five Indians without getting a scratch +themselves. "We can stand 'em off for hours yet, you old fool," he said, +"and the boys from Verde are sure to get here to-day." And whether it +was "old" or the "fool" in Pike's contemptuous remark, that stirred her +resentment, it certainly resulted that Kate subsided into suffering and +indignant protest. Then Ned's brave, boyish voice was heard. + +"Corporal! Can't I come to you now? I'm no good here and I'm sick of the +row Kate keeps up. You said you'd let me come back." + +"Wait a few minutes, Ned. I want to be sure they are not sneaking around +these corners," was the reply, followed almost instantly by the bang of +Pike's carbine. Kate gave a suppressed shriek and the corporal a shout +of exultation. Encouraged by the sound of his voice to suppose that the +guard on the east side of the barrier was neglecting his watch, a daring +young Apache crawled on all fours around the foot of the rock to take an +observation. The black head came in view even as Pike was speaking and +the fierce eyes peered cautiously at the breastwork, but the corporal +never moved a muscle, and the savage, believing himself unseen, crawled +still further into view, until half his naked body was in sight from the +narrow slit through which the old trooper was gazing. The brown muzzle +of the cavalry carbine covered the creeping "brave," and the next +instant the loud report went echoing over the gorge and the Indian, with +one convulsive spring, fell back upon the ground writhing in the agonies +of death. In striving to drag the body of his comrade back behind the +rock another Tonto ventured to show head and shoulder, and came within +an ace of sharing his fate, for Pike's next shot whistled within an inch +of the flattened nose, and Apache number two dodged back with wonderful +quickness, and did not again appear. + +This would tend to keep them from sneaking around that particular +corner, thought Pike, and he only wished that Jim could have similar +luck on his side, but the Indians had grown wary. Time and again the +veteran glanced down the hill to see if there was any sign of their +crawling upon him from below, but that threatening pile of brushwood now +hid most of the slope from his weary, anxious eyes. The crisis could not +be long in coming. + +"O God!" he prayed, "save these little children. Bring us aid." + +Poor old Pike! Even as the whispered words fell from his lips a low, +crackling sound caught his ear. Louder it grew, and, looking suddenly to +the left, he saw a thin curl of smoke rising through the branches and +gaining every instant in volume. Louder, louder snapped the blazing +twigs. Denser, heavier grew the smoke. Then tiny darts of flame came +shooting upward through the top of the pile and then yells of triumph +and exultation rang from the rock above and the hillside below. A minute +or two more, and while the Indians continued to pour fresh fuel from +above, the great heap was a mass of roaring flame and the heat became +intolerable. A puff of wind drove a huge volume of smoke and flame +directly into Jim's nook in the fortification, and with a shout that he +could hold on no longer the negro dropped back into the cave, rubbing +his blinded eyes. + +[Illustration: "DOWN WITH THESE STONES, NOW!"] + +"Come back, Jim! Quick!" shouted Pike. "Down with these stones, now! +Kick them over!--but watch for Indians on your side. Down with 'em!" and +suiting action to the word the old soldier rolled rock after rock down +towards the blazing pyre, until his side of the parapet was almost +demolished. Half blinded by smoke and the scorching heat, he lost sight +for a moment of the shoulder of the ledge on the east side. Two seconds +more and it might have been all over with him, for now, relying on the +fierce heat to drive the defenders back, a young Apache had stepped +cautiously into view, caught sight of the tall old soldier pushing and +kicking at the rocks, and, quick as a cat, up leaped the rifle to his +shoulder. But quicker than any cat--quick as its own flash--there +sounded the sudden crack of a target rifle, the Indian's gun flew up and +was discharged in mid-air, while the owner, clapping his hand to his +face, reeled back out of sight. The bullet of the little Ballard had +taken him just under the eye, and as Pike turned in amazement at the +double report, saw the Apache fall, and then turned to his left--there +knelt little Ned, his blue eyes blazing, his boyish form quivering with +excitement and triumph. Pike seized him in his arms and fairly kissed +the glowing face. "God bless you, my boy! but you are a little soldier +if there ever was one!" was his cry. "Now all three of us must watch the +front. Keep as far forward as you can, Jim. We've got to hold those +hounds back--until the boys come!" + +[Illustration: THE BULLET OF THE LITTLE BALLARD HAD TAKEN HIM JUST UNDER +THE EYE.] + +Until the boys come! Heavens! When would that be? Here was the day +nearly half spent and no sign of relief for the little party battling so +bravely for their lives at Sunset Pass. Where--where can the father be? +Where is Al Sieber? Where the old comrades from Verde? + +Let us see if we cannot find them, and then, with them, hasten to the +rescue. + +Far over near Jarvis Pass poor Captain Gwynne had been lying on the +blankets the men eagerly spread for him, while the surgeon with Captain +Turner's troops listened eagerly to the details of the night's work, and +at the same time ministered to his exhausted patient. Turner, the other +officers, and their favorite scout held brief and hurried consultation. +It was decided to push at once for Sunset Pass; to leave Captain Gwynne +here with most of his nearly worn-out escort; to mount the six Hualpai +trailers they had with them on the six freshest horses, so as to get +them to the scene of the tragedy as soon as possible, and then to start +them afoot to follow the Apaches. In ten minutes Captain Turner, with +Lieutenant Wilkins and forty troopers, was trotting off eastward +following the lead of Sieber with his swarthy allies. Ten minutes more +and Captain Gwynne had sufficiently revived to be made fully aware of +what was going on, and was on his feet again in an instant. The surgeon +vainly strove to detain him, but was almost rudely repulsed. + +"Do you suppose I can rest one conscious minute until I know what has +become of my babies?" he said. And climbing painfully into the saddle he +clapped spurs to his horse and galloped after Turner's troop. + +Finding it useless to argue, the doctor, with his orderly, mounted, too, +and followed the procession. It was an hour before they came up with +Turner's rearmost files and found burly Lieutenant Wilkins giving the +men orders to keep well closed in case they had to increase the gait. +The scouts and Sieber, far to the front, were galloping. + +"What is it?" asked the doctor. + +"Smoke," panted Wilkins. "The Hualpais saw it up the mountain south of +the Pass." + +Gwynne's haggard face was dreadful to see. The jar of the rough gallop +had started afresh the bleeding in his head and the doctor begged him to +wait and let him dress it again, but the only answer was a look of +fierce determination, and renewed spurring of his wretched horse. He was +soon abreast the head of the column, but even then kept on. Turner +hailed him and urged him to stay with them, but entreaty was useless. "I +am going after Sieber," was the answer. "Did you see the smoke?" + +"No, Gwynne; but Sieber and the Hualpais are sure a big column went up +and that it means the Apaches can't be far away. We're bound to get +them. Don't wear yourself out, old fellow; stay with us!" but Gwynne +pressed on. Far out to the front he could see that one of the Indian +scouts had halted and was making signs. It took five minutes hard riding +to reach him. + +"What did you see? What has happened?" he gasped. + +"Heap fire!" answered the Hualpai. "See?" But Gwynne's worn eyes could +only make out the great mass of the mountain with its dark covering of +stunted trees. He saw, however, that the scout was eagerly watching his +comrades now so long a distance ahead. Presently the Indian shouted in +excitement: + +"Fight! Fight! Heap shoot, there!" and then at last the father's almost +breaking heart regained a gleam of hope; a new light flashed in his +eyes, new strength seemed to leap through his veins. Even his poor horse +seemed to know that a supreme effort was needed and gamely answered the +spur. Waving his hat above his head and shouting back to Turner "Come +on!" the captain dashed away in pursuit of Sieber. Turner's men could +hear no sound, but they saw the excitement in the signal; saw the sudden +rush of Gwynne's steed, and nothing more was needed. "Gallop," rang the +trumpet, and with carbines advanced and every eye on the dark gorge, +still three miles before them, the riders of the beautiful "chestnut +sorrel" troop swept across the plains. + +Meantime the savage fight was going on and the defense was sorely +pressed. Covered by the smoke caused by fresh armfuls of green wood +hurled upon the fiery furnace in front of the cave, the vengeful Apaches +had crawled to within a few yards of where the little breastwork had +stood. Obedient to Pike's stern orders Kate had crept to the remotest +corner of the recess and lay there flat upon the rock, holding Nellie in +her arms. The corporal had bound a handkerchief about his left arm, for +some of the besiegers, finding bullets of no avail, were firing Tonto +arrows so that they fell into the mouth of the cave, and one of these +had torn a deep gash midway between the elbow and the shoulder. Another +had struck him on the thigh. Jim, too, had a bloody scratch. It stung +and hurt and made him grit his teeth with rage and pain. Little Ned, +sorely against his will, was screened by his father's saddle and some +blankets, but he clung to his Ballard and the hope of at least one more +shot. + +And still, though sorely pressing the besieged, the Indians kept close +under cover. The lessons of the morning had taught them that the pale +faces could shoot fast and straight. They had lost heavily and could +afford no more risks. But every moment their circle seemed closer to the +mouth of the cave, and though direct assault could not now be made +because of their great bonfire, the dread that weighed on Pike was that +they should suddenly rush in from east and west. "In that event," said +he to Jim, "we must sell our lives as dearly as possible. I'll have two +at least before they can reach me." + +Hardly had he spoken when bang came a shot from beyond the fire; a +bullet zipped past his head and flattened on the rock well back in the +cave. Where could that have come from? was the question. A little whiff +of blue smoke sailing away on the wind from the fork of a tall oak not +fifty feet in front told the story. Hidden from view of the besieged by +the drifting smoke from the fire a young warrior had clambered until he +reached the crotch and there had drawn up the rifle and belt tied by his +comrades to a "lariat." Straddling a convenient branch and lashing +himself to the trunk he was now in such a position that he could peer +around the tree and aim right into the mouth of the rocky recess, and +only one leg was exposed to the fire of the defense. + +But that was one leg too much. "Blaze away at him, Jim," was the order. +"We'll fire alternately." And Jim's bullet knocked a chip of bark into +space, but did no further harm. "It's my turn now. Watch your side." + +But before Pike could take aim there came a shot from the fork of the +tree that well nigh robbed the little garrison of its brave leader. The +corporal was just creeping forward to where he could rest his rifle on a +little rock, and the Indian's bullet struck fairly in the shoulder, tore +its way down along the muscles of the back, glanced upward from the +shoulder blade, and, flattening on the rock overhead, fell almost before +Ned's eyes. The shock knocked the old soldier flat on his face, and +there came a yell of savage triumph from the tree, answered by yells +from below and above. Ned, terror stricken, sprang to the old soldier's +side, just as he was struggling to rise. + +"Back! boy, back! They'll all be on us now. My God! Here they come! Now, +Jim, fight for all you're worth." + +Bang! bang! went the two rifles. Bang! bang! bang! came the shots from +both sides and from the front, while the dusky forms could be seen +creeping up the rocks east and west of the fire, yelling like fiends. +Crack! went Ned's little Ballard again, and Pike seized the boy and +fairly thrust him into the depths of the cave. A lithe, naked form +leaped into sight just at the entrance and then went crashing down into +the blazing embers below. Another Indian gone. Bang! bang! bang! Heavier +came the uproar of the shots below. Bang! bang! "Good God!" groaned +Pike. "Has the whole Apache nation come to reinforce them? Yell, you +hounds--aye--yell! There are only two of us!" Shots came ringing thick +and fast. Yells resounded along the mountain side, but they seemed more +of warning than of hatred and defiance. Bang! bang! bang! the rifles +rattled up the rocky slopes, but where could the bullets go? Not one had +struck in the cave for fully ten seconds, yet the rattle and roar of +musketry seemed redoubled. What can it mean? Pike creeps still further +forward to get a shot at the first Indian that shows himself, but pain +and weakness are dimming the sight of his keen, brave eyes; perhaps +telling on his hearing. Listen, man! Listen! Those are not Indian yells +now resounding down the rocks. Listen, Pike, old friend, old soldier, +old hero! Too late--too late! Just as a ringing trumpet call, "Cease +firing," comes thrilling up the steep, and little Ned once more leaps +forward to aid him, the veteran falls upon his face and all is darkness. + +Another moment, and now the very hillside seems to burst into shouts and +cheers,--joy, triumph, infinite relief. Victory shines on face after +face as the bronzed troopers come crowding to the mouth of the cave. +Tenderly they raise Pike from the ground and bear him out into the +sunshine. Respectfully they make way for Captain Turner as he springs +into their midst and clasps little Nellie in his arms; and poor old +Kate, laughing, weeping and showering blessings on "the boys," is +frantically shaking hands with man after man. So, too, is Black Jim. And +then, half carried, half led, by two stalwart soldiers, Captain Gwynne +is borne, trembling like an aspen, into their midst, and, kneeling on +the rocky floor, clasps his little ones to his breast, and the strong +man sobs aloud his thanks to God for their wonderful preservation. + + * * * * * + +"Papa--papa, I shot an Indian!" How many a time little Ned has to shout +it, in his eager young voice, before the father can realize what is +being said. + +"It's the truth he's telling, sir," said a big sergeant. "There's wan of +'em lies at the corner there with a hole no bigger than a _pay_ under +the right eye," and the captain knows not what to say. The surgeon's +stimulants have restored Pike to consciousness, and Gwynne kneels again +to take the old soldier's hands in his. Dry eyes are few. Hearts are all +too full for many words. After infinite peril and suffering, after most +gallant defense, after a night of terror and a day of fiercest battle, +the little party was rescued, one and all, to life and love and such a +welcome when at last they were brought back to Verde, where Pike was +nursed back to strength and health, where Nellie was caressed as a +heroine, and where little Ned was petted and well nigh spoiled as "the +boy that shot an Indian"--and if he did brag about it occasionally, when +he came east to school, who can blame him? But when they came they did +not this time try the route of Sunset Pass. + + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sunset Pass, by Charles King + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUNSET PASS *** + +***** This file should be named 19928-8.txt or 19928-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/9/2/19928/ + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sunset Pass + or Running the Gauntlet Through Apache Land + +Author: Charles King + +Release Date: November 27, 2006 [EBook #19928] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUNSET PASS *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + + +<h1>SUNSET PASS</h1> + +<h3>OR</h3> + +<h2>RUNNING THE GAUNTLET THROUGH APACHE LAND</h2> + +<h2>BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING</h2> + +<h4>AUTHOR OF "THE DESERTER", "A WAR-TIME WOOING", ETC</h4> + +<h4>COPYRIGHTED, 1890<br /> +BY<br /> +JOHN W. LOVELL COMPANY</h4> + +<h4>NEW YORK<br /> +JOHN W. LOVELL COMPANY<br /> +150 WORTH ST., COR. MISSION PLACE</h4> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_1" id="illus_1"></a> +<img src="images/illus_1.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>CAPT. CHAS. KING</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3>CONTENTS</h3> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I. A RASH RESOLVE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II. MANUELITO'S TREACHERY.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III. ON THE ALERT.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV. ON THE WATCH.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V. THE PRISONER.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI. MANUELITO'S FATE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII. PIKE'S STRANGE DREAM.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII. THE CAPTAIN'S RIDE.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. THE ATTACK.</a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X. LITTLE NED'S SHOT.</a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + + +<p><a href="#illus_1"><span class="smcap">Capt. Chas. King</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_2"><span class="smcap">He Drew Little Nell close to Him</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_3"><span class="smcap">Manuelito Was shuffling about the Fire Apparently doing Nothing</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_4">"<span class="smcap">Where's Manuelito</span>?"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_5"><span class="smcap">His First Duty seemed to be to get the Provisions from the Wagon</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_6">"<span class="smcap">Jim, Old Boy, We've got to pull Together To-night</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_7">"<span class="smcap">My God! There's not a Living Soul in Sight</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_8"><span class="smcap">Bending Down He raised Her in His Strong Arms</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_9"><span class="smcap">Away He Flew at Full Speed</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_10"><span class="smcap">The Two Men set to Work to build Their Breastwork</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_11"><span class="smcap">Nellie, Clinging to Her Nurse, was terrified by the Sounds</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_12"><span class="smcap">The Poor Devil was now seated, Bound and Helpless, on a Rock by the Roadside</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_13">"<span class="smcap">That's what Jim took for an Apache</span>"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_14"><span class="smcap">One Vehement Kick and Curse He Gave Him</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_15"><span class="smcap">With One Backward Look He staggered Wearily on</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_16">"<span class="smcap">My God! What can have Happened? It's Captain Gwynne</span>?"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_17"><span class="smcap">Evidently the One Who was shot was a Man of Some Prominence among Them—Possibly a Chief</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_18"><span class="smcap">All of a Sudden a Black Shadow rushed through the Air</span></a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_19">"<span class="smcap">Down With these Stones, Now</span>!"</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus_20"><span class="smcap">The Bullet of the Little Ballard had taken Him just under the Eye</span></a></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>SUNSET PASS.</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>A RASH RESOLVE.</h3> + + +<p>"Better take my advice, sir. The road ahead is thick with the Patchies."</p> + +<p>"But you have come through all alone, my friend; why should I not go? I +have been stationed among the Apaches for the last five years and have +fought them all over Arizona. Surely I ought to know how to take care of +myself."</p> + +<p>"I don't doubt that, captain. It's the kids I'm thinking of. The +renegades from the reservation are out in great numbers now and they are +supposed to be all down in the Tonto Basin, but I've seen their moccasin +tracks everywhere from the Colorado Chiquito across the 'Mogeyone,' and +I'm hurrying in to Verde now to give warning and turn the troops this +way."</p> + +<p>"Well, why didn't they attack you, then, Al?"</p> + +<p>The party thus addressed by the familiar diminutive of "Al" paused a +moment before reply, an odd smile flitting about his bearded lips. A +stronger, firmer type of scout and frontiersman than Al Sieber never sat +in saddle in all Arizona in the seventies, and he was a noted character +among the officers, soldiers, pioneers, and Apaches. The former +respected and trusted him. The last named feared him as they did the +Indian devil. He had been in fight after fight with them; had had his +share of wounds, but—what the Apaches recoiled from in awe was the fact +that he had never met them in the field without laying one at least of +their number dead in his tracks. He was a slim-built, broad-shouldered, +powerful fellow, with a keen, intelligent face, and eyes that were +kindly to all his friends, but kindled at sight of a foe. A +broad-brimmed, battered slouch hat was pulled well down over his brows; +his flannel shirt and canvas trousers showed hard usage; his pistol belt +hung loose and low upon his hips and on each side a revolver swung. His +rifle—Arizona fashion—was balanced athwart the pommel of his saddle, +and an old Navajo blanket was rolled at the cantle. He wore Tonto +leggins and moccasins, and a good-sized pair of Mexican spurs jingled at +his heels. He looked—and so did his horse—as though a long, hard ride +was behind them, but that they were ready for anything yet.</p> + +<p>"It makes a difference, captain—their attacking me or you. I've been +alive among 'em so many years that they have grown superstitious. +Sometimes I half believe they think I can't be killed. Then, too, I may +have slipped through unnoticed, but you—with all this outfit—why! +you're sure to be spotted, followed, and possibly ambushed in Sunset +Pass. It's the worst place along the route."</p> + +<p>Captain Gwynne looked anxiously about him a moment. He was a +hard-headed, obstinate fellow, and he hated to give up. Two months ago +his wife had died, leaving to his care two dear little ones—a boy of +nine and a girl of six. He soon determined to take them East to his home +in far Pennsylvania. There was no Southern Pacific or any other Arizona +railway in those days. Officers and their families who wanted to go East +had to turn their faces westward, take a four or five days' "buckboard" +ride across the dusty deserts to the Colorado River, camp there perhaps +a week before "Captain Jack Mellon" came backing or sideways down the +shallow stream with his old "Cocopah." Then they sculled or ground their +way over the sand bars down to Fort Yuma, a devious and monotonous trip; +then were transferred to "lighten" or else, on the same old Cocopah, +were floated out into the head of the Gulf of California and there +hoisted aboard the screw steamers of the Ocean line—either the Newbern +or the Montana, and soon went plunging down the gulf, often very +sea-sick, yet able to get up and look about when their ship poked in at +some strange old Mexican town, La Paz or Guaymas, and finally, turning +Cape St. Lucas, away they would steam up the coast to San Francisco, +which they would reach after a two weeks' sea voyage and then, hey for +the Central Pacific, Cape Horn, the Sierras, Ogden, and the tramp to the +Union Pacific and, at last, home in the distant east, all after a +journey of five or six weeks and an expense of months of the poor +officer's pay.</p> + +<p>Now Captain Gwynne was what we called a "close" man. He could not bear +the idea of spending something like a thousand dollars in taking +himself, little Ned and Nellie, and their devoted old nurse, Irish Kate, +by that long and expensive route. He had two fine horses and a capital +family wagon, covered. He had a couple of stout mules and a good baggage +wagon. Jim, his old driver, would go along to take care of "the +Concord," as the family cart was termed. Manuelito, a swarthy Mexican, +would drive the mules; the captain would ride his own pet saddle horse, +Gregg, and a discharged soldier, whom he hired for the purpose, would +ride McIntosh, the other charger. All were well armed. Parties were +going unmolested over the Sunset Pass route every month. Why should not +he?</p> + +<p>The officers at Prescott shook their heads and endeavored to dissuade +him, but the more they argued the more determined was he. There were +tearful eyes among the ladies at Prescott barracks, where Mrs. Gwynne +had been dearly loved, when they bade good-by to the children. But one +fine day away went "the outfit;" stopped that night at Camp Verde, deep +down in the valley; started again early in the morning, despite the +protestations of the garrison, and that evening were camping among the +beautiful pine woods high up on the Mogollon range. Sieber's +pronunciation of the name—"Mogeyone"—will give you a fair idea of what +it is really like.</p> + +<p>And now, three days out on the Mesa, Ned and Nellie, in silence, but +with beating hearts, were listening to this conversation between their +father and the famous scout, and hoping, poor little mites, that their +father would be advised and turn back until met by cavalry from Verde; +yet so loyal to him, so trustful to him, that neither to one another nor +to Kate would they say a word.</p> + +<p>"Well, Sieber, I've argued this thing out with all Prescott and Verde," +said the captain at last. "I've sworn I wouldn't turn back, and so, by +jinks, I'm going ahead. It's all open country around Snow Lake, and I +can keep on the alert when we reach the Pass."</p> + +<p>"You know your business best, I suppose, captain, but—" and Sieber +stopped abruptly and gazed through the open windows of the Concord at +the two little forms huddled together, with such white faces, on the +back seat.</p> + +<p>"Well, won't you at least wait and camp here a day or so? I'll go down +by way of Wales Arnold's and get him to send up a couple of men. That +won't be going back, and you'll be tolerably safe here. The cavalry +won't be long getting out this way."</p> + +<p>"And meantime having my beasts eating barley by the bucketful so that I +won't have enough to get through? No, Al, I've made calculations just +how many days it will take me to get over to Wingate, and delay would +swamp me. I don't mean to discredit your story, of course, but +everybody, even at Verde, said the renegades were all down by Tonto +Creek, and I cannot believe they would be out here to the northeast. I'm +going ahead."</p> + +<p>"Well, Captain Gwynne, I give up. If you're bound to go there's no use +talking. Stop one moment though!" He spurred his broncho close to the +window, and thrusting in his wiry arm drew little Nell close to him, +bent and kissed tenderly her bonny face.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_2" id="illus_2"></a> +<img src="images/illus_2.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>HE DREW LITTLE NELL CLOSE TO HIM.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>"God guard you, baby," he murmured, as finally he set her down. "Adios, +Ned, my lad," and he shook the little man heartily by the hand. "Good +luck all! Now I must gallop to make up time." He turned quickly away and +went "loping" down the trail, but his gauntlet was drawn across his eyes +two or three times before he disappeared from view. Two white little +faces gazed wistfully after him and then into each other's eyes. Irish +Kate muttered a blessing on the gallant fellow's head. "Come on, Jim," +said the captain, with darkening face, and presently the little train +was again in motion, winding over the range that, once passed, brings +them in view of Snow Lake with the gloomy, jagged rocks bounding the +horizon far beyond. There is a deep cleft that one sees in that barrier +just as he emerges from the pine woods along the ridge, and that distant +cleft is Sunset Pass.</p> + +<p>Though seldom traveled, the mountain road from Fort Verde over to Fort +Wingate was almost always in fair condition. Rains were very few and did +little damage, and so at a rapid, jingling trot the wagons lunged ahead +while the captain and Pike, the retired trooper, rode easily alongside +or made occasional scouts to the front.</p> + +<p>Knowing that his children must have heard his talk with Sieber, the +captain soon dropped back opposite the open window and thrust in his +hand for the little ones to shake.</p> + +<p>"You're not afraid to go ahead, Ned, my boy! I knew I could count on +you," said he heartily. "And Nell can hardly be afraid with you and her +old dragoon dad to guard her. Isn't it so, pet?"</p> + +<p>And the wan little face smiled back to prove Nellie's confidence in +father, while Ned stoutly answered:</p> + +<p>"I'm never afraid to go anywhere you want me to go, father. And then I +haven't had a chance to try my rifle yet."</p> + +<p>The boy held up to view a dainty little Ballard target gun—a toy of a +thing—but something of which he was evidently very proud.</p> + +<p>"And then we've got good old Pike, papa—and Kate here—I'm sure she +could fight," piped up little Nell, but there was no assent to this +proposition from the lips of poor Kate. All along she had opposed the +journey, and was filled with dread whenever it was spoken of. Vainly had +she implored the officers and ladies at Prescott to prohibit the captain +from making so rash an attempt. Nothing would avail. As ill-luck would +have it the lieutenant colonel recently gazetted to the infantry +regiment stationed in Northern Arizona had just come safely through from +Wingate with exactly such an "outfit," but without such guards, and +Captain Gwynne declared that what man had done man could do. There were +plenty of people who would have taken her off the captain's hands, but +nothing would induce the faithful creature to leave the motherless +"childer." She loved them both—and if they were to go through danger +she would go with them. All the same she stood sturdily out in her +resentment toward the captain and would not answer now. Jim, too, on the +driver's seat, was gloomily silent. Manuelito with the mules in rear had +listened to Sieber's warning with undisguised dismay. Only +Pike—ex-corporal of the captain's troop—rode unconcernedly ahead. What +cared he for Apaches? He had fought them time and again.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless when Captain Gwynne came cantering out to the front and +joined his old non-commissioned officer, it was with some surprise that +he listened to Pike's salutation.</p> + +<p>"May I say a word to the captain?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, Pike; say on."</p> + +<p>"I was watching Manuelito, sir, while the captain was talking with +Sieber. Them greasers are a bad lot, sir—one and all. There isn't one +of 'em I'd trust as far as I could sling a bull by the tail. That +Manuelito is just stampeded by what he's heard, and while he dare not +whirl about and go now, I warn the captain to have an eye on the mules +to-night. He'll skip back for the Verde with only one of them rather +than try Sunset Pass to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Why! confound it, Pike, that fellow has been in my service five years +and never failed me yet."</p> + +<p>"True enough, sir; but the captain never took him campaigning. They do +very well around camp, sir, but they'd rather face the gates of +purgatory than try their luck among the Tontos. I believe one Apache +could lick a dozen of 'em."</p> + +<p>The captain turned slowly back, and took a good look at the Mexican as +he sat on his high spring seat, and occasionally encouraged his team +with endearing epithets, or, as in the manner of the tribe, scored them +with wildest blasphemy. Ordinarily Manuelito was wont to show his white +teeth, and touch the broad, silver-edged brim of his sombrero, when "el +capitan" reined back to see how he was getting along. To-day there was a +sullen scowl for the first moment, and then, as though suddenly +recollecting himself, the dark-skinned fellow gave a ghastly sort of +grin—and the captain felt certain that Pike's idea was right. The +question was simply how to circumvent him.</p> + +<p>At sunset the little party was cosily camped on the edge of Snow Lake—a +placid little sheet far up among the mountains. The plateau was broken +by a low ridge a few miles east, through a gap in which, known as Jarvis +Pass, ran the road to Sunset Pass beyond. Horses and mules, securely +tethered, were grazing close at hand. The two wagons were drawn in near +the little camp-fire. The children were having a jolly game of hide and +seek and stretching their legs after the long day's ride in the wagon. +Kate was stowing away the supper dishes. Manuelito was stretched upon +the turf, his keen, eager eyes following every motion of his captain, +even though his teeth held firmly the little paper tobacco holder he +called his "papelito." Out on the open ground beyond the little bunch of +trees Pike could be seen, carbine in hand, scouting the prairie-like +surface and keeping guard against surprise. The sun went down. Twilight +hovered over them; Kate had cuddled her beloved "childer" into their +beds in the wagon and the captain had come around to kiss them +good-night. Manuelito still sprawled near the tiny blaze, smoking and +watching, and at last, as the bulky form of the Irish nurse-maid +disappeared within the canvas walls of the wagon, the Mexican sprang +from his recumbent position, turned, and with quick, stealthy step sped +away through the clumps of trees to where the animals were placidly +browsing. He bent his lithe body double, even though he knew that at +this moment the captain and the ex-corporal were over at the east end of +their little camp-ground, chatting together in low tones. He laughed to +himself as he reached his mules and found them heavily hoppled with iron +chains.</p> + +<p>"As if I would take a burro when one stroke gives me a <i>caballo +grande</i>," he muttered, and pushed still further out to where the four +horses were "lariated" near the timber. A word to "Gregg" whom he had +often cared for; a gleam of his knife from the sheath and the gallant +horse was free to follow him. Still in silence and stealth he led him +back toward the camp-fire where the saddles were piled. Still he marked +that Captain Gwynne and Pike were in earnest talk down at the other end +of the camp. Warily he reached forward to grasp the captain's saddle, +when a low exclamation was heard from that officer himself and, peering +at him through the trees, the Mexican could see that he was eagerly +pointing westward and calling Pike to his side. Instinctively Manuelito +glanced over his shoulder and saw a sight that told him horse-thieving +would not save his tawny hide; that told him their retreat was cut off, +and their only hope now was in standing together. Back among the pines +through which they had come; well upon the ridge, and not ten miles +away, blazed an Indian signal fire. It was the Apache summons for a +quick "gathering of the clans."</p> + +<p>Now God help the bairnies in the wagon!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>MANUELITO'S TREACHERY.</h3> + + +<p>All this time Darkey Jim had been sleeping soundly, wrapped in his +blankets, with his feet to the fire. There was never an hour, day or +night, when this lively African could not loll at full length, in +sunshine or shade, and forget his cares, if cares he ever had, in less +than three minutes. In this case, despite Sieber's warning, which he had +overheard, he simply took note of the fact that the captain and Corporal +Pike were looking after things and that was enough for him. There was no +use in worrying when "Marsa Gwin" was on guard, and within an hour from +the time he had had his substantial supper, Jim was snoring melodiously, +with his head buried in his arms.</p> + +<p>Manuelito was thoroughly aware of this trait of his "stable-mate," else +he had not dared to bring the captain's horse so close to the fire. Now +his fierce, half Indian face seemed full of perplexity and dread. The +Apache signal fire still glowed among the black pines away to the +westward. The captain and Corporal Pike were hurriedly coming towards +him through the stunted trees,—yet here he stood with "Gregg," all +irresolute, all fearful what to do. Back towards those black pines and +the long reach of road beyond he dare not go. The Tontos held the line +of retreat. Here in camp he hardly dare remain for the keen cut in +"Gregg's" side line showed plainly that the knife had been used, and +left him accused of treachery. Out of the fire light and back to the +grazing ground he must get the horse at once—but what then? Noiselessly +turning, he led Gregg, wondering, back to the glade in which the other +horses were tethered, and quickly drove his picket pin and put him on +the half lariat. But how was he to conceal the severed side line? Off it +came, both nervous hands working rapidly, and then when he had about +determined to cut off the lines of one of Jim's mules and so throw +suspicion on him, his African mate, he was aware of his captain striding +through the trees toward him. He could almost have run away. But the +next words re-assured him.</p> + +<p>"That you, Manuelito?" challenged Captain Gwynne in low, hoarse tones. +"All right! Take the side lines off Gregg and saddle him for me at once. +I have work to do."</p> + +<p>The Mexican could hardly believe in his escape. For the time being, at +least, he stood safe. It would be easy enough later to "lose" the +telltale side line in the waters of the lake. Manuelito cursed his folly +in having used the knife at all. Haste prompted that piece of bad +judgment. He could have unbuckled them just as well. But all the same he +blessed his lucky stars for this respite. In three minutes he had +"Gregg" saddled and ready by the little camp-fire. There stood the +captain and Pike in low and earnest conversation.</p> + +<p>"I shall only go out a short four miles," said the former, "but I must +satisfy myself as to whether those beggars are coming this way to-night. +Gregg and I have 'stalked' them many a time and the country is all flat +and open for six miles back."</p> + +<p>"I wish the captain would stay here and let me go," pleaded Pike.</p> + +<p>"No! I'm never satisfied without seeing for myself. You and Manuelito +will have your arms in constant readiness, and watch for me as I come +back. There's no moon—no light—but so much the better for my purpose. +Is he all ready, Manuelito? Let me glance at my little ones in the +ambulance before I start."</p> + +<p>Who can say with what love and yearning the father bent over those +little faces as he peered in upon them? The flickering light of the +camp-fire threw an occasional glimmer over them—just enough to enable +him to see at times the contour yet hardly to reveal the features of +"his babies." He dare not kiss for fear of waking them. "God bless and +guard you, darlings," was the choking prayer that fell from his lips. +Then, vigorous and determined, he sprang into saddle.</p> + +<p>"Now, Pike," he muttered, "you've been with me in many a night bivouac +and you know your orders. They never attack at night unless they know +they have an absolutely sure thing, and they haven't—with you three. +Jim, there, can fight like a tiger whenever there is need. Watch the +horses. I'll be back in an hour or there'll be reason for my staying."</p> + +<p>Three minutes more and they heard the rhythmic beat of "Gregg's" hoofs +out on the open plateau and dying away westward, sturdy, measured, +steady in the trot the captain preferred to any other gait. Pike moved +out to the edge of the timber, where he could hear the last of it—a big +anxiety welling up in his heart and a world of responsibility with it; +but he clutched his carbine the more firmly and gave a backward glance, +his face softening as his eyes fell upon the wagon where little Ned and +Nell lay sleeping, and darkening with menace and suspicion as he took +one swift look at Manuelito, cowering there over the fire.</p> + +<p>"Blast that monkey-hearted greaser!" he muttered. "I believe he would +knife the whole party just to get the horses and slip away. I'll keep my +ears open to the west—but I'll have my eyes on you."</p> + +<p>Once out at his chosen station, Pike found himself in a position where +he could "cover" three important objects. Here, close at his right hand, +between him and the lake, the horses and mules were browsing peacefully +and as utterly undisturbed as though there were not an Apache within a +thousand miles. To his rear, about fifty yards, were the two wagons, the +little camp-fire and flitting restlessly about it the slouching form of +Manuelito. In front of him, close at hand, nothing but a dark level of +open prairie; then a stretch of impenetrable blackness; then, far away +towards the western horizon, that black, piney ridge, stretching from +north to south across the trail they had come along that day; and right +there among the pines—Pike judged it to be several miles south of the +road—there still glared and flamed that red beacon that his long +service in Arizona told him could mean to the Apaches only one +thing—"Close in!"—and well he knew that with the coming morn all the +renegades within range would be gathered along their path, and that if +they got through Sunset Pass without a fight it would be a miracle.</p> + +<p>The night was still as the grave; the skies cloudless and studded with +stars. One of these came shooting earthward just after he took his post, +and seemed to plunge into vacancy and be lost in its own combustion over +towards Jarvis Pass behind him. This gave him opportunity to glance +backward again, and there was Manuelito still cowering over the fire. +Then once more he turned to the west, watching, listening.</p> + +<p>Many a year had old Pike served with the standards of the cavalry. All +through the great civil war he had born manful, if humble part, but with +his fifth enlistment stripe on his dress coat, a round thousand dollars +of savings and a discharge that said under the head of "Character," "A +brave, reliable and trustworthy man," the old corporal had chosen to add +to his savings by taking his chances with Captain Gwynne, hoping to +reach Santa Fe and thence the Kansas Pacific to St. Louis, to betterment +of his pocket and to the service of one, at least, of his former troop +commanders. No coward was Pike, but he had visions of a far-away home +his coming would bless, where a loved sister's children would gather +about his knee and hear his stories of battle and adventure, and where +his dollars would enable him to give comforts and comfits, toys and +"taffee" to her little ones. Was he not conscious that her eldest boy +must be now fourteen, named for him, Martin Pike, and a young American +all through? It must be confessed that as the ex-corporal stood there at +his night post under the stars he half regretted that he had embarked on +this risky enterprise.</p> + +<p>"If it were anybody else now but old Gwynne," he muttered to himself, +"things wouldn't be so mixed, but he never did have any horse sense and +now has run us into this scrape—and it's a bad one or I'm no judge."</p> + +<p>Then he glanced over his shoulder again. Manuelito was shuffling about +the fire apparently doing nothing. Presently the ex-corporal saw the +Mexican saunter up to the wagons and Pike took several strides through +the timber watching before he said a word; yet, with the instinct of the +old soldier, he brought his carbine to full cock. Somehow or other he +"could not tolerate that greaser."