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diff --git a/old/67142-0.txt b/old/67142-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d1237ea..0000000 --- a/old/67142-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8550 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Lost with Lieutenant Pike, by Edwin L. -Sabin - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Lost with Lieutenant Pike - How from the Pawnee Village the boy named Scar Head marched with - the young American Chief clear into the Snowy Mountains; how in - the dead of winter they searched for the Lost River and thought - that they had found it; and how the Spanish Soldiery came upon - them and took them down to Santa Fé of New Mexico, where another - surprise awaited them - -Author: Edwin L. Sabin - -Illustrator: Charles H. Stephens - -Release Date: January 10, 2022 [eBook #67142] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOST WITH LIEUTENANT -PIKE *** - - - - - - LOST WITH - LIEUTENANT PIKE - - SECOND IMPRESSION - - - - -_The American Trail Blazers_ - -“THE STORY GRIPS AND THE HISTORY STICKS” - -These books present in the form of vivid and fascinating fiction, the -early and adventurous phases of American history. Each volume deals -with the life and adventures of one of the great men who made that -history, or with some one great event in which, perhaps, several heroic -characters were involved. The stories, though based upon accurate -historical fact, are rich in color, full of dramatic action, and appeal -to the imagination of the red-blooded man or boy. - -Each volume illustrated in color and black and white - - 12mo. Cloth. - - - LOST WITH LIEUTENANT PIKE - GENERAL CROOK AND THE FIGHTING APACHES - OPENING THE WEST WITH LEWIS AND CLARK - WITH CARSON AND FREMONT - DANIEL BOONE: BACKWOODSMAN - BUFFALO BILL AND THE OVERLAND TRAIL - CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH - DAVID CROCKETT: SCOUT - ON THE PLAINS WITH CUSTER - GOLD SEEKERS OF ’49 - WITH SAM HOUSTON IN TEXAS - - - - -[Illustration: “IT’S THE WRONG PEAK, MEN――YES, THE WRONG PEAK”] - - - - - LOST WITH - LIEUTENANT PIKE - - HOW FROM THE PAWNEE VILLAGE THE BOY NAMED SCAR - HEAD MARCHED WITH THE YOUNG AMERICAN CHIEF CLEAR - INTO THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS; HOW IN THE DEAD OF WINTER - THEY SEARCHED FOR THE LOST RIVER AND THOUGHT THAT - THEY HAD FOUND IT; AND HOW THE SPANISH SOLDIERY - CAME UPON THEM AND TOOK THEM DOWN TO SANTA FÉ OF - NEW MEXICO, WHERE ANOTHER SURPRISE AWAITED THEM - - BY - - EDWIN L. SABIN - - AUTHOR OF “GENERAL CROOK AND THE FIGHTING APACHES,” - “OPENING THE WEST WITH LEWIS AND CLARK,” - “BUFFALO BILL AND THE OVERLAND TRAIL,” ETC. - - - _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY_ - CHARLES H. STEPHENS - _PORTRAIT AND A MAP_ - - - [Illustration] - - - PHILADELPHIA & LONDON - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1919, J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - - PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - AT THE WASHINGTON SQUARE PRESS - PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A. - - - - - TO THOSE - COUNTLESS OTHER AMERICANS - - WHO IN 1917 AND 1918 BRAVELY FOLLOWED, LIKE YOUNG - LIEUTENANT PIKE, THE TRAIL OF HONOR, FLAG AND DUTY - - - - - I. Always preserve your honor free from blemish. - - II. Be ready at all times to die for your country. - - - General Pike’s rules for his little son. - - - - -FOREWORD - - -This story takes the adventure trail of that young soldier-explorer -Zebulon Montgomery Pike, who was lost in the mountains of southern -Colorado one hundred years ago. Another story in the Trail Blazers -Series has told of Captains Lewis and Clark, who explored the -northwestern part of the new Louisiana Territory. They, also, were -young. Captain Lewis had just turned thirty. But Lieutenant and Captain -Zebulon Pike was younger yet. He was only twenty-seven when, while -Lewis and Clark were still out, he was sent to lead a handful of men -into the unknown Southwest. - -The vast Province of Louisiana, bought by the United States from France -three years before, for $15,000,000, was thought by the United States -to extend, in the north, from the Mississippi River to the Rocky -Mountains; in the south it tapered off to the Gulf of Mexico at New -Orleans. - -The southwestern boundary was uncertain. The United States claimed -clear to the lower Rio Grande River, across Texas; Spain, which had -owned Louisiana Territory before the United States bought it from -France, claimed north even to the Missouri River. Some said that the -Arkansas River of southern Colorado should be the boundary, there; some -said the Red River, further south――which was confused with the Canadian -River. And when Lieutenant Pike was started out, the United States -soldiers and the Spanish soldiers of Mexico faced each other across the -Sabine River of the western border of Louisiana State. - -So the trail of young Pike and his handful of men pointed into a -debated land. If the Indians did not get them, the Spanish might. He -had been instructed not to offend the Spanish, and to keep away from -their settlements of New Mexico; but he was resolved to stand his -ground when he deemed that he was in the right, and to defend the Flag. -The Spanish had sent six hundred soldiers, with over two thousand -horses and mules, to look for him. He would certainly have fought them -all, with his twenty men, had they tried to stop him anywhere outside -of New Mexico. - -No braver soldiers ever marched than Lieutenant Pike and his little -platoon. They lost their way; they struggled with cold below zero and -snow to their waists, in the bleak high mountains. They had left home -with only summer clothing; they were ragged and lean, and their feet -froze until the bones came out. They went days at a time without food. -And they were utterly lost, in a winter country; alone, one thousand -miles from home. - -But only once did a single man complain aloud. Their wonderful leader -sternly silenced him, by reminding him that they all were sharing and -suffering alike. - -When their lieutenant had been gone from them two days, seeking meat -to relieve a famine, at his return he writes in his journal: “On the -countenances of the men was not a frown, nor was there a desponding -eye; all seemed happy to hail their officer and companions; yet not a -mouthful had they eaten for four days.” Indeed, they were planning to -send out and rescue _him_. - -It was this same spirit which made the American soldiers in France -press forward, ever forward, and yield not an inch of ground. - -Lieutenant Pike was an officer to love as well as to respect. He asked -no favors; only obedience, and willingness to endure what he had to -endure. He never spared himself. While others might stay in camp, he it -was that went out into the cold and snow, hunting for meat. He made it -plain that his honor, his country and his duty were more to him than -his life. These were the three ideals that inspired him to go on when -he might have been excused for camping in safety and giving up his -search for the Red River. - -The name of Pike lives in history. We have a famous mountain -named for him, and we know that he died――“killed in action”――as a -brigadier-general, aged thirty-four. The names of his brave men have -vanished. What became of John Sparks, Pat Smith, Jacob Carter, and the -rest, we do not know. We do not know that the Government even rescued -from the Spaniards those whom their lieutenant had been obliged to -leave. We do not know that any of them received gifts of land and extra -pay, such as the Lewis and Clark men received. But heroes they were, -every one, who did not fail their leader nor their flag. - -So their company roll is printed in this book, that they also may live -again. - - THE AUTHOR - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. THE COMING OF THE SPANIARDS 19 - II. THE COMING OF THE AMERICANS 36 - III. THE PAWNEES ARE OF TWO MINDS 52 - IV. ON THE TRAIL OF THE SPANIARDS 70 - V. THE CHASE OF THE BIG ELK 85 - VI. LIEUTENANT WILKINSON SAYS GOOD-BY 99 - VII. “THE MOUNTAINS! THE MOUNTAINS!” 