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_3" id="illus_3"></a> +<img src="images/illus_3.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>MANUELITO WAS SHUFFLING ABOUT THE FIRE APPARENTLY DOING +NOTHING.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p>But the suspected greaser seemed to content himself with a cursory +examination of the forage and baggage wagon and presently came slouching +back to the fire again. He had some scrap of harness in his hand and +Pike longed to know what, but it was too far from his post of +observation. He decided to remain where he was. He must listen for the +captain. All the same he kept vigilant watch of Manuelito's movements +and ere long, when the fire brightened up a bit, he made out that the +"greaser" was fumbling over nothing else than a side line. Now what did +that mean?</p> + +<p>Pike took a turn through the little herd of "stock," bending down and +feeling the side line of each horse and mule. All were secure and in +perfect order. The one in Manuelito's hands, therefore, was probably +"Gregg's," or an extra "pair" that he had in his wagon. There was +nothing out of the way about that after all, so Pike resumed his watch +towards the west, where still the Apache beacon was burning.</p> + +<p>It must have been half after ten o'clock. Manuelito had slunk down by +the fire, and not a sound was to be heard except Jim's musical snore, +and a little cropping noise among the horses. Yet Pike's quick ear +caught, far out on the prairie to the west, the sound of hoofs coming +towards him.</p> + +<p>"When those Apaches named a horse 'click-click' they must have struck +one that interfered," he muttered. "Now that's old Gregg coming in, I'll +bet my boots, and there's not a click about his tread. 'Course there +might be on rock, instead of this soft earth. The captain's back sooner +than I supposed he'd come. What's up?"</p> + +<p>Quickly, crouchingly, he hurried forward some few rods, then knelt so +that he might see the coming horseman against the sky. Then challenged +sharp and low:</p> + +<p>"Who comes there!"</p> + +<p>"Captain Gwynne," was the quick answer.</p> + +<p>"That you, Pike? By jove, man! I've come back in a hurry. Are the horses +all right? I want to push right on to the Pass to-night."</p> + +<p>"Horses all right, captain. What's the matter back there?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't venture too far, but I went far enough to learn by my night +glass and my ears that those scoundrels were having a war-dance. Now the +chances are they'll keep it up all night until they gather in all the +renegades in the neighborhood. Then come after us. This is no place to +make a fight. It's all open here. But the road is good all the way to +Sunset, and once there I know a nook among the rocks where we can stow +our whole outfit—where there are 'tanks' of fresh water in abundance +and where we can stand them off until the cavalry get out from Verde. +Sieber said he'd have them humming on our trail at once. Tanner and +Canker and Lieutenant Ray are there with their troops and you can bet +high we won't have long to wait. It's the one thing to do. Rouse up Jim +and Manuelito while I give 'Gregg' a rest. Poor old boy," he said, as he +noted his favorite's heaving flanks. "He has had a hard run for it and +more than his share of work this day."</p> + +<p>In ten minutes Black Jim, roused by vigorous kicks, was silently but +briskly hitching in his team, Manuelito silently but suddenly buckling +the harness about his mules. Irish Kate, aroused by the clatter, had +poked her head from underneath the canvas to inquire what was the +matter, and, at a few words from the captain, had shrunk in again, +stricken with fear, but obeying implicitly.</p> + +<p>"Let the children sleep as long as possible, Kate," were Gwynne's +orders. "The jolting will wake them too soon, I fear, but we've got to +push ahead to Sunset Pass at once. There are Indians ten miles behind +us."</p> + +<p>A few minutes more and all was ready for flight.</p> + +<p>"Now, Pike, ride ahead and keep sharp lookout for the road. I'll jump up +here beside Jim and drive, keeping right on your trail. Old 'Gregg' will +tow along behind the wagon. He is too tired to carry any one else this +day—and you—Manuelito, hark ye, keep right behind 'Gregg.' Don't fall +back ten yards. I want you right here with us, and if anything goes +wrong with your team, or you cannot keep up, shout and we'll wait for +you. Now, then, Pike, forward!"</p> + +<p>An hour later in its prescribed order this little convoy had wound its +way through Jarvis Pass and was trotting rapidly over the hard but +smooth roadway towards the high Sunset range. The little ones had been +aroused by the swaying and jolting and were sitting up now—silent and +full of nameless fears, yet striving to be brave and soldierly when papa +threw back some cheery word to them over his shoulders. Never once did +he relax his grasp on the reins or his keen watch for Pike's dim, +shadowy form piloting them along the winding trail. Little Ned had got +his "Ballard" and wanted to load, but his father laughed him out of the +idea.</p> + +<p>"The Tontos were ten miles behind us, Ned, my boy, when we left Snow +Lake, and are farther away now. These mountain Apaches in northern +Arizona have no horses, you know, and have to travel afoot. Not a rod +will they journey at night if they can help themselves—the lazy +beggars!"</p> + +<p>And so the poor father, realizing at last the fruits of his obstinacy, +strove to reassure his children and his dependants. Little Nell was too +young to fully appreciate their peril, and soon fell asleep with her +curly head pillowed on Kate's broad lap. Ned, too, valiant little man, +soon succumbed and, still grasping his Ballard, fell sound asleep. In +darkness and silence the little convoy sped swiftly along, and at last, +far in the "wee sma' hours," Pike hailed:</p> + +<p>"Here we are, right in the Pass, captain! Now can you find that point +where we turn off the road to get into the rock corral?"</p> + +<p>"Take the lines, Jim; I'll jump out and prospect. I used to know it well +enough."</p> + +<p>Down the road the captain went stumbling afoot. Everything was rock, +bowlder and darkness now. The early morning wind was sighing through the +pines up the mountain side at the south. All else was silence.</p> + +<p>Presently they heard him hail:</p> + +<p>"Come on! Here we are!"</p> + +<p>Jim touched up his wearied team and soon, under the captain's guidance, +was bumping up a little side trail. A hundred yards off the road they +halted and Gwynne called back into the darkness:</p> + +<p>"How's Manuelito getting on, Pike?"</p> + +<p>No answer.</p> + +<p>The captain stepped back a few yards and listened. Not a sound of hoof +or wheel.</p> + +<p>"Pike!" he called. "Where are you?"</p> + +<p>No answer at all.</p> + +<p>"Quick, Jim, give me the lantern," he called, and in a moment the +glimmering light went bounding down the rocky trail, back to the road.</p> + +<p>And there the two soldiers met—Pike trotting up rapidly from the west, +the captain swinging his lantern in the Pass.</p> + +<p>"Where's Manuelito?" was the fierce demand.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_4" id="illus_4"></a> +<img src="images/illus_4.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"WHERE'S MANUELITO?"</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p>"Gone, sir. Gone and taken the mules with him. The wagon's back there +four hundred yards up the road."</p> + +<p>"My God! Pike. Give me your horse quick. You stay and guard my babies."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>ON THE ALERT.</h3> + + +<p>Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the +horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him +ride away into darkness.</p> + +<p>"Take care of the babies," indeed! The old trooper would shed his +heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang +of howling Apaches? It could only defer the moment of their capture and +then—what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old +Kate? Jim, of course, would do his best, but there remained now only the +two men to defend the captain's children and their nurse against a swarm +of bloodthirsty Tontos who were surely on their trail. There was no +telling at what moment their hideous war-cry might wake the echoes of +the lonely Pass.</p> + +<p>With all his loyalty, Pike was almost ready to blame his employer and +old commander for riding off in pursuit of the Mexican. It was so dark +that no trail could be seen. He could not know in which direction +Manuelito had fled. It was indeed a blind chase, and yet the captain had +trotted confidently back past the deserted wagon as though he really +believed he could speedily overtake and recapture the stolen mules. Pike +thought that the captain should stay with his children and let him go in +pursuit or rather search, but every one who knew Gwynne knew how +self-confident he was and how much higher he held his own opinion than +that of anybody else. "It is his confounded bull-headedness that has got +us into this scrape," thought poor Pike, for the twentieth time, but the +soldier in him came to the fore and demanded action—action.</p> + +<p>Knowing the habits of the Apaches it was his hope that they would not +follow in pursuit until broad daylight and that it would be noon before +they could reach the Pass. By that time, with or without the mules, +Captain Gwynne would certainly be back. Meanwhile his first duty seemed +to be to get the provisions from the wagon up to the little fastness +among the great bowlders where the children, guarded by poor, trembling +but devoted Kate, were now placidly sleeping—worn out with the fatigue +of their jolting ride from Snow Lake. She kept Black Jim with a loaded +rifle close by the side of the family wagon and prevented his falling +asleep at his post, in genuine darkey fashion, by insisting on his +talking with her in low tones. She kept fretting and worrying about the +absence of the captain and the non-arrival of Manuelito with his wagon. +She asked Jim a hundred questions as to the cause of the delay, but he +could give no explanation. It was with joy inexpressible, therefore, +that she heard Pike's well-known voice hailing them in cheery tones. He +wanted Jim.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_5" id="illus_5"></a> +<img src="images/illus_5.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3> HIS FIRST DUTY SEEMED TO BE TO GET THE PROVISIONS FROM +THE WAGON.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<p>"Where's the captain and the wagon?" demanded Kate in loud whisper.</p> + +<p>"Up the road a piece," answered Pike in the most off-hand way +imaginable. "We'll have it here presently but Jim'll have to help. We've +lost a linch-pin in the dark. Come along, Jim."</p> + +<p>"Shure you're not going to take Jim away and leave me alone with the +poor children. Oh, corporal, for the love of the blessed saints don't do +that!"</p> + +<p>"Sho! Kate. We won't be any distance away and there ain't an Indian +within ten miles. They wouldn't dare come prowling around at night. +Here, you take Jim's gun and blow the top of the head off the first +Apache that shows up. We'll be back in five minutes. How are the +kids—sleeping?"</p> + +<p>"Sleeping soundly, God be praised, and never draming of the awful peril +we're in."</p> + +<p>"Peril be blowed!" answered Pike stoutly. "We're safer here than we +could be anywhere east of the Verde and as soon as it's good and light +and the horses are rested, we'll be off for the Colorado Chiquito and +leave the Tontos miles behind. Take things easy, old girl, and don't +worry. Come along, Jim."</p> + +<p>And so away they went through the inky darkness, plunging along the +rocky and winding path by which they had brought the ambulance up the +steep. Not until they had got down into the road itself did Pike give +his negro comrade an idea of what had happened. Then, speaking low and +seizing the other's arm, he began:</p> + +<p>"Jim, old boy, we've got to pull together to-night. There's nothing the +matter with the wagon—that's all right, but that whelp Manuelito has +run off with the mules and the captain's put out after him. It'll be +daylight soon and he'll get the son of a gun—sure, and then hurry back +to join us; but the wagon lies just where I think you and I can start it +down the road and fetch it nearer camp. Then we can rake out what +provisions we want in case we have to stand a siege. See?"</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_6" id="illus_6"></a> +<img src="images/illus_6.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"JIM, OLD BOY, WE'VE GOT TO PULL TOGETHER TO-NIGHT."</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<p>Black Jim's eyes nearly popped from their sockets. He had been on scouts +with his master, and bragged prodigiously around garrison about how they +fought Tontos down along the Black Mesa and in the infested "Basin."</p> + +<p>To hear Jim talk one would fancy he had killed at least half a dozen +Indians in hand to hand encounters. Indeed he had behaved with +self-possession and a very fair degree of coolness in the two affairs +which Gwynne's troop had had when Jim happened to be along. But this was +different. Then they had forty or fifty veteran soldiers. Here—only old +Pike and himself were left to defend the position—and no one might say +how many Apaches might come along. Besides it was still dark (and +Napoleon said all men were cowards in the dark), though far in the east +a grayish pallor was creeping up from the horizon. Who could blame poor +Jim if his knees shook and his teeth chattered a little, but he went +manfully along by Pike's side and soon they reached the abandoned wagon.</p> + +<p>As luck would have it, Manuelito had stopped where the road began a +pretty sharp descent and Pike felt sure that if they could only start +the thing they could run the wagon almost opposite their hiding place. +Then it would be far easier to get the stores up the rocks. Taking the +pole himself and telling him to "put his shoulder to the wheel" Pike +sung out a cheery "Heave!" and, slowly at first, then more rapidly, the +vehicle with its precious freight came thundering down the rocky and +almost unused road. Pike had to hold back with all his might and to +shout for Jim to join him, but between them they managed to control the +speed of the bulky runaway and to guide it safely to a point not far +from their little camp. The old trooper rummaged about until he found +the lantern hanging under the seat. This he quickly lighted, and then, +loading a sack of barley for the horse on Jim's shoulders, and lugging a +box of hard bread under one arm and of bacon under the other, he led the +way up among the rocks until they reached Kate's "field hotel," as he +called it. There they dumped their load under the ambulance. Pike +whispered a jovial "Go to sleep, old girl. You're all safe" to the still +trembling Irish woman, then down they went for another load. This time +they came laden with a wonderful assortment. Coffee, sugar, condensed +milk, canned corned beef, potted ham, canned corn and tomatoes, some +flour and yeast powders, a skillet or two, the coffee pot, some cups, +dishes, etc., and these, too, were placed close to the ambulance, to +Kate's entire mystification; and then, sending Jim down for another +little load, Pike set to work to build a tiny fire far back in a cleft +in the rocks.</p> + +<p>"We'll all be glad of a cup of coffee now," he said to himself, "and so +will the captain; he should be brought back before day. We may have no +chance for cooking after the sun is up. Thank God, there's water in +plenty here in these hollows."</p> + +<p>Out in the Arizona mountains one may journey day after day in July or +August, and all through the fall and winter, and cross gulley, gorge, +ravine, cañon and water cross and find them all dry as a bone—not a +drop of water running. It is useless to dig below the surface, as one +could do in sandy soil and find water, for it is all rock. Indeed it +would be impossible to dig; nothing short of blasting would make an +excavation. But a kind Providence has decreed that the scout or traveler +should not be left to die of thirst. Here and there in the low ground or +in the ravines are deep hollows, in which the water has gathered during +the rainy season, and this is almost always palatable and sweet. One +only has to know where these "tanks" are, and he is all right. Both +Captain Gwynne and Pike had twice been over to the Pass before, and, +spending a day or more there scouting the neighborhood, had noted the +little nook among the great bowlders and the abundant supply of water. +It was God's mercy that this was the case.</p> + +<p>And now as he boiled his coffee in the little niche whence no betraying +gleam from his fire could shoot out across the gorge, Pike gave himself +over to a calm look at the situation. If the captain recovered the mules +and got back by sunrise—despite fatigue they could give them and the +horses a good feed of barley and then push for the Colorado Chiquito, +some twenty miles away. Once across that stream they were comparatively +safe, for the Apaches had a superstitious feeling against venturing +beyond. That country was considered as belonging to the Maqui Pueblo +Indians, of whom the wild Tontos stood a little in dread. Then, a little +further on, began the Navajo country, and the Navajos—once the most +fearless and intractable of mountain tribes—were now all gathered in at +their reservations about old Fort Defiance,—the richest Indians in +sheep, cattle and "stock" on the face of the globe. No Apache dare +venture on their territory, and white men, on the contrary, were safe +there. "If we can only get away before those scoundrelly Tontos get +after us," said Pike to himself. "Even if the captain doesn't get the +mules, we can abandon the wagon and the heavy luggage, cram the +ambulance with provisions and make a run for it to Sunset crossing. I +wonder which way that blackguard of a greaser did go. He would hardly +dare go back the way he came with every chance of running slap into the +Tontos. He has taken hard tack and bacon enough to keep him alive +several days. It's my belief he means to hide somewhere about Jarvis +Pass until he sees the Indians following our trail and then, when they +are fairly past, to make a run for the Verde. The cowardly hound!"</p> + +<p>Then Jim came stumbling up the path with his load and the lantern. Pike +gave him a big tin mug of steaming coffee and a couple of "hard tack." +Took another down to Kate, whom he pacified by saying that the captain +was with Manuelito and the mules and bidding her to lie down and get a +little sleep before day. Then he went back to Jim.</p> + +<p>"Now young man," said he, "I want you to listen carefully to what I say. +You had a nap last evening—a sound sleep in fact and I've not had a +wink. If I can get an hour or an hour and a half it will fetch me out +all right for the day's work. This coffee will freshen you up and keep +you awake. You stand guard until sunrise—until the sun is well up, in +fact, then call me. Keep your ears wide open; listen for every sound; if +it's the captain coming back you'll hear the hoof beats down there on +the road; if it's Apaches you won't hear anything. But you take my word +for it, Jim, they won't attempt to follow beyond Snow Lake to-night. +They can't be here before noon, and by that time we'll be miles away +towards the river. Don't get stampeded. Just keep cool; watch and +listen. If Kate asks anything more about the captain tell her he's down +by the wagon. It was too heavy to fetch up here. I don't want to make a +man lie, but we mustn't let her and those poor little kids know he's +away. Now are you game for it, Jim?"</p> + +<p>The negro mechanically took the rifle that Pike handed to him. "I'll do +my best, corporal," he said.</p> + +<p>"That's a trump! Now I believe I can rest easy," answered Pike, and so +saying he unrolled his blankets, spread them on the ground close by the +ambulance, looked to the chamber of his revolver to see that every +cartridge was all right, lay his rifle by the wheel, lay down and rolled +himself into his soldier bedding, and was asleep in three minutes.</p> + +<p>How long afterwards it was that he was aroused Pike could not begin to +guess. It seemed to him that he had not slept five minutes yet he had +had a good, long, refreshing nap, and now it was broad daylight. The sun +was shining brightly and Black Jim was bending over him; his finger on +his lips. Pike sat up and rubbed his eyes. The first question he longed +to ask was: "Has the captain got back?" but Jim pointed to the ambulance +and, listening, the old trooper heard childish voices, soft and low; +their bubbling laughter telling of their utter ignorance of the dread +anxiety which hovered over the camp. Kate, worn out, was evidently still +asleep and the children were chatting blithely together but taking care +not to disturb their kind old nurse. Little Ned poked his hand out +through the narrow space between the curtain and the frame of the door +and peeped through with one merry blue eye as he shook hands with Pike, +who had scrambled to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Where's papa?" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"He's all right, little man," answered Pike, smiling cheerfully up at +the bright boy face, though the old soldier's heart was heavy as lead. +"He's all right. He's down looking after the mules with Manuelito. You +and Nellie hungry? I'll get you some breakfast presently, but better let +old Kate sleep as long as she can."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to come out, corporal, and look around," whispered Ned.</p> + +<p>"Wait a little while, my lad. It's very early and the air is pretty +keen. I'll let you out presently. See if you can find papa's field +glasses in there anywhere. I want to take a look at the road with them."</p> + +<p>Ned withdrew his little brown fist and could be heard groping around the +dark interior. The captain had so arranged the seats in his "family +wagon" that they could be turned and flattened against the sides of the +vehicle, leaving a clear space in which there was abundant room for Kate +and the children to lie at full length and sleep in comfort, and this +was their tent and sleeping apartment. The captain and his party slept +as we always used to sleep when scouting in the dry season in Arizona, +without shelter of any kind, in the open air.</p> + +<p>Presently the little fellow re-appeared at the aperture.</p> + +<p>"Here it is, Pike," he whispered. "But you'll have to open the door to +get it out."</p> + +<p>Pike turned the handle, took the "binocular," gave Ned a jovial nod and +another shake of the hand, closed the door and strode away signalling +Jim to follow him. When they were out of earshot of the ambulance he +turned:</p> + +<p>"Have you heard nothing—no hoof beats?"</p> + +<p>"Not a thing," answered Jim. "We can't see the wagon from here, but I +could hear anything if anything had come."</p> + +<p>Pike looked wistfully back up the Pass. In one or two places the road +was visible from their lookout, winding and twisting around the rocks.</p> + +<p>Three hundred yards away it turned around the foot of a hill and from +that point was utterly lost to view. Pike looked at the sun, then at his +old silver watch. "After seven o'clock, by jove! and not back yet," he +muttered. "It's full time we were off for the Chiquito, but we can't +stir without the captain." Then he turned once more to Jim. "Water the +horses and give them a good measure of barley each, then put some dry +wood on those embers in the niche there—be sure and make no smoke—and +cook some breakfast for us all. I've got to go up to that point yonder. +From there I can see all over the open country to the west, and the +road, too, as far as Jarvis Pass. These glasses will show every moving +object to me, and I haven't a doubt I'll see the captain somewhere out +there in the distance coming back to join us. Darn the mules! I don't +much care whether he gets them or not, but I'd like about two minutes' +private interview with that blasted greaser."</p> + +<p>So saying, Pike got a pail of water from the "tank," liberally soused +his head, face and neck in the clear, cold water; then, throwing his +rifle over his shoulder, the brave fellow went springing down the +winding trail to the roadway and then strode westward up the Pass. A few +moments brought him to the base of the little hill, a short, sharp climb +brought him to its crest, and there, kneeling, he adjusted the glasses, +and for a long, long minute swept the open country and the winding road +lying before him in the bright sunshine. He could see every inch of the +way to Jarvis Pass, and when at last he lowered the glass he groaned +aloud: "My God! My God! There's not a living soul in sight."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_7" id="illus_7"></a> +<img src="images/illus_7.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"MY GOD! THERE'S NOT A LIVING SOUL IN SIGHT."</h3> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>ON THE WATCH.</h3> + + +<p>For fully half an hour poor old Pike remained there at his post of +observation, every now and then vainly scanning the plateau through his +field glass. Meantime he was talking over the situation to himself. "The +jig is up now. I've got to go back to camp presently. I'll have to tell +them the captain is still away and that I have no idea where he has +gone. I might just as well make a clean breast of it and admit that +Manuelito has deserted and gone off with the mules, and that the old man +(for by this half-endearing appellative the soldiers often spoke of +their captain) is in pursuit. I don't suppose he found their trail until +broad daylight anyhow." Then he looked back towards the nook in which +his precious charges were doubtless impatiently awaiting his return. He +could just see the top of the ambulance over the ledge of rock that hid +it from the road. "Jim is just giving them his breakfast about this +time," he went on with his self-communion. "They could not eat another +mouthful if I were to go back now with my bad news. Better wait until +they've had a square meal before I tell them. They can bear it better +then."</p> + +<p>Still the stout-hearted veteran would not give up hope. Again he swept +the road with his glass, searching wistfully for some little dust cloud +or other sign of coming horseman across the wide, open plateau, but all +was silence and desolation, and, at last, feeling that he must go back +to camp and get something to eat, he shouldered his rifle and went down +the hill, his heart heavy as lead.</p> + +<p>Of course it was still possible for him to hitch up the team and make a +run for it, with Kate and the children, for Sunset Crossing, but he felt +confident that neither Kate nor little Ned would listen to such a +project if it involved leaving the captain behind. There was yet a +chance of his old commander's returning in time. Although he was not to +be seen anywhere over the twenty-mile stretch towards Jarvis Pass it was +all the more probable that he might have found Manuelito's trail leading +into the mountains north or south of the gorge in which they were now +hiding. The Mexican had long been employed in the pack train and had +been up through this range towards Chevelon Fork—he had heard him say +so. Very probably, therefore, he had struck out for the old "short cut" +back to the Verde. It was impracticable for wagons but easy enough for +mules—and it lay, so Pike judged, ten or fifteen miles south of the +Pass. The very thing! It would be the most natural course for him to +follow since the signal fire west of Snow Lake had showed them the +evening previous that the Indians were on their trail. Doubtless the +captain had reasoned it out on the same line and ridden southward along +the western base of the range until he had overtaken his treacherous +employé. A huge shoulder of the mountain shut off the view in that +direction, but the theory seemed so probable to Pike that his spirits +began to rise again as he struck the road Why! It might readily be that +at this moment the captain was not more than a mile or two away, and +hurrying back, fast as the mules would let him, to join the loved ones +whom he had left at camp.</p> + +<p>"It's a theory worth banking on for an hour or two at least," said Pike +to himself. "By Jinks! I'll swear to it as long as it can possibly hold +good. There's no use in letting them worry their hearts out—those poor +little kids. God be with us and help me to bring them safely through!" +And so, much comforted in spirit, the old trooper—half New England +Puritan, half wild frontiersman—strode briskly down the road, +determined that he would make no move for the Colorado until he knew +from the evidence of his own eyes that the Apaches were coming in +pursuit.</p> + +<p>The shortest way from Jarvis Pass to the point where they now lay +resting, was by way of the road along which they had come the night +before, on both sides of which, as has been said, the country lay +comparatively clear and open for miles to both north and south. Pike +felt certain that with the aid of his glass he could see the Indians +almost as soon as they got out upon the plain and while still many a +long mile away. Then there would be abundant time to bundle their +supplies into the ambulance, run it back to the road, stow Kate and the +children safely in the interior and whip up for "the Chiquito," leaving +their pursuers far behind. What a mercy it is, thought Pike, that these +Tontos have no horses! The captain, too, he argued, even if he had not +started before, would have an eye on that road wherever he was, and +would gallop for camp the moment he saw the distant signs of the coming +foe.</p> + +<p>Even as he trudged along, whistling loudly now by way of conveying an +idea of jollity to the anxious little party at the ambulance, Pike's +keen eyes were scanning the mountain sides. North of the Pass the ground +did not begin to rise to any extent until fully half a mile away, but +southward the ascent began almost at the roadside and was so steep as to +be in places almost precipitous. A thick growth of scrub oak, cedar and +juniper covered the mountain and here and there a tall tree shot up like +some leafy giant among its humbler neighbors; and, standing boldly out +on the very point where the heights turned southward, was a vertical +ledge of solid rock. Pike stopped instantly. "Now that's a watch-tower +as is a watch-tower!" he exclaimed. "I'll scramble up and have a look +from there before I do another thing." So saying he left the road and +pushing his way among the stunted trees and over rocks and bowlders he +soon began a moderately steep climb. Long accustomed to mountain +scouting, the craft of the old Indian fighter was manifest in his every +movement. He carefully avoided bending or breaking the merest twig among +the branches, and in stepping he never set foot on turf or soft earth, +but skipped from rock to rock, wherever possible, so as to leave no +"sign" behind him. It was more a matter of habit than because he +believed it necessary to conceal his trail from the Indians in this +case. No human being on earth can follow an enemy, like an Apache; a +bent twig, a flattened bit of sod, even a tiny impression in the loose +sand or rocky surface will catch his eye in an instant, and tell him +volumes. Pike knew well that there was no such thing as hiding the trail +of his party, and thinking of them he stopped to take breath and look +down. Their little fastness was hidden from him by the trees, but he +could see the baggage wagon down in the road, and, being unwilling to +have Kate and the little ones worrying about his long continued absence, +he set up a loud and cheery shout.</p> + +<p>"Hullo—o—o Jim!"</p> + +<p>Jim's voice came back on the instant. "What d'you want?"</p> + +<p>"Just save a little breakfast for the captain and me, will you? We'll be +hungry as wolves when we get in."</p> + +<p>"Is papa there?" piped up little Ned in his childish treble.</p> + +<p>"No—he's down around the west side. He'll be in presently. I look for +him every minute. He's all right, Ned."</p> + +<p>"Where you at?" shouted Jim again in his southern vernacular.</p> + +<p>"Up here on the hill. I'm going a piece farther to look at a big rock. +I'll be down in ten or twenty minutes."</p> + +<p>And so having cheered and re-assured them, Pike pushed on again. A few +minutes' sharp climbing brought him to the base of the ledge which +proved to be far bigger and higher than he had supposed, and all the +better for his purpose. Clambering to the top he could hardly repress a +shout of exultation. Not only had he now a commanding view of all the +plateau over to the ridge through which wound Jarvis Pass, but he could +even see over beyond towards Snow Lake, while northward for several +miles the western foothills of the range were open to his view. It was +by long odds the best lookout he could have found and he only regretted +that his view southward was still shut off. Adjusting his binocular he +again gazed long and carefully over all the plain and especially along +the western edge of the range to the north, but the search was fruitless +as before. Not a living, moving object was in sight.</p> + +<p>Finding an easy descent on the side farthest from camp and opposite that +on which he had clambered to the top Pike half slid, half swung himself +to the base again, and there he came upon a sight that filled his soul +with joy. From base to summit the ledge was probably fifty feet in +height and was so far tilted over on the western side as to have an +overhang of at least fifteen. More than this, there was a great cleft +near the base and an excavation or hollow running inwards and downwards, +perhaps fifteen feet more. Pike went in to explore, and, to his farther +satisfaction, found a "tank" where the water had gathered from the +melting snows and in the rainy season. He tasted it and found it cool +and fresh, and then, sprawling at full length, he drank eagerly.</p> + +<p>"What a find!" he almost shouted, with glee. "We can store Kate and the +children back in there, throw up a little barrier of rock at the front +with loopholes for our rifles. Not a bullet or arrow can reach us from +any direction except the tops of those trees yonder, and God help the +Tonto that tries to climb 'em. And, even if the captain don't come, by +Jinks! we can stand off all the Apaches in Arizona. It won't be more +than three days before Al Sieber will be galloping out with a swarm of +the old boys at his back, and if Jim and I, in such a fort as this, +can't lick Es-Kirninzin and his whole gang, call me a 'dough boy!'"</p> + +<p>The more he explored, the better was Pike pleased with the situation, +and in five minutes he had made up his mind what to do. The little nook +in which the party had been hiding was all very well for the night and a +good refuge for the horses as well as the human beings, but in broad +daylight the Indians would have no difficulty in finding and surrounding +it, and there was hardly any space within its rocky walls which would be +safe from bullet or arrow when once the assailants got up the hillside. +Here, however, they could stand a siege with almost perfect safety. From +above or from the flanks the Indians could not reach them at all, and if +they attacked from the front—up hill—nothing but a simultaneous and +preconcerted rush of the whole band could succeed, and Pike knew the +Apache well enough to feel secure against that possibility.</p> + +<p>Now it was possible to wait for the captain indefinitely. If he got back +in abundant time for them to load up and push out for the Colorado +Chiquito before the Indians reached the Pass—well and good. If he did +not—well, thought Pike, from here I can see the scoundrels when they +are still miles away, and all we've got to do is stock this cave with +blankets, provisions and ammunition, build our breastwork and let 'em +come. "With Kate and the kids out of harm's way, back in that hole, I +wouldn't ask anything better than to have those whelps of Tontos trail +us up here and then attempt to rout us out. We'd make some of 'em sick +Indians; wouldn't we, old girl?" wound up the ex-corporal apostrophizing +his Henry rifle.</p> + +<p>Greatly elated over his discovery, Pike went scrambling down the rocky +hillside in the direction of camp. He no longer took any precautions +about concealing his "trail." He well knew that in the two or three +trips it would take to bring their stores and then Kate and the children +up to the cave, such "signs" would be left that the Apaches could follow +without the faintest hesitation.</p> + +<p>Five minutes brought him into the midst of his charges, and here for a +moment the stout-hearted soldier was well nigh unmanned. Instantly he +was besieged with eager and anxious inquiry about papa, and poor little +Nellie, who had come running eagerly forward when she heard his cheery +voice, looked wistfully beyond him in search of her father, and seeing +at last that Pike had come alone, she clasped her little arms about his +knees and, looking imploringly up in his face, burst into tears and +begged him, amid her sobs, to say why papa did not come. Bending down, +he raised her in his strong arms and hugged her tight to his heart.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_8" id="illus_8"></a> +<img src="images/illus_8.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>BENDING DOWN HE RAISED HER IN HIS STRONG ARMS.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>"Don't cry, little sweetheart," he plead. "Don't worry, pet. Papa isn't +far away. He's coming soon and I've got such a beautiful playhouse for +you and Ned and Kate up there on the hill. We won't go up just now, for +we all want to be here to give papa his breakfast when he comes in. And +my! how hungry I am, Nellie! Won't you give old Pike some coffee now, +and some bacon and <i>frijoles</i>?"</p> + +<p>Nellie, like a little woman, strove to dry her tears and minister to the +wants of her staunch old friend, the corporal. Ned manfully repressed +his own anxiety and helped to comfort his little sister, but Kate +retired behind the ambulance and wept copiously. She knew that something +must be wrong. No mere matter of a mule astray would keep the captain +from "the childer" all this long while. Black Jim had set the coffee pot +and skillet again on the coals and in a few moments had a breakfast +piping hot, all ready for the present camp commander who, meantime, +slung aside his slouch hat and neck-handkerchief, rolled up his sleeves +and was giving himself a plentiful sluicing of cold water from one of +the "tanks" below them. Then, as he went up to take his rations, he sung +out gaily to Ned:</p> + +<p>"Here, Ned, my boy. We ought to have a sentry posted to present arms to +the captain when he comes in. Get your rifle and mount guard until I get +through here." And Ned, proud to be so employed, and out in the Indian +country, too, was presently pacing up and down on the side nearest the +road, with all the gravity and importance of a veteran soldier.</p> + +<p>Pike made great pretence of having a tremendous appetite and made little +Nell help him to coffee twice, refusing to take sugar except from her +hand. Once during his repast, poor old Kate came forth from behind the +ambulance, and with her apron to her eyes slowly approached them, but +the trooper sternly warned her back, saying no word but pointing +significantly to the ambulance. He did not mean to have the little ones +upset by the nurse's lamentations. His "square meal" finished, he asked +Nellie to see to the breakfast for her father being carefully kept in +readiness and then, sauntering off towards the road, called Jim to +follow him.</p> + +<p>Then, while they were apparently examining the bolts of the baggage +wagon, he gave the darkey his instructions.</p> + +<p>"Jim, I don't know when the captain will get back or how far he's gone, +but I haven't a dread or fear of any kind now. Up there where you see +that big gray rock I've found a cave that is the most perfect defensive +position I ever saw. No bullet can reach it from any point, and on the +contrary, from the mouth of the cave, we command the whole hillside. Now +if those Apaches are bound to follow, they ought to be along here about +noon. If the captain gets here in plenty of time we'll pull out for the +Chiquito. If he doesn't I mean to move the whole outfit up to the cave. +I want you now to roll and strap all the blankets; to get the provisions +and everything of that kind in shape so that we can easily 'pack' them, +then I'm going back to the top of the rock to keep a look out. I can see +way beyond Jarvis Pass, and if the Indians are following I'll spot them +before they get within ten miles of us. See?"</p> + +<p>Quarter of an hour later Pike was once more on the top of the rock. +First he glanced at his watch. Just nine o'clock. Then he sprawled at +full length upon the blanket he had brought with him, levelled his +glasses and, resting his elbows on the rock, gazed long and earnestly +over the winding road. Presently he sat up, whipped off the red silk +handkerchief about his neck, carefully wiped the eye and object glasses +of his binocular and his own tired old eyes and, once more prone on his +stomach, gazed again; then twisted the screw a trifle as though to get a +better focus; gazed still another time; lowered the glass; rose to his +knees, his eyes gleaming brilliantly and his teeth setting hard; once +more levelled the glass and looked with all his soul in his eyes and +then slowly let the faithful binocular fall to the blanket by his side +as he spoke aloud:</p> + +<p>"By Jove! They're coming."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>THE PRISONER.</h3> + + +<p>What Pike saw, far over on the plateau towards Jarvis Pass would perhaps +have attracted no attention from tourist or casual looker through a +field glass, but to him—an old trooper, Indian fighter and mountaineer, +it conveyed a world of meaning. Against the dark background of that +distant ridge and upon the dun-colored flat along which the road +meandered, the old corporal could just make out a number of dingy white +objects—mere specks—bobbing and twinkling in the blazing sunshine. +Nothing of the kind had been there when he looked before and he knew +only too well what it meant. Those dirty white specks were the +breech-clouts and turbans worn by nearly all the Tonto warriors in +preference to any other head-gear or clothing,—a cheap cotton cloth +being always kept in abundant supply at the agencies solely for their +use. Some of them, it is true, wore no turban at all, their luxuriant +growth of coarse black hair tumbling about their shoulders and trimmed +off in a "bang" just level with their fierce, beady eyes, being all the +head covering they needed. But the breech-clout was universal and some +few even wore loose cotton shirts. These, with the moccasin and leggin +invariably worn, the leggin generally in a dozen folds at the ankle, +made the war toilet of the intractable Tonto. There was none of the +finery of the proud warriors of the plains—the Sioux, Cheyenne or +Crow—but for all that, when those Apaches took to the war-path, the +soldiers used to say, "It meant business."</p> + +<p>"They will be here in three hours at the rate they're coming; three +short hours, too, for those beggars can keep up a jog trot all day long. +Now for it! captain or no captain."</p> + +<p>With that brief soliloquy Pike slid down from his perch, and for the +second time that morning made his way down the hillside and back to +camp. Here he found Kate and the children as full of eager and anxious +inquiry about papa as before, and could only comfort them by saying that +the mules must have run far to the south and were proving more than +ordinarily obstinate about coming back. Still, he said, papa is sure to +be here before noon, and indeed he hoped, and more than half believed, +that such would be the case. Knowing the danger that menaced his little +ones, it could not be that the captain would not use every endeavor to +get back to them before the Indians could reach the Pass.