112 - VIII. BAD HEARTS IN THE WAY 127 - IX. A TRY AT THE “GRAND PEAK” 139 - X. ONWARD INTO WINTER 156 - XI. SEEKING THE LOST RIVER 167 - XII. IS IT FOUND AT LAST? 176 - XIII. MEAT FOR THE CAMP 187 - XIV. A TRAIL OF SURPRISES 200 - XV. NOT YET DEFEATED 225 - XVI. BLOCKED BY THE GREAT WHITE MOUNTAINS 237 - XVII. THE FORT IN THE WILDERNESS 250 - XVIII. VISITORS FROM THE SOUTH 261 - XIX. IN THE HANDS OF THE SPANIARDS 275 - XX. STUB REACHES END O’ TRAIL 289 - XXI. GOOD-BY TO LIEUTENANT PIKE 306 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - “It’s the Wrong Peak, Men――Yes, the Wrong Peak” - _Frontispiece_ - - Lieutenant Zebulon Montgomery Pike 15 - - “I Bring You the American Flag” 55 - - Whang! It Buried Itself Almost Out of Sight Behind the - Elk Chief’s Ribs 97 - - But Stub Never Felt the Final Crash 203 - - “In My Proper Character, Sir: An Officer of the United - States Army” 298 - - -MAP - - The Trail of Lieutenant Pike 19 - - - - -[Illustration: LIEUTENANT ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE - -From the First Edition of His “Expeditions” Philadelphia, 1810] - - - - -BRIGADIER-GENERAL ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE - -A noble young American soldier and explorer, whose guiding purpose was: -Honor, Country, Duty. - - -Born January 5, 1779, at Lamberton, near Trenton, New Jersey. - -His father was Captain Zebulon Pike, of the Fourth Continental -Dragoons, in the War of the Revolution; later major in the -Third and the First Regiments of Infantry, U. S. A., and brevet -lieutenant-colonel. - -The boy Zebulon was brought up as a soldier. - -At fifteen he was a cadet in his father’s infantry regiment of the -United States Third Sub-Legion. - -At twenty, or in March, 1799, he was commissioned second lieutenant in -the Second Regiment of Infantry, U. S. A. - -Commissioned first lieutenant, November, the same year. - -Transferred to the First Infantry, of which his father was major, in -April, 1802. In this regiment Meriwether Lewis, of the famous Lewis and -Clark expedition to the mouth of the Columbia River, was then a captain. - -At the age of twenty-six, while Captains Lewis and Clark are exploring -through the far northwest of the new Louisiana Territory purchase, he -receives orders, July 30, 1805, from General James Wilkinson, Chief of -the Army, to ascend the Mississippi River from St. Louis to its source. -He is to report upon the country, the Indians and the fur trade of -this, the eastern border of Upper Louisiana. - -Starts from St. Louis, August 9, 1805, with twenty enlisted men of the -regular army, in a keel-boat seventy feet long, provisioned for four -months. Suffers many hardships by storm, cold and hunger, but returns -successful on the last day of April, 1806, after an absence of almost -nine months. - -In less than two months, or on June 24, 1806, he is directed to ascend -the Missouri and Osage Rivers, and restore forty-six Osage Indians, -rescued by the Government from the Potawatomi Indians, to their people -of the Osage towns in western Missouri. He is to make peace, by order -of their American father, between the Osage and the Kansas nations. He -is then to continue to the Pawnees of present northern Kansas, and ask -them to help him on to make peace with the Comanches in the southwest -on the borders of New Mexico. While with the Comanches he is to explore -the head-waters of the Arkansas and Red (Canadian) Rivers, but he must -avoid trespassing upon the Spanish territory of New Mexico. Spanish -territory is supposed to extend south from the Red River, although the -Spanish claim that it extends much farther north, even through Kansas. - -Again he leaves his family, and embarks, July 15, 1806, with First -Lieutenant James B. Wilkinson, First Infantry, the son of General -Wilkinson; Civilian Surgeon John H. Robinson, an interpreter, and -eighteen enlisted men, in two boats. The majority of the enlisted men -had been with him up the Mississippi. - -He visits the Osages, who welcome the return of their relatives, and -agree to peace with the Kansas. The Pawnees try to stop him, by order -of the Spanish, but he defies them. He fails to find the Comanches. His -march by horse and foot takes him along the Arkansas River clear to the -Rocky Mountains, where he sights the great Pike’s Peak (later named -for him) of Colorado, and attempts to climb it. Searching for the head -of the Red River, that he may follow down to the military posts of the -United States frontier, he loses his way completely. In the bitter cold -and deep snows of a terrible winter he crosses the front range of the -Rockies, and builds a stockade upon a stream of the Upper Rio Grande -River in the lower end of the San Luis Valley, southern Colorado. - -Here in mid-winter Spanish soldiers from Santa Fé come upon him and -inform him that he is in Spanish territory. They take him down to -Santa Fé, the capital of the Province of New Mexico. He is sent on -down to the military headquarters at Chihuahua, Mexico. From there -he is sent to the United States, and arrives at the American post of -Natchitoches, western Louisiana, on July 1, 1807, after travels of a -year. - -As the first Government explorer through far southwestern Louisiana -Territory he brings back much valuable information upon the country and -Indians, and upon the people, military forces and customs of Mexico. -Captains Lewis and Clark have brought back also their information upon -the far Northwest. - -Meanwhile, as a reward for his services, he had been promoted to -captain, August 12, 1806. - -Commissioned major, in the Sixth U. S. Infantry, May, 1808. - -Commissioned lieutenant-colonel, Fourth U. S. Infantry, December, 1809. - -Commissioned colonel, Fifteenth U. S. Infantry, July, 1812. - -Appointed brigadier-general, adjutant-general and inspector-general, U. -S. A., March, 1813. - -Killed in action, April 27, 1813, while commanding the assault by the -American troops upon York, at Toronto, Canada. The retreating British -garrison blew up a powder magazine, and a fragment of rock crushed his -back. He died wrapped in the Flag, amidst victory, at the age of only -thirty-four. - - -THE PIKE PARTIES - -UP THE MISSISSIPPI (1805–1806) - - First Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike, Commanding - - Pierre Rousseau, Interpreter - - Sergeant Henry Kennerman (reduced to the ranks) - - Corporals - Samuel Bradley - William E. Meek - - _Privates_ - Jeremiah Jackson - John Boley - Thomas Dougherty - Solomon Huddleston - Theodore Miller - Alexander Roy - Patrick Smith - John Brown - Jacob Carter - David Whelply - William Gordon - John Mountjoy - Hugh Menaugh - John Sparks - Freegift Stout - David Owings - Peter Branden - - -INTO THE SOUTHWEST (1806–1807) - - First Lieutenant (and Captain) Zebulon M. Pike, Commanding - - First Lieutenant James B. Wilkinson (descended the Arkansas - River) - - Civilian Volunteer, Doctor John H. Robinson (went through) - - Baroney Vasquez, Interpreter (went through) - - Sergeants - Joseph Ballenger (accompanied Lieutenant Wilkinson) - William E. Meek (went through) - - Corporal Jeremiah Jackson (went through) - Private John Brown (went through) - Private Jacob Carter (went through) - Private Thomas Dougherty (went through) - Private William Gordon (went through) - Private Theodore Miller (went through) - Private Hugh Menaugh (went through) - Private John Mountjoy (went through) - Private Alexander Roy (went through) - Private John Sparks (went through) - Private Patrick Smith (went through) - Private Freegift Stout (went through) - Private John Boley (accompanied Lieutenant Wilkinson) - Private Samuel Bradley (accompanied Lieutenant Wilkinson) - Private Solomon Huddleston (accompanied Lieutenant Wilkinson) - Private John Wilson (accompanied Lieutenant Wilkinson) - Private Henry Kennerman (deserted) - - - - -[Illustration: THE TRAIL OF LIEUTENANT PIKE] - - - - -LOST WITH LIEUTENANT PIKE - - - - -I - -THE COMING OF THE SPANIARDS - - -“Ai-ee! I see them!” panted Iskatappe, over his shoulder, and pointing -to the west. “The Spanish!” - -“It may be running buffalo, or a big wind,” answered Skidi. - -“Shall we halt and wait?” proposed Letalesha. - -“No. It is they. It does not move fast enough for buffalo or wind. It -is on this side of the river. We will cross the river and hide on the -other side. Then we will be safe,” ordered Iskatappe. - -Boy Scar Head, at the rear, peered hard and he, too, sighted a dust -cloud far westward, tinging the horizon above the rolling, sandy -landscape. - -This was the Corn month, July, 1806. The four were travelling in single -file at fast dog-trot down through the northern end of Texas where the -Canadian River crosses. Iskatappe, or Rich Man, led. He was second -chief of the nation. Skidi, or Wolf, came next. He was a warrior. -Letalesha, or Old Knife, trotted third. He was a sub-chief. And at the -rear there trotted Scar Head, who was not yet even a warrior, because -he was just a boy; but some day he should be a warrior, and a chief, if -he proved brave and smart. - -They were odd-looking Indians, clad in only moccasins and buffalo-robes. -The three men had their heads closely shaven except for a short -pompadour ridge like a rooster comb, ending in the scalp-lock. With a -paste of buffalo tallow and red clay this scalp-lock was made to stand -up stiff and curved forward in shape of a horn. By that sign, and by the -sign of their travelling afoot, and by their tall stature and high -cheek-bones, friends and enemies would have known them at once as -Pawnees from a nation of fierce fighters. - -However, nobody would have taken Scar Head for a Pawnee. He did not -wear the horn――he was not yet a warrior. He wore a red cloth band -around his head, to keep his long brown hair out of his eyes. He was -short and stocky, with a pug nose and with freckles showing through his -darkly tanned skin. No, he did not appear to be a Pawnee, nor an Indian -at all. - -Still, he ranked as a son of Charakterik, head chief of the Pawnee -Republic nation. Chief Charakterik had sent him out on the warrior -trail to get experience. He was called Scar Head by reason of the -patch of white hair that grew over a queer, hot spot on his head. He -felt like an Indian and acted like an Indian; but all he knew was that -he had been traded by the mountain Utahs to the plains Pawnees, several -years ago, and that Chief Charakterik had adopted him. - -The four had set out from the main Pawnee Republic village of round mud -huts on the Republican River in present northern Kansas two weeks back. -The Pawnees always started from home on foot, except when hunting game. -They thought that they could take care of themselves better that way. A -man on foot could hide in country where a man on horse might be seen. -But they were expected to return on horseback, with other horses stolen -or captured, for to win horses was the test of a Pawnee brave. - -Scar Head hoped to learn a great deal about horse-stealing, although -this was not really a horse-stealing scout. Nevertheless―――― - -“If we are not given horses by the Spaniards, we will get them -elsewhere,” had said Rich Man. - -“Yes; we will get them from the Spaniards, anyway,” had replied Skidi. -“They will have many horses, easy to steal. But in order to keep -friendly with us, they will surely give us some, when they see we are -poor and afoot.” - -The dust cloud was welcome. It was time that the Spaniards should be -sighted――those Spanish soldiers who, according to the report received -by Chief Charakterik, were marching from New Mexico into the Indian -country, no one knew why. To find out was the business of the Iskatappe -squad. - -The dust cloud hung in the air, moving slowly with the distant breeze. -When finally the four reached the bank of the river, the cloud was much -nearer. - -“We will cross, and watch them; and to-night we will go into their -camp,” said Iskatappe. - -So they swam and waded the shallow river, and crawled out into a clump -of willows, to wait until the strangers should pass. - -Soon, to the west they might see a column of mounted figures coming on, -following the course of the river but staying back from it on account -of the deep washes, or maybe from fear that their thirsty horses might -bolt into quicksands. - -“They are many times ten,” murmured Skidi, counting by the fingers on -his hands. - -“It is only an advance guard,” Letalesha said. “A bigger dust cloud is -behind them.” - -And that was so. The advance guard of horsemen seemed to be scouting -along the river, as if seeking a good trail to water for the others. -Boy Scar Head strained his eyes to see as much as the warriors saw. -Over the yellow desert shimmering with the hot air the riders steadily -cantered, under several fluttering pennons borne on lances; and anybody -might tell by the way they rode that they were warriors themselves. - -They were going to strike the river only a short distance below. -Suddenly Skidi drew quick breath. - -“Apaches! Look! It will be a fight.” - -“Hi!” Iskatappe uttered. “Let nobody move. We are safe here, if we -don’t move.” - -The scene had changed in a twinkling. A perfect swarm of Indians had -burst from the very ground out there, and with shrill yells were racing -to hem the Spanish between them and the river. How they had hidden -themselves so well was remarkable, but it was an Indian trick and these -were Apaches, who knew how to hide in the sand itself. - -They outnumbered the Spanish three to one. The Spanish leader rapidly -formed his column――he rode a white horse, the horses of his men were -dark. On charged the Apaches, whooping and brandishing their bows and -lances, as if they did not intend to stop until they had ridden right -over the enemy; when on a sudden the guns of the Spanish puffed white -smoke. Instantly every Apache fell to hang on the side of his horse; -and back and forth they all scurried, shooting with their bows. The -arrow stems glinted in the sun like streaks of hail. - -“That is a good chief,” Iskatappe praised. “He knows how to fight.” - -For the Apache chief had ordered half his men to dismount, and turn -their horses loose. The other half stayed in the saddle. They charged, -with the footmen running behind; the Spanish horsemen charged to meet -them; then the Apache horsemen separated to right and left and the -footmen volleyed with arrows. - -This made the Spanish halt, to answer with guns. The Apache footmen -darted back, behind their horsemen, and these charged again, to lure -the Spanish on into bow-shot. - -Boy Scar Head quivered with excitement. It was the first real battle -that he remembered to have seen. The others were tense, too, and -staring eagerly. - -“With half that number of Pawnees I would eat those Spanish up,” Skidi -boasted. “We all would take scalps and horses and be rich.” - -“Those Spanish have guns and much powder and lead,” replied Old Knife. -“It is hard to fight guns with bows. But one big charge, and all would -be over.” - -The battle slowly traveled. It was getting directly opposite, as the -Apaches gradually gave ground and the Spanish took ground. Scarcely -anybody appeared to have been hurt yet; there were no dead on the sand -and all the wounded stayed in their saddles. The column in the distance -was making a larger dust, as if hastening to the rescue. - -The Apaches no doubt knew this. Now on a sudden the noise quieted. -The Apache chief had cantered forward from among his men, shaking his -lance. He was a very heavy man, with a very long lance; upon his arm -was a red shield. He rode a fine spotted horse. - -“The chiefs will fight, maybe,” quoth Letalesha. “That is the way to -settle it.” - -The Apache chief spoke in a loud voice, holding his lance high; but the -Spanish chief on the white horse waved him back and evidently said no. - -“The Spanish chief is a coward,” Skidi asserted. “He has a small heart.” - -“Why should he risk losing his scalp, when he is winning and he has -enough men coming to burn the Apaches like dry grass?” argued the wise -Old Knife. - -The Apache chief sat a moment, waiting; then he turned back for his -own party. From the Spanish a great shout arose, that made him again -turn, quickly. - -“Ai-ee! It will be a fight, man to man, after all!” Iskatappe exclaimed. - -A Spanish soldier had dashed past his chief, and was galloping into the -clear, flourishing his sword. It was a challenge. The chief sped to -meet him. They both crouched behind their round shields. A moment――and -they came together. The Spanish horseman thrust his shield forward, -to throw aside the chief’s lance point. But he did not catch it full. -He only threw