</p> + +<p>Jim had obeyed his instructions to the letter. There were the two big +rolls of blankets, securely strapped; there were the supplies; the +bacon, bread, <i>frijoles</i>, coffee, sugar, canned meats and vegetables. +Even some jams and jellies for the children, together with the coffee +pot, skillets, plates, cups and saucers all stowed away in the big iron +kettle that hung under the wagon and in a pail or two, ready to be +plumped into the ambulance if a start was to be made for the river, or +"toted" up the hill if the order was to take to the cave. And then the +irrepressible propensity of the negro had cropped out again. There lay +Black Jim peacefully snoring in the sunshine, oblivious of all danger.</p> + +<p>"Now, Kate, as the captain has my horse, I'm going to borrow his +awhile," said Pike. "I want to ride down the range a little way and see +if I can't help him home with the mules. You are perfectly safe here. +Just as safe, at least, as you would be if I were with you. I wouldn't +go and leave you if it were not absolutely necessary, as I believe it to +be. You'll take care of her, won't you, Ned, my boy?"</p> + +<p>The little fellow looked up bravely. "Nellie and I aren't afraid," he +said. "Only we do want papa to come and get something to eat. Jim told +me not to let the fire go out and I put on a little dry wood now and +then."</p> + +<p>But Kate sat with her apron to her eyes, rocking to and fro in +speechless misery and dread, Nellie striving vainly to comfort her. All +unconscious of the coming peril, the little ones were fearless and +almost content. They had no sympathy for their old nurse's terror. Pike +stopped and spoke once again to Kate before riding away, but in ten +minutes, mounted on a fresh and spirited horse, with his rifle athwart +the pommel and the field glasses in their case swinging by their strap +from his shoulder, he cantered boldly up the Pass and was soon well out +upon the open plain. His idea was to ride straight out to the west along +the road, five or six miles and more if necessary, scour the country +southward with the glasses in search of Captain Gwynne, and if he saw +nothing of him to get near enough to the advancing Apaches to see about +how large a party they were, then to whirl about, put spurs to his +horse, ride like the wind for camp, get Kate, the children, Jim and the +blankets and provisions up to the cave and be all ready for the Tontos +when they came. "Gregg" was curveting and prancing even now, eager for a +gallop, but Pike's practised hand kept him down to a moderate gait and +in this way he rode steadily westward towards a distant rise in the +midst of the undulating plateau, and there he felt confident he could +see all that there was to be seen. It was just ten o'clock when he +reined in at the top of a gentle ascent and unslung his glasses. First +he looked towards Jarvis Pass to see how far away were the enemy and how +many in number. Despite the windings of the road and occasional stunted +trees or bushes, the first glance through the binocular placed them at +once. Yes, there they were in plain view—certainly not more than four +miles away. Not only could he count the breech-clouts and turbans now, +but the swarthy, sinewy bodies could be made out as they came bobbing at +their jog trot along the trail. "Twenty-five in that party at least," +muttered Pike, "and coming for all they're worth. But what on earth are +they bunched so for? There seems to be half a dozen in a clump, right in +the middle of the road." Long and earnestly he studied them; a strange, +worried expression coming into his face. Then, just as he had done at +the rock, Pike wiped the glasses and his own eyes, and then gazed again.</p> + +<p>"By heaven!" he muttered at last. "That's a prisoner, sure as fate, that +they are lashing and goading along ahead of them. Who on earth can it +be? Oh, God grant it isn't the captain!" Rapidly then he swept the +plateau southward, searching the foothills of the range south of the +Pass, his whole heart praying for some glimpse of horse and rider, but +it was all unavailing. Then, with one more look at the coming foe, poor +Pike turned, with almost a groan of misery and anxiety, gave "Gregg" one +touch of the spur and a flip of the reins, and away he flew at full +speed back to his duty at the Pass. One minute he reined in as he neared +the gorge to note the direction taken by Manuelito. There were the +tracks of the two mules, and running southward out across the open +plain, but the captain had turned south almost the instant he had got +out from among the foothills. His trail started parallel with the range. +Surely then he ought to have returned to camp by this time.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_9" id="illus_9"></a> +<img src="images/illus_9.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>AWAY HE FLEW AT FULL SPEED.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>And now, as once again he neared the little fastness in the rocks, Pike +drew rein and rode at easy, jaunty lope down the Pass. He would not +alarm his charges by hoof-beat that indicated the faintest haste. When +he and "Gregg" came into view no one of the anxious watchers could have +dreamed for an instant that he had seen a horde of fierce Apaches +hastening to overtake them.</p> + +<p>"Just as I thought," he sung out cheerily. "The captain went right down +the range to the south and the mules strayed off across the plateau, so +they missed each other and he won't come back till he gets them. It's +all right, but I expect he's pretty hungry by this time." Then, +springing from the saddle, he picked little Nell up in his arms:</p> + +<p>"And now, baby, you want to see the beautiful house I found for you, +don't you? We'll all go up and take a look at it and have lunch up +there—and lots of fun—while we wait for papa." And then with a kiss he +set her down and stalked over to where Jim was still snoring in the +sunshine!</p> + +<p>"Wake up, Jim!" he cried, giving him a lively shake or two. "Wake up and +give me a lift here. Nellie wants to see her stone house."</p> + +<p>It took some hard shaking—it generally does—to rouse the darkey from +his slumber, but Jim presently sat up, rubbed his eyes, looked around +him, and then, as though suddenly recovering his faculties, sprang to +his feet.</p> + +<p>"Unsaddle 'Gregg' and put the saddle, bridle and blanket with the other +stuff, Jim," whispered Pike. "We must take our horse equipments and +harness with us. We've got to move up to the cave. No hurry, mind you. +You fetch the blankets first. I'll carry Nellie."</p> + +<p>Then calling to Ned to bring his Ballard—there were lots of squirrels +up the hill—a fiction that can hardly have been very heavily charged +against him, Pike quickly lifted Nellie to his shoulders and strode off +up the rocks. "You come, too, Kate. It's quite a climb but it'll do you +good," he shouted, and presently he had his whole procession strung out +behind him and clambering from bowlder to bowlder. Long before they +reached the ledge they had to let poor Kate recover breath and, after +one or two halts of this kind, Pike sent Jim ahead with the blankets and +bade him come back at once and tow, push or "boost" the stout Irishwoman +to their destination. At last the rock was reached, Ned and Nellie +shouting with delight over the wonderful cave and speedily making +themselves at home in its inmost recesses, Kate breathless and exhausted +and bemoaning the fates that brought her on such an uncanny trip. The +blankets were spread out on the smooth surface of the rock within the +great, gloomy hollow. Jim was sent down for another load while Pike +clambered up to his watch-tower and took a long look with his glass. The +Indians had not yet reached the rise from which he had counted their +numbers at ten o'clock.</p> + +<p>In an hour more all the provisions they could need for several days, +more blankets and pillows, all the arms and ammunition, all the harness +and horse equipments had been lugged up to and safely stowed in and +about the cave. "They'll burn the wagons, blast them!" muttered Pike to +himself, "but we can leave the horses there. They won't harm them +because they will want them to get away with in case they find the +cavalry on their trail. The chances are the horses can be recovered, but +darn me if I'll let 'em have saddle, bridle or harness to run off +anything with." Then once more he had climbed to his post and was +diligently watching the road, while Jim, obedient to orders, was rolling +rocks and bowlders around to the opening of the cave.</p> + +<p>"What's thim for?" demanded Kate.</p> + +<p>"Corporal Pike's goin' to build a wall here to keep out the bears," said +Jim, with lowered voice and a significant glance at the children +prattling happily together at the back of the cave, and poor Kate knew +'twas no use asking questions.</p> + +<p>And now, through the glasses, Pike could see the Tontos gathered on the +low hillock which had been the western limit of his morning ride. They +seemed to have come suddenly upon "Gregg's" hoof prints and to have +halted for consultation. Full half an hour they tarried there and the +children began to clamor for the promised luncheon. Sauntering down by a +roundabout way the veteran picked up an armful of dry twigs, sticks and +dead boughs and tossed them down at the mouth of the cave. Then, behind +the rock, he built a small fire of the dryest twigs he could find, +explaining that he didn't want smoke in the dining room, and soon had +his skillet heating and his kettle of water at the boil. Jim was +directed to cook all that was needed for luncheon and to have plenty for +the captain, who would be sure to come back mighty hungry in course of +the afternoon, and the corporal was speedily at his post again. What +could it mean? The Tontos were still hanging about that little hill six +miles out there on the plain. Was it possible they had abandoned the +pursuit?</p> + +<p>Noon came; one o'clock, two o'clock. They had all had luncheon, and Pike +had been scrambling up and down the rock like a monkey, and still there +was no forward movement of the foe. Every time he looked they were still +lounging or squatting, so he judged, about the stunted trees on the +knoll, and there was nothing to explain the delay. It must have three +o'clock when at last the binocular told him they were again in motion +and coming rapidly toward him. He could see the dirty white +breech-clouts floating in the breeze and could almost distinguish the +forms of the warriors themselves. Leaving his glass on the top of the +ledge he slid down to the base again, called quietly to Jim, and the two +men set to work to build their breastwork. Bowlders big and little, +rocks of every possible shape and size were all around them, and in +three-quarters of an hour they had a stout parapet fully four feet high, +whose loopholes commanded the approach up the hillside, and yet were +secure from fire from above, below or either flank. Then back he went to +his watch-tower.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_10" id="illus_10"></a> +<img src="images/illus_10.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>THE TWO MEN SET TO WORK TO BUILD THEIR BREASTWORK.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>The instant he adjusted the glass and levelled it at the road, Pike gave +vent to an expletive that need not be recorded here, but that indicated +in him a most unusual degree of excitement. No wonder. The Tontos were +now in plain view—only two miles and a half out there on the +plain,—and though they were spread out, as a rule, to the right and +left of the road, quite a number of them came jogging along the road +itself, and right in the midst of these, led by an Indian in front and +guarded by two or three in rear—were the missing mules. Even at that +distance Pike could swear to them. On they came, rapidly, relentlessly, +well knowing that even if their human prey had escaped them the big +wagon must be somewhere about the Pass and loaded still with provisions. +Nearer—nearer jogged the leaders; but now the old trooper was carefully +studying a dark object on the back of the foremost mule—a pack of some +kind—and marvelling what it could be,—wondering, too, what they had +done with their prisoner. He was sure they had one as they came along +that morning. At last they were within a mile of the heights and the +western entrance to the Pass, and now their speed slackened. They began +opening out farther and farther to the right and left, and the nearer +they came to the foothills the slower and steadier became their advance. +The mules and their attendants were kept well in the background and for +the life of him Pike could not tell what that queer looking "pack" could +be. Slowly, steadily, the Tonto skirmish line came on. Every moment +brought them nearer to the mouth of the Pass. The sun was low down in +the west and threw long shadows of the approaching foe before them. +Little by little, crouching, almost crawling, the more daring spirits +among them would give a spring and a rapid run to the front of forty or +fifty yards. Evidently they expected to be greeted with a sharp fire +somewhere about the Pass, and did not dare push ahead in their usual +order. And now they had reached the entrance to the defile. Two or +three, as flankers, remained well out to the right and left among the +trees; two or three stole cautiously ahead down the road. Pike watched +their every move, yet found himself every few seconds fixing his gaze on +that foremost mule now placidly cropping the scant herbage while the +skirmish line pushed ahead. Presently a signal of some kind was given +and repeated. The Indians in charge of the mules hastened with them to +the mouth of the Pass, and as they did so, that singular pack came +closer under Pike's powerful glass.</p> + +<p>"It's their prisoner," he uttered. "They have driven and goaded him +until he fainted from exhaustion. Then they had to wait for the mules to +be brought up to the hillock—then lashed the poor fellow upon the back +of one of them and pushed ahead." For some purpose of their own they +were keeping him alive, and death by fearful torture was something to be +looked forward to in the near future. The corporal continued to gaze as +though fascinated until the leading mule got almost under him, and then +he gave a groan of helplessness and misery as he exclaimed, "My God! My +God! It's Manuelito!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>MANUELITO'S FATE.</h3> + + +<p>For ten minutes Pike remained at his post of observation on top of the +rock, watching the Indians as they slowly and cautiously moved down the +Pass in the direction of the abandoned camp. The children, worn out with +their play, and the fatigues of the climb, were sleeping soundly in the +little cave on the peak,—Nellie, with her fair head pillowed in patient +Kate's lap. Black Jim, too, was lying where the sun shone full upon him, +and snoring away as placidly as earlier in the morning.</p> + +<p>Kate, far back in the cave, had no idea what was going on in the Pass +below; but her soul was still filled with dread and anxiety. The old +trooper knew well that just as soon as the Indians came to the wagons +and found them abandoned, their first care would be to secure all the +plunder from them possible. Then they would probably dispose of +Manuelito after their own cruel designs; and then, if darkness did not +come on in the meantime, they would probably begin their search for the +fugitives. There would be no difficulty to Indian trailers in following +their track up the mountain side; of this Pike was well assured. But the +wary old trooper had taken the precaution, every time that he and Jim +had gone to and from the camp, to take a roundabout path, so as to bring +their trail around the base of the mountain in front of the cave, and in +this way the Indians in following would come directly in front of their +barricade at the mouth and from sixty to a hundred yards down the hill +and within easy range and almost sure shot of the defenders.</p> + +<p>And now, peering down into the road far below, Pike could see that the +leading Indians had come in sight of the big baggage wagon and that they +were signalling to those in the rear, for almost instantly three or four +sinewy, athletic young fellows sprang up among the trees and bowlders on +the north side of the Pass, and crouching like panthers, half crawling, +half springing, they went flitting from rock to rock or tree to tree +until lost to the view of the lone watcher on the great ledge, but it +was evident that their purpose was to reconnoitre the position from that +side, as well as to surround the objects of their pursuit should they +still be there. Almost at the same instant, too, an equal number of the +Tontos came leaping like goats a short distance up the slope towards +Pike's unconscious garrison, but speedily turned eastward, and, adopting +precisely the same tactics as those of their comrades across the road, +rapidly, but with the utmost stealth and noiselessness, bore down on the +abandoned nook.</p> + +<p>"Mighty lucky we got out of that and found this," muttered Pike. "It +won't be five minutes before they satisfy themselves that there is no +one left to defend those wagons or the horses—and the moment they +realize it there'll be a yell of delight."</p> + +<p>Sure enough! After a brief interval of silence, there came from below a +shout of exultation, answered instantly by triumphant yells from the +Indians in the roadway, and echoed by a wail of mortal terror from poor +Kate, crouching below in the cave. Pike lost no time in sliding down the +rocks and striving to comfort her. Nellie, clinging to her nurse, was +terrified by the sounds. Little Ned, pale, but with his boyish face set +and determined, grasped once more his little Ballard rifle, and looked +up in the corporal's face as much as to say: Count on me for one of your +fighting men! Trembling, shivering and calling on the blessed saints, +poor Kate stood there wringing her hands, the very personification of +abject fright. Jim, coming around to the mouth of the cave, spoke +sternly to her; told her she ought to be ashamed of herself for setting +so bad an example to little Nell. "Look at Ned," he said, "see how the +little man behaves; his father would be proud of him." And then Pike +spoke up. "Don't worry, don't be so afraid, Kate; they have got all they +want just now. They'll just plunder and gorge themselves with food, and +then they will have Manuelito to amuse themselves with. It is getting +too late in the day for them to attempt to follow us. They have got too +much to occupy themselves with anyhow. Don't you worry, old girl; if +they do come this way, as they may to-morrow morning, we'll give them a +dose that will make them wish they had never seen a Yankee."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_11" id="illus_11"></a> +<img src="images/illus_11.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>NELLIE, CLINGING TO HER NURSE, WAS TERRIFIED BY THE +SOUNDS.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>The Indian shouts redoubled; every accent was that of triumph. They were +evidently rejoicing over the rich find in the ambulance and the baggage +wagon. Of course a great deal of property had been left there for which +Pike's party would have no possible use up here in the cave, and this +included plenty of food. The horses, too, delighted the Tontos, and, as +Pike said, they would doubtless be occupied some little time with the +division of the spoils, and longer in having a grand feast.</p> + +<p>Looking down the road he could see the two mules browsing peacefully +side by side, Manuelito still lashed to the back of one of them. Two +young Indians stood guard over him and their four-footed captives; but +even these fellows were by no means forgotten, for every now and then +Pike could see their friends running back to them with something to eat +and, after exchanging a word or two, hurrying again to the wagons.</p> + +<p>After a while poor Kate, partially assured by Pike's words, but more +shamed into silence by the bravery of little Ned, subsided into a corner +of the cave, and there seated herself, moaning and weeping, but no +longer making any outcry. Pike decided that it would be necessary for +him to go once more to his watch-tower, and as far as he could, watch +the programme of the Apaches the rest of the day. Before starting, +however, he called up Jim and gave him his instructions: "You see that +the sun is almost down. The chances are that they will be so much +interested in what they have found that darkness will settle down upon +us before they fairly get through with their jubilee. Then, again, it +may be that the bloody hounds will have some fun of their own with poor +Manuelito to-night. I've no sympathy for the scoundrel, but I can't bear +the idea of one who has served with us so long being tortured before our +very eyes. We can't help it, however, there are only two of us here, and +our first object is to protect these poor little children, and that +wretched old Kate of a nurse there. Stay here with your rifle behind the +barricade. I'll whistle if any Indian attempts to follow our trail; then +I'll come down here as quickly as possible. But keep a bright lookout +yourself. Watch those trees down there to the front. Note everything +occurring along the road as far as you can see. There goes one of the +beggars back to that point now. Even in the midst of their fun they +don't neglect precautions. See! he's going to climb up there on that +little hill just where I was watching this morning. Yes, there he goes. +Now you will see him lie down flat when he gets to the top, and peer +over the rocks to the west. What he is looking out for, I don't know, +but it may be that they expect the cavalry even more than we do. They +possibly have had signal fires from the reservation warning them that +the cavalry have already left the Verde. I hope and pray they have. Now, +keep up your grit, Jim; don't let anything phaze you. If you want help, +or see anything, whistle, and I'll come down."</p> + +<p>Already it was growing darker down the gorge. Pike could see that the +Apaches had lighted a fire in the road close to the wagons. Evidently +they were going to begin some cooking on their own account, and were +even now distributing the provisions they had found. Two of them had +released Manuelito from the mule, and the poor devil was now seated, +bound and helpless, on a rock by the roadside, looking too faint and +terrified to live. The captain's field glass revealed a sorry sight to +the old soldier's eyes as he peered down at the little throng of savages +about the baggage wagon, now completely gutted of its contents; and +though he despised the Mexican as a traitor and thief and coward, it was +impossible not to feel compassion for him in his present awful plight. +There was something most pitiable in the fellow's clasped hands and +abject despair. He had lived too long in Arizona not to know the fate +reserved for prisoners taken by the Indians, and he knew, and Pike knew, +that, their hunger once satisfied, the chances were ten to one they +would then turn their attention entirely to their captive, and have a +wild and furious revel as they slowly tortured him to death.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_12" id="illus_12"></a> +<img src="images/illus_12.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>THE POOR DEVIL WAS NOW SEATED, BOUND AND HELPLESS, ON A +ROCK BY THE ROADSIDE.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>The sun had gone down behind the range, far over to the west, as Pike +reached once more the top of his watch-tower, and every moment the +darkness deepened down the Pass. Up here he could not only see the +baggage wagon in the road, but the top of the ambulance, and two of the +horses were also visible, and occasionally the lithe forms of the Tontos +scurrying about in the firelight. Evidently the old cook fire in the +cleft of the rocks had been stirred up and was now being utilized by +half the band, while the others toasted the bacon and roasted <i>frijoles</i> +down in the road. The yells had long since ceased. Many of the warriors +were squatting about the baggage wagon gnawing at hard bread or other +unaccustomed luxuries, but those at the ambulance were chattering like +so many monkeys and keeping up a hammering, the object of which Pike +could not at first imagine, until he suddenly remembered the locked box +under the driver's seat, the key of which was always carried by the +captain. Then a flash of hope shot over him as he recalled the fact that +when they left their station Captain Gwynne had stowed away in there +three or four bottles of whiskey or brandy. It would take them but a +little while, he knew, to break into the enclosure, and then there would +be a bacchanalian scene.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that it were a barrel instead of a bottle or two," groaned Pike. +"As it is there's just enough to exhilarate the gang and keep them, +singing and dancing all night; but a barrel!—that would stupefy them +one after another and Jim and I could have gone down and murdered the +whole crowd. Not one of 'em would ever have known what hurt him."</p> + +<p>Ha! a sound of crashing, splitting wood. A rush, a scuffle—then a yell +of triumph and delight. Every Indian in the roadway sprang to his feet +and darted off up the rocks to swell the chorus at the ambulance. Even +Manuelito's guard left his prisoner to take care of himself and ran like +a deer to claim his share of the madly craved "fire water." A few years +before and most of them hardly knew its taste, but some of their number +had more than once made "John Barleycorn's" acquaintance and had told +wondrous tales of its effects. In less than a minute, with the single +exception of their sentry on the hill, every Tonto was struggling, +shouting, laughing and leaping about the family wagon, and Pike knew +from the sounds that the captain's little store of liquor was rapidly +disappearing. Every moment the noise waxed louder and fiercer as the +deep potations of the principal Indians did their poisonous work. There +were shrill altercations, vehement invective and reproach; Pike even +hoped for a minute that there had been enough after all to start them +fighting among themselves, but the hope was delusive. All was gloom and +darkness now in the Pass except immediately around the two fires. He +could no longer see Manuelito or the mules, but suddenly he heard a +sound of a simultaneous rush and an instant after with hideous shouts +and yells the whole band leaped into view and went tearing down into the +road and up to the rocks where their helpless prisoner still sat bound +and helpless—more dead than alive—and Pike heard the shriek of despair +with which the poor fellow greeted his now half crazy captors.</p> + +<p>"My God!" groaned the old soldier, "it is awful to have to lurk here and +make no move to help him. He would have cut all our throats without a +twinge of conscience, but I can't see him tortured nor can I lift a hand +to save him. And here's Kate, and those poor little ones. They can't +help hearing his cries and shrieks. What an awful night 'twill be for +them! No use of my staying up here now. I must go down to them."</p> + +<p>Far back in the black recesses of the cave he found them,—Nellie +trembling and sobbing with her head pillowed in Kate's lap and covered +with a shawl so as to shut out, if possible, the awful sounds from +below. The Irishwoman, too, was striving to stop her ears and was at the +same time frantically praying to all the saints in the calendar for help +in their woeful peril, and for mercy for that poor wretch whose mad +cries and imprecations rang out on the still night air even louder than +the yells of his captors. Manful little Ned sat close by his sister's +side, patting her arm from time to time with one hand while he clung to +his rifle with the other. The boy did not shed a tear, though his voice +trembled and his lips quivered as he answered Pike's cheery words. Jim +knelt at his post at the stone breastwork keeping vigilant watch, though +his teeth chattered despite his best efforts, and his eyes were +doubtless bulging out of their sockets.</p> + +<p>"You mustn't be sitting here all in the dark," said Pike. "Keep up a +little fire, Ned, my boy. It's so far back and so far up the hill that +the Indians cannot possibly see the light it may make even were they to +come around to the east side of the mountain. They won't to-night, +though. They've found papa's stock of whiskey and brandy and are already +half drunk. They'll lie around there all night long and never come +hunting for us until after sunrise to-morrow, if they do then. We'll +just have fun with these fellows until the cavalry come from Verde, as +come they will, I haven't a doubt, now that papa has found that he was +cut off and has ridden back on the trail to meet and hurry the troops. +He knows well that you and Jim and I could take care of Nellie and stand +off these beggars until he could reach us. Now, light the lantern and +stow it in that niche yonder. And you, Kate, lie down and cover yourself +and the children with blankets. I'm going out where I can watch what +they're doing."</p> + +<p>So saying, Pike took his rifle and the field glasses and, after a word +with Jim, passed around to the east front of the ledge. It was too dark +to enable him to venture down the bowlders, or to attempt to climb again +to the top of the rock, but he found a spot among the stunted trees from +which he could just see the back part of the baggage wagon and the +Apaches flitting about it in the light of their fire. Leveling his +glasses he could make out that several of the Indians were grouped about +some object in the road, and presently one or two came running to the +spot with buckets of water which they dashed over a prostrate form. It +was Manuelito, who had probably fainted dead away.</p> + +<p>Then, as the Mexican apparently began to recover his senses, he was +lifted roughly from the ground and borne, moaning and feebly struggling, +towards the wagon. Into this he was tossed head foremost, so that only +his feet and legs were visible to the anxious watcher up the hill. +Securely bound, and already half dead from the tortures inflicted on +him, unable to move hand or foot, the poor wretch lay there, alternately +praying and weeping. What the next move of the Apaches would be was not +long a matter of doubt. The whole band, with the exception of their +sentinels, were now dancing and leaping about their captive, singing +some devil-inspired chant, which occasionally gave place to yells of +triumph. Presently the younger men began piling up wood under the back +of the wagon—under the Mexican's manacled feet; and then brands and +embers were thrust underneath. Pike turned sick with horror and +helplessness at the sight, for he knew instantly what it meant. The +wagon was to be the wretched Manuelito's funeral pyre. They meant to +burn him to death by inches. Suddenly a bright flame leaped up from the +bottom of the stack of fuel; broader, brighter, fiercer it grew until it +lapped up over the floor of the wagon. A scream of agony rang through +the Pass, answered by jeering laughter and fiendish yells. The next +minute the whole band were circling round the wagon in a wild war-dance; +their yells, their savage song, completely drowned the shrieks of the +tortured man. The whole wagon was soon a mass of flames, and more fuel +was added. Presently the rear axle came down with a crash, sending +showers of sparks whirling through the night air, and Pike turned away +faint and trembling.</p> + +<p>Another instant, however, and every faculty was on the alert, every +nerve strung to its highest tension, and the old soldier sprang back to +the cave in answer to Jim's call.</p> + +<p>"Look!" whispered the negro. "Look down there! There's some one moving +among those rocks."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>PIKE'S STRANGE DREAM.</h3> + + +<p>Kneeling behind their rocky barrier the two men silently peered into the +darkness down the hill. The great ledge of rock under which they were +hiding concealed from their view the burning fires of the Indians down +in the roadway to the east. But the reflection of the fire could be +plainly seen on the rocks and trees on the north side of the Pass. Here +and there stray beams of light shot through the firs and cedars and +stunted oaks that lay below them among the bowlders; and somewhere down +among these little trees, watchful Jim declared that he had seen +something white moving cautiously and stealthily to and fro. Pike +closely questioned him, whispering his inquiries so as not to catch the +ears of Kate or the children, but Jim stoutly declared that he could not +be mistaken. He had marked it twice, moving from place to place, before +he had quit his post and called to the corporal to come and verify for +himself what he was sure he had seen. For a few moments Pike thought +that it might be the Apache sentinel who had, possibly, left his +position on the little hill across the road, and was seeking on his own +account some clue to the whereabouts of the fugitives from the camp. +Pike had seen one or two Indians running up the road to where the +sentinel was stationed in order to give him some of the plunder which +they had taken from the wagon, and it was now so dark that he could no +longer see objects out on the plain, and, as he could hear approaching +horsemen just as well on this side of the road as on that, it was quite +possible that this Indian was the cause of Jim's warning.</p> + +<p>Several minutes passed without either of them seeing anything. Then +suddenly Jim's hand was placed on the corporal's arm, and in a low, +tremulous voice he whispered: "Look! Look!"</p> + +<p>Following with his eyes the direction indicated by Jim's hand, Pike +could just see, probably two hundred or two hundred and fifty yards away +down the hillside, something dirty white in color, very slowly and very +stealthily creeping from one bowlder to another. The tops and crests of +the trees and bowlders, as has been said, were tinged by the light of +the fires still burning down in the roadway. The Indian yells were +gradually ceasing as, one after another, seemingly overcome by the +liquor that they had been drinking, they subsided into silence. A number +of them, however, still kept up their monotonous dance, varied every now +and then by a yell of triumph; but the uproar and racket was not to be +compared with what had been going on during the torture to which +Manuelito had been subjected before they had mercifully, though most +horribly, put an end to his sufferings.</p> + +<p>Nothing but the embers of the wagon and the unconsumed iron work, of +course, now remained in the road. Pike judged too that the ambulance had +been burned, and that nothing remained of that. But all thought as to +what was going on among the Indians in the Pass was now of little +account as compared with the immediate presence of this object below +him. Could it be one of the Apaches? Could it be the sentinel from the +other side? Its stealthy movements and the noiseless way in which it +seemed to flit from rock to rock gave color to his supposition, and yet +it appeared unnatural to Pike that any one of the Indians should +separate himself from his comrades and go on a still hunt in the dead of +the night for traces of their hated foes.</p> + +<p>"I cannot see it now," whispered Jim. "Where is he gone?"</p> + +<p>"Behind that big rock that you see touched by the firelight down yonder. +Our trail is just about half way. Look! There it is again! Nearer, too, +by fifty yards. I wish he'd get on top of one of those bowlders where +the light would strike him. Then we might make him out. By Jove! He's +coming up the hill. Whatever you do, don't fire. I'll tend to him."</p> + +<p>With straining eyes they watched the strange, stealthy approach of the +mysterious object. Every now and then it would totally disappear from +sight and then, a moment or two afterwards, could again be dimly seen, +crouching along beside some big rock or emerging behind the thick +branches of some stunted tree. Nearer it came until Pike was sure it +must have reached the "trail" they had made in their journeys up and +down the hill.</p> + +<p>"I never saw an Apache that could move about in the dark as quickly as +that fellow. Jim, by Jimminy, I'll bet it's no Indian at all!"</p> + +<p>"What is it, then?" muttered Jim, whose teeth would chatter a little. He +had all a darkey's dread of "spooks" and was more afraid of a possible +ghost than an actual Tonto.</p> + +<p>"That's a lynx or a wild-cat, man! They have a dingy white coat to their +backs, in places at least, and you've only stirred up some mighty small +game. See here, Jim, you're getting nervous. I'll have to call Ned out +here with his little Ballard to take your place if you are going +to—There! What did I tell you?"</p> + +<p>A heap of fresh fuel—probably dry cedar boughs—had just been thrown on +the coals by some of the determined dancers down in the road and a broad +glare of firelight illumined the Pass. Again the rocks and trees down in +front of the cave were brilliantly tinged, and, as though determined to +have a good look at these strange "goings on," there suddenly leaped +from the darkness and appeared in view upon the flat top of one of the +biggest bowlders a little four-footed creature gazing with glowing eyes +upon the scene below.</p> + +<p>"There's your Indian, James, my boy," softly laughed Pike and, turning, +he called back into the cave:</p> + +<p>"Ned, are you asleep?"</p> + +<p>"No," was the prompt answer. "Do you want me, Pike?"</p> + +<p>"Come here and I'll show you a pretty shot for your Ballard."</p> + +<p>Ned was at his side in an instant, bringing his little rifle with him, +and the old soldier pointed down the hill.</p> + +<p>"That's what Jim took for an Apache," he said.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_13" id="illus_13"></a> +<img src="images/illus_13.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"THAT'S WHAT JIM TOOK FOR AN APACHE."</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>"So did you, Pike; you needn't try to make fun of me," was Jim's answer, +half surly, half glad, because his fears were now removed.</p> + +<p>"Is it a panther?" whispered Ned. "Oh!—can't I take a pop at him?"</p> + +<p>"Not a shot. It would simply be telling those blackguards where we were +hiding and spoil all the fun I expect to have in the morning. That's no +panther; they have a tawny hide; but it's the biggest catamount or +wild-cat I ever set eyes on. Now go back to Kate, bundle up in your +blankets and keep warm and go to sleep. Jim and I stand guard to-night."</p> + +<p>And, obediently, the boy crept away. Pike looked after him with +moistening eyes—all his jovial, half-laughing manner changing in an +instant.</p> + +<p>"God bless the little man! He's as brave and plucky as a boy could be, +and hasn't so much as whimpered once," muttered the ex-corporal to +himself. "What would I not give to know where his father was this +night!"</p> + +<p>Then he turned to Jim who had somewhat sulkily drawn away to the other +end of the little parapet.</p> + +<p>"Come back, Jim, my boy. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he said. +"You were perfectly right in keeping such close watch on everything and +anything the least suspicious and I was wrong if I ridiculed it. Now +we've got to divide the night between us. You lie down at once and go to +sleep. I'll keep guard till one or half past; then you relieve me until +daybreak."</p> + +<p>And Jim, nothing loth, crept back towards the glowing coals and rolled +himself in his heavy blanket, leaving the old corporal to his solitary +reflections, and these were of a character so gloomy, so full of anxiety +and dread, that one only marvels how he was able to keep up, before Kate +and the children, the appearance of jollity and confidence that had +marked throughout this trying day his whole demeanor.</p> + +<p>"I would give anything to know where the captain is to-night!" again he +muttered as his weary eyes gazed over the jagged hillside below him. The +Indian fires were waning again and the gleams of light on rock and tree +were growing fainter and fainter. The sounds of savage revelry, too, +were more subdued, though a hoarse, monotonous chant came up from below. +As has been said, Pike's watch-tower and fortress was fully a quarter of +a mile south of the road and about a third of a mile from the abandoned +camp, but in the absolute silence that reigned in every other quarter +the sounds from the Apache war-dance in that clear mountain air were +almost distinctly audible. The awful groans and cries of Manuelito were +still ringing in his ears, and, to himself, the old soldier confessed +that his nerve was not a little tried by the fearful sights and sounds +of the early evening. It was poor preparation for the fight that he felt +morally certain would speedily follow the rising of the morrow's sun, +but Pike had been through too many an Indian war and in too many tight +places before to "lose his grip," as he expressed it, now.</p> + +<p>"If I only had those poor little kids safe with their father nothing +would suit me better than to be here with four or five of the old +'Troop' and let the whole of the Apache nation try to rout me out," he +said to himself. "Even as it is, I'm bloodthirsty enough now, after what +I've seen and heard to-night, to be impatient for their attack. By gad! +we've got a surprise in store for them if only Jim don't get stampeded."</p> + +<p>Turning to listen for sounds from his little garrison, Pike could +distinguish two that were audible and that prevailed above all or any +others: Kate was tearfully moaning and praying aloud; Jim placidly +snoring.</p> + +<p>"That nigger could lie down and go to sleep, by thunder, if he knew the +world was coming to an end in less than an hour. I'll have to watch here +till nearly dawn and have the strongest coffee I can brew all ready for +him or he'll be going to sleep on his post and letting those hounds +crawl right upon us. Coffee's a good idea! I'll have some myself."</p> + +<p>So saying the veteran stole back into the cave, noiselessly filled the +battered coffee-pot and set it on the coals, said a few reassuring words +to Kate and begged her to remember him in her prayers, laughed at her +doleful and despairing reply and returned to his post.</p> + +<p>All quiet. Even the wild-cat had disappeared and there was now no longer +light by which he could have detected the creature. Pike almost wished +he hadn't gone, for, as he grimly said, the fellow might have been good +company and kept him from getting sleepy. Little by little the Indian +chant was getting drowsy and the weird dancers, some of the younger +braves, tired of the sport when there were neither admiring squaws or +approving old chiefs to look on. The chiefs in this case, of course, had +consumed the greater portion of the whiskey and were now sleeping off +its soporific effects, and the youngsters could only remain where they +were, keep watch and ward against surprise, and make no move in any +direction until their elders should be themselves again, unless the +sudden coming of enemies should compel them to rouse their leaders from +their drunken slumbers and skip like so many goats for the highest parts +of the mountain.</p> + +<p>Looking at his watch as he sipped his tin of coffee Pike noticed that it +was now eleven o'clock. "Oh, if I only knew that all was well with the +captain," he muttered. "And if I only knew where Sieber and the cavalry +were to-night."</p> + +<p>Not until after two o'clock in the morning did the old soldier decide +that it was time to "turn over the command" and seek a little rest +himself. He knew that he would not be half fit for the responsibilities +of the coming day unless he could get a few hours' sleep, and as Jim had +now been snoring uninterruptedly for over four hours, Pike concluded to +call him, give him some strong coffee and some sharp instructions, and +put him "on post." It took no little shaking and kicking to rouse the +boy, but presently he sat up, just as he had done at the ambulance, with +the yawning inquiry, "What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"Nearly half-past two, Jim, and your turn for guard. Stir out here, now. +Douse your head with some of this cold water. It will freshen you up. +Then I'll give you a good tin of coffee."</p> + +<p>Jim obeyed, and after stumbling stupidly around a moment, and then +having a gourd or two of water dashed over his face and neck, he +pronounced himself all right and proceeded to enjoy the coffee handed +him.</p> + +<p>"Now, Jim," said Pike, "the wild-cat's gone, and no Apaches will be apt +to prowl up here to-night, but I want you to keep the sharpest lookout +you ever did in all your life—not only over their movements down in the +road, but for cavalry coming from the west. There's just no telling how +soon those fellows may be out from Verde, and when they come we want to +know it. The Indians have their sentries out, so they evidently expect +them. Watch them like a hawk, but don't give any false alarm or make any +noise. Let me sleep until it begins to get light, then call me. Now, can +you do it?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I can, corporal, but where are you going to sleep?"</p> + +<p>"Right here by you. I'll hand your blankets and mine out by the parapet, +so that if you want me, all you have to do is put out your hand. If you +are chilly, or get so towards daybreak, throw that saddle blanket over +your shoulders."</p> + +<p>For a long time, despite fatigue and watching, Pike could not get to +sleep. He lay there looking up at the stars shining in the clear heavens +and thinking how peaceful, how far removed from strife or battle, they +seemed to be. Then he kept an eye on Jim, and was glad to note that the +darkey seemed alert and aware of his responsibilities, for every few +minutes he would creep out and peer around the shoulder of the ledge +where he could get a better view of anything going on down in the road, +and, after half an hour of this sort of thing, he reported to Pike that +he "reckoned the whole gang had gone to sleep down there." The old +trooper assured him, however, that some must be on the alert and warned +him to relax in no way his vigilance, and then at last wearied Nature +asserted her rights, and the soldier fell asleep.</p> + +<p>Four o'clock came,—five o'clock,—and there had been no sound from +below. Then, far in the east the skies began to hoist their colors in +honor of the coming Day God, and rich crimson and purple soon blended +with the richer gold, and all around the rocky fastness the pale, wan +light of the infant morn stole over rock and tree, and still old Pike +slept, but not the deep, restful slumber of three hours before. He was +dreaming, and his dreams were troubled, for his limbs were twitching; he +rolled over and moaned aloud; inarticulate sounds escaped from his lips; +but still, as one laboring with nightmare, he could not wake—could not +shake off the visions that oppressed him. In his sleep he saw, and saw +beyond possibility of doubt, that the Apaches were hurriedly rousing +their comrades; that they were quickly picking up their rifles and then +nimbly speeding up the rocks; that even as they came towards him up the +mountain side several of their number went crouching along towards the +east and eagerly watching the roadway through the Pass, and, following +their fierce eyes, he could see, winding up the gorge, coming at a trot, +a troop of the longed-for cavalry—coming not from the west, as he had +expected, but from the direction of the magnificent sunrise that flashed +on their carbines and tinged the campaign hats with crimson. At their +head rode two officers, and one, he knew at once, must be his old +captain, but why that bandage about his head? Why the rude sling in +which his arm was carried? Plainly visible though they were to him, the +Apaches were completely hidden from the approaching troops. Two minutes' +ride brought the leaders to the smouldering ruins of the baggage wagon, +at sight of which, and the charred and unrecognizable body in their +midst, his captain had groaned aloud, then forced his "broncho" up the +rocky path to where they had made their camp, and then, when he saw the +ruined ambulance and all the evidences of Apache triumph, he reeled in +his saddle and would have fallen headlong had not two stout troopers +held him while their young lieutenant thrust a flask of brandy between +the ashen lips; and then in his wild vision Pike saw them ride on and on +up the road right beneath them—only a quarter of a mile away—never +heeding, never looking for him and his precious charges. He strove to +shout: he screamed aloud, yet only a suffocated groan seemed to issue +from his lips; he shouted to Jim to fire and so attract their attention, +but there was no response; and then, in his agony, he started up, wide +awake in an instant, and, hurling off his blankets, seized his rifle and +sprang to his feet.</p> + +<p>Broad daylight; sunbeams dancing through the trees; and there, doubled +up at the back of the parapet, lay that scoundrel Jim—asleep on guard. +One vehement kick and curse he gave him: then peered over the barrier +down the rocky hillside. God of heaven! what a sight met his eyes! The +Apaches were almost on them.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_14" id="illus_14"></a> +<img src="images/illus_14.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>ONE VEHEMENT KICK AND CURSE HE GAVE HIM.</h3> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>THE CAPTAIN'S RIDE.</h3> + + +<p>It is high time now that we should hear something of Captain Gwynne +himself, and leave for the time our little garrison in the cave at +Sunset Pass. Let us follow the movements of the father for whom the +children were so anxiously and tearfully praying.</p> + +<p>Galloping away on Pike's horse in close pursuit, as he supposed, of +Manuelito and the mules, the captain had turned south the moment he +cleared the rocky buttresses that formed the western gateway to the +Pass. He had reasoned that the Mexican would not dare go back along the +road on which they came, because in so doing he must infallibly run +straight into the Apaches, who were following in pursuit. Knowing, as +did Pike, that Manuelito was well acquainted with the short cut through +the mountains down to the valley of the Verde, miles to the south of the +winding and roundabout way on which they were compelled to come by road; +knowing, too, that this trail was far to the south of where they had +seen the Indians' signal fires,—Gwynne's whole idea seemed to be that +Manuelito would take the shortest line to reach that rough but easily +known trail. He did not hesitate, then, a moment in turning short to the +south, and riding confidently along to the western foothills, expecting +every moment to hear the bray of the mules or the sound of their hoof +beats. He knew that the moment these creatures heard the hoof beats of +his own horse, they would be almost sure to signal. Just what to do with +Manuelito himself, he had not yet determined; but it was his purpose to +force him back to camp at the point of the pistol, if necessary; then to +bind him to the wagon; make him drive, at least until they reached Fort +Wingate over in New Mexico beyond the Navajo Reservation, and turn him +over there to the military authorities for such disposition as they +might choose to make of him. Of course, he would have no further +employment in Arizona, for his character was blasted forever. Mile after +mile, however, the captain rode without hearing one of the anticipated +sounds, and the further he rode the lighter it grew. Far down, to the +south, now, he could dimly see objects that looked like four-footed +creatures, moving rapidly. Unluckily, he had with him only a light, +short-ranged pair of glasses, and he could not distinctly make out what +they were; but believing that they could be nothing but Manuelito and +the mules, he put spurs to his weary horse, and pushed rapidly in +pursuit—wondering, however, how it was that the Mexican, with the +slow-moving mules, could have got so far to the front. Five miles +further he rode and by that time the sun was up above the mountains of +New Mexico, over to the east, and lighting up the whole plateau to his +right. By this time, too, the objects, of which he had been in pursuit, +had totally disappeared from his sight, and looking around him he could +see nowhere sign of hoof or any trail that would indicate that the mules +had come that way. However, as he might be anywhere from ten yards to +ten miles from the exact line Manuelito traveled, this gave him no +concern. He decided that he would push on until he came upon the cavalry +trail up which he had ridden a year before on an expedition with their +good guide Sieber to Chevelon Fork. By this time, too, he knew that he +must be twelve miles from camp, and that in all probability the Indians +had left their position west of Snow Lake, and were already coming in +pursuit. He dreaded to think of the peril in which his children might +be; but he had every confidence in Pike; he believed in Jim's pluck and +fighting qualities, and he reasoned that it would be one or two o'clock +before the Indians could possibly reach the Pass, and that he could +easily get back long before that time. Riding, therefore, still further +to the south, he pursued his search for an hour longer, and then came +suddenly upon a sight that thrilled his heart with hope and joy. Right +before him, coming across the southern edge of the plateau, and winding +up the mountains to the left, was an unmistakable cavalry trail, not +more than a day or two old. Evidently some troop was out from Verde and +had taken the old short cut to Chevelon Fork, expecting by that route to +make the quickest time to the Sunset crossing of the Colorado River. In +all probability this was one of the troops coming out in search of and +to succor him and his party. Reining his jaded horse to the left, the +captain rapidly followed on the trail. He reasoned that the four-footed +creatures that he took to be the mules were in all probability a portion +of the pack-train of the troop that had so recently passed along, or it +might be one or two troopers who had been making scouts to the right or +to the left of the trail, and were now following the main body. All +thought of pursuing Manuelito further was abandoned. His sole object was +to overtake, as quickly as possible, the little command of cavalry that +he knew to be in his path, and then to guide them by the shortest line +back to Sunset Pass, and to the defence of the dear ones there awaiting +him. If he had good luck, he might catch them before they had gone many +miles. The trail he knew would speedily lead him over into the valley of +Chevelon Fork, and following this they would emerge on the east side of +the mountain. Perhaps it might be fortunate that he did not overtake +them until they were east of the range; for the Apaches would certainly +not expect the cavalry to come from the Colorado side of the mountain; +but would be looking for them from the west, and the chances, therefore, +would be all the more in favor of their dealing them a crushing blow, +and punishing them as they deserved for their assault on defenseless +women and children.</p> + +<p>On, on he rode, urging his horse as rapidly as it was possible for him +to go over the rocky, broken trail. Two hours' ride brought him no +nearer, apparently, to the comrades he was pursuing. Three hours' ride +brought him down into the valley of Chevelon Fork and half way through +the range. It was not until one o'clock that he found himself at such a +point that he could look forward and see part of the country toward the +Colorado Chiquito; but not a vestige of the cavalry or pack-train was +anywhere in sight, and his horse was now so weary that he could only +answer with a groan the touch of the spur, and could not by any +possibility accelerate his speed. Two o'clock came, and the anxious +father found himself, he knew not how many miles away from Sunset +Pass,—away from the children so anxiously praying for him, and awaiting +his coming.</p> + +<p>He was growing faint from long fasting, and the horse was so jaded that +the captain dismounted and was fairly towing him along behind him with +the bridle rein. In this way they had slowly and painfully climbed a +steep and rocky ascent where the trail seemed to make a short cut across +a deep bend of the stream, and reaching the summit they stopped to rest, +panting hard with fatigue. Again the captain resorted to his little +glasses and looked long and eagerly over the broad stretch of country to +the east, but it was all in vain. No living creatures were in sight.</p> + +<p>Directly in front, the trail wound downwards over an incline so steep +that it looked as though horses and mules could never have made those +hoof tracks, but that only goats could have gone that way. The poor old +bay looked piteously at his master as though imploring him not to force +him to undertake that steep descent, but Gwynne could show no mercy now. +He had come too far to turn back. His only hope, if he could not find +the scouting party, was to make his way along the east side of the range +back to the little camp in Sunset Pass. He prayed God to watch over and +protect his little ones, and then, with almost a sob rising to his +throat, he tried to speak cheerfully to poor "Mac;" he patted the +drooping head of his faithful old servitor and, calling to him to +follow, he pressed forward, and half sliding, half stepping, he began +the steep descent. The poor horse braced his fore feet and stiffened his +knees and came skating over the loose slate after him. All went +tolerably well until they were about two hundred feet from the rushing +waters of the fork, foaming and swirling over the rocks below, and +there, coming upon a sharp point around which they had to make their +way, Gwynne had taken only three or four steps downward and was about to +turn and speak encouragingly again to "Mac," when the horse's fore feet +seemed to shoot from under him; he rallied, gathered himself, stumbled, +and then, plunging heavily forward, crashed down upon his master, rolled +completely over him, and then went sliding and pawing desperately to the +edge of the rocky precipice, over which he shot, a huge, living bowlder +and fell with a thud upon the jagged rocks below. For some minutes +Gwynne lay where he had been hurled, stunned and senseless; then he +slowly revived, found that his left arm was severely wrenched and +bruised, and that the blood was streaming from a long gash in his +forehead. Slowly and painfully he made his way to the foot of the steep, +bathed his head in the cool waters and bound it up as well as he could +with his big silk handkerchief. He was fainter, weaker now, than he had +been before, but never for an instant could he forget the little ones at +the Pass.</p> + +<p>"Oh, God help me and bring me back to them in time," he prayed; and +then, holding his maimed left arm in his right hand, and with one +backward look up the cañon at the now lifeless carcass of poor "Mac," he +staggered wearily on, following the trail of the cavalry.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_15" id="illus_15"></a> +<img src="images/illus_15.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>WITH ONE BACKWARD LOOK HE STAGGERED WEARILY ON.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>Late that evening, just as darkness was settling down over the valley of +the Colorado Chiquito, the soldiers of a little detachment, chatting +gleefully around their bivouac fires and sipping their fragrant coffee, +were startled by the sudden sight of a man with ghastly, blood-stained +features and dress, who reeled blindly into their midst and then fell +forward upon his face, to all appearances dead.</p> + +<p>Some of them, believing Indians to be upon them, sprang for their arms; +others bent to the aid of the stricken man. They turned him over on his +back, brought water and bathed the blood from his face, and then a +sergeant cried:</p> + +<p>"My God! What can have happened? It's Captain Gwynne! Here, Murphy, call +the lieutenant, quick!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_16" id="illus_16"></a> +<img src="images/illus_16.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"MY GOD! WHAT CAN HAVE HAPPENED? IT'S CAPTAIN GWYNNE!"</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>In an instant the young officer commanding the party came running to the +scene and bent breathlessly over the senseless form.</p> + +<p>"It is Captain Gwynne," he said; "bring more water. Go to my pack, one +of you, and get the sponge you'll find there. Fetch me my flask, too. +Which way did he come? Did none of you see?"</p> + +<p>"None, sir. The first we knew he was right over us. He never spoke a +word, but fell like a log."</p> + +<p>And then the rough-looking, bearded, anxious faces hovered about the +prostrate man. His heart-beats were so faint that the young officer was +terribly alarmed. No surgeon was with the little party and he hardly +knew what to do. The whiskey forced down Gwynne's throat seemed +powerless to revive him. Full an hour he lay almost motionless, then +little by little the pulse grew firmer and respiration audible. At last +there was a long, deep sigh, but still he did not open his eyes. +Consciousness returned only very slowly, and when Mr. Hunter had called +him by name time and again and begged him to speak, he sighed even more +deeply than before, the lids slowly drew back, and the almost sightless +eyes looked feebly around. Then, with sudden flash of memory, the poor +captain strove to rise. "My babies!" he moaned; "my babies!"</p> + +<p>"Where did you leave them, captain? Tell us. I'll send for them +instantly," said Hunter. "Sergeant, saddle up right off. This means +something."</p> + +<p>More whiskey, a long draught, and more cold water, presently revived him +so that he could speak collectedly.</p> + +<p>"I left them with Pike—in the Pass. My Mexican ran away with the +mules—followed and found your trail—my horse fell on me and then +rolled over a precipice—killed. I've come on foot ever since."</p> + +<p>"Thank God, you're here safe anyhow! Now lie still. I'll leave a guard +with you and we'll go as fast as we can through the darkness and find +Ned and Nellie."</p> + +<p>"No! no! I must go. I will go, too. See, I can stand. Give me a horse."</p> + +<p>And so, finding him determined and rapidly regaining strength, Hunter +made the captain eat all he could bear to swallow then, and, stowing +more food in their saddle bags, away went the gallant little troop +hurrying through the starlit night for Sunset Pass and rescue.</p> + +<p>But the way was long; road or trail there was none. Over rugged height, +through deep ravine, they forced their way, but not until all the sky +was blushing in the east did they come to the old Wingate road, and the +gloomy entrance to the Pass. Up they rode at a steady trot, Gwynne and +Hunter leading, and, at a sudden turn of the road, far in towards the +western side, their horses recoiled, snorting with fear, from a heap of +smouldering embers, in the midst of which lay a fearful something,—the +charred and hissing body of a human being. Gwynne groaned aloud at the +sight and then drove his horse up a rocky pathway to the left, the +others following. There lay the smoking ruins of an ambulance with +scraps of clothing heaped about on every side, and here the stricken +father's waning strength left him entirely. With one heartbroken cry, +"My babies—my little ones. They are gone! gone!" he was only saved from +falling by the prompt action of two stalwart troopers.</p> + +<p>In ten minutes, supporting the fainting soldier as best they could, the +detachment was marching rapidly westward.</p> + +<p>"Sieber with the scouts can't be farther away than Jarvis Pass. We'll +meet him," said Hunter to his sergeant, "and trail these Scoundrels to +their holes."</p> + +<p>His words were true. Before ten o'clock they had met, not only Sieber, +but Turner's troop from Verde, coming full tilt, and Gwynne was now +turned over to the doctor's care.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>THE ATTACK.</h3> + + +<p>Startled suddenly from his sleep, it was indeed a dreadful sight, and +one calculated to shake the nerves of many an old soldier, that greeted +Pike's eyes as he peered over the rocky parapet in front of him. One +glance was sufficient. Looking down behind the wall, he seized Jim by +the throat, shaking him vigorously and at the same time placing his +other hand over his mouth so that he might make no outcry. "Wake up, +Jim! Wake up! and see what your faithlessness has brought upon us! Look +down the hill here! Look through that loophole and see what you've +done!"</p> + +<p>Terrified, with his eyes starting from their sockets, Jim obeyed, and +his black face showed in an instant the full realization of the scene +before him.</p> + +<p>"Now, is your rifle all ready?" whispered Pike. "Don't rouse those poor +little people in there until we have to. They must stay way back in the +cave. Now, observe strictly what I tell you: I want you to aim at the +taller of those two Indians who are the leaders. Do not fire until I +give the word; but be sure you hit. Recollect now, you've got to fire +down hill, and the bullets fly high. Aim below his waistband, then +you'll probably strike him either through the heart or the upper chest. +Now, go to your loophole and stay there. Are you ready, Jim?"</p> + +<p>"I'm ready, boss. Just wait one minute until I get my rifle through +here."</p> + +<p>Kneeling beside his own loophole, Pike once more looked down the hill. +Not over a hundred yards away—crouching along, following step by step +the trail that he and Jim had made—pointing with their long bony +fingers at every mark on the ground or upon the trees—two lean, +keen-eyed, sinewy Apaches were slowly and silently moving up the +mountain side in a direction that would take them diagonally across the +front of the hill. Behind them, among the trees and bowlders, and spread +out to the right and left, came others,—all wary, watchful, silent,—as +noiseless and as stealthy in their movements as any panther could +possibly be. Pike could see that they were armed mostly with rifles. He +knew that very few of them had breech-loaders at that time; but still +that there were some among them which they had obtained by murdering and +robbing helpless settlers, or mail messengers.</p> + +<p>With abundant ammunition close at hand, with the advantage of position +and the fact that he meant to have the first fire, Pike calculated that +the moral effect would be such that he could drive them back, and that +they would not resume the attack until after a consultation among +themselves. The two who were so far in front of the others were steadily +approaching the little barricade, only the top of which could readily be +seen from below and was hardly distinguishable from the general mass of +rocks and bowlders by which it was surrounded.</p> + +<p>He knew it could not be long, however, before the quick eyes of the +Apaches detected it, and that they would know at once what it meant. +"However," thought Pike, "before they see it those two villains in front +will be near enough for us to have a sure shot, and then, I don't care +how soon they know we're here. Now, Jim," he whispered, "watch your +man!—recollect—you aim at that tall fellow on your own side,—I'll +take the little, skinny cuss—the one who is just turning towards us +now. They are not more than seventy-five yards away. Aim low!"—There +was a moment of breathless silence. "Are you ready, Jim?" whispered +Pike.</p> + +<p>"Yes, all ready, corporal."</p> + +<p>"All right!—One minute now—get you a good aim!—Draw your bead on +him!—Wedge your rifle in the rock, if necessary! Got it?"</p> + +<p>"I think so, corporal."</p> + +<p>"All right then! <i>Fire!</i>"</p> + +<p>Bang! bang! rang out almost simultaneously the reports of two rifles. +The smoke floated upward. Pike and Jim had the good sense not to attempt +to lift their heads or peer over the barriers, but to content themselves +with looking through the loopholes. One look revealed the scene. "The +little, skinny cuss," as Pike had called him, clasping his hands to his +breast, had fallen head foremost among the rocks up which he was +climbing. But the tall Indian, giving a spring like that of a cat, had +leaped behind a bowlder full ten feet away from him, and the next +instant,—bang! went his rifle, and a bullet whizzed overhead and +struck, flattening itself upon the rocks.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you've missed him, Jim," said Pike, reproachfully. "Now, look out +for the others!"</p> + +<p>The rest of the Apaches, hearing the shots, with the quickness of +thought, had sprung for shelter behind the neighboring trees or rocks. +Not one of their number, by this time, failed to know just where these +shots had come from; and in a minute more, from all over the hillside +below, thick and fast, the reports of the rifles were ringing on the +morning air and the bullets came singing about the stone parapet, some +of them chipping off little fragments from the top of the parapet +itself, but most of them striking the great mass of rocks overhead and +doing no harm whatever, except to spatter little fragments of lead upon +the parapet and its gallant defenders.</p> + +<p>"Watch for them! Keep your eyes peeled, Jim! Every time you see a head +or an arm or a body coming from behind a rock or tree, let drive at it! +It will give the idea that there are more of us up here than we really +have, and we've got all the ammunition we can possibly use. Don't be +afraid! I'll tell you when to save your cartridges. There's one now! +Watch him!" Bang! went Pike's rifle. It was a good shot; for they could +see that the bullet barked the tree just where the Apache was standing; +but apparently it did no harm to the Indian himself; for the answering +shot of his rifle was prompt, and the bullet whizzed dangerously near.</p> + +<p>"That fellow's a cool hand!" said Pike. "Watch him, Jim, you're a little +further that way. He'll be out again in a minute. What's the reason your +man hasn't fired?—the man behind the rock that I told you to kill?"</p> + +<p>"Because I'm certain that I hit him," said Jim, "and I reckon by this +time he isn't doing any more shooting."</p> + +<p>"Watch carefully, anyhow," was the reply. "They'll soon try, when they +find there are very few of us, to crawl up the hill upon us. Then's the +time you've got to note every movement! See! there comes one fellow +behind that rock now. He's crawling on all fours. Thinks we can't see +him. Now just hold on until he comes around that little ledge!—I'll +take him! I've got him! Now!"</p> + +<p>And again Pike's rifle rang out, and to his intense delight the Indian +sprang to his feet—staggered an instant—and then fell all in a heap, +huddled up around the roots of the tree which he was just striving to +reach. Some one down among the Indians gave a yell of dismay. Evidently +the one who was shot was a man of some prominence among them—possibly a +chief.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_17" id="illus_17"></a> +<img src="images/illus_17.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3> EVIDENTLY THE ONE WHO WAS SHOT WAS A MAN OF SOME PROMINENCE AMONG +THEM—POSSIBLY A CHIEF.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>"They'll try and haul his body out of the way, Jim. Watch for at least +one or two of them coming up there! He may be only wounded, and they'll +try to get him into safety. If they do—fire at the first man you see!"</p> + +<p>Another minute, and then both the rifles blazed again. Two daring young +Indians had made a rush forward, and had attempted to seize their +wounded comrade; but the shots of the rifles whistling close about their +ears, caused them to desist, to throw themselves on their faces, and +then to roll or crawl away behind the adjacent rocks. Evidently they +didn't care to expose themselves to the chance of further loss. Two +Indians lying dead, and one over behind a rock possibly wounded, was +enough to discourage even an Apache.</p> + +<p>"They'll show again in a minute, though, Jim. Keep watch! They won't go +away and leave those two bodies there if they can possibly help +themselves. Some of them will stay. Of course, they'll have a +consultation and then see if they can't get at us from the flank or from +the rear. They can't; but they don't know it. That'll be their next +game."</p> + +<p>And so for the next five or ten minutes the siege was carried on, Jim +and the old corporal watching the hillside, but meantime there was +consternation back in the cave. Poor old Kate mingled moaning with +prayers and tears; little Nellie, frightened, of course, as any child +would be, lay sobbing with her head buried in Kate's lap. But Ned, brave +little man that he was, had grasped his rifle, the Ballard, of which so +much has already been said, and, crouching eagerly forward, before Pike +knew it, the boy was close beside him at the stone wall, and had placed +his hand upon his arm.</p> + +<p>"Corporal, let me come in here beside you, there's room for another. Do +let me have one shot at them? Papa would if he were here, and I know +it!"</p> + +<p>This was altogether too much for Kate to bear. She dare not come +forward, but from the dark recess in which she and Nellie were hidden, +her cries and prayers broke forth again:</p> + +<p>"For the love of all the saints, corporal, don't let that boy stay out +there! Bring him back here to me! His father would kill me if anything +happened to him! Oh, listen to me, Pike! Send the boy back again! Make +him come!"</p> + +<p>But so far from paying any attention to Kate's admonition, Pike turned +with kindling eyes and patted the little fellow on the shoulder: "You're +your father's own boy? Ned, and you shall stay here with me for the +present at least, and if there should be a chance of a shot—one I can +give you without exposing you—I'm going to let you have it. Kneel low +down there, and don't lift your head above the parapet whatever you do! +Stay just where you are."</p> + +<p>With that the old trooper, whose rifle was still projecting through the +loophole, again turned his attention to the Indians lurking among the +rocks and bowlders down the hill. The two bodies still lay there—Jim's +rifle covering them and threatening any Indians who might attempt to +drag them away.</p> + +<p>Every now and then, a black head would appear from behind some tree, but +the instant it did so the darkey's rifle would ring out, the bullet +would go whistling close beside it, the head would pop suddenly back, +and Jim as promptly would re-load his rifle.</p> + +<p>It was beginning to grow monotonous. The Indians—probably because they +knew they were only wasting their scanty ammunition—had ceased firing, +and were evidently calling to one another and signaling from behind the +rocks and trees where they had taken refuge. So long as they remained +down there in front Pike had no possible concern. His only fear, as has +been said, was that they should make a combined rush. If they were to +have sense enough to do that, and ignore the probability of losing three +or four of their number in the attempt, it would be all over with the +little party in the cave.</p> + +<p>But the corporal had served too long among the Apaches to greatly dread +any such move. They were already shaken by the severity of their +reception and of their losses. He knew that they could not be aware that +only two men and a little boy constituted the whole force of the +defenders, for they would have come with a rush long before.</p> + +<p>Their plan now would doubtless be to leave a few of their number in +front to keep the besieged in check while the greater part of the band +surrounded the big ledge and sought a means of getting at the little +garrison from flank or rear.</p> + +<p>What he hoped for was a chance of dealing them one more blow before they +could crawl back out of range and presently the opportunity came. Two or +three of the band who were farthest to the rear had managed to slip back +some distance down the hill and occasional glimpses could now be caught +of them as they stealthily made their way out towards the western slope. +It was not long before their dirty white breech-clouts could be +distinguished as they slowly and cautiously came creeping up hill.</p> + +<p>"By George! Jim," muttered the old man with the ejaculation that with +him supplied the place of trooper profanity—"I believe you're right +about your Indian. You probably wounded him and he's lying behind that +rock now, and those fellows are coming up to help him. Don't fire! +They're too far away for a down-hill shot. Wait till I tell you. Now, +Ned, my boy, run back and comfort Nellie a minute. I don't want you here +where a glancing shot might hit you. The moment we get them started on +the run, I'll call you."</p> + +<p>Ned looked far from satisfied with the proposition, but the corporal was +the commanding officer, and there was nothing to do but obey. He went +reluctantly. "Mind, corporal, you've promised I should have a shot," he +said, and Pike nodded assent, although he could not turn from his +loophole. Another minute and the Henry rifle barked its loud challenge +down the slope, and the old trooper's keen, set features relaxed in a +grin.</p> + +<p>"Now they've got two to lug," he muttered to Jim. "Lord! See that beggar +roll over those rocks!"</p> + +<p>Again there came yells and shots from down the hill but both were +harmless. Cowed, apparently, by the sharp shooting of the defenders, the +Apaches who had sought to rescue their wounded mate continued in hiding +behind the rocks where they had taken shelter. The others, farther to +the east, were slipping back as fast as they could, but studiously +keeping out of sight of those death-dealing loopholes. Presently it was +apparent to the corporal that a number of them had got together far down +the hill and were holding excited controversy, probably as to the best +means of getting possession of their dead friends and then, their living +enemies. Pike looked at his watch. It was half after seven and they had +been fighting an hour.</p> + +<p>And now came a lull. Once in a long while some one of the besiegers +would let drive a bullet at the loopholes, but Apache shooting was never +of the best and though the lead spattered dangerously near, "the miss," +quoth Pike, "is as good as any number of miles." On the other hand, +whenever or wherever an Indian head, leg or arm appeared, it was +instantly saluted by one, sometimes two, quick shots, and there could be +no doubt whatever that the palefaces, as the Tontos supposed them all to +be, were fully on the alert.</p> + +<p>"Now, Jim, it won't be long before they will be showing around on all +sides. Pile on a few more stones above that loophole that looks to the +west. The next thing you know there'll be a head and a gun poked out +from behind that shoulder of rock beyond you. I'll watch my side and +keep a look on down the hill, too."</p> + +<p>And now the hours seemed to drag with leaden weight. All was silence +around them, yet Pike knew that this made their danger only the more +imminent. He could nowhere see a sign of their late assailants except +the stiffening bodies down the hill, but he had not a doubt that while +some watched the front, most of them, making wide detours, were now +lurking on every side, and looking for a possible opening. Every now and +then he had to give a quick glance over his shoulder to see that Jim was +alert and watchful. It would not do to have him fall asleep now. And +then once in a while he listened, God only knows how wistfully, for the +sound of cavalry coming across the westward plain. It surely was time +for Sieber and the troops to be coming if the former had carried out his +intentions. Pike could see nothing of the road towards Jarvis Pass and +only a glimpse here and there of the plateau itself. The foliage in the +larger trees was too thick. He longed to clamber to his watch-tower but +felt well assured that one step outside the parapet would make him a +target for the Indian rifles. First as an experiment he put his hat on a +stick and cautiously raised it above their barricade. Two bullets +instantly "zipped" over his head and dropped flat as pancakes from the +rock overhead. The experiment was conclusive.</p> + +<p>At last the straining ears of the watchers were attracted by strange +sounds. Low calls in savage tongue from down the hill were answered on +both sides and from above. The Indians had evidently thoroughly +"reconnoitred" the position, and had found that there was actually no +place around the rock from which they could see and open fire on the +besieged. The sun was now high overhead. Odd sounds as of dragging +objects began to be heard from the top of the rock, and this was kept up +for fully an hour. Neither Pike nor Jim could imagine what it meant, but +neither dared for an instant to leave his post.</p> + +<p>It must have been eleven o'clock and after, when, all of a sudden, a +black shadow rushed through the air, and Pike started almost to his feet +as a huge log fell from above and bounded from the jagged rocks in front +of them. Then came another, tumbling one upon the other, wedging and +jostling, and speedily rising in a huge pile several feet high. More and +more they came; then smaller ones; then loose dry branches and roots in +quantities. And then, as the great heap grew and grew, an awful thought +occurred to the old trooper. At first it seemed as though the Indians +meant to try and form a "curtain," sheltered by which they could crawl +upon their foes; but when the brushwood came, a fiercer, far more +dreadful purpose was revealed. "My God!" he groaned, "they mean to roast +us out."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_18" id="illus_18"></a> +<img src="images/illus_18.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>ALL OF A SUDDEN A BLACK SHADOW RUSHED THROUGH THE AIR.</h3> + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>LITTLE NED'S SHOT.</h3> + + +<p>From the babel of voices that reached old Pike's ears every now and +then, and the bustle and noise going on overhead, he judged that there +must be twenty or thirty Indians busily engaged in the work of heaping +up firewood in front of the cave. The mountain side, as he well knew, +was thickly strewn with dry branches, dead limbs, uprooted trees and all +manner of combustible material, and the very warriors who, when around +their own "rancheria," would have disdained doing a stroke of work of +any kind, were now laboring like so many beavers to add to the great +pile that was already almost on a level with the breastwork and not more +than eight feet away. Some of the logs first thrown had rolled off and +scattered down the slope, but enough had remained to make a sure +foundation, and once this was accomplished the rest was easy work.</p> + +<p>Poor Jim looked around imploringly at his superior.</p> + +<p>"Ain't dey some way to stop that, corporal?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Don't you worry, Jim," was the prompt reply. "It will take them an hour +more at least to get it big enough and then 'twill do no great harm. We +can knock down our barricade so that they can't use it and fall back +into the cave where it's dark and cool and where the smoke and flame +can't reach us. Keep your eyes on your corner, man!" But though he spoke +reassuringly, the old soldier felt a world of anxiety. Under cover of +that huge heap of brushwood, growing bigger every minute, it would soon +be possible for the Indians from below to crawl unseen close upon them, +and set fire to the mass.</p> + +<p>Even now he felt certain that there were several of the more daring of +the Apaches lurking just around the corners which he and Jim were so +faithfully guarding. The negro seemed so utterly abashed at his having +been overcome by sleep during the hour before the dawn, and possibly so +refreshed by that deep slumber, that now he was vigilance itself.</p> + +<p>Within the cave old Kate had seen, of course, the falling of the logs +and brushwood, and though she could not comprehend their object it +served to keep in mind that their savage foes were all around her and +her little charges, and to add to her alternate prayer and wailing. +Unable to leave his post, Pike could only call sternly to her from time +to time to cry shame upon her for frightening Nellie so, and to remind +her that they had shot five Indians without getting a scratch +themselves. "We can stand 'em off for hours yet, you old fool," he said, +"and the boys from Verde are sure to get here to-day." And whether it +was "old" or the "fool" in Pike's contemptuous remark, that stirred her +resentment, it certainly resulted that Kate subsided into suffering and +indignant protest. Then Ned's brave, boyish voice was heard.</p> + +<p>"Corporal! Can't I come to you now? I'm no good here and I'm sick of the +row Kate keeps up. You said you'd let me come back."</p> + +<p>"Wait a few minutes, Ned. I want to be sure they are not sneaking around +these corners," was the reply, followed almost instantly by the bang of +Pike's carbine. Kate gave a suppressed shriek and the corporal a shout +of exultation. Encouraged by the sound of his voice to suppose that the +guard on the east side of the barrier was neglecting his watch, a daring +young Apache crawled on all fours around the foot of the rock to take an +observation. The black head came in view even as Pike was speaking and +the fierce eyes peered cautiously at the breastwork, but the corporal +never moved a muscle, and the savage, believing himself unseen, crawled +still further into view, until half his naked body was in sight from the +narrow slit through which the old trooper was gazing. The brown muzzle +of the cavalry carbine covered the creeping "brave," and the next +instant the loud report went echoing over the gorge and the Indian, with +one convulsive spring, fell back upon the ground writhing in the agonies +of death. In striving to drag the body of his comrade back behind the +rock another Tonto ventured to show head and shoulder, and came within +an ace of sharing his fate, for Pike's next shot whistled within an inch +of the flattened nose, and Apache number two dodged back with wonderful +quickness, and did not again appear.</p> + +<p>This would tend to keep them from sneaking around that particular +corner, thought Pike, and he only wished that Jim could have similar +luck on his side, but the Indians had grown wary. Time and again the +veteran glanced down the hill to see if there was any sign of their +crawling upon him from below, but that threatening pile of brushwood now +hid most of the slope from his weary, anxious eyes. The crisis could not +be long in coming.</p> + +<p>"O God!" he prayed, "save these little children. Bring us aid."</p> + +<p>Poor old Pike! Even as the whispered words fell from his lips a low, +crackling sound caught his ear. Louder it grew, and, looking suddenly to +the left, he saw a thin curl of smoke rising through the branches and +gaining every instant in volume. Louder, louder snapped the blazing +twigs. Denser, heavier grew the smoke. Then tiny darts of flame came +shooting upward through the top of the pile and then yells of triumph +and exultation rang from the rock above and the hillside below. A minute +or two more, and while the Indians continued to pour fresh fuel from +above, the great heap was a mass of roaring flame and the heat became +intolerable. A puff of wind drove a huge volume of smoke and flame +directly into Jim's nook in the fortification, and with a shout that he +could hold on no longer the negro dropped back into the cave, rubbing +his blinded eyes.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_19" id="illus_19"></a> +<img src="images/illus_19.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>"DOWN WITH THESE STONES, NOW!"</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>"Come back, Jim! Quick!" shouted Pike. "Down with these stones, now! +Kick them over!—but watch for Indians on your side. Down with 'em!" and +suiting action to the word the old soldier rolled rock after rock down +towards the blazing pyre, until his side of the parapet was almost +demolished. Half blinded by smoke and the scorching heat, he lost sight +for a moment of the shoulder of the ledge on the east side. Two seconds +more and it might have been all over with him, for now, relying on the +fierce heat to drive the defenders back, a young Apache had stepped +cautiously into view, caught sight of the tall old soldier pushing and +kicking at the rocks, and, quick as a cat, up leaped the rifle to his +shoulder. But quicker than any cat—quick as its own flash—there +sounded the sudden crack of a target rifle, the Indian's gun flew up and +was discharged in mid-air, while the owner, clapping his hand to his +face, reeled back out of sight. The bullet of the little Ballard had +taken him just under the eye, and as Pike turned in amazement at the +double report, saw the Apache fall, and then turned to his left—there +knelt little Ned, his blue eyes blazing, his boyish form quivering with +excitement and triumph. Pike seized him in his arms and fairly kissed +the glowing face. "God bless you, my boy! but you are a little soldier +if there ever was one!" was his cry. "Now all three of us must watch the +front. Keep as far forward as you can, Jim. We've got to hold those +hounds back—until the boys come!