it higher, so that it glanced on and struck him in the -throat――went straight through. He fell off, backward. Jerking the lance -out, the Apache chief scoured by, in a half circle, with a whoop of -victory. - -“Hi, yi!” Old Knife grunted. “There is blood and a scalp.” - -What a yell broke from the Apaches and the Spaniards both――a yell of -triumph from the one, a yell of vengeance from the others! The Spanish -charged, firing their guns, to save the scalp, and to kill. The Apaches -scattered; their chief galloped hither-thither, urging them to stand, -but they had no stomachs for more fighting at close quarters and the -rest of the Spanish were spurring in. - -Presently all the Apaches, the footmen on horse again, tore away, -making down the river. Without trying to pursue them the whole Spanish -army gathered on the battlefield. They were too heavily clothed to -overtake Indians. - -“They are as many as a herd of buffalo,” said Letalesha. “They are a -large war party. Where are they going and what do they want?” - -“We shall find out from them at sundown,” Rich Man answered. “We will -let them camp, first. They are blood hungry now, and very mad.” - -“It will be no trouble for us to get horses,” laughed Wolf. “Even a boy -like Scar Head could steal some.” - -“Will you let me try?” Scar Head asked, hopefully. - -“You shall be a warrior and get horses,” Iskatappe promised, “unless -they make us presents of them.” - -“The Apache chief was Big Thunder,” Old Knife declared. “I know him. -Red is his medicine, and as long as he carries that red shield nothing -can kill him.” - -“Perhaps the Spanish chief knew, too,” Wolf proposed. “Of course, -nobody wishes to fight against medicine.” - -“The Spanish soldier’s medicine was very weak,” remarked Iskatappe. - -Thus they chatted, waiting and watching. Pretty soon the Spanish, -also, moved on, down river. There were at least six hundred of them, -all mounted, and twice that number of unsaddled horses and mules, some -packed with supplies. To jingle of trappings and murmur of voices they -proceeded, in a long column. Rich Man, Old Knife, Wolf and Boy Scar -Head followed, by the other river bank, keeping out of sight in the -brush and hollows. - -At sunset the Spanish halted to form camp, beside the river. - -“We had better go in before dark,” Rich Man directed. “Or they might -shoot at us. We had better go in while their pots are full, for my -belly is empty.” - -So they rose boldly from their covert under the bank of the river, and -crossed for the Spanish camp, their buffalo-robes tightly about them. - -The camp was spread out in a circle over a wide area. Several chiefs’ -lodges had been set up, countless fires were smoking, horses whinnied, -mules brayed, medicine pipes (horns) tooted, and a myriad of figures -moved busily, getting water, going on herd, arranging the packs, -marching to and fro as if in a dance, or clustering around the fires. - -These were the Spanish, were they, from the south? Scar Head had not -supposed that so many could come so far, all together. The nation of -the Spanish must be a great and powerful nation. - -A guard saw the Iskatappe file approaching. He shouted warning of them, -and leveled his gun. - -Iskatappe lifted his hand in the peace sign. - -“Amigos――friends,” he called. He knew a little Spanish. So did most of -the Pawnees――a little Spanish picked up from the Comanches and southern -Utahs, and a little French picked up from the St. Louis traders who -visited the Pawnee country. - -“Qué tiene――what do you want?” the guard demanded, stopping them -with his gun. He was dressed in a blue cloth hunting-shirt with red -trimmings, and leather wrappings upon his legs, and huge loose-topped -leather moccasins reaching to his knees, and a broad-brimmed -high-crowned hat with ribbons on it; and all his face was covered with -bushy black hair. He was armed with a short-barreled gun, and a long -knife in a scabbard. He certainly looked like a stout warrior. - -“El capitan,” Iskatappe replied, meaning that he wished to see the -chief. - -Other Spanish soldiers came running. Their head warrior said: “Come,” -and with the Iskatappe file stalking proudly after he led the way -through the staring camp to the lodge of the chief. - -He was a black-eyed, dark-skinned, slim young war chief, splendidly -clad in those same high, loose-topped shiny leather moccasins, and a -bright red cloak flowing to his knees, and a hat turned up at one side -and sparkling with gilt. - -Of course the first thing to do was to eat. Therefore, after shaking -hands with the Spanish war chief, Rich Man, Old Knife and Wolf sat -down; boy Scar Head sat down likewise. They were served with plenty of -meat, from a pot. - -Gazing curiously about, Scar Head might see indeed that these Spanish -were rich and powerful. Such quantities of horses and mules, of -saddles, arms, supplies, and soldiers warmly dressed, and fiercely -whiskered not only with hair on cheeks and chin, but sticking out like -horns on either side of the nose! What did the Spanish wish? - -Having eaten, Iskatappe began to find out. The Spanish chief filled a -pipe and passed it out; Rich Man, Old Knife and Wolf smoked each a few -puffs, the Spanish chief smoked a few puffs, and Iskatappe spoke. - -“The Pawnee wish to know why their Spanish father is sending so many of -his soldiers into the buffalo country.” - -“The great king who owns all this country is anxious to be friendly -with his children,” responded the young war chief. “So he has sent me, -his lieutenant, Don Facundo Melgares, with a guard, to march through, -take his red children by the hand, give them presents, and make the -chain of friendship stronger.” - -“That is good,” said Iskatappe. “The Pawnee Republic is very poor. -But if my father is sending presents to the Pawnee, why are his men -marching east instead of north? And why does he send so many soldiers -with guns?” - -“We follow a long trail,” explained the war chief. “There are Indians -of bad hearts toward everybody, like the Apaches; and the Apaches we -will punish. The great king knows how to punish his enemies, as well as -how to reward his friends. We are marching east because we go first to -visit the Comanches. We bear gifts and friendship to the Comanches, to -the Pawnees, and to the Kansas. And we march east to clean the country -from the Americans who are stealing in. The great king will look after -his own children. He wishes no foreigners to view the land. He will not -permit the American traders to cheat the Indians. The American king -pretends to have bought part of the country, but he has no rights here -in the south, and the great king of Spain still owns all the lands -beyond the Pawnees and the Kansas. Now word has come to the Spanish -governor that the Americans are sending soldiers westward through -Spanish country, to spy out the land. They are led by a chief named -Pike. So we march ready for battle, to meet these Americans and either -turn them back or take them prisoner.” - -“The Americans of Chief Pike will fight?” asked Iskatappe. - -The young war chief laughed, showing white teeth. - -“They cannot fight the soldiers of the great king. We are many and -brave; the Americans are small. We can punish or reward. The Americans -are weak and poor. Should there be war, we will eat them up. If they do -not keep out of the country, there will be war. We shall warn them. The -Indians would do very foolishly to help the Americans who have nothing, -and are only greedy, seeking to steal the Indians’ hunting grounds. -First a few will come, as spies; then more will come by the same trail, -and with their guns kill all the buffalo.” - -“We know little about the Americans, but we see that the Spanish are -many and strong,” Iskatappe replied. “I will take word back to the -Pawnee, about this Pike.” - -“Who is your head chief?” - -“He is Charakterik――White Wolf.” - -“Where does he live?” - -“In his town of the Pawnee nation on the river of the Pawnee Republic.” - -“Tell him that after we have marched east and talked with the Comanches -and cleaned the foreign traders from the country, we will march north -and visit him at his town on the River Republican. If the American -chief Mungo-Meri Pike comes there, the Pawnees must