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus_20" id="illus_20"></a> +<img src="images/illus_20.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>THE BULLET OF THE LITTLE BALLARD HAD TAKEN HIM JUST UNDER THE EYE.</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>Until the boys come! Heavens! When would that be? Here was the day +nearly half spent and no sign of relief for the little party battling so +bravely for their lives at Sunset Pass. Where—where can the father be? +Where is Al Sieber? Where the old comrades from Verde?</p> + +<p>Let us see if we cannot find them, and then, with them, hasten to the +rescue.</p> + +<p>Far over near Jarvis Pass poor Captain Gwynne had been lying on the +blankets the men eagerly spread for him, while the surgeon with Captain +Turner's troops listened eagerly to the details of the night's work, and +at the same time ministered to his exhausted patient. Turner, the other +officers, and their favorite scout held brief and hurried consultation. +It was decided to push at once for Sunset Pass; to leave Captain Gwynne +here with most of his nearly worn-out escort; to mount the six Hualpai +trailers they had with them on the six freshest horses, so as to get +them to the scene of the tragedy as soon as possible, and then to start +them afoot to follow the Apaches. In ten minutes Captain Turner, with +Lieutenant Wilkins and forty troopers, was trotting off eastward +following the lead of Sieber with his swarthy allies. Ten minutes more +and Captain Gwynne had sufficiently revived to be made fully aware of +what was going on, and was on his feet again in an instant. The surgeon +vainly strove to detain him, but was almost rudely repulsed.</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose I can rest one conscious minute until I know what has +become of my babies?" he said. And climbing painfully into the saddle he +clapped spurs to his horse and galloped after Turner's troop.</p> + +<p>Finding it useless to argue, the doctor, with his orderly, mounted, too, +and followed the procession. It was an hour before they came up with +Turner's rearmost files and found burly Lieutenant Wilkins giving the +men orders to keep well closed in case they had to increase the gait. +The scouts and Sieber, far to the front, were galloping.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" asked the doctor.</p> + +<p>"Smoke," panted Wilkins. "The Hualpais saw it up the mountain south of +the Pass."</p> + +<p>Gwynne's haggard face was dreadful to see. The jar of the rough gallop +had started afresh the bleeding in his head and the doctor begged him to +wait and let him dress it again, but the only answer was a look of +fierce determination, and renewed spurring of his wretched horse. He was +soon abreast the head of the column, but even then kept on. Turner +hailed him and urged him to stay with them, but entreaty was useless. "I +am going after Sieber," was the answer. "Did you see the smoke?"</p> + +<p>"No, Gwynne; but Sieber and the Hualpais are sure a big column went up +and that it means the Apaches can't be far away. We're bound to get +them. Don't wear yourself out, old fellow; stay with us!" but Gwynne +pressed on. Far out to the front he could see that one of the Indian +scouts had halted and was making signs. It took five minutes hard riding +to reach him.</p> + +<p>"What did you see? What has happened?" he gasped.</p> + +<p>"Heap fire!" answered the Hualpai. "See?" But Gwynne's worn eyes could +only make out the great mass of the mountain with its dark covering of +stunted trees. He saw, however, that the scout was eagerly watching his +comrades now so long a distance ahead. Presently the Indian shouted in +excitement:</p> + +<p>"Fight! Fight! Heap shoot, there!" and then at last the father's almost +breaking heart regained a gleam of hope; a new light flashed in his +eyes, new strength seemed to leap through his veins. Even his poor horse +seemed to know that a supreme effort was needed and gamely answered the +spur. Waving his hat above his head and shouting back to Turner "Come +on!" the captain dashed away in pursuit of Sieber. Turner's men could +hear no sound, but they saw the excitement in the signal; saw the sudden +rush of Gwynne's steed, and nothing more was needed. "Gallop," rang the +trumpet, and with carbines advanced and every eye on the dark gorge, +still three miles before them, the riders of the beautiful "chestnut +sorrel" troop swept across the plains.</p> + +<p>Meantime the savage fight was going on and the defense was sorely +pressed. Covered by the smoke caused by fresh armfuls of green wood +hurled upon the fiery furnace in front of the cave, the vengeful Apaches +had crawled to within a few yards of where the little breastwork had +stood. Obedient to Pike's stern orders Kate had crept to the remotest +corner of the recess and lay there flat upon the rock, holding Nellie in +her arms. The corporal had bound a handkerchief about his left arm, for +some of the besiegers, finding bullets of no avail, were firing Tonto +arrows so that they fell into the mouth of the cave, and one of these +had torn a deep gash midway between the elbow and the shoulder. Another +had struck him on the thigh. Jim, too, had a bloody scratch. It stung +and hurt and made him grit his teeth with rage and pain. Little Ned, +sorely against his will, was screened by his father's saddle and some +blankets, but he clung to his Ballard and the hope of at least one more +shot.</p> + +<p>And still, though sorely pressing the besieged, the Indians kept close +under cover. The lessons of the morning had taught them that the pale +faces could shoot fast and straight. They had lost heavily and could +afford no more risks. But every moment their circle seemed closer to the +mouth of the cave, and though direct assault could not now be made +because of their great bonfire, the dread that weighed on Pike was that +they should suddenly rush in from east and west. "In that event," said +he to Jim, "we must sell our lives as dearly as possible. I'll have two +at least before they can reach me."</p> + +<p>Hardly had he spoken when bang came a shot from beyond the fire; a +bullet zipped past his head and flattened on the rock well back in the +cave. Where could that have come from? was the question. A little whiff +of blue smoke sailing away on the wind from the fork of a tall oak not +fifty feet in front told the story. Hidden from view of the besieged by +the drifting smoke from the fire a young warrior had clambered until he +reached the crotch and there had drawn up the rifle and belt tied by his +comrades to a "lariat." Straddling a convenient branch and lashing +himself to the trunk he was now in such a position that he could peer +around the tree and aim right into the mouth of the rocky recess, and +only one leg was exposed to the fire of the defense.</p> + +<p>But that was one leg too much. "Blaze away at him, Jim," was the order. +"We'll fire alternately." And Jim's bullet knocked a chip of bark into +space, but did no further harm. "It's my turn now. Watch your side."</p> + +<p>But before Pike could take aim there came a shot from the fork of the +tree that well nigh robbed the little garrison of its brave leader. The +corporal was just creeping forward to where he could rest his rifle on a +little rock, and the Indian's bullet struck fairly in the shoulder, tore +its way down along the muscles of the back, glanced upward from the +shoulder blade, and, flattening on the rock overhead, fell almost before +Ned's eyes. The shock knocked the old soldier flat on his face, and +there came a yell of savage triumph from the tree, answered by yells +from below and above. Ned, terror stricken, sprang to the old soldier's +side, just as he was struggling to rise.</p> + +<p>"Back! boy, back! They'll all be on us now. My God! Here they come! Now, +Jim, fight for all you're worth."</p> + +<p>Bang! bang! went the two rifles. Bang! bang! bang! came the shots from +both sides and from the front, while the dusky forms could be seen +creeping up the rocks east and west of the fire, yelling like fiends. +Crack! went Ned's little Ballard again, and Pike seized the boy and +fairly thrust him into the depths of the cave. A lithe, naked form +leaped into sight just at the entrance and then went crashing down into +the blazing embers below. Another Indian gone. Bang! bang! bang! Heavier +came the uproar of the shots below. Bang! bang! "Good God!" groaned +Pike. "Has the whole Apache nation come to reinforce them? Yell, you +hounds—aye—yell! There are only two of us!" Shots came ringing thick +and fast. Yells resounded along the mountain side, but they seemed more +of warning than of hatred and defiance. Bang! bang! bang! the rifles +rattled up the rocky slopes, but where could the bullets go? Not one had +struck in the cave for fully ten seconds, yet the rattle and roar of +musketry seemed redoubled. What can it mean? Pike creeps still further +forward to get a shot at the first Indian that shows himself, but pain +and weakness are dimming the sight of his keen, brave eyes; perhaps +telling on his hearing. Listen, man! Listen! Those are not Indian yells +now resounding down the rocks. Listen, Pike, old friend, old soldier, +old hero! Too late—too late! Just as a ringing trumpet call, "Cease +firing," comes thrilling up the steep, and little Ned once more leaps +forward to aid him, the veteran falls upon his face and all is darkness.</p> + +<p>Another moment, and now the very hillside seems to burst into shouts and +cheers,—joy, triumph, infinite relief. Victory shines on face after +face as the bronzed troopers come crowding to the mouth of the cave. +Tenderly they raise Pike from the ground and bear him out into the +sunshine. Respectfully they make way for Captain Turner as he springs +into their midst and clasps little Nellie in his arms; and poor old +Kate, laughing, weeping and showering blessings on "the boys," is +frantically shaking hands with man after man. So, too, is Black Jim. And +then, half carried, half led, by two stalwart soldiers, Captain Gwynne +is borne, trembling like an aspen, into their midst, and, kneeling on +the rocky floor, clasps his little ones to his breast, and the strong +man sobs aloud his thanks to God for their wonderful preservation.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"Papa—papa, I shot an Indian!" How many a time little Ned has to shout +it, in his eager young voice, before the father can realize what is +being said.</p> + +<p>"It's the truth he's telling, sir," said a big sergeant. "There's wan of +'em lies at the corner there with a hole no bigger than a <i>pay</i> under +the right eye," and the captain knows not what to say. The surgeon's +stimulants have restored Pike to consciousness, and Gwynne kneels again +to take the old soldier's hands in his. Dry eyes are few. Hearts are all +too full for many words. After infinite peril and suffering, after most +gallant defense, after a night of terror and a day of fiercest battle, +the little party was rescued, one and all, to life and love and such a +welcome when at last they were brought back to Verde, where Pike was +nursed back to strength and health, where Nellie was caressed as a +heroine, and where little Ned was petted and well nigh spoiled as "the +boy that shot an Indian"—and if he did brag about it occasionally, when +he came east to school, who can blame him? But when they came they did +not this time try the route of Sunset Pass.</p> + + +<p>THE END.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sunset Pass, by Charles King + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUNSET PASS *** + +***** This file should be named 19928-h.htm or 19928-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/9/2/19928/ + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sunset Pass + or Running the Gauntlet Through Apache Land + +Author: Charles King + +Release Date: November 27, 2006 [EBook #19928] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUNSET PASS *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + SUNSET PASS + + OR + + RUNNING THE GAUNTLET THROUGH APACHE LAND + + BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING + + AUTHOR OF "THE DESERTER", "A WAR-TIME WOOING", ETC + + + + +COPYRIGHTED, 1890 +BY JOHN W. LOVELL COMPANY + +NEW YORK +JOHN W. LOVELL COMPANY +150 WORTH ST., COR. MISSION PLACE + + + + +[Illustration: CAPT. CHAS. KING] + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + +Capt. Chas. King + +He Drew Little Nell close to Him + +Manuelito Was shuffling about the Fire Apparently doing Nothing + +"Where's Manuelito?" + +His First Duty seemed to be to get the Provisions from the Wagon + +"Jim, Old Boy, We've got to pull Together To-night" + +"My God! There's not a Living Soul in Sight" + +Bending Down He raised Her in His Strong Arms Away He Flew at Full Speed + +The Two Men set to Work to build Their Breastwork + +Nellie, Clinging to Her Nurse, was terrified by the Sounds + +The Poor Devil was now seated, Bound and Helpless, on a Rock by the +Roadside + +"That's what Jim took for an Apache" + +One Vehement Kick and Curse He Gave Him + +With One Backward Look He staggered Wearily on + +"My God! What can have Happened? It's Captain Gwynne?" + +Evidently the One Who was shot was a Man of Some Prominence among +Them--Possibly a Chief + +All of a Sudden a Black Shadow rushed through the Air + +Down With these Stones, Now!" + +The Bullet of the Little Ballard had taken Him just under the Eye + + + + +SUNSET PASS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +A RASH RESOLVE. + + +"Better take my advice, sir. The road ahead is thick with the Patchies." + +"But you have come through all alone, my friend; why should I not go? I +have been stationed among the Apaches for the last five years and have +fought them all over Arizona. Surely I ought to know how to take care of +myself." + +"I don't doubt that, captain. It's the kids I'm thinking of. The +renegades from the reservation are out in great numbers now and they are +supposed to be all down in the Tonto Basin, but I've seen their moccasin +tracks everywhere from the Colorado Chiquito across the 'Mogeyone,' and +I'm hurrying in to Verde now to give warning and turn the troops this +way." + +"Well, why didn't they attack you, then, Al?" + +The party thus addressed by the familiar diminutive of "Al" paused a +moment before reply, an odd smile flitting about his bearded lips. A +stronger, firmer type of scout and frontiersman than Al Sieber never sat +in saddle in all Arizona in the seventies, and he was a noted character +among the officers, soldiers, pioneers, and Apaches. The former +respected and trusted him. The last named feared him as they did the +Indian devil. He had been in fight after fight with them; had had his +share of wounds, but--what the Apaches recoiled from in awe was the fact +that he had never met them in the field without laying one at least of +their number dead in his tracks. He was a slim-built, broad-shouldered, +powerful fellow, with a keen, intelligent face, and eyes that were +kindly to all his friends, but kindled at sight of a foe. A +broad-brimmed, battered slouch hat was pulled well down over his brows; +his flannel shirt and canvas trousers showed hard usage; his pistol belt +hung loose and low upon his hips and on each side a revolver swung. His +rifle--Arizona fashion--was balanced athwart the pommel of his saddle, +and an old Navajo blanket was rolled at the cantle. He wore Tonto +leggins and moccasins, and a good-sized pair of Mexican spurs jingled at +his heels. He looked--and so did his horse--as though a long, hard ride +was behind them, but that they were ready for anything yet. + +"It makes a difference, captain--their attacking me or you. I've been +alive among 'em so many years that they have grown superstitious. +Sometimes I half believe they think I can't be killed. Then, too, I may +have slipped through unnoticed, but you--with all this outfit--why! +you're sure to be spotted, followed, and possibly ambushed in Sunset +Pass. It's the worst place along the route." + +Captain Gwynne looked anxiously about him a moment. He was a +hard-headed, obstinate fellow, and he hated to give up. Two months ago +his wife had died, leaving to his care two dear little ones--a boy of +nine and a girl of six. He soon determined to take them East to his home +in far Pennsylvania. There was no Southern Pacific or any other Arizona +railway in those days. Officers and their families who wanted to go East +had to turn their faces westward, take a four or five days' "buckboard" +ride across the dusty deserts to the Colorado River, camp there perhaps +a week before "Captain Jack Mellon" came backing or sideways down the +shallow stream with his old "Cocopah." Then they sculled or ground their +way over the sand bars down to Fort Yuma, a devious and monotonous trip; +then were transferred to "lighten" or else, on the same old Cocopah, +were floated out into the head of the Gulf of California and there +hoisted aboard the screw steamers of the Ocean line--either the Newbern +or the Montana, and soon went plunging down the gulf, often very +sea-sick, yet able to get up and look about when their ship poked in at +some strange old Mexican town, La Paz or Guaymas, and finally, turning +Cape St. Lucas, away they would steam up the coast to San Francisco, +which they would reach after a two weeks' sea voyage and then, hey for +the Central Pacific, Cape Horn, the Sierras, Ogden, and the tramp to the +Union Pacific and, at last, home in the distant east, all after a +journey of five or six weeks and an expense of months of the poor +officer's pay. + +Now Captain Gwynne was what we called a "close" man. He could not bear +the idea of spending something like a thousand dollars in taking +himself, little Ned and Nellie, and their devoted old nurse, Irish Kate, +by that long and expensive route. He had two fine horses and a capital +family wagon, covered. He had a couple of stout mules and a good baggage +wagon. Jim, his old driver, would go along to take care of "the +Concord," as the family cart was termed. Manuelito, a swarthy Mexican, +would drive the mules; the captain would ride his own pet saddle horse, +Gregg, and a discharged soldier, whom he hired for the purpose, would +ride McIntosh, the other charger. All were well armed. Parties were +going unmolested over the Sunset Pass route every month. Why should not +he? + +The officers at Prescott shook their heads and endeavored to dissuade +him, but the more they argued the more determined was he. There were +tearful eyes among the ladies at Prescott barracks, where Mrs. Gwynne +had been dearly loved, when they bade good-by to the children. But one +fine day away went "the outfit;" stopped that night at Camp Verde, deep +down in the valley; started again early in the morning, despite the +protestations of the garrison, and that evening were camping among the +beautiful pine woods high up on the Mogollon range. Sieber's +pronunciation of the name--"Mogeyone"--will give you a fair idea of what +it is really like. + +And now, three days out on the Mesa, Ned and Nellie, in silence, but +with beating hearts, were listening to this conversation between their +father and the famous scout, and hoping, poor little mites, that their +father would be advised and turn back until met by cavalry from Verde; +yet so loyal to him, so trustful to him, that neither to one another nor +to Kate would they say a word. + +"Well, Sieber, I've argued this thing out with all Prescott and Verde," +said the captain at last. "I've sworn I wouldn't turn back, and so, by +jinks, I'm going ahead. It's all open country around Snow Lake, and I +can keep on the alert when we reach the Pass." + +"You know your business best, I suppose, captain, but--" and Sieber +stopped abruptly and gazed through the open windows of the Concord at +the two little forms huddled together, with such white faces, on the +back seat. + +"Well, won't you at least wait and camp here a day or so? I'll go down +by way of Wales Arnold's and get him to send up a couple of men. That +won't be going back, and you'll be tolerably safe here. The cavalry +won't be long getting out this way." + +"And meantime having my beasts eating barley by the bucketful so that I +won't have enough to get through? No, Al, I've made calculations just +how many days it will take me to get over to Wingate, and delay would +swamp me. I don't mean to discredit your story, of course, but +everybody, even at Verde, said the renegades were all down by Tonto +Creek, and I cannot believe they would be out here to the northeast. I'm +going ahead." + +"Well, Captain Gwynne, I give up. If you're bound to go there's no use +talking. Stop one moment though!" He spurred his broncho close to the +window, and thrusting in his wiry arm drew little Nell close to him, +bent and kissed tenderly her bonny face. + +[Illustration: HE DREW LITTLE NELL CLOSE TO HIM.] + +"God guard you, baby," he murmured, as finally he set her down. "Adios, +Ned, my lad," and he shook the little man heartily by the hand. "Good +luck all! Now I must gallop to make up time." He turned quickly away and +went "loping" down the trail, but his gauntlet was drawn across his eyes +two or three times before he disappeared from view. Two white little +faces gazed wistfully after him and then into each other's eyes. Irish +Kate muttered a blessing on the gallant fellow's head. "Come on, Jim," +said the captain, with darkening face, and presently the little train +was again in motion, winding over the range that, once passed, brings +them in view of Snow Lake with the gloomy, jagged rocks bounding the +horizon far beyond. There is a deep cleft that one sees in that barrier +just as he emerges from the pine woods along the ridge, and that distant +cleft is Sunset Pass. + +Though seldom traveled, the mountain road from Fort Verde over to Fort +Wingate was almost always in fair condition. Rains were very few and did +little damage, and so at a rapid, jingling trot the wagons lunged ahead +while the captain and Pike, the retired trooper, rode easily alongside +or made occasional scouts to the front. + +Knowing that his children must have heard his talk with Sieber, the +captain soon dropped back opposite the open window and thrust in his +hand for the little ones to shake. + +"You're not afraid to go ahead, Ned, my boy! I knew I could count on +you," said he heartily. "And Nell can hardly be afraid with you and her +old dragoon dad to guard her. Isn't it so, pet?" + +And the wan little face smiled back to prove Nellie's confidence in +father, while Ned stoutly answered: + +"I'm never afraid to go anywhere you want me to go, father. And then I +haven't had a chance to try my rifle yet." + +The boy held up to view a dainty little Ballard target gun--a toy of a +thing--but something of which he was evidently very proud. + +"And then we've got good old Pike, papa--and Kate here--I'm sure she +could fight," piped up little Nell, but there was no assent to this +proposition from the lips of poor Kate. All along she had opposed the +journey, and was filled with dread whenever it was spoken of. Vainly had +she implored the officers and ladies at Prescott to prohibit the captain +from making so rash an attempt. Nothing would avail. As ill-luck would +have it the lieutenant colonel recently gazetted to the infantry +regiment stationed in Northern Arizona had just come safely through from +Wingate with exactly such an "outfit," but without such guards, and +Captain Gwynne declared that what man had done man could do. There were +plenty of people who would have taken her off the captain's hands, but +nothing would induce the faithful creature to leave the motherless +"childer." She loved them both--and if they were to go through danger +she would go with them. All the same she stood sturdily out in her +resentment toward the captain and would not answer now. Jim, too, on the +driver's seat, was gloomily silent. Manuelito with the mules in rear had +listened to Sieber's warning with undisguised dismay. Only +Pike--ex-corporal of the captain's troop--rode unconcernedly ahead. What +cared he for Apaches? He had fought them time and again. + +Nevertheless when Captain Gwynne came cantering out to the front and +joined his old non-commissioned officer, it was with some surprise that +he listened to Pike's salutation. + +"May I say a word to the captain?" + +"Certainly, Pike; say on." + +"I was watching Manuelito, sir, while the captain was talking with +Sieber. Them greasers are a bad lot, sir--one and all. There isn't one +of 'em I'd trust as far as I could sling a bull by the tail. That +Manuelito is just stampeded by what he's heard, and while he dare not +whirl about and go now, I warn the captain to have an eye on the mules +to-night. He'll skip back for the Verde with only one of them rather +than try Sunset Pass to-morrow." + +"Why! confound it, Pike, that fellow has been in my service five years +and never failed me yet." + +"True enough, sir; but the captain never took him campaigning. They do +very well around camp, sir, but they'd rather face the gates of +purgatory than try their luck among the Tontos. I believe one Apache +could lick a dozen of 'em." + +The captain turned slowly back, and took a good look at the Mexican as +he sat on his high spring seat, and occasionally encouraged his team +with endearing epithets, or, as in the manner of the tribe, scored them +with wildest blasphemy. Ordinarily Manuelito was wont to show his white +teeth, and touch the broad, silver-edged brim of his sombrero, when "el +capitan" reined back to see how he was getting along. To-day there was a +sullen scowl for the first moment, and then, as though suddenly +recollecting himself, the dark-skinned fellow gave a ghastly sort of +grin--and the captain felt certain that Pike's idea was right. The +question was simply how to circumvent him. + +At sunset the little party was cosily camped on the edge of Snow Lake--a +placid little sheet far up among the mountains. The plateau was broken +by a low ridge a few miles east, through a gap in which, known as Jarvis +Pass, ran the road to Sunset Pass beyond. Horses and mules, securely +tethered, were grazing close at hand. The two wagons were drawn in near +the little camp-fire. The children were having a jolly game of hide and +seek and stretching their legs after the long day's ride in the wagon. +Kate was stowing away the supper dishes. Manuelito was stretched upon +the turf, his keen, eager eyes following every motion of his captain, +even though his teeth held firmly the little paper tobacco holder he +called his "papelito." Out on the open ground beyond the little bunch of +trees Pike could be seen, carbine in hand, scouting the prairie-like +surface and keeping guard against surprise. The sun went down. Twilight +hovered over them; Kate had cuddled her beloved "childer" into their +beds in the wagon and the captain had come around to kiss them +good-night. Manuelito still sprawled near the tiny blaze, smoking and +watching, and at last, as the bulky form of the Irish nurse-maid +disappeared within the canvas walls of the wagon, the Mexican sprang +from his recumbent position, turned, and with quick, stealthy step sped +away through the clumps of trees to where the animals were placidly +browsing. He bent his lithe body double, even though he knew that at +this moment the captain and the ex-corporal were over at the east end of +their little camp-ground, chatting together in low tones. He laughed to +himself as he reached his mules and found them heavily hoppled with iron +chains. + +"As if I would take a burro when one stroke gives me a _caballo +grande_," he muttered, and pushed still further out to where the four +horses were "lariated" near the timber. A word to "Gregg" whom he had +often cared for; a gleam of his knife from the sheath and the gallant +horse was free to follow him. Still in silence and stealth he led him +back toward the camp-fire where the saddles were piled. Still he marked +that Captain Gwynne and Pike were in earnest talk down at the other end +of the camp. Warily he reached forward to grasp the captain's saddle, +when a low exclamation was heard from that officer himself and, peering +at him through the trees, the Mexican could see that he was eagerly +pointing westward and calling Pike to his side. Instinctively Manuelito +glanced over his shoulder and saw a sight that told him horse-thieving +would not save his tawny hide; that told him their retreat was cut off, +and their only hope now was in standing together. Back among the pines +through which they had come; well upon the ridge, and not ten miles +away, blazed an Indian signal fire. It was the Apache summons for a +quick "gathering of the clans." + +Now God help the bairnies in the wagon! + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +MANUELITO'S TREACHERY. + + +All this time Darkey Jim had been sleeping soundly, wrapped in his +blankets, with his feet to the fire. There was never an hour, day or +night, when this lively African could not loll at full length, in +sunshine or shade, and forget his cares, if cares he ever had, in less +than three minutes. In this case, despite Sieber's warning, which he had +overheard, he simply took note of the fact that the captain and Corporal +Pike were looking after things and that was enough for him. There was no +use in worrying when "Marsa Gwin" was on guard, and within an hour from +the time he had had his substantial supper, Jim was snoring melodiously, +with his head buried in his arms. + +Manuelito was thoroughly aware of this trait of his "stable-mate," else +he had not dared to bring the captain's horse so close to the fire. Now +his fierce, half Indian face seemed full of perplexity and dread. The +Apache signal fire still glowed among the black pines away to the +westward. The captain and Corporal Pike were hurriedly coming towards +him through the stunted trees,--yet here he stood with "Gregg," all +irresolute, all fearful what to do. Back towards those black pines and +the long reach of road beyond he dare not go. The Tontos held the line +of retreat. Here in camp he hardly dare remain for the keen cut in +"Gregg's" side line showed plainly that the knife had been used, and +left him accused of treachery. Out of the fire light and back to the +grazing ground he must get the horse at once--but what then? Noiselessly +turning, he led Gregg, wondering, back to the glade in which the other +horses were tethered, and quickly drove his picket pin and put him on +the half lariat. But how was he to conceal the severed side line? Off it +came, both nervous hands working rapidly, and then when he had about +determined to cut off the lines of one of Jim's mules and so throw +suspicion on him, his African mate, he was aware of his captain striding +through the trees toward him. He could almost have run away. But the +next words re-assured him. + +"That you, Manuelito?" challenged Captain Gwynne in low, hoarse tones. +"All right! Take the side lines off Gregg and saddle him for me at once. +I have work to do." + +The Mexican could hardly believe in his escape. For the time being, at +least, he stood safe. It would be easy enough later to "lose" the +telltale side line in the waters of the lake. Manuelito cursed his folly +in having used the knife at all. Haste prompted that piece of bad +judgment. He could have unbuckled them just as well. But all the same he +blessed his lucky stars for this respite. In three minutes he had +"Gregg" saddled and ready by the little camp-fire. There stood the +captain and Pike in low and earnest conversation. + +"I shall only go out a short four miles," said the former, "but I must +satisfy myself as to whether those beggars are coming this way to-night. +Gregg and I have 'stalked' them many a time and the country is all flat +and open for six miles back." + +"I wish the captain would stay here and let me go," pleaded Pike. + +"No! I'm never satisfied without seeing for myself. You and Manuelito +will have your arms in constant readiness, and watch for me as I come +back. There's no moon--no light--but so much the better for my purpose. +Is he all ready, Manuelito? Let me glance at my little ones in the +ambulance before I start." + +Who can say with what love and yearning the father bent over those +little faces as he peered in upon them? The flickering light of the +camp-fire threw an occasional glimmer over them--just enough to enable +him to see at times the contour yet hardly to reveal the features of +"his babies." He dare not kiss for fear of waking them. "God bless and +guard you, darlings," was the choking prayer that fell from his lips. +Then, vigorous and determined, he sprang into saddle. + +"Now, Pike," he muttered, "you've been with me in many a night bivouac +and you know your orders. They never attack at night unless they know +they have an absolutely sure thing, and they haven't--with you three. +Jim, there, can fight like a tiger whenever there is need. Watch the +horses. I'll be back in an hour or there'll be reason for my staying." + +Three minutes more and they heard the rhythmic beat of "Gregg's" hoofs +out on the open plateau and dying away westward, sturdy, measured, +steady in the trot the captain preferred to any other gait. Pike moved +out to the edge of the timber, where he could hear the last of it--a big +anxiety welling up in his heart and a world of responsibility with it; +but he clutched his carbine the more firmly and gave a backward glance, +his face softening as his eyes fell upon the wagon where little Ned and +Nell lay sleeping, and darkening with menace and suspicion as he took +one swift look at Manuelito, cowering there over the fire. + +"Blast that monkey-hearted greaser!" he muttered. "I believe he would +knife the whole party just to get the horses and slip away. I'll keep my +ears open to the west--but I'll have my eyes on you." + +Once out at his chosen station, Pike found himself in a position where +he could "cover" three important objects. Here, close at his right hand, +between him and the lake, the horses and mules were browsing peacefully +and as utterly undisturbed as though there were not an Apache within a +thousand miles. To his rear, about fifty yards, were the two wagons, the +little camp-fire and flitting restlessly about it the slouching form of +Manuelito. In front of him, close at hand, nothing but a dark level of +open prairie; then a stretch of impenetrable blackness; then, far away +towards the western horizon, that black, piney ridge, stretching from +north to south across the trail they had come along that day; and right +there among the pines--Pike judged it to be several miles south of the +road--there still glared and flamed that red beacon that his long +service in Arizona told him could mean to the Apaches only one +thing--"Close in!"--and well he knew that with the coming morn all the +renegades within range would be gathered along their path, and that if +they got through Sunset Pass without a fight it would be a miracle. + +The night was still as the grave; the skies cloudless and studded with +stars. One of these came shooting earthward just after he took his post, +and seemed to plunge into vacancy and be lost in its own combustion over +towards Jarvis Pass behind him. This gave him opportunity to glance +backward again, and there was Manuelito still cowering over the fire. +Then once more he turned to the west, watching, listening. + +Many a year had old Pike served with the standards of the cavalry. All +through the great civil war he had born manful, if humble part, but with +his fifth enlistment stripe on his dress coat, a round thousand dollars +of savings and a discharge that said under the head of "Character," "A +brave, reliable and trustworthy man," the old corporal had chosen to add +to his savings by taking his chances with Captain Gwynne, hoping to +reach Santa Fe and thence the Kansas Pacific to St. Louis, to betterment +of his pocket and to the service of one, at least, of his former troop +commanders. No coward was Pike, but he had visions of a far-away home +his coming would bless, where a loved sister's children would gather +about his knee and hear his stories of battle and adventure, and where +his dollars would enable him to give comforts and comfits, toys and +"taffee" to her little ones. Was he not conscious that her eldest boy +must be now fourteen, named for him, Martin Pike, and a young American +all through? It must be confessed that as the ex-corporal stood there at +his night post under the stars he half regretted that he had embarked on +this risky enterprise. + +"If it were anybody else now but old Gwynne," he muttered to himself, +"things wouldn't be so mixed, but he never did have any horse sense and +now has run us into this scrape--and it's a bad one or I'm no judge." + +Then he glanced over his shoulder again. Manuelito was shuffling about +the fire apparently doing nothing. Presently the ex-corporal saw the +Mexican saunter up to the wagons and Pike took several strides through +the timber watching before he said a word; yet, with the instinct of the +old soldier, he brought his carbine to full cock. Somehow or other he +"could not tolerate that greaser." + +[Illustration: MANUELITO WAS SHUFFLING ABOUT THE FIRE APPARENTLY DOING +NOTHING.] + +But the suspected greaser seemed to content himself with a cursory +examination of the forage and baggage wagon and presently came slouching +back to the fire again. He had some scrap of harness in his hand and +Pike longed to know what, but it was too far from his post of +observation. He decided to remain where he was. He must listen for the +captain. All the same he kept vigilant watch of Manuelito's movements +and ere long, when the fire brightened up a bit, he made out that the +"greaser" was fumbling over nothing else than a side line. Now what did +that mean? + +Pike took a turn through the little herd of "stock," bending down and +feeling the side line of each horse and mule. All were secure and in +perfect order. The one in Manuelito's hands, therefore, was probably +"Gregg's," or an extra "pair" that he had in his wagon. There was +nothing out of the way about that after all, so Pike resumed his watch +towards the west, where still the Apache beacon was burning. + +It must have been half after ten o'clock. Manuelito had slunk down by +the fire, and not a sound was to be heard except Jim's musical snore, +and a little cropping noise among the horses. Yet Pike's quick ear +caught, far out on the prairie to the west, the sound of hoofs coming +towards him. + +"When those Apaches named a horse 'click-click' they must have struck +one that interfered," he muttered. "Now that's old Gregg coming in, I'll +bet my boots, and there's not a click about his tread. 'Course there +might be on rock, instead of this soft earth. The captain's back sooner +than I supposed he'd come. What's up?" + +Quickly, crouchingly, he hurried forward some few rods, then knelt so +that he might see the coming horseman against the sky. Then challenged +sharp and low: + +"Who comes there!" + +"Captain Gwynne," was the quick answer. + +"That you, Pike? By jove, man! I've come back in a hurry. Are the horses +all right? I want to push right on to the Pass to-night." + +"Horses all right, captain. What's the matter back there?" + +"I didn't venture too far, but I went far enough to learn by my night +glass and my ears that those scoundrels were having a war-dance. Now the +chances are they'll keep it up all night until they gather in all the +renegades in the neighborhood. Then come after us. This is no place to +make a fight. It's all open here. But the road is good all the way to +Sunset, and once there I know a nook among the rocks where we can stow +our whole outfit--where there are 'tanks' of fresh water in abundance +and where we can stand them off until the cavalry get out from Verde. +Sieber said he'd have them humming on our trail at once. Tanner and +Canker and Lieutenant Ray are there with their troops and you can bet +high we won't have long to wait. It's the one thing to do. Rouse up Jim +and Manuelito while I give 'Gregg' a rest. Poor old boy," he said, as he +noted his favorite's heaving flanks. "He has had a hard run for it and +more than his share of work this day." + +In ten minutes Black Jim, roused by vigorous kicks, was silently but +briskly hitching in his team, Manuelito silently but suddenly buckling +the harness about his mules. Irish Kate, aroused by the clatter, had +poked her head from underneath the canvas to inquire what was the +matter, and, at a few words from the captain, had shrunk in again, +stricken with fear, but obeying implicitly. + +"Let the children sleep as long as possible, Kate," were Gwynne's +orders. "The jolting will wake them too soon, I fear, but we've got to +push ahead to Sunset Pass at once. There are Indians ten miles behind +us." + +A few minutes more and all was ready for flight. + +"Now, Pike, ride ahead and keep sharp lookout for the road. I'll jump up +here beside Jim and drive, keeping right on your trail. Old 'Gregg' will +tow along behind the wagon. He is too tired to carry any one else this +day--and you--Manuelito, hark ye, keep right behind 'Gregg.' Don't fall +back ten yards. I want you right here with us, and if anything goes +wrong with your team, or you cannot keep up, shout and we'll wait for +you. Now, then, Pike, forward!" + +An hour later in its prescribed order this little convoy had wound its +way through Jarvis Pass and was trotting rapidly over the hard but +smooth roadway towards the high Sunset range. The little ones had been +aroused by the swaying and jolting and were sitting up now--silent and +full of nameless fears, yet striving to be brave and soldierly when papa +threw back some cheery word to them over his shoulders. Never once did +he relax his grasp on the reins or his keen watch for Pike's dim, +shadowy form piloting them along the winding trail. Little Ned had got +his "Ballard" and wanted to load, but his father laughed him out of the +idea. + +"The Tontos were ten miles behind us, Ned, my boy, when we left Snow +Lake, and are farther away now. These mountain Apaches in northern +Arizona have no horses, you know, and have to travel afoot. Not a rod +will they journey at night if they can help themselves--the lazy +beggars!" + +And so the poor father, realizing at last the fruits of his obstinacy, +strove to reassure his children and his dependants. Little Nell was too +young to fully appreciate their peril, and soon fell asleep with her +curly head pillowed on Kate's broad lap. Ned, too, valiant little man, +soon succumbed and, still grasping his Ballard, fell sound asleep. In +darkness and silence the little convoy sped swiftly along, and at last, +far in the "wee sma' hours," Pike hailed: + +"Here we are, right in the Pass, captain! Now can you find that point +where we turn off the road to get into the rock corral?" + +"Take the lines, Jim; I'll jump out and prospect. I used to know it well +enough." + +Down the road the captain went stumbling afoot. Everything was rock, +bowlder and darkness now. The early morning wind was sighing through the +pines up the mountain side at the south. All else was silence. + +Presently they heard him hail: + +"Come on! Here we are!" + +Jim touched up his wearied team and soon, under the captain's guidance, +was bumping up a little side trail. A hundred yards off the road they +halted and Gwynne called back into the darkness: + +"How's Manuelito getting on, Pike?" + +No answer. + +The captain stepped back a few yards and listened. Not a sound of hoof +or wheel. + +"Pike!" he called. "Where are you?" + +No answer at all. + +"Quick, Jim, give me the lantern," he called, and in a moment the +glimmering light went bounding down the rocky trail, back to the road. + +And there the two soldiers met--Pike trotting up rapidly from the west, +the captain swinging his lantern in the Pass. + +"Where's Manuelito?" was the fierce demand. + +[Illustration: "WHERE'S MANUELITO?"] + +"Gone, sir. Gone and taken the mules with him. The wagon's back there +four hundred yards up the road." + +"My God! Pike. Give me your horse quick. You stay and guard my babies." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ON THE ALERT. + + +Obedient to the captain's order, Pike had dismounted and given him the +horse, but it was with a sense of almost sickening dread that he saw him +ride away into darkness. + +"Take care of the babies," indeed! The old trooper would shed his +heart's blood in their defence, but what would that avail against a gang +of howling Apaches? It could only defer the moment of their capture and +then--what would be the fate of those poor little ones and of honest old +Kate? Jim, of course, would do his best, but there remained now only the +two men to defend the captain's children and their nurse against a swarm +of bloodthirsty Tontos who were surely on their trail. There was no +telling at what moment their hideous war-cry might wake the echoes of +the lonely Pass. + +With all his loyalty, Pike was almost ready to blame his employer and +old commander for riding off in pursuit of the Mexican. It was so dark +that no trail could be seen. He could not know in which direction +Manuelito had fled. It was indeed a blind chase, and yet the captain had +trotted confidently back past the deserted wagon as though he really +believed he could speedily overtake and recapture the stolen mules. Pike +thought that the captain should stay with his children and let him go in +pursuit or rather search, but every one who knew Gwynne knew how +self-confident he was and how much higher he held his own opinion than +that of anybody else. "It is his confounded bull-headedness that has got +us into this scrape," thought poor Pike, for the twentieth time, but the +soldier in him came to the fore and demanded action--action. + +Knowing the habits of the Apaches it was his hope that they would not +follow in pursuit until broad daylight and that it would be noon before +they could reach the Pass. By that time, with or without the mules, +Captain Gwynne would certainly be back. Meanwhile his first duty seemed +to be to get the provisions from the wagon up to the little fastness +among the great bowlders where the children, guarded by poor, trembling +but devoted Kate, were now placidly sleeping--worn out with the fatigue +of their jolting ride from Snow Lake. She kept Black Jim with a loaded +rifle close by the side of the family wagon and prevented his falling +asleep at his post, in genuine darkey fashion, by insisting on his +talking with her in low tones. She kept fretting and worrying about the +absence of the captain and the non-arrival of Manuelito with his wagon. +She asked Jim a hundred questions as to the cause of the delay, but he +could give no explanation. It was with joy inexpressible, therefore, +that she heard Pike's well-known voice hailing them in cheery tones. He +wanted Jim. + +[Illustration: HIS FIRST DUTY SEEMED TO BE TO GET THE PROVISIONS FROM +THE WAGON.] + +"Where's the captain and the wagon?" demanded Kate in loud whisper. + +"Up the road a piece," answered Pike in the most off-hand way +imaginable. "We'll have it here presently but Jim'll have to help. We've +lost a linch-pin in the dark. Come along, Jim." + +"Shure you're not going to take Jim away and leave me alone with the +poor children. Oh, corporal, for the love of the blessed saints don't do +that!" + +"Sho! Kate. We won't be any distance away and there ain't an Indian +within ten miles. They wouldn't dare come prowling around at night. +Here, you take Jim's gun and blow the top of the head off the first +Apache that shows up. We'll be back in five minutes. How are the +kids--sleeping?" + +"Sleeping soundly, God be praised, and never draming of the awful peril +we're in." + +"Peril be blowed!" answered Pike stoutly. "We're safer here than we +could be anywhere east of the Verde and as soon as it's good and light +and the horses are rested, we'll be off for the Colorado Chiquito and +leave the Tontos miles behind. Take things easy, old girl, and don't +worry. Come along, Jim." + +And so away they went through the inky darkness, plunging along the +rocky and winding path by which they had brought the ambulance up the +steep. Not until they had got down into the road itself did Pike give +his negro comrade an idea of what had happened. Then, speaking low and +seizing the other's arm, he began: + +"Jim, old boy, we've got to pull together to-night. There's nothing the +matter with the wagon--that's all right, but that whelp Manuelito has +run off with the mules and the captain's put out after him. It'll be +daylight soon and he'll get the son of a gun--sure, and then hurry back +to join us; but the wagon lies just where I think you and I can start it +down the road and fetch it nearer camp. Then we can rake out what +provisions we want in case we have to stand a siege. See?" + +[Illustration: "JIM, OLD BOY, WE'VE GOT TO PULL TOGETHER TO-NIGHT."] + +Black Jim's eyes nearly popped from their sockets. He had been on scouts +with his master, and bragged prodigiously around garrison about how they +fought Tontos down along the Black Mesa and in the infested "Basin." + +To hear Jim talk one would fancy he had killed at least half a dozen +Indians in hand to hand encounters. Indeed he had behaved with +self-possession and a very fair degree of coolness in the two affairs +which Gwynne's troop had had when Jim happened to be along. But this was +different. Then they had forty or fifty veteran soldiers. Here--only old +Pike and himself were left to defend the position--and no one might say +how many Apaches might come along. Besides it was still dark (and +Napoleon said all men were cowards in the dark), though far in the east +a grayish pallor was creeping up from the horizon. Who could blame poor +Jim if his knees shook and his teeth chattered a little, but he went +manfully along by Pike's side and soon they reached the abandoned wagon. + +As luck would have it, Manuelito had stopped where the road began a +pretty sharp descent and Pike felt sure that if they could only start +the thing they could run the wagon almost opposite their hiding place. +Then it would be far easier to get the stores up the rocks. Taking the +pole himself and telling him to "put his shoulder to the wheel" Pike +sung out a cheery "Heave!" and, slowly at first, then more rapidly, the +vehicle with its precious freight came thundering down the rocky and +almost unused road. Pike had to hold back with all his might and to +shout for Jim to join him, but between them they managed to control the +speed of the bulky runaway and to guide it safely to a point not far +from their little camp. The old trooper rummaged about until he found +the lantern hanging under the seat. This he quickly lighted, and then, +loading a sack of barley for the horse on Jim's shoulders, and lugging a +box of hard bread under one arm and of bacon under the other, he led the +way up among the rocks until they reached Kate's "field hotel," as he +called it. There they dumped their load under the ambulance. Pike +whispered a jovial "Go to sleep, old girl. You're all safe" to the still +trembling Irish woman, then down they went for another load. This time +they came laden with a wonderful assortment. Coffee, sugar, condensed +milk, canned corned beef, potted ham, canned corn and tomatoes, some +flour and yeast powders, a skillet or two, the coffee pot, some cups, +dishes, etc., and these, too, were placed close to the ambulance, to +Kate's entire mystification; and then, sending Jim down for another +little load, Pike set to work to build a tiny fire far back in a cleft +in the rocks. + +"We'll all be glad of a cup of coffee now," he said to himself, "and so +will the captain; he should be brought back before day. We may have no +chance for cooking after the sun is up. Thank God, there's water in +plenty here in these hollows." + +Out in the Arizona mountains one may journey day after day in July or +August, and all through the fall and winter, and cross gulley, gorge, +ravine, canon and water cross and find them all dry as a bone--not a +drop of water running. It is useless to dig below the surface, as one +could do in sandy soil and find water, for it is all rock. Indeed it +would be impossible to dig; nothing short of blasting would make an +excavation. But a kind Providence has decreed that the scout or traveler +should not be left to die of thirst. Here and there in the low ground or +in the ravines are deep hollows, in which the water has gathered during +the rainy season, and this is almost always palatable and sweet. One +only has to know where these "tanks" are, and he is all right. Both +Captain Gwynne and Pike had twice been over to the Pass before, and, +spending a day or more there scouting the neighborhood, had noted the +little nook among the great bowlders and the abundant supply of water. +It was God's mercy that this was the case. + +And now as he boiled his coffee in the little niche whence no betraying +gleam from his fire could shoot out across the gorge, Pike gave himself +over to a calm look at the situation. If the captain recovered the mules +and got back by sunrise--despite fatigue they could give them and the +horses a good feed of barley and then push for the Colorado Chiquito, +some twenty miles away. Once across that stream they were comparatively +safe, for the Apaches had a superstitious feeling against venturing +beyond. That country was considered as belonging to the Maqui Pueblo +Indians, of whom the wild Tontos stood a little in dread. Then, a little +further on, began the Navajo country, and the Navajos--once the most +fearless and intractable of mountain tribes--were now all gathered in at +their reservations about old Fort Defiance,--the richest Indians in +sheep, cattle and "stock" on the face of the globe. No Apache dare +venture on their territory, and white men, on the contrary, were safe +there. "If we can only get away before those scoundrelly Tontos get +after us," said Pike to himself. "Even if the captain doesn't get the +mules, we can abandon the wagon and the heavy luggage, cram the +ambulance with provisions and make a run for it to Sunset crossing. I +wonder which way that blackguard of a greaser did go. He would hardly +dare go back the way he came with every chance of running slap into the +Tontos. He has taken hard tack and bacon enough to keep him alive +several days. It's my belief he means to hide somewhere about Jarvis +Pass until he sees the Indians following our trail and then, when they +are fairly past, to make a run for the Verde. The cowardly hound!" + +Then Jim came stumbling up the path with his load and the lantern. Pike +gave him a big tin mug of steaming coffee and a couple of "hard tack." +Took another down to Kate, whom he pacified by saying that the captain +was with Manuelito and the mules and bidding her to lie down and get a +little sleep before day. Then he went back to Jim. + +"Now young man," said he, "I want you to listen carefully to what I say. +You had a nap last evening--a sound sleep in fact and I've not had a +wink. If I can get an hour or an hour and a half it will fetch me out +all right for the day's work. This coffee will freshen you up and keep +you awake. You stand guard until sunrise--until the sun is well up, in +fact, then call me. Keep your ears wide open; listen for every sound; if +it's the captain coming back you'll hear the hoof beats down there on +the road; if it's Apaches you won't hear anything. But you take my word +for it, Jim, they won't attempt to follow beyond Snow Lake to-night. +They can't be here before noon, and by that time we'll be miles away +towards the river. Don't get stampeded. Just keep cool; watch and +listen. If Kate asks anything more about the captain tell her he's down +by the wagon. It was too heavy to fetch up here. I don't want to make a +man lie, but we mustn't let her and those poor little kids know he's +away. Now are you game for it, Jim?" + +The negro mechanically took the rifle that Pike handed to him. "I'll do +my best, corporal," he said. + +"That's a trump! Now I believe I can rest easy," answered Pike, and so +saying he unrolled his blankets, spread them on the ground close by the +ambulance, looked to the chamber of his revolver to see that every +cartridge was all right, lay his rifle by the wheel, lay down and rolled +himself into his soldier bedding, and was asleep in three minutes. + +How long afterwards it was that he was aroused Pike could not begin to +guess. It seemed to him that he had not slept five minutes yet he had +had a good, long, refreshing nap, and now it was broad daylight. The sun +was shining brightly and Black Jim was bending over him; his finger on +his lips. Pike sat up and rubbed his eyes. The first question he longed +to ask was: "Has the captain got back?" but Jim pointed to the ambulance +and, listening, the old trooper heard childish voices, soft and low; +their bubbling laughter telling of their utter ignorance of the dread +anxiety which hovered over the camp. Kate, worn out, was evidently still +asleep and the children were chatting blithely together but taking care +not to disturb their kind old nurse. Little Ned poked his hand out +through the narrow space between the curtain and the frame of the door +and peeped through with one merry blue eye as he shook hands with Pike, +who had scrambled to his feet. + +"Where's papa?" he whispered. + +"He's all right, little man," answered Pike, smiling cheerfully up at +the bright boy face, though the old soldier's heart was heavy as lead. +"He's all right. He's down looking after the mules with Manuelito. You +and Nellie hungry? I'll get you some breakfast presently, but better let +old Kate sleep as long as she can." + +"I'd like to come out, corporal, and look around," whispered Ned. + +"Wait a little while, my lad. It's very early and the air is pretty +keen. I'll let you out presently. See if you can find papa's field +glasses in there anywhere. I want to take a look at the road with them." + +Ned withdrew his little brown fist and could be heard groping around the +dark interior. The captain had so arranged the seats in his "family +wagon" that they could be turned and flattened against the sides of the +vehicle, leaving a clear space in which there was abundant room for Kate +and the children to lie at full length and sleep in comfort, and this +was their tent and sleeping apartment. The captain and his party slept +as we always used to sleep when scouting in the dry season in Arizona, +without shelter of any kind, in the open air. + +Presently the little fellow re-appeared at the aperture. + +"Here it is, Pike," he whispered. "But you'll have to open the door to +get it out." + +Pike turned the handle, took the "binocular," gave Ned a jovial nod and +another shake of the hand, closed the door and strode away signalling +Jim to follow him. When they were out of earshot of the ambulance he +turned: + +"Have you heard nothing--no hoof beats?" + +"Not a thing," answered Jim. "We can't see the wagon from here, but I +could hear anything if anything had come." + +Pike looked wistfully back up the Pass. In one or two places the road +was visible from their lookout, winding and twisting around the rocks. + +Three hundred yards away it turned around the foot of a hill and from +that point was utterly lost to view. Pike looked at the sun, then at his +old silver watch. "After seven o'clock, by jove! and not back yet," he +muttered. "It's full time we were off for the Chiquito, but we can't +stir without the captain." Then he turned once more to Jim. "Water the +horses and give them a good measure of barley each, then put some dry +wood on those embers in the niche there--be sure and make no smoke--and +cook some breakfast for us all. I've got to go up to that point yonder. +From there I can see all over the open country to the west, and the +road, too, as far as Jarvis Pass. These glasses will show every moving +object to me, and I haven't a doubt I'll see the captain somewhere out +there in the distance coming back to join us. Darn the mules! I don't +much care whether he gets them or not, but I'd like about two minutes' +private interview with that blasted greaser." + +So saying, Pike got a pail of water from the "tank," liberally soused +his head, face and neck in the clear, cold water; then, throwing his +rifle over his shoulder, the brave fellow went springing down the +winding trail to the roadway and then strode westward up the Pass. A few +moments brought him to the base of the little hill, a short, sharp climb +brought him to its crest, and there, kneeling, he adjusted the glasses, +and for a long, long minute swept the open country and the winding road +lying before him in the bright sunshine. He could see every inch of the +way to Jarvis Pass, and when at last he lowered the glass he groaned +aloud: "My God! My God! There's not a living soul in sight." + +[Illustration: "MY GOD! THERE'S NOT A LIVING SOUL IN SIGHT."] + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ON THE WATCH. + + +For fully half an hour poor old Pike remained there at his post of +observation, every now and then vainly scanning the plateau through his +field glass. Meantime he was talking over the situation to himself. "The +jig is up now. I've got to go back to camp presently. I'll have to tell +them the captain is still away and that I have no idea where he has +gone. I might just as well make a clean breast of it and admit that +Manuelito has deserted and gone off with the mules, and that the old man +(for by this half-endearing appellative the soldiers often spoke of +their captain) is in pursuit. I don't suppose he found their trail until +broad daylight anyhow." Then he looked back towards the nook in which +his precious charges were doubtless impatiently awaiting his return. He +could just see the top of the ambulance over the ledge of rock that hid +it from the road. "Jim is just giving them his breakfast about this +time," he went on with his self-communion. "They could not eat another +mouthful if I were to go back now with my bad news. Better wait until +they've had a square meal before I tell them. They can bear it better +then." + +Still the stout-hearted veteran would not give up hope. Again he swept +the road with his glass, searching wistfully for some little dust cloud +or other sign of coming horseman across the wide, open plateau, but all +was silence and desolation, and, at last, feeling that he must go back +to camp and get something to eat, he shouldered his rifle and went down +the hill, his heart heavy as lead. + +Of course it was still possible for him to hitch up the team and make a +run for it, with Kate and the children, for Sunset Crossing, but he felt +confident that neither Kate nor little Ned would listen to such a +project if it involved leaving the captain behind. There was yet a +chance of his old commander's returning in time. Although he was not to +be seen anywhere over the twenty-mile stretch towards Jarvis Pass it was +all the more probable that he might have found Manuelito's trail leading +into the mountains north or south of the gorge in which they were now +hiding. The Mexican had long been employed in the pack train and had +been up through this range towards Chevelon Fork--he had heard him say +so. Very probably, therefore, he had struck out for the old "short cut" +back to the Verde. It was impracticable for wagons but easy enough for +mules--and it lay, so Pike judged, ten or fifteen miles south of the +Pass. The very thing! It would be the most natural course for him to +follow since the signal fire west of Snow Lake had showed them the +evening previous that the Indians were on their trail. Doubtless the +captain had reasoned it out on the same line and ridden southward along +the western base of the range until he had overtaken his treacherous +employe. A huge shoulder of the mountain shut off the view in that +direction, but the theory seemed so probable to Pike that his spirits +began to rise again as he struck the road Why! It might readily be that +at this moment the captain was not more than a mile or two away, and +hurrying back, fast as the mules would let him, to join the loved ones +whom he had left at camp. + +"It's a theory worth banking on for an hour or two at least," said Pike +to himself. "By Jinks! I'll swear to it as long as it can possibly hold +good. There's no use in letting them worry their hearts out--those poor +little kids. God be with us and help me to bring them safely through!" +And so, much comforted in spirit, the old trooper--half New England +Puritan, half wild frontiersman--strode briskly down the road, +determined that he would make no move for the Colorado until he knew +from the evidence of his own eyes that the Apaches were coming in +pursuit. + +The shortest way from Jarvis Pass to the point where they now lay +resting, was by way of the road along which they had come the night +before, on both sides of which, as has been said, the country lay +comparatively clear and open for miles to both north and south. Pike +felt certain that with the aid of his glass he could see the Indians +almost as soon as they got out upon the plain and while still many a +long mile away. Then there would be abundant time to bundle their +supplies into the ambulance, run it back to the road, stow Kate and the +children safely in the interior and whip up for "the Chiquito," leaving +their pursuers far behind. What a mercy it is, thought Pike, that these +Tontos have no horses! The captain, too, he argued, even if he had not +started before, would have an eye on that road wherever he was, and +would gallop for camp the moment he saw the distant signs of the coming +foe. + +Even as he trudged along, whistling loudly now by way of conveying an +idea of jollity to the anxious little party at the ambulance, Pike's +keen eyes were scanning the mountain sides. North of the Pass the ground +did not begin to rise to any extent until fully half a mile away, but +southward the ascent began almost at the roadside and was so steep as to +be in places almost precipitous. A thick growth of scrub oak, cedar and +juniper covered the mountain and here and there a tall tree shot up like +some leafy giant among its humbler neighbors; and, standing boldly out +on the very point where the heights turned southward, was a vertical +ledge of solid rock. Pike stopped instantly. "Now that's a watch-tower +as is a watch-tower!" he exclaimed. "I'll scramble up and have a look +from there before I do another thing." So saying he left the road and +pushing his way among the stunted trees and over rocks and bowlders he +soon began a moderately steep climb. Long accustomed to mountain +scouting, the craft of the old Indian fighter was manifest in his every +movement. He carefully avoided bending or breaking the merest twig among +the branches, and in stepping he never set foot on turf or soft earth, +but skipped from rock to rock, wherever possible, so as to leave no +"sign" behind him. It was more a matter of habit than because he +believed it necessary to conceal his trail from the Indians in this +case. No human being on earth can follow an enemy, like an Apache; a +bent twig, a flattened bit of sod, even a tiny impression in the loose +sand or rocky surface will catch his eye in an instant, and tell him +volumes. Pike knew well that there was no such thing as hiding the trail +of his party, and thinking of them he stopped to take breath and look +down. Their little fastness was hidden from him by the trees, but he +could see the baggage wagon down in the road, and, being unwilling to +have Kate and the little ones worrying about his long continued absence, +he set up a loud and cheery shout. + +"Hullo--o--o Jim!" + +Jim's voice came back on the instant. "What d'you want?" + +"Just save a little breakfast for the captain and me, will you? We'll be +hungry as wolves when we get in." + +"Is papa there?" piped up little Ned in his childish treble. + +"No--he's down around the west side. He'll be in presently. I look for +him every minute. He's all right, Ned." + +"Where you at?" shouted Jim again in his southern vernacular. + +"Up here on the hill. I'm going a piece farther to look at a big rock. +I'll be down in ten or twenty minutes." + +And so having cheered and re-assured them, Pike pushed on again. A few +minutes' sharp climbing brought him to the base of the ledge which +proved to be far bigger and higher than he had supposed, and all the +better for his purpose. Clambering to the top he could hardly repress a +shout of exultation. Not only had he now a commanding view of all the +plateau over to the ridge through which wound Jarvis Pass, but he could +even see over beyond towards Snow Lake, while northward for several +miles the western foothills of the range were open to his view. It was +by long odds the best lookout he could have found and he only regretted +that his view southward was still shut off. Adjusting his binocular he +again gazed long and carefully over all the plain and especially along +the western edge of the range to the north, but the search was fruitless +as before. Not a living, moving object was in sight. + +Finding an easy descent on the side farthest from camp and opposite that +on which he had clambered to the top Pike half slid, half swung himself +to the base again, and there he came upon a sight that filled his soul +with joy. From base to summit the ledge was probably fifty feet in +height and was so far tilted over on the western side as to have an +overhang of at least fifteen. More than this, there was a great cleft +near the base and an excavation or hollow running inwards and downwards, +perhaps fifteen feet more. Pike went in to explore, and, to his farther +satisfaction, found a "tank" where the water had gathered from the +melting snows and in the rainy season. He tasted it and found it cool +and fresh, and then, sprawling at full length, he drank eagerly. + +"What a find!" he almost shouted, with glee. "We can store Kate and the +children back in there, throw up a little barrier of rock at the front +with loopholes for our rifles. Not a bullet or arrow can reach us from +any direction except the tops of those trees yonder, and God help the +Tonto that tries to climb 'em. And, even if the captain don't come, by +Jinks! we can stand off all the Apaches in Arizona. It won't be more +than three days before Al Sieber will be galloping out with a swarm of +the old boys at his back, and if Jim and I, in such a fort as this, +can't lick Es-Kirninzin and his whole gang, call me a 'dough boy!'" + +The more he explored, the better was Pike pleased with the situation, +and in five minutes he had made up his mind what to do. The little nook +in which the party had been hiding was all very well for the night and a +good refuge for the horses as well as the human beings, but in broad +daylight the Indians would have no difficulty in finding and surrounding +it, and there was hardly any space within its rocky walls which would be +safe from bullet or arrow when once the assailants got up the hillside. +Here, however, they could stand a siege with almost perfect safety. From +above or from the flanks the Indians could not reach them at all, and if +they attacked from the front--up hill--nothing but a simultaneous and +preconcerted rush of the whole band could succeed, and Pike knew the +Apache well enough to feel secure against that possibility. + +Now it was possible to wait for the captain indefinitely. If he got back +in abundant time for them to load up and push out for the Colorado +Chiquito before the Indians reached the Pass--well and good. If he did +not--well, thought Pike, from here I can see the scoundrels when they +are still miles away, and all we've got to do is stock this cave with +blankets, provisions and ammunition, build our breastwork and let 'em +come. "With Kate and the kids out of harm's way, back in that hole, I +wouldn't ask anything better than to have those whelps of Tontos trail +us up here and then attempt to rout us out. We'd make some of 'em sick +Indians; wouldn't we, old girl?" wound up the ex-corporal apostrophizing +his Henry rifle. + +Greatly elated over his discovery, Pike went scrambling down the rocky +hillside in the direction of camp. He no longer took any precautions +about concealing his "trail." He well knew that in the two or three +trips it would take to bring their stores and then Kate and the children +up to the cave, such "signs" would be left that the Apaches could follow +without the faintest hesitation. + +Five minutes brought him into the midst of his charges, and here for a +moment the stout-hearted soldier was well nigh unmanned. Instantly he +was besieged with eager and anxious inquiry about papa, and poor little +Nellie, who had come running eagerly forward when she heard his cheery +voice, looked wistfully beyond him in search of her father, and seeing +at last that Pike had come alone, she clasped her little arms about his +knees and, looking imploringly up in his face, burst into tears and +begged him, amid her sobs, to say why papa did not come. Bending down, +he raised her in his strong arms and hugged her tight to his heart. + +[Illustration: BENDING DOWN HE RAISED HER IN HIS STRONG ARMS.] + +"Don't cry, little sweetheart," he plead. "Don't worry, pet. Papa isn't +far away. He's coming soon and I've got such a beautiful playhouse for +you and Ned and Kate up there on the hill. We won't go up just now, for +we all want to be here to give papa his breakfast when he comes in. And +my! how hungry I am, Nellie! Won't you give old Pike some coffee now, +and some bacon and _frijoles_?" + +Nellie, like a little woman, strove to dry her tears and minister to the +wants of her staunch old friend, the corporal. Ned manfully repressed +his own anxiety and helped to comfort his little sister, but Kate +retired behind the ambulance and wept copiously. She knew that something +must be wrong. No mere matter of a mule astray would keep the captain +from "the childer" all this long while. Black Jim had set the coffee pot +and skillet again on the coals and in a few moments had a breakfast +piping hot, all ready for the present camp commander who, meantime, +slung aside his slouch hat and neck-handkerchief, rolled up his sleeves +and was giving himself a plentiful sluicing of cold water from one of +the "tanks" below them. Then, as he went up to take his rations, he sung +out gaily to Ned: + +"Here, Ned, my boy. We ought to have a sentry posted to present arms to +the captain when he comes in. Get your rifle and mount guard until I get +through here." And Ned, proud to be so employed, and out in the Indian +country, too, was presently pacing up and down on the side nearest the +road, with all the gravity and importance of a veteran soldier. + +Pike made great pretence of having a tremendous appetite and made little +Nell help him to coffee twice, refusing to take sugar except from her +hand. Once during his repast, poor old Kate came forth from behind the +ambulance, and with her apron to her eyes slowly approached them, but +the trooper sternly warned her back, saying no word but pointing +significantly to the ambulance. He did not mean to have the little ones +upset by the nurse's lamentations. His "square meal" finished, he asked +Nellie to see to the breakfast for her father being carefully kept in +readiness and then, sauntering off towards the road, called Jim to +follow him. + +Then, while they were apparently examining the bolts of the baggage +wagon, he gave the darkey his instructions. + +"Jim, I don't know when the captain will get back or how far he's gone, +but I haven't a dread or fear of any kind now. Up there where you see +that big gray rock I've found a cave that is the most perfect defensive +position I ever saw. No bullet can reach it from any point, and on the +contrary, from the mouth of the cave, we command the whole hillside. Now +if those Apaches are bound to follow, they ought to be along here about +noon. If the captain gets here in plenty of time we'll pull out for the +Chiquito. If he doesn't I mean to move the whole outfit up to the cave. +I want you now to roll and strap all the blankets; to get the provisions +and everything of that kind in shape so that we can easily 'pack' them, +then I'm going back to the top of the rock to keep a look out. I can see +way beyond Jarvis Pass, and if the Indians are following I'll spot them +before they get within ten miles of us. See?" + +Quarter of an hour later Pike was once more on the top of the rock. +First he glanced at his watch. Just nine o'clock. Then he sprawled at +full length upon the blanket he had brought with him, levelled his +glasses and, resting his elbows on the rock, gazed long and earnestly +over the winding road. Presently he sat up, whipped off the red silk +handkerchief about his neck, carefully wiped the eye and object glasses +of his binocular and his own tired old eyes and, once more prone on his +stomach, gazed again; then twisted the screw a trifle as though to get a +better focus; gazed still another time; lowered the glass; rose to his +knees, his eyes gleaming brilliantly and his teeth setting hard; once +more levelled the glass and looked with all his soul in his eyes and +then slowly let the faithful binocular fall to the blanket by his side +as he spoke aloud: + +"By Jove! They're coming." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE PRISONER. + + +What Pike saw, far over on the plateau towards Jarvis Pass would perhaps +have attracted no attention from tourist or casual looker through a +field glass, but to him--an old trooper, Indian fighter and mountaineer, +it conveyed a world of meaning. Against the dark background of that +distant ridge and upon the dun-colored flat along which the road +meandered, the old corporal could just make out a number of dingy white +objects--mere specks--bobbing and twinkling in the blazing sunshine. +Nothing of the kind had been there when he looked before and he knew +only too well what it meant. Those dirty white specks were the +breech-clouts and turbans worn by nearly all the Tonto warriors in +preference to any other head-gear or clothing,--a cheap cotton cloth +being always kept in abundant supply at the agencies solely for their +use. Some of them, it is true, wore no turban at all, their luxuriant +growth of coarse black hair tumbling about their shoulders and trimmed +off in a "bang" just level with their fierce, beady eyes, being all the +head covering they needed. But the breech-clout was universal and some +few even wore loose cotton shirts. These, with the moccasin and leggin +invariably worn, the leggin generally in a dozen folds at the ankle, +made the war toilet of the intractable Tonto. There was none of the +finery of the proud warriors of the plains--the Sioux, Cheyenne or +Crow--but for all that, when those Apaches took to the war-path, the +soldiers used to say, "It meant business." + +"They will be here in three hours at the rate they're coming; three +short hours, too, for those beggars can keep up a jog trot all day long. +Now for it! captain or no captain." + +With that brief soliloquy Pike slid down from his perch, and for the +second time that morning made his way down the hillside and back to +camp. Here he found Kate and the children as full of eager and anxious +inquiry about papa as before, and could only comfort them by saying that +the mules must have run far to the south and were proving more than +ordinarily obstinate about coming back. Still, he said, papa is sure to +be here before noon, and indeed he hoped, and more than half believed, +that such would be the case. Knowing the danger that menaced his little +ones, it could not be that the captain would not use every endeavor to +get back to them before the Indians could reach the Pass. + +Jim had obeyed his instructions to the letter. There were the two big +rolls of blankets, securely strapped; there were the supplies; the +bacon, bread, _frijoles_, coffee, sugar, canned meats and vegetables. +Even some jams and jellies for the children, together with the coffee +pot, skillets, plates, cups and saucers all stowed away in the big iron +kettle that hung under the wagon and in a pail or two, ready to be +plumped into the ambulance if a start was to be made for the river, or +"toted" up the hill if the order was to take to the cave. And then the +irrepressible propensity of the negro had cropped out again. There lay +Black Jim peacefully snoring in the sunshine, oblivious of all danger. + +"Now, Kate, as the captain has my horse, I'm going to borrow his +awhile," said Pike. "I want to ride down the range a little way and see +if I can't help him home with the mules. You are perfectly safe here. +Just as safe, at least, as you would be if I were with you. I wouldn't +go and leave you if it were not absolutely necessary, as I believe it to +be. You'll take care of her, won't you, Ned, my boy?" + +The little fellow looked up bravely. "Nellie and I aren't afraid," he +said. "Only we do want papa to come and get something to eat. Jim told +me not to let the fire go out and I put on a little dry wood now and +then." + +But Kate sat with her apron to her eyes, rocking to and fro in +speechless misery and dread, Nellie striving vainly to comfort her. All +unconscious of the coming peril, the little ones were fearless and +almost content. They had no sympathy for their old nurse's terror. Pike +stopped and spoke once again to Kate before riding away, but in ten +minutes, mounted on a fresh and spirited horse, with his rifle athwart +the pommel and the field glasses in their case swinging by their strap +from his shoulder, he cantered boldly up the Pass and was soon well out +upon the open plain. His idea was to ride straight out to the west along +the road, five or six miles and more if necessary, scour the country +southward with the glasses in search of Captain Gwynne, and if he saw +nothing of him to get near enough to the advancing Apaches to see about +how large a party they were, then to whirl about, put spurs to his +horse, ride like the wind for camp, get Kate, the children, Jim and the +blankets and provisions up to the cave and be all ready for the Tontos +when they came. "Gregg" was curveting and prancing even now, eager for a +gallop, but Pike's practised hand kept him down to a moderate gait and +in this way he rode steadily westward towards a distant rise in the +midst of the undulating plateau, and there he felt confident he could +see all that there was to be seen. It was just ten o'clock when he +reined in at the top of a gentle ascent and unslung his glasses. First +he looked towards Jarvis Pass to see how far away were the enemy and how +many in number. Despite the windings of the road and occasional stunted +trees or bushes, the first glance through the binocular placed them at +once. Yes, there they were in plain view--certainly not more than four +miles away. Not only could he count the breech-clouts and turbans now, +but the swarthy, sinewy bodies could be made out as they came bobbing at +their jog trot along the trail. "Twenty-five in that party at least," +muttered Pike, "and coming for all they're worth. But what on earth are +they bunched so for? There seems to be half a dozen in a clump, right in +the middle of the road." Long and earnestly he studied them; a strange, +worried expression coming into his face. Then, just as he had done at +the rock, Pike wiped the glasses and his own eyes, and then gazed again. + +"By heaven!" he muttered at last. "That's a prisoner, sure as fate, that +they are lashing and goading along ahead of them. Who on earth can it +be? Oh, God grant it isn't the captain!" Rapidly then he swept the +plateau southward, searching the foothills of the range south of the +Pass, his whole heart praying for some glimpse of horse and rider, but +it was all unavailing. Then, with one more look at the coming foe, poor +Pike turned, with almost a groan of misery and anxiety, gave "Gregg" one +touch of the spur and a flip of the reins, and away he flew at full +speed back to his duty at the Pass. One minute he reined in as he neared +the gorge to note the direction taken by Manuelito. There were the +tracks of the two mules, and running southward out across the open +plain, but the captain had turned south almost the instant he had got +out from among the foothills. His trail started parallel with the range. +Surely then he ought to have returned to camp by this time. + +[Illustration: AWAY HE FLEW AT FULL SPEED.] + +And now, as once again he neared the little fastness in the rocks, Pike +drew rein and rode at easy, jaunty lope down the Pass. He would not +alarm his charges by hoof-beat that indicated the faintest haste. When +he and "Gregg" came into view no one of the anxious watchers could have +dreamed for an instant that he had seen a horde of fierce Apaches +hastening to overtake them. + +"Just as I thought," he sung out cheerily. "The captain went right down +the range to the south and the mules strayed off across the plateau, so +they missed each other and he won't come back till he gets them. It's +all right, but I expect he's pretty hungry by this time." Then, +springing from the saddle, he picked little Nell up in his arms: + +"And now, baby, you want to see the beautiful house I found for you, +don't you? We'll all go up and take a look at it and have lunch up +there--and lots of fun--while we wait for papa." And then with a kiss he +set her down and stalked over to where Jim was still snoring in the +sunshine! + +"Wake up, Jim!" he cried, giving him a lively shake or two. "Wake up and +give me a lift here. Nellie wants to see her stone house." + +It took some hard shaking--it generally does--to rouse the darkey from +his slumber, but Jim presently sat up, rubbed his eyes, looked around +him, and then, as though suddenly recovering his faculties, sprang to +his feet. + +"Unsaddle 'Gregg' and put the saddle, bridle and blanket with the other +stuff, Jim," whispered Pike. "We must take our horse equipments and +harness with us. We've got to move up to the cave. No hurry, mind you. +You fetch the blankets first. I'll carry Nellie." + +Then calling to Ned to bring his Ballard--there were lots of squirrels +up the hill--a fiction that can hardly have been very heavily charged +against him, Pike quickly lifted Nellie to his shoulders and strode off +up the rocks. "You come, too, Kate. It's quite a climb but it'll do you +good," he shouted, and presently he had his whole procession strung out +behind him and clambering from bowlder to bowlder. Long before they +reached the ledge they had to let poor Kate recover breath and, after +one or two halts of this kind, Pike sent Jim ahead with the blankets and +bade him come back at once and tow, push or "boost" the stout Irishwoman +to their destination. At last the rock was reached, Ned and Nellie +shouting with delight over the wonderful cave and speedily making +themselves at home in its inmost recesses, Kate breathless and exhausted +and bemoaning the fates that brought her on such an uncanny trip. The +blankets were spread out on the smooth surface of the rock within the +great, gloomy hollow. Jim was sent down for another load while Pike +clambered up to his watch-tower and took a long look with his glass. The +Indians had not yet reached the rise from which he had counted their +numbers at ten o'clock. + +In an hour more all the provisions they could need for several days, +more blankets and pillows, all the arms and ammunition, all the harness +and horse equipments had been lugged up to and safely stowed in and +about the cave. "They'll burn the wagons, blast them!" muttered Pike to +himself, "but we can leave the horses there. They won't harm them +because they will want them to get away with in case they find the +cavalry on their trail. The chances are the horses can be recovered, but +darn me if I'll let 'em have saddle, bridle or harness to run off +anything with." Then once more he had climbed to his post and was +diligently watching the road, while Jim, obedient to orders, was rolling +rocks and bowlders around to the opening of the cave. + +"What's thim for?" demanded Kate. + +"Corporal Pike's goin' to build a wall here to keep out the bears," said +Jim, with lowered voice and a significant glance at the children +prattling happily together at the back of the cave, and poor Kate knew +'twas no use asking questions. + +And now, through the glasses, Pike could see the Tontos gathered on the +low hillock which had been the western limit of his morning ride. They +seemed to have come suddenly upon "Gregg's" hoof prints and to have +halted for consultation. Full half an hour they tarried there and the +children began to clamor for the promised luncheon. Sauntering down by a +roundabout way the veteran picked up an armful of dry twigs, sticks and +dead boughs and tossed them down at the mouth of the cave. Then, behind +the rock, he built a small fire of the dryest twigs he could find, +explaining that he didn't want smoke in the dining room, and soon had +his skillet heating and his kettle of water at the boil. Jim was +directed to cook all that was needed for luncheon and to have plenty for +the captain, who would be sure to come back mighty hungry in course of +the afternoon, and the corporal was speedily at his post again. What +could it mean? The Tontos were still hanging about that little hill six +miles out there on the plain. Was it possible they had abandoned the +pursuit? + +Noon came; one o'clock, two o'clock. They had all had luncheon, and Pike +had been scrambling up and down the rock like a monkey, and still there +was no forward movement of the foe. Every time he looked they were still +lounging or squatting, so he judged, about the stunted trees on the +knoll, and there was nothing to explain the delay. It must have three +o'clock when at last the binocular told him they were again in motion +and coming rapidly toward him. He could see the dirty white +breech-clouts floating in the breeze and could almost distinguish the +forms of the warriors themselves. Leaving his glass on the top of the +ledge he slid down to the base again, called quietly to Jim, and the two +men set to work to build their breastwork. Bowlders big and little, +rocks of every possible shape and size were all around them, and in +three-quarters of an hour they had a stout parapet fully four feet high, +whose loopholes commanded the approach up the hillside, and yet were +secure from fire from above, below or either flank. Then back he went to +his watch-tower. + +[Illustration: THE TWO MEN SET TO WORK TO BUILD THEIR BREASTWORK.] + +The instant he adjusted the glass and levelled it at the road, Pike gave +vent to an expletive that need not be recorded here, but that indicated +in him a most unusual degree of excitement. No wonder. The Tontos were +now in plain view--only two miles and a half out there on the +plain,--and though they were spread out, as a rule, to the right and +left of the road, quite a number of them came jogging along the road +itself, and right in the midst of these, led by an Indian in front and +guarded by two or three in rear--were the missing mules. Even at that +distance Pike could swear to them. On they came, rapidly, relentlessly, +well knowing that even if their human prey had escaped them the big +wagon must be somewhere about the Pass and loaded still with provisions. +Nearer--nearer jogged the leaders; but now the old trooper was carefully +studying a dark object on the back of the foremost mule--a pack of some +kind--and marvelling what it could be,--wondering, too, what they had +done with their prisoner. He was sure they had one as they came along +that morning. At last they were within a mile of the heights and the +western entrance to the Pass, and now their speed slackened. They began +opening out farther and farther to the right and left, and the nearer +they came to the foothills the slower and steadier became their advance. +The mules and their attendants were kept well in the background and for +the life of him Pike could not tell what that queer looking "pack" could +be. Slowly, steadily, the Tonto skirmish line came on. Every moment +brought them nearer to the mouth of the Pass. The sun was low down in +the west and threw long shadows of the approaching foe before them. +Little by little, crouching, almost crawling, the more daring spirits +among them would give a spring and a rapid run to the front of forty or +fifty yards. Evidently they expected to be greeted with a sharp fire +somewhere about the Pass, and did not dare push ahead in their usual +order. And now they had reached the entrance to the defile. Two or +three, as flankers, remained well out to the right and left among the +trees; two or three stole cautiously ahead down the road. Pike watched +their every move, yet found himself every few seconds fixing his gaze on +that foremost mule now placidly cropping the scant herbage while the +skirmish line pushed ahead. Presently a signal of some kind was given +and repeated. The Indians in charge of the mules hastened with them to +the mouth of the Pass, and as they did so, that singular pack came +closer under Pike's powerful glass. + +"It's their prisoner," he uttered. "They have driven and goaded him +until he fainted from exhaustion. Then they had to wait for the mules to +be brought up to the hillock--then lashed the poor fellow upon the back +of one of them and pushed ahead." For some purpose of their own they +were keeping him alive, and death by fearful torture was something to be +looked forward to in the near future. The corporal continued to gaze as +though fascinated until the leading mule got almost under him, and then +he gave a groan of helplessness and misery as he exclaimed, "My God! My +God! It's Manuelito!