stop him; for the -great king will be angry if the Americans are allowed to pass through.” - -“I will tell him,” Iskatappe promised. “It is best that we travel fast. -We came down on foot, for we are very poor. If we have horses to ride -back on, we shall travel faster.” - -“Bueno――good,” answered the Spanish chief. “Your father the great king -of us all is generous to his children. You shall have horses, so that -you may carry the news quickly.” - -This night the Iskatappe squad slept in the Spanish camp, and ate -frequently. Rich Man explained to Old Knife and Wolf what had been said -to him and not understood by them. Boy Scar Head listened. In the -morning they were treated to a marching dance, in which the Spanish -soldiers moved to the beat of drums. They were presented with a horse -apiece; and after having shaken hands again they left, well satisfied. - -Once away from the river they rode fast; for Skidi had stolen three -mules during the night while the guard was sleepy instead of watchful, -and hidden the animals in a convenient place. But the Spanish did not -pursue. - -“We will tell Charakterik that the Spanish are strong,” said Iskatappe. -“They fought the Apaches; they have plenty of guns and horses. They -will eat the Americans of that Pike.” - -“I think, myself, that the Pawnee will grow fatter by helping the -Spanish father than by helping the strange American father,” declared -Old Knife. - -“We have gained four horses and three mules,” Skidi chuckled. “All the -whites are stupid. If the Americans come they will go back afoot; hey?” - -“What kind of men are the Americans?” Boy Scar Head ventured to ask, -from the rear. - -“We are talking,” Letalesha rebuked. “When chiefs and warriors talk, -boys keep silent.” - -So Scar Head got no information. All he knew was, that the Americans -were a white nation living in the far east, beyond St. Louis where the -French traders lived. But three Pawnees had been taken by the great -trader Pierre Chouteau, to visit the American father in Wash’ton. When -they returned, the Pawnees would know more about the Americans. And of -course that Chief Pike was likely to appear if the Spanish did not stop -him. - - - - -II - -THE COMING OF THE AMERICANS - - -The Spanish came in about three weeks――three hundred of them, led by -their young war chief whose name was Melgares. A brave sight they made -as they rode with flags and drums and jingle of bridles and formed camp -outside the Chief Charakterik town. - -Lieutenant Melgares held a council with the Republican Pawnees and the -Grand Pawnees from the north. The Pawnee Loups, or Wolf Pawnees, did -not send any chiefs, because they were at war with the other Pawnees. - -The Spanish chief said that he had met the Ietans or Comanches in the -south and signed a treaty of peace with them. They had promised to -help their Spanish father. But on the way north the Omahas had stolen -many of his horses and mules, after another council; and by reason of -these bad hearts he had come on with only a few of his men, in order to -smooth the road between the great king and the great king’s children. - -He was too young to sit in grand council with the head chiefs of the -Pawnees. In the spring a higher chief than he would come, to build -a town near the Pawnee town, and live with the red people and teach -them how to get rich, if they were good. Meanwhile they must watch out -that the Americans (who were poor but greedy) did not sneak in, and -cheat them of their lands and drive off the game. The American chief, -Mungo-Meri Pike, was on the way, although he had not been found. If he -arrived, he must be turned back. These were the orders of the king of -the Spanish nation, who ruled all this country. - -Lieutenant Melgares gave Chief Charakterik and the head chief of the -Grand Pawnees each a large, fine medal of silver to wear; and a paper -signed by the governor of New Mexico, which made them head men under -the king; and a Spanish flag, and four mules. He laid on the prairie -other gifts, of crimson cloth and of tobacco and smaller medals; and -again warning them that the great king would be very angry if the -crafty Americans were permitted to pass, he rode away south, with all -his men. - -Chief Charakterik hung the gay Spanish flag of red and yellow in front -of the council lodge, as a sign for everybody to see. It was plain to -him also that the Spanish nation was a powerful nation, to send so many -soldiers so far, looking for the Americans. - -The Spanish soldiers had not been gone long when from the Osage towns -in the southeast toward the Missouri River there ran the news that the -Americans of Mungo-Meri Pike were coming indeed. They were bringing to -the Osages almost fifty men and women whom the Potawatomis had captured -last year, and who had been rescued by the American father. Two of the -Pawnees who had been to Wash’ton visiting the American father were with -them on the way home. - -“We will let them come this far, so as to get our brothers back,” said -Chief Charakterik. “We will talk with them and see what kind of men -they are, but they shall go no farther.” - -He sent Pawnee scouts down to the Osage towns, to watch the Americans. - -Now August, the squash month, had passed, and September, the month when -the buffalo fatten, had opened. The Americans were reported to be at -the Osage villages, where a welcome had greeted the Osages returned -from the Potawatomis, and a great council had been held with the Pike -men. - -They had traveled in boats up the Osage River from the Missouri, but -were coming on across country to the Pawnees by horses. - -Only one American appeared, first, riding in with a -Pawnee-who-had-been-to-Wash’ton as his guide. This Pawnee young man -had gone to visit the American father many moons ago, and here he was -again, safe and sound and wearing good clothes. That spoke well for the -Americans. - -He said that the other Pawnee-who-had-been-to-Wash’ton was coming -with the rest of the Americans. They were bringing several Osages to -smoke with the Pawnees. They had sent word for the Kansas to meet -them and smoke peace. The Americans were a pleasant people; they -numbered thousands. This American with him was a medicine-man who -cured diseases. The American chief, Pike, had given the Osages all the -rescued captives and had asked nothing except peace and a chance to -buy horses; he had presents for the Pawnees, too, and was going to the -Comanches. His men were few although well armed. - -The next day, after having talked with the American medicine-man in the -lodge, Chief Charakterik took sixty warriors and rode out to meet Chief -Mungo-Meri Pike. - -Charakterik was gone three days, and came in without having sighted the -Americans. But a Pawnee hunter reported that the Americans were farther -to the southward; so Chief Charakterik sent out Frank (which was the -American name of the Pawnee-who-had-been-to-Wash’ton) and three other -warriors, to find them. - -On the second morning two of the scouts galloped back into town. - -“The Pike Americans are nearing. They will be here before noon.” - -“Tell them to wait until I shall meet them and smoke with them,” Chief -Charakterik ordered. - -All the warriors were arrayed, dressed in their best robes and -blankets, and painted with the Pawnee colors of white, yellow, blue and -black. Chief Charakterik wore his large Spanish medal and finest white -buffalo-robe. Second Chief Iskatappe wore a red coat given him by his -Spanish father. - -Three hundred warriors left the village, with the chiefs. Riding in -their midst, as the son of a great chief Scar Head felt that the -Pawnees need fear nobody. - -The Americans had halted about three miles out, just at the other side -of a ridge. The Osages were sitting in front of them. Chief Charakterik -shouted and waved his hand――the Pawnee warriors divided right and -left and swooped down at dead run, yelling and firing their guns. The -Americans stood firm, not afraid, as if they knew that this was only -play. They were few, as said; scarcely more than the fingers on two -hands. - -After the warriors had charged and had formed a circle, Chief -Charakterik and Second Chief Iskatappe advanced on foot to shake hands -with the American chief. This Mungo-Meri Pike was a young man, in a -long hunting-shirt or coat of blue with brass buttons and high standing -collar and lighter blue facings; on his head there was a three-cornered -hat; a curved sword was at his side and leather moccasins reached to -his knees. He was redder than the Spanish chief Melgares, and had no -hair on his face. - -His men were armed with guns that ended in sharp-pointed knives, but -their clothing was thin and poor――nothing like the rich clothing of the -Spanish soldiers. They had a flag of red and white stripes and a starry -blue square in one corner, but they were small in number; and all in -all they did not cut much of a figure when compared with the Spanish. -Certainly they were either brave or foolish, thought Boy Scar Head as -he roundly stared, to dare the Spanish and the Indians in such fashion. - -The Osages knew how to act when in Pawnee country. Their chief stood -up and offered Chief White Wolf a pipe. They smoked, as sign of peace. -Then at a signal by White Wolf, he and Mungo-Meri Pike and the American -second chief (also a young man) rode on for the village. An American -head warrior on a white horse rode just behind, carrying the American -flag. The Osages and the other Americans followed, while the Pawnee -warriors raced back and forth alongside, whooping and showing off. It -was great fun. - -When they all had crossed the ridge and were near the town, another -halt was ordered, in order to smoke horses with the Osages. The four -Osages sat down together; Chief Charakterik sat down in front of them, -and lighted his pipe. Any Pawnee who wished to give horses to an Osage -took the pipe and passed it to the Osage. Every time it was passed it -meant a horse, until eight horses had been given. This was the Horse -Smoke. - -The American second chief marched the soldiers on, to make camp -up-river from the town. Chief Mungo-Meri Pike and his medicine-man -stayed for a talk with White Wolf in his lodge. They were feasted to -stewed corn and squash. - -The Osages also were feasted in the village. They had come on with the -Americans to meet the Kansas at the Pawnee village and sit in peace -council. Pretty Bird was their head chief. - -Everybody was curious to learn from the Osages and from the two -Pawnee-who-had-been-to-Wash’ton what kind of people these Americans -were. - -“They live in a country wider than a week’s travel by horse,” Frank -asserted. “You are never out of sight of their lodges.” - -“Their women have red cheeks, and their men are in number of the -buffalo,” the other Pawnee asserted. “They have great guns that shoot a -mile and speak twice.” - -“If they are so powerful and many, why do they send such a little -company into this country, when the Spanish father sent half a thousand -soldiers at once?” inquired Skidi. “These are spies.” - -“They brought us forty-six of our relatives, from the Potawatomi,” said -an Osage. “They asked for horses to go on with, but we sold them few. -Now by orders of the great father at Wash’ton we are to make peace with -the Kansas. The great father wishes his red children to fight no more.” - -“It is all because there is talk of war between the Spanish and the -Americans,” Frank wisely declared. “That we heard. The Americans wish -to keep the Indians from the war trail, so that they can march in here -and take the land.” - -“We do not want the Americans in here,” spoke Skidi. “Our Spanish -father warned us against them. They are poor and stingy or they would -have sent a large company and an old chief to treat with us. They will -get no help from the Pawnee, and they must go back.” - -The American chief and his medicine-man stayed a long time in the -Charakterik lodge. After a while Scar Head’s older brother came looking -for him. - -“White Wolf says that you are to go on with the two Americans up to -their camp and take a pony load of corn.” - -“How soon?” - -“Now. They are leaving. The pony is being packed.” - -So Scar Head hastened to the lodge. The two Americans were bidding -Chief Charakterik goodby, and were about to mount their horses. -The chief beckoned to Scar Head and pointed to the pony. Scar Head -obediently scrambled atop the corn. - -“Do I come back to-night?” he asked. - -“You may stay till morning, and see what you can see. Do not talk; and -be sure and bring back the pony.” - -This was quite an adventure――to ride to the American camp with the -head chief and the medicine-man, and maybe spend the night there. Scar -Head’s heart beat rapidly, but he did not show that he was either -frightened or delighted, for he was Indian, and son of White Wolf. - -He guided his loaded pony in the rear of the two trotting horsemen. -Outside the town Chief Mungo-Meri Pike reined in and dropped back -beside him, with a smile. - -They eyed each other, although Scar Head did not smile. He was not -ready to smile, and White Wolf had told him not to talk. - -The American chief had a clear pink and brown skin and a bright blue -eye, with rather large nose and mouth, and stubborn chin. His manner -was quick and commanding; anybody might see that he was a chief. - -“What is your name?” he asked, suddenly, in French. - -“Scar Head,” answered Scar Head, in Pawnee. - -Evidently the American chief did not understand Pawnee, for he looked a -little puzzled. - -“Do you speak French?” he demanded. - -“Yes, little,” answered Scar Head. - -“You are not an Indian?” - -“Yes, Pawnee,” grunted Scar Head. - -“You don’t look like a Pawnee.” - -“Pawnee,” Scar Head insisted, as he had been ordered always to do, by -Charakterik. - -“Who is your father?” - -“White Wolf.” - -“Who was your mother?” - -“Don’t know.” - -“Were you born here?” - -“Don’t know.” - -“Do you speak English?” - -“No.” - -“How old are you?” - -Scar Head held up the fingers of his two hands; that was as nearly as -he could guess. It didn’t matter, anyway. - -The American chief hailed the medicine-man in the American language. -Scar Head did not understand, but the words were: “Doctor, I don’t -believe this is an Indian boy at all.” - -Now the medicine-man (he was a young man, with brown hair on his face) -reined back to ride upon Scar Head’s other side. He spoke, in French. - -“Are you an Indian?” - -“Yes.” - -“What nation?” - -“Pawnee.” - -“Where did the Pawnee get you?” - -“From Utahs.” - -“Chief Charakterik is not your father, then?” - -“Yes. My father.” - -“Your mother a Utah?” - -“Don’t know.” - -“How long has Charakterik been your father?” The medicine-man was smart. - -“Two year.” - -“I see. The Utahs probably traded him to the Pawnees, doctor,” spoke -the chief Mungo-Meri Pike, across, in the language that Scar Head did -not understand. “And Charakterik adopted him.” - -“The Utahs must have got him somewhere. He’s no Indian,” replied the -medicine-man, in those strange words. “He’s not Spanish, either.” And -he asked, in French, of Scar Head: - -“You speak Spanish?” - -“A little.” - -“You speak Utah?” - -Scar Head nodded. He was growing tired of these questionings. - -The medicine-man kept eyeing him. - -“Where did you get this?” And he tapped his own head, in sign of the -patch of white hair. - -“My name,” answered Scar Head. - -“What made it?” - -“Don’t know.” - -“Did the Utahs capture you?” - -“Don’t know.” - -“Where were you before the Utahs had you?” - -“Don’t know.” - -“He may not be all Indian, but he’s enough Indian so he won’t tell what -he doesn’t want to tell,” laughed the American chief, in the strange -words. - -The medicine-man shrugged his shoulders. - -“I’d like to take him along with us and find out more about him. By the -shape of his head he’s white blood.” - -The three jogged on in silence. Scar Head wondered what they had said, -with those words, but he was glad to be let alone. White Wolf had -forbidden him to talk with strangers. Nevertheless he glanced now and -then at the two Americans. He felt more friendly toward them. They -seemed kind. - -The American camp was not far. It had guards stationed, who saluted -the American chief when he passed. At his lodge fire he halted; a head -warrior took Scar Head’s pony, with the corn; other warriors took the -two horses, to lead them away. The American second chief was here. -While he and Chief Mungo-Meri Pike talked, Scar Head sat by the fire -and