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MANUELITO'S FATE. + + +For ten minutes Pike remained at his post of observation on top of the +rock, watching the Indians as they slowly and cautiously moved down the +Pass in the direction of the abandoned camp. The children, worn out with +their play, and the fatigues of the climb, were sleeping soundly in the +little cave on the peak,--Nellie, with her fair head pillowed in patient +Kate's lap. Black Jim, too, was lying where the sun shone full upon him, +and snoring away as placidly as earlier in the morning. + +Kate, far back in the cave, had no idea what was going on in the Pass +below; but her soul was still filled with dread and anxiety. The old +trooper knew well that just as soon as the Indians came to the wagons +and found them abandoned, their first care would be to secure all the +plunder from them possible. Then they would probably dispose of +Manuelito after their own cruel designs; and then, if darkness did not +come on in the meantime, they would probably begin their search for the +fugitives. There would be no difficulty to Indian trailers in following +their track up the mountain side; of this Pike was well assured. But the +wary old trooper had taken the precaution, every time that he and Jim +had gone to and from the camp, to take a roundabout path, so as to bring +their trail around the base of the mountain in front of the cave, and in +this way the Indians in following would come directly in front of their +barricade at the mouth and from sixty to a hundred yards down the hill +and within easy range and almost sure shot of the defenders. + +And now, peering down into the road far below, Pike could see that the +leading Indians had come in sight of the big baggage wagon and that they +were signalling to those in the rear, for almost instantly three or four +sinewy, athletic young fellows sprang up among the trees and bowlders on +the north side of the Pass, and crouching like panthers, half crawling, +half springing, they went flitting from rock to rock or tree to tree +until lost to the view of the lone watcher on the great ledge, but it +was evident that their purpose was to reconnoitre the position from that +side, as well as to surround the objects of their pursuit should they +still be there. Almost at the same instant, too, an equal number of the +Tontos came leaping like goats a short distance up the slope towards +Pike's unconscious garrison, but speedily turned eastward, and, adopting +precisely the same tactics as those of their comrades across the road, +rapidly, but with the utmost stealth and noiselessness, bore down on the +abandoned nook. + +"Mighty lucky we got out of that and found this," muttered Pike. "It +won't be five minutes before they satisfy themselves that there is no +one left to defend those wagons or the horses--and the moment they +realize it there'll be a yell of delight." + +Sure enough! After a brief interval of silence, there came from below a +shout of exultation, answered instantly by triumphant yells from the +Indians in the roadway, and echoed by a wail of mortal terror from poor +Kate, crouching below in the cave. Pike lost no time in sliding down the +rocks and striving to comfort her. Nellie, clinging to her nurse, was +terrified by the sounds. Little Ned, pale, but with his boyish face set +and determined, grasped once more his little Ballard rifle, and looked +up in the corporal's face as much as to say: Count on me for one of your +fighting men! Trembling, shivering and calling on the blessed saints, +poor Kate stood there wringing her hands, the very personification of +abject fright. Jim, coming around to the mouth of the cave, spoke +sternly to her; told her she ought to be ashamed of herself for setting +so bad an example to little Nell. "Look at Ned," he said, "see how the +little man behaves; his father would be proud of him." And then Pike +spoke up. "Don't worry, don't be so afraid, Kate; they have got all they +want just now. They'll just plunder and gorge themselves with food, and +then they will have Manuelito to amuse themselves with. It is getting +too late in the day for them to attempt to follow us. They have got too +much to occupy themselves with anyhow. Don't you worry, old girl; if +they do come this way, as they may to-morrow morning, we'll give them a +dose that will make them wish they had never seen a Yankee." + +[Illustration: NELLIE, CLINGING TO HER NURSE, WAS TERRIFIED BY THE +SOUNDS.] + +The Indian shouts redoubled; every accent was that of triumph. They were +evidently rejoicing over the rich find in the ambulance and the baggage +wagon. Of course a great deal of property had been left there for which +Pike's party would have no possible use up here in the cave, and this +included plenty of food. The horses, too, delighted the Tontos, and, as +Pike said, they would doubtless be occupied some little time with the +division of the spoils, and longer in having a grand feast. + +Looking down the road he could see the two mules browsing peacefully +side by side, Manuelito still lashed to the back of one of them. Two +young Indians stood guard over him and their four-footed captives; but +even these fellows were by no means forgotten, for every now and then +Pike could see their friends running back to them with something to eat +and, after exchanging a word or two, hurrying again to the wagons. + +After a while poor Kate, partially assured by Pike's words, but more +shamed into silence by the bravery of little Ned, subsided into a corner +of the cave, and there seated herself, moaning and weeping, but no +longer making any outcry. Pike decided that it would be necessary for +him to go once more to his watch-tower, and as far as he could, watch +the programme of the Apaches the rest of the day. Before starting, +however, he called up Jim and gave him his instructions: "You see that +the sun is almost down. The chances are that they will be so much +interested in what they have found that darkness will settle down upon +us before they fairly get through with their jubilee. Then, again, it +may be that the bloody hounds will have some fun of their own with poor +Manuelito to-night. I've no sympathy for the scoundrel, but I can't bear +the idea of one who has served with us so long being tortured before our +very eyes. We can't help it, however, there are only two of us here, and +our first object is to protect these poor little children, and that +wretched old Kate of a nurse there. Stay here with your rifle behind the +barricade. I'll whistle if any Indian attempts to follow our trail; then +I'll come down here as quickly as possible. But keep a bright lookout +yourself. Watch those trees down there to the front. Note everything +occurring along the road as far as you can see. There goes one of the +beggars back to that point now. Even in the midst of their fun they +don't neglect precautions. See! he's going to climb up there on that +little hill just where I was watching this morning. Yes, there he goes. +Now you will see him lie down flat when he gets to the top, and peer +over the rocks to the west. What he is looking out for, I don't know, +but it may be that they expect the cavalry even more than we do. They +possibly have had signal fires from the reservation warning them that +the cavalry have already left the Verde. I hope and pray they have. Now, +keep up your grit, Jim; don't let anything phaze you. If you want help, +or see anything, whistle, and I'll come down." + +Already it was growing darker down the gorge. Pike could see that the +Apaches had lighted a fire in the road close to the wagons. Evidently +they were going to begin some cooking on their own account, and were +even now distributing the provisions they had found. Two of them had +released Manuelito from the mule, and the poor devil was now seated, +bound and helpless, on a rock by the roadside, looking too faint and +terrified to live. The captain's field glass revealed a sorry sight to +the old soldier's eyes as he peered down at the little throng of savages +about the baggage wagon, now completely gutted of its contents; and +though he despised the Mexican as a traitor and thief and coward, it was +impossible not to feel compassion for him in his present awful plight. +There was something most pitiable in the fellow's clasped hands and +abject despair. He had lived too long in Arizona not to know the fate +reserved for prisoners taken by the Indians, and he knew, and Pike knew, +that, their hunger once satisfied, the chances were ten to one they +would then turn their attention entirely to their captive, and have a +wild and furious revel as they slowly tortured him to death. + +[Illustration: THE POOR DEVIL WAS NOW SEATED, BOUND AND HELPLESS, ON A +ROCK BY THE ROADSIDE.] + +The sun had gone down behind the range, far over to the west, as Pike +reached once more the top of his watch-tower, and every moment the +darkness deepened down the Pass. Up here he could not only see the +baggage wagon in the road, but the top of the ambulance, and two of the +horses were also visible, and occasionally the lithe forms of the Tontos +scurrying about in the firelight. Evidently the old cook fire in the +cleft of the rocks had been stirred up and was now being utilized by +half the band, while the others toasted the bacon and roasted _frijoles_ +down in the road. The yells had long since ceased. Many of the warriors +were squatting about the baggage wagon gnawing at hard bread or other +unaccustomed luxuries, but those at the ambulance were chattering like +so many monkeys and keeping up a hammering, the object of which Pike +could not at first imagine, until he suddenly remembered the locked box +under the driver's seat, the key of which was always carried by the +captain. Then a flash of hope shot over him as he recalled the fact that +when they left their station Captain Gwynne had stowed away in there +three or four bottles of whiskey or brandy. It would take them but a +little while, he knew, to break into the enclosure, and then there would +be a bacchanalian scene. + +"Oh, that it were a barrel instead of a bottle or two," groaned Pike. +"As it is there's just enough to exhilarate the gang and keep them, +singing and dancing all night; but a barrel!--that would stupefy them +one after another and Jim and I could have gone down and murdered the +whole crowd. Not one of 'em would ever have known what hurt him." + +Ha! a sound of crashing, splitting wood. A rush, a scuffle--then a yell +of triumph and delight. Every Indian in the roadway sprang to his feet +and darted off up the rocks to swell the chorus at the ambulance. Even +Manuelito's guard left his prisoner to take care of himself and ran like +a deer to claim his share of the madly craved "fire water." A few years +before and most of them hardly knew its taste, but some of their number +had more than once made "John Barleycorn's" acquaintance and had told +wondrous tales of its effects. In less than a minute, with the single +exception of their sentry on the hill, every Tonto was struggling, +shouting, laughing and leaping about the family wagon, and Pike knew +from the sounds that the captain's little store of liquor was rapidly +disappearing. Every moment the noise waxed louder and fiercer as the +deep potations of the principal Indians did their poisonous work. There +were shrill altercations, vehement invective and reproach; Pike even +hoped for a minute that there had been enough after all to start them +fighting among themselves, but the hope was delusive. All was gloom and +darkness now in the Pass except immediately around the two fires. He +could no longer see Manuelito or the mules, but suddenly he heard a +sound of a simultaneous rush and an instant after with hideous shouts +and yells the whole band leaped into view and went tearing down into the +road and up to the rocks where their helpless prisoner still sat bound +and helpless--more dead than alive--and Pike heard the shriek of despair +with which the poor fellow greeted his now half crazy captors. + +"My God!" groaned the old soldier, "it is awful to have to lurk here and +make no move to help him. He would have cut all our throats without a +twinge of conscience, but I can't see him tortured nor can I lift a hand +to save him. And here's Kate, and those poor little ones. They can't +help hearing his cries and shrieks. What an awful night 'twill be for +them! No use of my staying up here now. I must go down to them." + +Far back in the black recesses of the cave he found them,--Nellie +trembling and sobbing with her head pillowed in Kate's lap and covered +with a shawl so as to shut out, if possible, the awful sounds from +below. The Irishwoman, too, was striving to stop her ears and was at the +same time frantically praying to all the saints in the calendar for help +in their woeful peril, and for mercy for that poor wretch whose mad +cries and imprecations rang out on the still night air even louder than +the yells of his captors. Manful little Ned sat close by his sister's +side, patting her arm from time to time with one hand while he clung to +his rifle with the other. The boy did not shed a tear, though his voice +trembled and his lips quivered as he answered Pike's cheery words. Jim +knelt at his post at the stone breastwork keeping vigilant watch, though +his teeth chattered despite his best efforts, and his eyes were +doubtless bulging out of their sockets. + +"You mustn't be sitting here all in the dark," said Pike. "Keep up a +little fire, Ned, my boy. It's so far back and so far up the hill that +the Indians cannot possibly see the light it may make even were they to +come around to the east side of the mountain. They won't to-night, +though. They've found papa's stock of whiskey and brandy and are already +half drunk. They'll lie around there all night long and never come +hunting for us until after sunrise to-morrow, if they do then. We'll +just have fun with these fellows until the cavalry come from Verde, as +come they will, I haven't a doubt, now that papa has found that he was +cut off and has ridden back on the trail to meet and hurry the troops. +He knows well that you and Jim and I could take care of Nellie and stand +off these beggars until he could reach us. Now, light the lantern and +stow it in that niche yonder. And you, Kate, lie down and cover yourself +and the children with blankets. I'm going out where I can watch what +they're doing." + +So saying, Pike took his rifle and the field glasses and, after a word +with Jim, passed around to the east front of the ledge. It was too dark +to enable him to venture down the bowlders, or to attempt to climb again +to the top of the rock, but he found a spot among the stunted trees from +which he could just see the back part of the baggage wagon and the +Apaches flitting about it in the light of their fire. Leveling his +glasses he could make out that several of the Indians were grouped about +some object in the road, and presently one or two came running to the +spot with buckets of water which they dashed over a prostrate form. It +was Manuelito, who had probably fainted dead away. + +Then, as the Mexican apparently began to recover his senses, he was +lifted roughly from the ground and borne, moaning and feebly struggling, +towards the wagon. Into this he was tossed head foremost, so that only +his feet and legs were visible to the anxious watcher up the hill. +Securely bound, and already half dead from the tortures inflicted on +him, unable to move hand or foot, the poor wretch lay there, alternately +praying and weeping. What the next move of the Apaches would be was not +long a matter of doubt. The whole band, with the exception of their +sentinels, were now dancing and leaping about their captive, singing +some devil-inspired chant, which occasionally gave place to yells of +triumph. Presently the younger men began piling up wood under the back +of the wagon--under the Mexican's manacled feet; and then brands and +embers were thrust underneath. Pike turned sick with horror and +helplessness at the sight, for he knew instantly what it meant. The +wagon was to be the wretched Manuelito's funeral pyre. They meant to +burn him to death by inches. Suddenly a bright flame leaped up from the +bottom of the stack of fuel; broader, brighter, fiercer it grew until it +lapped up over the floor of the wagon. A scream of agony rang through +the Pass, answered by jeering laughter and fiendish yells. The next +minute the whole band were circling round the wagon in a wild war-dance; +their yells, their savage song, completely drowned the shrieks of the +tortured man. The whole wagon was soon a mass of flames, and more fuel +was added. Presently the rear axle came down with a crash, sending +showers of sparks whirling through the night air, and Pike turned away +faint and trembling. + +Another instant, however, and every faculty was on the alert, every +nerve strung to its highest tension, and the old soldier sprang back to +the cave in answer to Jim's call. + +"Look!" whispered the negro. "Look down there! There's some one moving +among those rocks." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +PIKE'S STRANGE DREAM. + + +Kneeling behind their rocky barrier the two men silently peered into the +darkness down the hill. The great ledge of rock under which they were +hiding concealed from their view the burning fires of the Indians down +in the roadway to the east. But the reflection of the fire could be +plainly seen on the rocks and trees on the north side of the Pass. Here +and there stray beams of light shot through the firs and cedars and +stunted oaks that lay below them among the bowlders; and somewhere down +among these little trees, watchful Jim declared that he had seen +something white moving cautiously and stealthily to and fro. Pike +closely questioned him, whispering his inquiries so as not to catch the +ears of Kate or the children, but Jim stoutly declared that he could not +be mistaken. He had marked it twice, moving from place to place, before +he had quit his post and called to the corporal to come and verify for +himself what he was sure he had seen. For a few moments Pike thought +that it might be the Apache sentinel who had, possibly, left his +position on the little hill across the road, and was seeking on his own +account some clue to the whereabouts of the fugitives from the camp. +Pike had seen one or two Indians running up the road to where the +sentinel was stationed in order to give him some of the plunder which +they had taken from the wagon, and it was now so dark that he could no +longer see objects out on the plain, and, as he could hear approaching +horsemen just as well on this side of the road as on that, it was quite +possible that this Indian was the cause of Jim's warning. + +Several minutes passed without either of them seeing anything. Then +suddenly Jim's hand was placed on the corporal's arm, and in a low, +tremulous voice he whispered: "Look! Look!" + +Following with his eyes the direction indicated by Jim's hand, Pike +could just see, probably two hundred or two hundred and fifty yards away +down the hillside, something dirty white in color, very slowly and very +stealthily creeping from one bowlder to another. The tops and crests of +the trees and bowlders, as has been said, were tinged by the light of +the fires still burning down in the roadway. The Indian yells were +gradually ceasing as, one after another, seemingly overcome by the +liquor that they had been drinking, they subsided into silence. A number +of them, however, still kept up their monotonous dance, varied every now +and then by a yell of triumph; but the uproar and racket was not to be +compared with what had been going on during the torture to which +Manuelito had been subjected before they had mercifully, though most +horribly, put an end to his sufferings. + +Nothing but the embers of the wagon and the unconsumed iron work, of +course, now remained in the road. Pike judged too that the ambulance had +been burned, and that nothing remained of that. But all thought as to +what was going on among the Indians in the Pass was now of little +account as compared with the immediate presence of this object below +him. Could it be one of the Apaches? Could it be the sentinel from the +other side? Its stealthy movements and the noiseless way in which it +seemed to flit from rock to rock gave color to his supposition, and yet +it appeared unnatural to Pike that any one of the Indians should +separate himself from his comrades and go on a still hunt in the dead of +the night for traces of their hated foes. + +"I cannot see it now," whispered Jim. "Where is he gone?" + +"Behind that big rock that you see touched by the firelight down yonder. +Our trail is just about half way. Look! There it is again! Nearer, too, +by fifty yards. I wish he'd get on top of one of those bowlders where +the light would strike him. Then we might make him out. By Jove! He's +coming up the hill. Whatever you do, don't fire. I'll tend to him." + +With straining eyes they watched the strange, stealthy approach of the +mysterious object. Every now and then it would totally disappear from +sight and then, a moment or two afterwards, could again be dimly seen, +crouching along beside some big rock or emerging behind the thick +branches of some stunted tree. Nearer it came until Pike was sure it +must have reached the "trail" they had made in their journeys up and +down the hill. + +"I never saw an Apache that could move about in the dark as quickly as +that fellow. Jim, by Jimminy, I'll bet it's no Indian at all!" + +"What is it, then?" muttered Jim, whose teeth would chatter a little. He +had all a darkey's dread of "spooks" and was more afraid of a possible +ghost than an actual Tonto. + +"That's a lynx or a wild-cat, man! They have a dingy white coat to their +backs, in places at least, and you've only stirred up some mighty small +game. See here, Jim, you're getting nervous. I'll have to call Ned out +here with his little Ballard to take your place if you are going +to--There! What did I tell you?" + +A heap of fresh fuel--probably dry cedar boughs--had just been thrown on +the coals by some of the determined dancers down in the road and a broad +glare of firelight illumined the Pass. Again the rocks and trees down in +front of the cave were brilliantly tinged, and, as though determined to +have a good look at these strange "goings on," there suddenly leaped +from the darkness and appeared in view upon the flat top of one of the +biggest bowlders a little four-footed creature gazing with glowing eyes +upon the scene below. + +"There's your Indian, James, my boy," softly laughed Pike and, turning, +he called back into the cave: + +"Ned, are you asleep?" + +"No," was the prompt answer. "Do you want me, Pike?" + +"Come here and I'll show you a pretty shot for your Ballard." + +Ned was at his side in an instant, bringing his little rifle with him, +and the old soldier pointed down the hill. + +"That's what Jim took for an Apache," he said. + +[Illustration: "THAT'S WHAT JIM TOOK FOR AN APACHE."] + +"So did you, Pike; you needn't try to make fun of me," was Jim's answer, +half surly, half glad, because his fears were now removed. + +"Is it a panther?" whispered Ned. "Oh!--can't I take a pop at him?" + +"Not a shot. It would simply be telling those blackguards where we were +hiding and spoil all the fun I expect to have in the morning. That's no +panther; they have a tawny hide; but it's the biggest catamount or +wild-cat I ever set eyes on. Now go back to Kate, bundle up in your +blankets and keep warm and go to sleep. Jim and I stand guard to-night." + +And, obediently, the boy crept away. Pike looked after him with +moistening eyes--all his jovial, half-laughing manner changing in an +instant. + +"God bless the little man! He's as brave and plucky as a boy could be, +and hasn't so much as whimpered once," muttered the ex-corporal to +himself. "What would I not give to know where his father was this +night!" + +Then he turned to Jim who had somewhat sulkily drawn away to the other +end of the little parapet. + +"Come back, Jim, my boy. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he said. +"You were perfectly right in keeping such close watch on everything and +anything the least suspicious and I was wrong if I ridiculed it. Now +we've got to divide the night between us. You lie down at once and go to +sleep. I'll keep guard till one or half past; then you relieve me until +daybreak." + +And Jim, nothing loth, crept back towards the glowing coals and rolled +himself in his heavy blanket, leaving the old corporal to his solitary +reflections, and these were of a character so gloomy, so full of anxiety +and dread, that one only marvels how he was able to keep up, before Kate +and the children, the appearance of jollity and confidence that had +marked throughout this trying day his whole demeanor. + +"I would give anything to know where the captain is to-night!" again he +muttered as his weary eyes gazed over the jagged hillside below him. The +Indian fires were waning again and the gleams of light on rock and tree +were growing fainter and fainter. The sounds of savage revelry, too, +were more subdued, though a hoarse, monotonous chant came up from below. +As has been said, Pike's watch-tower and fortress was fully a quarter of +a mile south of the road and about a third of a mile from the abandoned +camp, but in the absolute silence that reigned in every other quarter +the sounds from the Apache war-dance in that clear mountain air were +almost distinctly audible. The awful groans and cries of Manuelito were +still ringing in his ears, and, to himself, the old soldier confessed +that his nerve was not a little tried by the fearful sights and sounds +of the early evening. It was poor preparation for the fight that he felt +morally certain would speedily follow the rising of the morrow's sun, +but Pike had been through too many an Indian war and in too many tight +places before to "lose his grip," as he expressed it, now. + +"If I only had those poor little kids safe with their father nothing +would suit me better than to be here with four or five of the old +'Troop' and let the whole of the Apache nation try to rout me out," he +said to himself. "Even as it is, I'm bloodthirsty enough now, after what +I've seen and heard to-night, to be impatient for their attack. By gad! +we've got a surprise in store for them if only Jim don't get stampeded." + +Turning to listen for sounds from his little garrison, Pike could +distinguish two that were audible and that prevailed above all or any +others: Kate was tearfully moaning and praying aloud; Jim placidly +snoring. + +"That nigger could lie down and go to sleep, by thunder, if he knew the +world was coming to an end in less than an hour. I'll have to watch here +till nearly dawn and have the strongest coffee I can brew all ready for +him or he'll be going to sleep on his post and letting those hounds +crawl right upon us. Coffee's a good idea! I'll have some myself." + +So saying the veteran stole back into the cave, noiselessly filled the +battered coffee-pot and set it on the coals, said a few reassuring words +to Kate and begged her to remember him in her prayers, laughed at her +doleful and despairing reply and returned to his post. + +All quiet. Even the wild-cat had disappeared and there was now no longer +light by which he could have detected the creature. Pike almost wished +he hadn't gone, for, as he grimly said, the fellow might have been good +company and kept him from getting sleepy. Little by little the Indian +chant was getting drowsy and the weird dancers, some of the younger +braves, tired of the sport when there were neither admiring squaws or +approving old chiefs to look on. The chiefs in this case, of course, had +consumed the greater portion of the whiskey and were now sleeping off +its soporific effects, and the youngsters could only remain where they +were, keep watch and ward against surprise, and make no move in any +direction until their elders should be themselves again, unless the +sudden coming of enemies should compel them to rouse their leaders from +their drunken slumbers and skip like so many goats for the highest parts +of the mountain. + +Looking at his watch as he sipped his tin of coffee Pike noticed that it +was now eleven o'clock. "Oh, if I only knew that all was well with the +captain," he muttered. "And if I only knew where Sieber and the cavalry +were to-night." + +Not until after two o'clock in the morning did the old soldier decide +that it was time to "turn over the command" and seek a little rest +himself. He knew that he would not be half fit for the responsibilities +of the coming day unless he could get a few hours' sleep, and as Jim had +now been snoring uninterruptedly for over four hours, Pike concluded to +call him, give him some strong coffee and some sharp instructions, and +put him "on post." It took no little shaking and kicking to rouse the +boy, but presently he sat up, just as he had done at the ambulance, with +the yawning inquiry, "What's the matter?" + +"Nearly half-past two, Jim, and your turn for guard. Stir out here, now. +Douse your head with some of this cold water. It will freshen you up. +Then I'll give you a good tin of coffee." + +Jim obeyed, and after stumbling stupidly around a moment, and then +having a gourd or two of water dashed over his face and neck, he +pronounced himself all right and proceeded to enjoy the coffee handed +him. + +"Now, Jim," said Pike, "the wild-cat's gone, and no Apaches will be apt +to prowl up here to-night, but I want you to keep the sharpest lookout +you ever did in all your life--not only over their movements down in the +road, but for cavalry coming from the west. There's just no telling how +soon those fellows may be out from Verde, and when they come we want to +know it. The Indians have their sentries out, so they evidently expect +them. Watch them like a hawk, but don't give any false alarm or make any +noise. Let me sleep until it begins to get light, then call me. Now, can +you do it?" + +"Of course I can, corporal, but where are you going to sleep?" + +"Right here by you. I'll hand your blankets and mine out by the parapet, +so that if you want me, all you have to do is put out your hand. If you +are chilly, or get so towards daybreak, throw that saddle blanket over +your shoulders." + +For a long time, despite fatigue and watching, Pike could not get to +sleep. He lay there looking up at the stars shining in the clear heavens +and thinking how peaceful, how far removed from strife or battle, they +seemed to be. Then he kept an eye on Jim, and was glad to note that the +darkey seemed alert and aware of his responsibilities, for every few +minutes he would creep out and peer around the shoulder of the ledge +where he could get a better view of anything going on down in the road, +and, after half an hour of this sort of thing, he reported to Pike that +he "reckoned the whole gang had gone to sleep down there." The old +trooper assured him, however, that some must be on the alert and warned +him to relax in no way his vigilance, and then at last wearied Nature +asserted her rights, and the soldier fell asleep. + +Four o'clock came,--five o'clock,--and there had been no sound from +below. Then, far in the east the skies began to hoist their colors in +honor of the coming Day God, and rich crimson and purple soon blended +with the richer gold, and all around the rocky fastness the pale, wan +light of the infant morn stole over rock and tree, and still old Pike +slept, but not the deep, restful slumber of three hours before. He was +dreaming, and his dreams were troubled, for his limbs were twitching; he +rolled over and moaned aloud; inarticulate sounds escaped from his lips; +but still, as one laboring with nightmare, he could not wake--could not +shake off the visions that oppressed him. In his sleep he saw, and saw +beyond possibility of doubt, that the Apaches were hurriedly rousing +their comrades; that they were quickly picking up their rifles and then +nimbly speeding up the rocks; that even as they came towards him up the +mountain side several of their number went crouching along towards the +east and eagerly watching the roadway through the Pass, and, following +their fierce eyes, he could see, winding up the gorge, coming at a trot, +a troop of the longed-for cavalry--coming not from the west, as he had +expected, but from the direction of the magnificent sunrise that flashed +on their carbines and tinged the campaign hats with crimson. At their +head rode two officers, and one, he knew at once, must be his old +captain, but why that bandage about his head? Why the rude sling in +which his arm was carried? Plainly visible though they were to him, the +Apaches were completely hidden from the approaching troops. Two minutes' +ride brought the leaders to the smouldering ruins of the baggage wagon, +at sight of which, and the charred and unrecognizable body in their +midst, his captain had groaned aloud, then forced his "broncho" up the +rocky path to where they had made their camp, and then, when he saw the +ruined ambulance and all the evidences of Apache triumph, he reeled in +his saddle and would have fallen headlong had not two stout troopers +held him while their young lieutenant thrust a flask of brandy between +the ashen lips; and then in his wild vision Pike saw them ride on and on +up the road right beneath them--only a quarter of a mile away--never +heeding, never looking for him and his precious charges. He strove to +shout: he screamed aloud, yet only a suffocated groan seemed to issue +from his lips; he shouted to Jim to fire and so attract their attention, +but there was no response; and then, in his agony, he started up, wide +awake in an instant, and, hurling off his blankets, seized his rifle and +sprang to his feet. + +Broad daylight; sunbeams dancing through the trees; and there, doubled +up at the back of the parapet, lay that scoundrel Jim--asleep on guard. +One vehement kick and curse he gave him: then peered over the barrier +down the rocky hillside. God of heaven! what a sight met his eyes! The +Apaches were almost on them. + +[Illustration: ONE VEHEMENT KICK AND CURSE HE GAVE HIM.] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE CAPTAIN'S RIDE. + + +It is high time now that we should hear something of Captain Gwynne +himself, and leave for the time our little garrison in the cave at +Sunset Pass. Let us follow the movements of the father for whom the +children were so anxiously and tearfully praying. + +Galloping away on Pike's horse in close pursuit, as he supposed, of +Manuelito and the mules, the captain had turned south the moment he +cleared the rocky buttresses that formed the western gateway to the +Pass. He had reasoned that the Mexican would not dare go back along the +road on which they came, because in so doing he must infallibly run +straight into the Apaches, who were following in pursuit. Knowing, as +did Pike, that Manuelito was well acquainted with the short cut through +the mountains down to the valley of the Verde, miles to the south of the +winding and roundabout way on which they were compelled to come by road; +knowing, too, that this trail was far to the south of where they had +seen the Indians' signal fires,--Gwynne's whole idea seemed to be that +Manuelito would take the shortest line to reach that rough but easily +known trail. He did not hesitate, then, a moment in turning short to the +south, and riding confidently along to the western foothills, expecting +every moment to hear the bray of the mules or the sound of their hoof +beats. He knew that the moment these creatures heard the hoof beats of +his own horse, they would be almost sure to signal. Just what to do with +Manuelito himself, he had not yet determined; but it was his purpose to +force him back to camp at the point of the pistol, if necessary; then to +bind him to the wagon; make him drive, at least until they reached Fort +Wingate over in New Mexico beyond the Navajo Reservation, and turn him +over there to the military authorities for such disposition as they +might choose to make of him. Of course, he would have no further +employment in Arizona, for his character was blasted forever. Mile after +mile, however, the captain rode without hearing one of the anticipated +sounds, and the further he rode the lighter it grew. Far down, to the +south, now, he could dimly see objects that looked like four-footed +creatures, moving rapidly. Unluckily, he had with him only a light, +short-ranged pair of glasses, and he could not distinctly make out what +they were; but believing that they could be nothing but Manuelito and +the mules, he put spurs to his weary horse, and pushed rapidly in +pursuit--wondering, however, how it was that the Mexican, with the +slow-moving mules, could have got so far to the front. Five miles +further he rode and by that time the sun was up above the mountains of +New Mexico, over to the east, and lighting up the whole plateau to his +right. By this time, too, the objects, of which he had been in pursuit, +had totally disappeared from his sight, and looking around him he could +see nowhere sign of hoof or any trail that would indicate that the mules +had come that way. However, as he might be anywhere from ten yards to +ten miles from the exact line Manuelito traveled, this gave him no +concern. He decided that he would push on until he came upon the cavalry +trail up which he had ridden a year before on an expedition with their +good guide Sieber to Chevelon Fork. By this time, too, he knew that he +must be twelve miles from camp, and that in all probability the Indians +had left their position west of Snow Lake, and were already coming in +pursuit. He dreaded to think of the peril in which his children might +be; but he had every confidence in Pike; he believed in Jim's pluck and +fighting qualities, and he reasoned that it would be one or two o'clock +before the Indians could possibly reach the Pass, and that he could +easily get back long before that time. Riding, therefore, still further +to the south, he pursued his search for an hour longer, and then came +suddenly upon a sight that thrilled his heart with hope and joy. Right +before him, coming across the southern edge of the plateau, and winding +up the mountains to the left, was an unmistakable cavalry trail, not +more than a day or two old. Evidently some troop was out from Verde and +had taken the old short cut to Chevelon Fork, expecting by that route to +make the quickest time to the Sunset crossing of the Colorado River. In +all probability this was one of the troops coming out in search of and +to succor him and his party. Reining his jaded horse to the left, the +captain rapidly followed on the trail. He reasoned that the four-footed +creatures that he took to be the mules were in all probability a portion +of the pack-train of the troop that had so recently passed along, or it +might be one or two troopers who had been making scouts to the right or +to the left of the trail, and were now following the main body. All +thought of pursuing Manuelito further was abandoned. His sole object was +to overtake, as quickly as possible, the little command of cavalry that +he knew to be in his path, and then to guide them by the shortest line +back to Sunset Pass, and to the defence of the dear ones there awaiting +him. If he had good luck, he might catch them before they had gone many +miles. The trail he knew would speedily lead him over into the valley of +Chevelon Fork, and following this they would emerge on the east side of +the mountain. Perhaps it might be fortunate that he did not overtake +them until they were east of the range; for the Apaches would certainly +not expect the cavalry to come from the Colorado side of the mountain; +but would be looking for them from the west, and the chances, therefore, +would be all the more in favor of their dealing them a crushing blow, +and punishing them as they deserved for their assault on defenseless +women and children. + +On, on he rode, urging his horse as rapidly as it was possible for him +to go over the rocky, broken trail. Two hours' ride brought him no +nearer, apparently, to the comrades he was pursuing. Three hours' ride +brought him down into the valley of Chevelon Fork and half way through +the range. It was not until one o'clock that he found himself at such a +point that he could look forward and see part of the country toward the +Colorado Chiquito; but not a vestige of the cavalry or pack-train was +anywhere in sight, and his horse was now so weary that he could only +answer with a groan the touch of the spur, and could not by any +possibility accelerate his speed. Two o'clock came, and the anxious +father found himself, he knew not how many miles away from Sunset +Pass,--away from the children so anxiously praying for him, and awaiting +his coming. + +He was growing faint from long fasting, and the horse was so jaded that +the captain dismounted and was fairly towing him along behind him with +the bridle rein. In this way they had slowly and painfully climbed a +steep and rocky ascent where the trail seemed to make a short cut across +a deep bend of the stream, and reaching the summit they stopped to rest, +panting hard with fatigue. Again the captain resorted to his little +glasses and looked long and eagerly over the broad stretch of country to +the east, but it was all in vain. No living creatures were in sight. + +Directly in front, the trail wound downwards over an incline so steep +that it looked as though horses and mules could never have made those +hoof tracks, but that only goats could have gone that way. The poor old +bay looked piteously at his master as though imploring him not to force +him to undertake that steep descent, but Gwynne could show no mercy now. +He had come too far to turn back. His only hope, if he could not find +the scouting party, was to make his way along the east side of the range +back to the little camp in Sunset Pass. He prayed God to watch over and +protect his little ones, and then, with almost a sob rising to his +throat, he tried to speak cheerfully to poor "Mac;" he patted the +drooping head of his faithful old servitor and, calling to him to +follow, he pressed forward, and half sliding, half stepping, he began +the steep descent. The poor horse braced his fore feet and stiffened his +knees and came skating over the loose slate after him. All went +tolerably well until they were about two hundred feet from the rushing +waters of the fork, foaming and swirling over the rocks below, and +there, coming upon a sharp point around which they had to make their +way, Gwynne had taken only three or four steps downward and was about to +turn and speak encouragingly again to "Mac," when the horse's fore feet +seemed to shoot from under him; he rallied, gathered himself, stumbled, +and then, plunging heavily forward, crashed down upon his master, rolled +completely over him, and then went sliding and pawing desperately to the +edge of the rocky precipice, over which he shot, a huge, living bowlder +and fell with a thud upon the jagged rocks below. For some minutes +Gwynne lay where he had been hurled, stunned and senseless; then he +slowly revived, found that his left arm was severely wrenched and +bruised, and that the blood was streaming from a long gash in his +forehead. Slowly and painfully he made his way to the foot of the steep, +bathed his head in the cool waters and bound it up as well as he could +with his big silk handkerchief. He was fainter, weaker now, than he had +been before, but never for an instant could he forget the little ones at +the Pass. + +"Oh, God help me and bring me back to them in time," he prayed; and +then, holding his maimed left arm in his right hand, and with one +backward look up the canon at the now lifeless carcass of poor "Mac," he +staggered wearily on, following the trail of the cavalry. + +[Illustration: WITH ONE BACKWARD LOOK HE STAGGERED WEARILY ON.] + +Late that evening, just as darkness was settling down over the valley of +the Colorado Chiquito, the soldiers of a little detachment, chatting +gleefully around their bivouac fires and sipping their fragrant coffee, +were startled by the sudden sight of a man with ghastly, blood-stained +features and dress, who reeled blindly into their midst and then fell +forward upon his face, to all appearances dead. + +Some of them, believing Indians to be upon them, sprang for their arms; +others bent to the aid of the stricken man. They turned him over on his +back, brought water and bathed the blood from his face, and then a +sergeant cried: + +"My God! What can have happened? It's Captain Gwynne! Here, Murphy, call +the lieutenant, quick!" + +[Illustration: "MY GOD! WHAT CAN HAVE HAPPENED? IT'S CAPTAIN GWYNNE!"] + +In an instant the young officer commanding the party came running to the +scene and bent breathlessly over the senseless form. + +"It is Captain Gwynne," he said; "bring more water. Go to my pack, one +of you, and get the sponge you'll find there. Fetch me my flask, too. +Which way did he come? Did none of you see?" + +"None, sir. The first we knew he was right over us. He never spoke a +word, but fell like a log." + +And then the rough-looking, bearded, anxious faces hovered about the +prostrate man. His heart-beats were so faint that the young officer was +terribly alarmed. No surgeon was with the little party and he hardly +knew what to do. The whiskey forced down Gwynne's throat seemed +powerless to revive him. Full an hour he lay almost motionless, then +little by little the pulse grew firmer and respiration audible. At last +there was a long, deep sigh, but still he did not open his eyes. +Consciousness returned only very slowly, and when Mr. Hunter had called +him by name time and again and begged him to speak, he sighed even more +deeply than before, the lids slowly drew back, and the almost sightless +eyes looked feebly around. Then, with sudden flash of memory, the poor +captain strove to rise. "My babies!" he moaned; "my babies!" + +"Where did you leave them, captain? Tell us. I'll send for them +instantly," said Hunter. "Sergeant, saddle up right off. This means +something." + +More whiskey, a long draught, and more cold water, presently revived him +so that he could speak collectedly. + +"I left them with Pike--in the Pass. My Mexican ran away with the +mules--followed and found your trail--my horse fell on me and then +rolled over a precipice--killed. I've come on foot ever since." + +"Thank God, you're here safe anyhow! Now lie still. I'll leave a guard +with you and we'll go as fast as we can through the darkness and find +Ned and Nellie." + +"No! no! I must go. I will go, too. See, I can stand. Give me a horse." + +And so, finding him determined and rapidly regaining strength, Hunter +made the captain eat all he could bear to swallow then, and, stowing +more food in their saddle bags, away went the gallant little troop +hurrying through the starlit night for Sunset Pass and rescue. + +But the way was long; road or trail there was none. Over rugged height, +through deep ravine, they forced their way, but not until all the sky +was blushing in the east did they come to the old Wingate road, and the +gloomy entrance to the Pass. Up they rode at a steady trot, Gwynne and +Hunter leading, and, at a sudden turn of the road, far in towards the +western side, their horses recoiled, snorting with fear, from a heap of +smouldering embers, in the midst of which lay a fearful something,--the +charred and hissing body of a human being. Gwynne groaned aloud at the +sight and then drove his horse up a rocky pathway to the left, the +others following. There lay the smoking ruins of an ambulance with +scraps of clothing heaped about on every side, and here the stricken +father's waning strength left him entirely. With one heartbroken cry, +"My babies--my little ones. They are gone! gone!" he was only saved from +falling by the prompt action of two stalwart troopers. + +In ten minutes, supporting the fainting soldier as best they could, the +detachment was marching rapidly westward. + +"Sieber with the scouts can't be farther away than Jarvis Pass. We'll +meet him," said Hunter to his sergeant, "and trail these Scoundrels to +their holes." + +His words were true. Before ten o'clock they had met, not only Sieber, +but Turner's troop from Verde, coming full tilt, and Gwynne was now +turned over to the doctor's care. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE ATTACK. + + +Startled suddenly from his sleep, it was indeed a dreadful sight, and +one calculated to shake the nerves of many an old soldier, that greeted +Pike's eyes as he peered over the rocky parapet in front of him. One +glance was sufficient. Looking down behind the wall, he seized Jim by +the throat, shaking him vigorously and at the same time placing his +other hand over his mouth so that he might make no outcry. "Wake up, +Jim! Wake up! and see what your faithlessness has brought upon us! Look +down the hill here! Look through that loophole and see what you've +done!" + +Terrified, with his eyes starting from their sockets, Jim obeyed, and +his black face showed in an instant the full realization of the scene +before him. + +"Now, is your rifle all ready?" whispered Pike. "Don't rouse those poor +little people in there until we have to. They must stay way back in the +cave. Now, observe strictly what I tell you: I want you to aim at the +taller of those two Indians who are the leaders. Do not fire until I +give the word; but be sure you hit. Recollect now, you've got to fire +down hill, and the bullets fly high. Aim below his waistband, then +you'll probably strike him either through the heart or the upper chest. +Now, go to your loophole and stay there. Are you ready, Jim?" + +"I'm ready, boss. Just wait one minute until I get my rifle through +here." + +Kneeling beside his own loophole, Pike once more looked down the hill. +Not over a hundred yards away--crouching along, following step by step +the trail that he and Jim had made--pointing with their long bony +fingers at every mark on the ground or upon the trees--two lean, +keen-eyed, sinewy Apaches were slowly and silently moving up the +mountain side in a direction that would take them diagonally across the +front of the hill. Behind them, among the trees and bowlders, and spread +out to the right and left, came others,--all wary, watchful, silent,--as +noiseless and as stealthy in their movements as any panther could +possibly be. Pike could see that they were armed mostly with rifles. He +knew that very few of them had breech-loaders at that time; but still +that there were some among them which they had obtained by murdering and +robbing helpless settlers, or mail messengers. + +With abundant ammunition close at hand, with the advantage of position +and the fact that he meant to have the first fire, Pike calculated that +the moral effect would be such that he could drive them back, and that +they would not resume the attack until after a consultation among +themselves. The two who were so far in front of the others were steadily +approaching the little barricade, only the top of which could readily be +seen from below and was hardly distinguishable from the general mass of +rocks and bowlders by which it was surrounded. + +He knew it could not be long, however, before the quick eyes of the +Apaches detected it, and that they would know at once what it meant. +"However," thought Pike, "before they see it those two villains in front +will be near enough for us to have a sure shot, and then, I don't care +how soon they know we're here. Now, Jim," he whispered, "watch your +man!--recollect--you aim at that tall fellow on your own side,--I'll +take the little, skinny cuss--the one who is just turning towards us +now. They are not more than seventy-five yards away. Aim low!"--There +was a moment of breathless silence. "Are you ready, Jim?" whispered +Pike. + +"Yes, all ready, corporal." + +"All right!--One minute now--get you a good aim!--Draw your bead on +him!--Wedge your rifle in the rock, if necessary! Got it?" + +"I think so, corporal." + +"All right then! _Fire!_" + +Bang! bang! rang out almost simultaneously the reports of two rifles. +The smoke floated upward. Pike and Jim had the good sense not to attempt +to lift their heads or peer over the barriers, but to content themselves +with looking through the loopholes. One look revealed the scene. "The +little, skinny cuss," as Pike had called him, clasping his hands to his +breast, had fallen head foremost among the rocks up which he was +climbing. But the tall Indian, giving a spring like that of a cat, had +leaped behind a bowlder full ten feet away from him, and the next +instant,--bang! went his rifle, and a bullet whizzed overhead and +struck, flattening itself upon the rocks. + +"Oh, you've missed him, Jim," said Pike, reproachfully. "Now, look out +for the others!" + +The rest of the Apaches, hearing the shots, with the quickness of +thought, had sprung for shelter behind the neighboring trees or rocks. +Not one of their number, by this time, failed to know just where these +shots had come from; and in a minute more, from all over the hillside +below, thick and fast, the reports of the rifles were ringing on the +morning air and the bullets came singing about the stone parapet, some +of them chipping off little fragments from the top of the parapet +itself, but most of them striking the great mass of rocks overhead and +doing no harm whatever, except to spatter little fragments of lead upon +the parapet and its gallant defenders. + +"Watch for them! Keep your eyes peeled, Jim! Every time you see a head +or an arm or a body coming from behind a rock or tree, let drive at it! +It will give the idea that there are more of us up here than we really +have, and we've got all the ammunition we can possibly use. Don't be +afraid! I'll tell you when to save your cartridges. There's one now! +Watch him!" Bang! went Pike's rifle. It was a good shot; for they could +see that the bullet barked the tree just where the Apache was standing; +but apparently it did no harm to the Indian himself; for the answering +shot of his rifle was prompt, and the bullet whizzed dangerously near. + +"That fellow's a cool hand!" said Pike. "Watch him, Jim, you're a little +further that way. He'll be out again in a minute. What's the reason your +man hasn't fired?--the man behind the rock that I told you to kill?" + +"Because I'm certain that I hit him," said Jim, "and I reckon by this +time he isn't doing any more shooting." + +"Watch carefully, anyhow," was the reply. "They'll soon try, when they +find there are very few of us, to crawl up the hill upon us. Then's the +time you've got to note every movement! See! there comes one fellow +behind that rock now. He's crawling on all fours. Thinks we can't see +him. Now just hold on until he comes around that little ledge!--I'll +take him! I've got him! Now!" + +And again Pike's rifle rang out, and to his intense delight the Indian +sprang to his feet--staggered an instant--and then fell all in a heap, +huddled up around the roots of the tree which he was just striving to +reach. Some one down among the Indians gave a yell of dismay. Evidently +the one who was shot was a man of some prominence among them--possibly a +chief. + +[Illustration: EVIDENTLY THE ONE WHO WAS SHOT WAS A MAN OF SOME +PROMINENCE AMONG THEM--POSSIBLY A CHIEF.] + +"They'll try and haul his body out of the way, Jim. Watch for at least +one or two of them coming up there! He may be only wounded, and they'll +try to get him into safety. If they do--fire at the first man you see!" + +Another minute, and then both the rifles blazed again. Two daring young +Indians had made a rush forward, and had attempted to seize their +wounded comrade; but the shots of the rifles whistling close about their +ears, caused them to desist, to throw themselves on their faces, and +then to roll or crawl away behind the adjacent rocks. Evidently they +didn't care to expose themselves to the chance of further loss. Two +Indians lying dead, and one over behind a rock possibly wounded, was +enough to discourage even an Apache. + +"They'll show again in a minute, though, Jim. Keep watch! They won't go +away and leave those two bodies there if they can possibly help +themselves. Some of them will stay. Of course, they'll have a +consultation and then see if they can't get at us from the flank or from +the rear. They can't; but they don't know it. That'll be their next +game." + +And so for the next five or ten minutes the siege was carried on, Jim +and the old corporal watching the hillside, but meantime there was +consternation back in the cave. Poor old Kate mingled moaning with +prayers and tears; little Nellie, frightened, of course, as any child +would be, lay sobbing with her head buried in Kate's lap. But Ned, brave +little man that he was, had grasped his rifle, the Ballard, of which so +much has already been said, and, crouching eagerly forward, before Pike +knew it, the boy was close beside him at the stone wall, and had placed +his hand upon his arm. + +"Corporal, let me come in here beside you, there's room for another. Do +let me have one shot at them? Papa would if he were here, and I know +it!" + +This was altogether too much for Kate to bear. She dare not come +forward, but from the dark recess in which she and Nellie were hidden, +her cries and prayers broke forth again: + +"For the love of all the saints, corporal, don't let that boy stay out +there! Bring him back here to me! His father would kill me if anything +happened to him! Oh, listen to me, Pike! Send the boy back again! Make +him come!" + +But so far from paying any attention to Kate's admonition, Pike turned +with kindling eyes and patted the little fellow on the shoulder: "You're +your father's own boy? Ned, and you shall stay here with me for the +present at least, and if there should be a chance of a shot--one I can +give you without exposing you--I'm going to let you have it. Kneel low +down there, and don't lift your head above the parapet whatever you do! +Stay just where you are." + +With that the old trooper, whose rifle was still projecting through the +loophole, again turned his attention to the Indians lurking among the +rocks and bowlders down the hill. The two bodies still lay there--Jim's +rifle covering them and threatening any Indians who might attempt to +drag them away. + +Every now and then, a black head would appear from behind some tree, but +the instant it did so the darkey's rifle would ring out, the bullet +would go whistling close beside it, the head would pop suddenly back, +and Jim as promptly would re-load his rifle. + +It was beginning to grow monotonous. The Indians--probably because they +knew they were only wasting their scanty ammunition--had ceased firing, +and were evidently calling to one another and signaling from behind the +rocks and trees where they had taken refuge. So long as they remained +down there in front Pike had no possible concern. His only fear, as has +been said, was that they should make a combined rush. If they were to +have sense enough to do that, and ignore the probability of losing three +or four of their number in the attempt, it would be all over with the +little party in the cave. + +But the corporal had served too long among the Apaches to greatly dread +any such move. They were already shaken by the severity of their +reception and of their losses. He knew that they could not be aware that +only two men and a little boy constituted the whole force of the +defenders, for they would have come with a rush long before. + +Their plan now would doubtless be to leave a few of their number in +front to keep the besieged in check while the greater part of the band +surrounded the big ledge and sought a means of getting at the little +garrison from flank or rear. + +What he hoped for was a chance of dealing them one more blow before they +could crawl back out of range and presently the opportunity came. Two or +three of the band who were farthest to the rear had managed to slip back +some distance down the hill and occasional glimpses could now be caught +of them as they stealthily made their way out towards the western slope. +It was not long before their dirty white breech-clouts could be +distinguished as they slowly and cautiously came creeping up hill. + +"By George! Jim," muttered the old man with the ejaculation that with +him supplied the place of trooper profanity--"I believe you're right +about your Indian. You probably wounded him and he's lying behind that +rock now, and those fellows are coming up to help him. Don't fire! +They're too far away for a down-hill shot. Wait till I tell you. Now, +Ned, my boy, run back and comfort Nellie a minute. I don't want you here +where a glancing shot might hit you. The moment we get them started on +the run, I'll call you." + +Ned looked far from satisfied with the proposition, but the corporal was +the commanding officer, and there was nothing to do but obey. He went +reluctantly. "Mind, corporal, you've promised I should have a shot," he +said, and Pike nodded assent, although he could not turn from his +loophole. Another minute and the Henry rifle barked its loud challenge +down the slope, and the old trooper's keen, set features relaxed in a +grin. + +"Now they've got two to lug," he muttered to Jim. "Lord! See that beggar +roll over those rocks!" + +Again there came yells and shots from down the hill but both were +harmless. Cowed, apparently, by the sharp shooting of the defenders, the +Apaches who had sought to rescue their wounded mate continued in hiding +behind the rocks where they had taken shelter. The others, farther to +the east, were slipping back as fast as they could, but studiously +keeping out of sight of those death-dealing loopholes. Presently it was +apparent to the corporal that a number of them had got together far down +the hill and were holding excited controversy, probably as to the best +means of getting possession of their dead friends and then, their living +enemies. Pike looked at his watch. It was half after seven and they had +been fighting an hour. + +And now came a lull. Once in a long while some one of the besiegers +would let drive a bullet at the loopholes, but Apache shooting was never +of the best and though the lead spattered dangerously near, "the miss," +quoth Pike, "is as good as any number of miles." On the other hand, +whenever or wherever an Indian head, leg or arm appeared, it was +instantly saluted by one, sometimes two, quick shots, and there could be +no doubt whatever that the palefaces, as the Tontos supposed them all to +be, were fully on the alert. + +"Now, Jim, it won't be long before they will be showing around on all +sides. Pile on a few more stones above that loophole that looks to the +west. The next thing you know there'll be a head and a gun poked out +from behind that shoulder of rock beyond you. I'll watch my side and +keep a look on down the hill, too." + +And now the hours seemed to drag with leaden weight. All was silence +around them, yet Pike knew that this made their danger only the more +imminent. He could nowhere see a sign of their late assailants except +the stiffening bodies down the hill, but he had not a doubt that while +some watched the front, most of them, making wide detours, were now +lurking on every side, and looking for a possible opening. Every now and +then he had to give a quick glance over his shoulder to see that Jim was +alert and watchful. It would not do to have him fall asleep now. And +then once in a while he listened, God only knows how wistfully, for the +sound of cavalry coming across the westward plain. It surely was time +for Sieber and the troops to be coming if the former had carried out his +intentions. Pike could see nothing of the road towards Jarvis Pass and +only a glimpse here and there of the plateau itself. The foliage in the +larger trees was too thick. He longed to clamber to his watch-tower but +felt well assured that one step outside the parapet would make him a +target for the Indian rifles. First as an experiment he put his hat on a +stick and cautiously raised it above their barricade. Two bullets +instantly "zipped" over his head and dropped flat as pancakes from the +rock overhead. The experiment was conclusive. + +At last the straining ears of the watchers were attracted by strange +sounds. Low calls in savage tongue from down the hill were answered on +both sides and from above. The Indians had evidently thoroughly +"reconnoitred" the position, and had found that there was actually no +place around the rock from which they could see and open fire on the +besieged. The sun was now high overhead. Odd sounds as of dragging +objects began to be heard from the top of the rock, and this was kept up +for fully an hour. Neither Pike nor Jim could imagine what it meant, but +neither dared for an instant to leave his post. + +It must have been eleven o'clock and after, when, all of a sudden, a +black shadow rushed through the air, and Pike started almost to his feet +as a huge log fell from above and bounded from the jagged rocks in front +of them. Then came another, tumbling one upon the other, wedging and +jostling, and speedily rising in a huge pile several feet high. More and +more they came; then smaller ones; then loose dry branches and roots in +quantities. And then, as the great heap grew and grew, an awful thought +occurred to the old trooper. At first it seemed as though the Indians +meant to try and form a "curtain," sheltered by which they could crawl +upon their foes; but when the brushwood came, a fiercer, far more +dreadful purpose was revealed. "My God!" he groaned, "they mean to roast +us out." + +[Illustration: ALL OF A SUDDEN A BLACK SHADOW RUSHED THROUGH THE AIR.] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +LITTLE NED'S SHOT. + + +From the babel of voices that reached old Pike's ears every now and +then, and the bustle and noise going on overhead, he judged that there +must be twenty or thirty Indians busily engaged in the work of heaping +up firewood in front of the cave. The mountain side, as he well knew, +was thickly strewn with dry branches, dead limbs, uprooted trees and all +manner of combustible material, and the very warriors who, when around +their own "rancheria," would have disdained doing a stroke of work of +any kind, were now laboring like so many beavers to add to the great +pile that was already almost on a level with the breastwork and not more +than eight feet away. Some of the logs first thrown had rolled off and +scattered down the slope, but enough had remained to make a sure +foundation, and once this was accomplished the rest was easy work. + +Poor Jim looked around imploringly at his superior. + +"Ain't dey some way to stop that, corporal?" he asked. + +"Don't you worry, Jim," was the prompt reply. "It will take them an hour +more at least to get it big enough and then 'twill do no great harm. We +can knock down our barricade so that they can't use it and fall back +into the cave where it's dark and cool and where the smoke and flame +can't reach us. Keep your eyes on your corner, man!" But though he spoke +reassuringly, the old soldier felt a world of anxiety. Under cover of +that huge heap of brushwood, growing bigger every minute, it would soon +be possible for the Indians from below to crawl unseen close upon them, +and set fire to the mass. + +Even now he felt certain that there were several of the more daring of +the Apaches lurking just around the corners which he and Jim were so +faithfully guarding. The negro seemed so utterly abashed at his having +been overcome by sleep during the hour before the dawn, and possibly so +refreshed by that deep slumber, that now he was vigilance itself. + +Within the cave old Kate had seen, of course, the falling of the logs +and brushwood, and though she could not comprehend their object it +served to keep in mind that their savage foes were all around her and +her little charges, and to add to her alternate prayer and wailing. +Unable to leave his post, Pike could only call sternly to her from time +to time to cry shame upon her for frightening Nellie so, and to remind +her that they had shot five Indians without getting a scratch +themselves. "We can stand 'em off for hours yet, you old fool," he said, +"and the boys from Verde are sure to get here to-day." And whether it +was "old" or the "fool" in Pike's contemptuous remark, that stirred her +resentment, it certainly resulted that Kate subsided into suffering and +indignant protest. Then Ned's brave, boyish voice was heard. + +"Corporal! Can't I come to you now? I'm no good here and I'm sick of the +row Kate keeps up. You said you'd let me come back." + +"Wait a few minutes, Ned. I want to be sure they are not sneaking around +these corners," was the reply, followed almost instantly by the bang of +Pike's carbine. Kate gave a suppressed shriek and the corporal a shout +of exultation. Encouraged by the sound of his voice to suppose that the +guard on the east side of the barrier was neglecting his watch, a daring +young Apache crawled on all fours around the foot of the rock to take an +observation. The black head came in view even as Pike was speaking and +the fierce eyes peered cautiously at the breastwork, but the corporal +never moved a muscle, and the savage, believing himself unseen, crawled +still further into view, until half his naked body was in sight from the +narrow slit through which the old trooper was gazing. The brown muzzle +of the cavalry carbine covered the creeping "brave," and the next +instant the loud report went echoing over the gorge and the Indian, with +one convulsive spring, fell back upon the ground writhing in the agonies +of death. In striving to drag the body of his comrade back behind the +rock another Tonto ventured to show head and shoulder, and came within +an ace of sharing his fate, for Pike's next shot whistled within an inch +of the flattened nose, and Apache number two dodged back with wonderful +quickness, and did not again appear. + +This would tend to keep them from sneaking around that particular +corner, thought Pike, and he only wished that Jim could have similar +luck on his side, but the Indians had grown wary. Time and again the +veteran glanced down the hill to see if there was any sign of their +crawling upon him from below, but that threatening pile of brushwood now +hid most of the slope from his weary, anxious eyes. The crisis could not +be long in coming. + +"O God!" he prayed, "save these little children. Bring us aid." + +Poor old Pike! Even as the whispered words fell from his lips a low, +crackling sound caught his ear. Louder it grew, and, looking suddenly to +the left, he saw a thin curl of smoke rising through the branches and +gaining every instant in volume. Louder, louder snapped the blazing +twigs. Denser, heavier grew the smoke. Then tiny darts of flame came +shooting upward through the top of the pile and then yells of triumph +and exultation rang from the rock above and the hillside below. A minute +or two more, and while the Indians continued to pour fresh fuel from +above, the great heap was a mass of roaring flame and the heat became +intolerable. A puff of wind drove a huge volume of smoke and flame +directly into Jim's nook in the fortification, and with a shout that he +could hold on no longer the negro dropped back into the cave, rubbing +his blinded eyes. + +[Illustration: "DOWN WITH THESE STONES, NOW!"] + +"Come back, Jim! Quick!" shouted Pike. "Down with these stones, now! +Kick them over!--but watch for Indians on your side. Down with 'em!" and +suiting action to the word the old soldier rolled rock after rock down +towards the blazing pyre, until his side of the parapet was almost +demolished. Half blinded by smoke and the scorching heat, he lost sight +for a moment of the shoulder of the ledge on the east side. Two seconds +more and it might have been all over with him, for now, relying on the +fierce heat to drive the defenders back, a young Apache had stepped +cautiously into view, caught sight of the tall old soldier pushing and +kicking at the rocks, and, quick as a cat, up leaped the rifle to his +shoulder. But quicker than any cat--quick as its own flash--there +sounded the sudden crack of a target rifle, the Indian's gun flew up and +was discharged in mid-air, while the owner, clapping his hand to his +face, reeled back out of sight. The bullet of the little Ballard had +taken him just under the eye, and as Pike turned in amazement at the +double report, saw the Apache fall, and then turned to his left--there +knelt little Ned, his blue eyes blazing, his boyish form quivering with +excitement and triumph. Pike seized him in his arms and fairly kissed +the glowing face. "God bless you, my boy! but you are a little soldier +if there ever was one!" was his cry. "Now all three of us must watch the +front. Keep as far forward as you can, Jim. We've got to hold those +hounds back--until the boys come!" + +[Illustration: THE BULLET OF THE LITTLE BALLARD HAD TAKEN HIM JUST UNDER +THE EYE.] + +Until the boys come! Heavens! When would that be? Here was the day +nearly half spent and no sign of relief for the little party battling so +bravely for their lives at Sunset Pass. Where--where can the father be? +Where is Al Sieber? Where the old comrades from Verde? + +Let us see if we cannot find them, and then, with them, hasten to the +rescue. + +Far over near Jarvis Pass poor Captain Gwynne had been lying on the +blankets the men eagerly spread for him, while the surgeon with Captain +Turner's troops listened eagerly to the details of the night's work, and +at the same time ministered to his exhausted patient. Turner, the other +officers, and their favorite scout held brief and hurried consultation. +It was decided to push at once for Sunset Pass; to leave Captain Gwynne +here with most of his nearly worn-out escort; to mount the six Hualpai +trailers they had with them on the six freshest horses, so as to get +them to the scene of the tragedy as soon as possible, and then to start +them afoot to follow the Apaches. In ten minutes Captain Turner, with +Lieutenant Wilkins and forty troopers, was trotting off eastward +following the lead of Sieber with his swarthy allies. Ten minutes more +and Captain Gwynne had sufficiently revived to be made fully aware of +what was going on, and was on his feet again in an instant. The surgeon +vainly strove to detain him, but was almost rudely repulsed. + +"Do you suppose I can rest one conscious minute until I know what has +become of my babies?" he said. And climbing painfully into the saddle he +clapped spurs to his horse and galloped after Turner's troop. + +Finding it useless to argue, the doctor, with his orderly, mounted, too, +and followed the procession. It was an hour before they came up with +Turner's rearmost files and found burly Lieutenant Wilkins giving the +men orders to keep well closed in case they had to increase the gait. +The scouts and Sieber, far to the front, were galloping. + +"What is it?" asked the doctor. + +"Smoke," panted Wilkins. "The Hualpais saw it up the mountain south of +the Pass." + +Gwynne's haggard face was dreadful to see. The jar of the rough gallop +had started afresh the bleeding in his head and the doctor begged him to +wait and let him dress it again, but the only answer was a look of +fierce determination, and renewed spurring of his wretched horse. He was +soon abreast the head of the column, but even then kept on. Turner +hailed him and urged him to stay with them, but entreaty was useless. "I +am going after Sieber," was the answer. "Did you see the smoke?" + +"No, Gwynne; but Sieber and the Hualpais are sure a big column went up +and that it means the Apaches can't be far away. We're bound to get +them. Don't wear yourself out, old fellow; stay with us!" but Gwynne +pressed on. Far out to the front he could see that one of the Indian +scouts had halted and was making signs. It took five minutes hard riding +to reach him. + +"What did you see? What has happened?" he gasped. + +"Heap fire!" answered the Hualpai. "See?" But Gwynne's worn eyes could +only make out the great mass of the mountain with its dark covering of +stunted trees. He saw, however, that the scout was eagerly watching his +comrades now so long a distance ahead. Presently the Indian shouted in +excitement: + +"Fight! Fight! Heap shoot, there!" and then at last the father's almost +breaking heart regained a gleam of hope; a new light flashed in his +eyes, new strength seemed to leap through his veins. Even his poor horse +seemed to know that a supreme effort was needed and gamely answered the +spur. Waving his hat above his head and shouting back to Turner "Come +on!" the captain dashed away in pursuit of Sieber. Turner's men could +hear no sound, but they saw the excitement in the signal; saw the sudden +rush of Gwynne's steed, and nothing more was needed. "Gallop," rang the +trumpet, and with carbines advanced and every eye on the dark gorge, +still three miles before them, the riders of the beautiful "chestnut +sorrel" troop swept across the plains. + +Meantime the savage fight was going on and the defense was sorely +pressed. Covered by the smoke caused by fresh armfuls of green wood +hurled upon the fiery furnace in front of the cave, the vengeful Apaches +had crawled to within a few yards of where the little breastwork had +stood. Obedient to Pike's stern orders Kate had crept to the remotest +corner of the recess and lay there flat upon the rock, holding Nellie in +her arms. The corporal had bound a handkerchief about his left arm, for +some of the besiegers, finding bullets of no avail, were firing Tonto +arrows so that they fell into the mouth of the cave, and one of these +had torn a deep gash midway between the elbow and the shoulder. Another +had struck him on the thigh. Jim, too, had a bloody scratch. It stung +and hurt and made him grit his teeth with rage and pain. Little Ned, +sorely against his will, was screened by his father's saddle and some +blankets, but he clung to his Ballard and the hope of at least one more +shot. + +And still, though sorely pressing the besieged, the Indians kept close +under cover. The lessons of the morning had taught them that the pale +faces could shoot fast and straight. They had lost heavily and could +afford no more risks. But every moment their circle seemed closer to the +mouth of the cave, and though direct assault could not now be made +because of their great bonfire, the dread that weighed on Pike was that +they should suddenly rush in from east and west. "In that event," said +he to Jim, "we must sell our lives as dearly as possible. I'll have two +at least before they can reach me." + +Hardly had he spoken when bang came a shot from beyond the fire; a +bullet zipped past his head and flattened on the rock well back in the +cave. Where could that have come from? was the question. A little whiff +of blue smoke sailing away on the wind from the fork of a tall oak not +fifty feet in front told the story. Hidden from view of the besieged by +the drifting smoke from the fire a young warrior had clambered until he +reached the crotch and there had drawn up the rifle and belt tied by his +comrades to a "lariat." Straddling a convenient branch and lashing +himself to the trunk he was now in such a position that he could peer +around the tree and aim right into the mouth of the rocky recess, and +only one leg was exposed to the fire of the defense. + +But that was one leg too much. "Blaze away at him, Jim," was the order. +"We'll fire alternately." And Jim's bullet knocked a chip of bark into +space, but did no further harm. "It's my turn now. Watch your side." + +But before Pike could take aim there came a shot from the fork of the +tree that well nigh robbed the little garrison of its brave leader. The +corporal was just creeping forward to where he could rest his rifle on a +little rock, and the Indian's bullet struck fairly in the shoulder, tore +its way down along the muscles of the back, glanced upward from the +shoulder blade, and, flattening on the rock overhead, fell almost before +Ned's eyes. The shock knocked the old soldier flat on his face, and +there came a yell of savage triumph from the tree, answered by yells +from below and above. Ned, terror stricken, sprang to the old soldier's +side, just as he was struggling to rise. + +"Back! boy, back! They'll all be on us now. My God! Here they come! Now, +Jim, fight for all you're worth." + +Bang! bang! went the two rifles. Bang! bang! bang! came the shots from +both sides and from the front, while the dusky forms could be seen +creeping up the rocks east and west of the fire, yelling like fiends. +Crack! went Ned's little Ballard again, and Pike seized the boy and +fairly thrust him into the depths of the cave. A lithe, naked form +leaped into sight just at the entrance and then went crashing down into +the blazing embers below. Another Indian gone. Bang! bang! bang! Heavier +came the uproar of the shots below. Bang! bang! "Good God!" groaned +Pike. "Has the whole Apache nation come to reinforce them? Yell, you +hounds--aye--yell! There are only two of us!" Shots came ringing thick +and fast. Yells resounded along the mountain side, but they seemed more +of warning than of hatred and defiance. Bang! bang! bang! the rifles +rattled up the rocky slopes, but where could the bullets go? Not one had +struck in the cave for fully ten seconds, yet the rattle and roar of +musketry seemed redoubled. What can it mean? Pike creeps still further +forward to get a shot at the first Indian that shows himself, but pain +and weakness are dimming the sight of his keen, brave eyes; perhaps +telling on his hearing. Listen, man! Listen! Those are not Indian yells +now resounding down the rocks. Listen, Pike, old friend, old soldier, +old hero! Too late--too late! Just as a ringing trumpet call, "Cease +firing," comes thrilling up the steep, and little Ned once more leaps +forward to aid him, the veteran falls upon his face and all is darkness. + +Another moment, and now the very hillside seems to burst into shouts and +cheers,--joy, triumph, infinite relief. Victory shines on face after +face as the bronzed troopers come crowding to the mouth of the cave. +Tenderly they raise Pike from the ground and bear him out into the +sunshine. Respectfully they make way for Captain Turner as he springs +into their midst and clasps little Nellie in his arms; and poor old +Kate, laughing, weeping and showering blessings on "the boys," is +frantically shaking hands with man after man. So, too, is Black Jim. And +then, half carried, half led, by two stalwart soldiers, Captain Gwynne +is borne, trembling like an aspen, into their midst, and, kneeling on +the rocky floor, clasps his little ones to his breast, and the strong +man sobs aloud his thanks to God for their wonderful preservation. + + * * * * * + +"Papa--papa, I shot an Indian!" How many a time little Ned has to shout +it, in his eager young voice, before the father can realize what is +being said. + +"It's the truth he's telling, sir," said a big sergeant. "There's wan of +'em lies at the corner there with a hole no bigger than a _pay_ under +the right eye," and the captain knows not what to say. The surgeon's +stimulants have restored Pike to consciousness, and Gwynne kneels again +to take the old soldier's hands in his. Dry eyes are few. Hearts are all +too full for many words. After infinite peril and suffering, after most +gallant defense, after a night of terror and a day of fiercest battle, +the little party was rescued, one and all, to life and love and such a +welcome when at last they were brought back to Verde, where Pike was +nursed back to strength and health, where Nellie was caressed as a +heroine, and where little Ned was petted and well nigh spoiled as "the +boy that shot an Indian"--and if he did brag about it occasionally, when +he came east to school, who can blame him? But when they came they did +not this time try the route of Sunset Pass. + + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sunset Pass, by Charles King + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SUNSET PASS *** + +***** This file should be named 19928.txt or 19928.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/9/2/19928/ + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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