looked around, to see what was going on. - -The camp had been placed upon a hill for protection. There were only -four or five lodges, of canvas, besides the chief’s lodge. The American -flag was flying from a pole. This American camp appeared poor――nothing. -The soldiers, fifteen, wore shabby uniforms of sky blue; their coats -were short and tight, their leggins thin, and several were mending -their moccasins of heavy leather. They had only fifteen extra horses, -to carry their baggage and the presents. There was a black dog. They -talked and laughed much, as they busied themselves or waited around the -two fires that they had built. The hair on their heads was of different -colors――brown, and black, and red, and gray. So was the hair on their -faces. They were quick, active warriors――good men, evidently. If the -Pawnees fought them, it would be hot work before they all were wiped -out. - -Maybe, thought Scar Head, they depended upon the medicine of their -“doctor,” to help them. - -Another man, who could talk sign language and a little Pawnee, came and -sat down beside him. He was the interpreter for Chief Pike. - -“You’re no Indian; you’re white,” he accused, of Scar Head. - -“Indian,” said Scar Head. - -“Where did you come from?” - -“Utahs.” - -“Where did they get you?” - -“Don’t know.” - -“Did White Wolf buy you from the Utahs?” - -“He is my father.” - -“You speak with crooked tongue,” the interpreter accused. “You are -white. You are American. Who was your father?” - -“White Wolf is my father. I am Pawnee. I will talk no more,” said Scar -Head. “Let me alone.” - -After that nobody bothered him, although they all eyed him. Why did -they tell him that he was white? Did he wish to be white? Why should he -be white, or American, when the Pawnee were a great people who could -fight even the Padoucah――the Comanches or Ietans as they were called. -And if one were white instead of red, it would be better to be Spanish, -for the Spanish were rich and powerful, and their king owned the -country. - -Yet――yet, Scar Head could not help but admit that these Americans -bore themselves like warriors; this Pike must be a bold young -chief, to come so far with so few men; and after all, perhaps the -Americans might prove strong in medicine. The Osages and the two -Pawnee-who-had-been-to-Wash’ton spoke well of the nation. - -The medicine-man approached him and suddenly laid fingers upon his -white patch, and pressed. - -“Does that hurt?” - -Scar Head tried not to wince, for hurt it did. He squirmed free. - -“No.” - -The medicine-man might be putting an evil spell upon him, to change -him to white; but the medicine-man only smiled, and left him. - -Having eaten of meat and corn, Scar Head slept in the chief’s lodge, -with the chief himself and the medicine-man whose title was “doctor.” -When he awakened in the morning he was safe and sound still. - - - - -III - -THE PAWNEES ARE OF TWO MINDS - - -“The Kansas are coming! They come in peace, but make ready for them.” - -These were the words of the heralds shouting through the great town -of the Pawnee Republic. Scar Head heard. He had returned this morning -from the American camp with the interpreter (whose name was Baroney), -and felt rather important as the other boys curiously questioned him. -To Chief White Wolf he had only good to report of the Americans. They -had treated him well, aside from bothering him with talk about himself; -but he had told them little. The fact was, he did not know much that he -could tell! - -Baroney had wished to trade for provisions and horses. Now it was -afternoon, and new excitement arose. The Kansas were coming! A peace -party of them had halted, out on the prairie, and had sent in one man -to announce them. They had come by order of the American father, to -smoke peace with the Osages. - -The Osages and the Kansas had long been bitter enemies; the Pawnees, -too, had lost many scalps to the Kansas, although just at present there -was no war between them. - -So Chief Charakterik directed that the Kansas be well received and -feasted. Baroney the American interpreter took word up to the Pike camp -that the Kansas were waiting. - -The two American chiefs exchanged visits with Chiefs White Wolf and -Rich Man, and the Kansas chiefs. In a council held the next day the -Kansas principal chief, Wah-on-son-gay, and his sub-chiefs, and -the Osage principal chief, Shin-ga-wa-sa or Pretty Bird, and his -sub-chiefs, agreed upon paper that the nations of the Kansas and the -Osage should be friends, according to the wish of their American father. - -Wolf, the Pawnee, laughed. - -“It will last only until spring,” he said. “Nobody can trust the -Kansas; and as for those Osage, they are getting to be a nation of -squaws. One-half their face is red, the other half is white. We Pawnee -are all red. We are not afraid of the Kansas, and we shall not help -the Americans. They are a small people of small hearts, as the Spanish -chief said.” - -This might appear to be the truth. Chief Charakterik was of the same -opinion. He and Second Chief Iskatappe and two sub-chiefs had been -invited to a feast by the American chiefs. When they returned they -were scornful, although White Wolf had been given a gun with two -barrels, an arm band, and other things, and the other chiefs also had -been rewarded. - -Scar Head heard Rich Man tell about it. - -“Charakterik wore his large medal given him by the young Spanish chief. -They did not ask him to take it off. They offered me a little American -medal. ‘What shall I do with that?’ I asked. ‘It is not a medal for a -chief. Those two young warriors who have been to Wash’ton were given -bigger medals than this. Let the American father send me a chief’s -medal, for I can get Spanish medals. I am not a boy.’ Yes,” continued -Iskatappe, “the American nation must be very mean and stingy. They -send a young man and a few soldiers, with little medals and a few poor -presents, to talk with the great Pawnee nation. But the Spanish asked -us to wait until next spring, when they will send us a principal chief -and many more soldiers, to live near us and treat with us in honorable -fashion.” - -The council with the Americans had been set for the next day. The two -American chiefs, and Baroney the interpreter, and the “doctor,” and a -guard of soldiers, rode down. Chief Charakterik assembled four hundred -warriors. The council lodge was crowded, and a throng of women and -boys and girls pressed around, outside, to peer and listen. Scar Head -managed to squeeze inside, to a place where he might see and hear. The -Osages and the Kansas were inside, too. - -After the pipe had been passed around among the chiefs, Mungo-Meri Pike -stood, to speak. He threw off his red-lined blue cloak, and stood slim -and straight――a handsome young man. - -Baroney translated for him, in Pawnee and sign language. - -“The great American father of us all, at Wash’ton, has sent me,” he -said. “He is now your father. You have no Spanish father. Not long -ago the Spanish gave up all this country, from the big river to the -mountains. The Americans have bought it. The Spanish have no rights -here, any more. Now your American father has sent me to visit among his -red children, to tell them that his heart is good toward them, and that -he wishes peace. I am to take back word of them, and of the country, so -that he may know. I am surprised to see that you are flying the Spanish -flag at the lodge door. I bring you the American flag, to take its -place. You cannot have two fathers and two flags. I have also brought -you gifts. They are here. I ask you to accept them, as a small token -from your American father. I should like your answer.” And he sat down. - -[Illustration: “I BRING YOU THE AMERICAN FLAG”] - -Chief Charakterik dropped his buffalo-robe from his shoulders, to stand -and speak. - -“We hear your words,” he said. “We thank you for the presents. We wish -to ask where you are going from here?” - -“We are going on, to explore the country and to smoke peace with the -Ietans,” replied Chief Pike. - -“We knew that you were coming,” spoke White Wolf. “The Spanish chief -who was here said that you were coming. He said that the Americans were -a small nation but greedy, and that soon they would stretch out even -to the Pawnee, and claim the country. Now we see how truly the Spanish -chief saw ahead, for here you are. We do not wish you to go on. We -turned the Spanish back, until they should come again to live with us. -We will turn you back. It is impossible for you to go on. You are few -and you do not know the country. The Padoucah (Comanches) are many and -powerful. They are our enemies and the friends of the Spanish and will -kill you all. You must go back by the road that you came on.” - -The young Chief Mungo-Meri Pike stood up straighter still, and answered -with ringing voice. - -“I have been sent out by our great father to travel through his -country, to visit his red children, and talk peace. You have seen how -I have brought the Osages and the Kansas together. I wish my road to -be smooth, with a blue sky over my head. I have not seen any blood in -the trail. But the warriors of the American father are not women, to be -turned back by words. If the Pawnee wish to try to stop me, they may -try. We are men, well armed, and will take many lives in exchange for -our own. Then the great father will send other warriors, to gather our -bones and to avenge our deaths, and our spirits will hear war-songs -sung in praise of our deeds. We shall go on. I ask you for horses, and -somebody who speaks Comanche, to help us; and I ask you to take down -the Spanish flag and hoist the flag of your American father, instead.” - -That was a defiant speech, and Scar Head thrilled. Surely, the American -chief was a man. - -Iskatappe arose. - -“We do not want peace with the Padoucah,” he said. “They have killed -six of our young men. We must have scalps in payment, so that the young -men’s relatives can wash the mourning paint from their faces and be -happy. It would be foolish for us to send anybody with you or to give -you horses. We have been satisfied with our Spanish father. We do not -wish so many fathers.” - -He sat down. - -“That is true,” Chief Pike retorted. “You do not wish many fathers. -Now you have only the one great father. He is your American father. -You have not answered me about the flag. I still see the Spanish flag -flying at your door. I think you ought to lower that flag and put up -this American flag, for I have told you that the Spanish do not rule -this land any more. You cannot be children of two fathers, and speak -with two tongues. I wish an answer.” - -Nobody said anything for a long time. The American chiefs sat there, -gazing straight in front of them, and waiting. The blue eyes of -Mungo-Meri Pike seemed to search all hearts. Was it to be peace or war? -Then old Sleeping Bear, the head councillor of the Pawnee Republic, got -up, without a word, and went to the doorway, and took down the Spanish -flag from its staff, and brought it to Chief Pike. Chief Pike handed -him the American flag, of red and white stripes like the sunset and the -starry sky in one corner. Old Sleeping Bear carried it and fastened it -to the staff. - -The Osages and the Kansas grunted “Good,” because they already had -accepted the American father; but the Pawnees hung their heads and -looked glum. When the Spanish came back and found their great king’s -flag gone, what would they say? - -Chief Pike saw the downcast faces, and read the thoughts behind them. -His heart was big, after all, and he did not wish to shame the Pawnee -nation, for he uttered, quickly: - -“You have shown me that you are of good mind toward your father in -Wash’ton. I do not seek to make trouble between you and the Spanish. -We will attend to the Spanish. Should there be war between the white -people, the wish of your American father is that his red children stay -by their own fires and not take part. In case that the Spanish come -and demand their flag, here it is. I give it to you. I ask that you do -not put it up while I am with you, but that you keep the American flag -flying.” - -“We thank you. We will do as you say,” White Wolf responded; and every -face had brightened. “In return, we beg you not to go on. You will -lose your way. It will soon be winter, and you have no winter clothes, -I see. The Spanish will capture you. If they do not capture you, the -Padoucah will kill you. It will be pitiful.” - -Soon after this the council broke up. Chief Mungo-Meri Pike was still -determined; he had not been frightened by the words. His men tried to -buy horses, but Chief White Wolf had the orders spread that no horses -were to be supplied to the Americans. When some of the Pawnees went -to the American camp, to trade, Skidi and two other “dog soldiers” or -police followed them and drove them home with whips of buffalo-hide. - -Iskatappe only waited for other orders, to muster the warriors and -capture the camp. - -“It can be done,” he said. “We doubtless shall lose many men, for I -think the Americans are hard fighters. We might do better to attack -them on the march.” - -Some of the older men were against fighting. - -“We should not pull hot fat out of the fire with our fingers, for the -Spanish,” they said. “Let the Spanish stop the Americans, if they can. -We will stay at home and put up the flag of the stronger nation.” - -Meanwhile the young warriors liked to gallop near the American camp and -shake their lances and guns at it. The American warriors laughed and -shouted. - -For the next few days Boy Scar Head was all eyes and ears. The -Americans kept close in camp and were very watchful. Only Baroney the -interpreter rode back and forth, looking for horses. Chief Charakterik -seemed much troubled. He had not counted upon the Americans being -so stubborn. He sent the Kansas home. They had promised to guide the -Americans; but he gave Wah-on-son-ga a gun and two horses, and told him -that the Padoucahs would certainly kill everybody; so Wah-on-son-ga -took his men home. - -Frank, the Pawnee-who-had-been-to-Wash’ton, stole the wife of an -Osage and ran away with her. This made the Osages angry; and now the -Americans were getting angry, too. - -They had found only three or four horses. Then―― - -“The Americans are going to march to-morrow!” - -That was the word from the warriors who spied upon the camp. Chief Pike -rode down, unafraid, with Baroney, to White Wolf’s lodge. Scar Head hid -in a corner, to hear what was said. He liked the crisp voice and the -handsome face of this young Mungo-Meri Pike. Maybe he would never see -him again. - -“Why have you told the Kansas to go home, and made them break their -promise to me?” demanded Chief Pike, of White Wolf. - -“The hearts of the Kansas failed them. They decided they would only -be throwing their lives away, to go with such a small party into the -country of the Padoucah,” answered White Wolf. - -“You frightened them with your stories,” Chief Pike accused. “That -was not right. I have come from your father, to make peace among his -red children. Why do you forbid your men to trade us horses? You have -plenty. Why do you not lend us a man who speaks the Ietan tongue, to -help us?” - -“If, as you say, we all are children of the American father, then we do -not wish our brothers to give up their lives,” White Wolf said. “But we -do not know. The Spanish claim this country, too. They are coming back -next spring. We promised them not to let you march through. You can -come next spring and talk with them.” - -“No!” thundered Chief Pike. “We are going to march on. We are Americans -and will go where we are ordered by the great father. The Osages have -given us five of their horses. They have shown a good heart. I will -speak well of them, to their father.” - -“They gave you their poor horses, because they got better ones from -us,” replied White Wolf. - -“If the Pawnee try to stop us, it will cost them at least one hundred -warriors,” Chief Pike asserted. “You will have to kill every one of -us, and we will die fighting. Then the American nation will send such -an army that the very name Pawnee will be forgotten.” He arose, and -his flashing blue eyes marked Boy Scar Head huddled upon a roll of -buffalo-robes. “Who is that boy?” he asked. - -“He is my son,” Charakterik answered. - -“He cannot be your son,” reproved Chief Pike. “He is white, you are -red. I think he is an American. Where did you get him?” - -“He is my son. I have adopted him,” White Wolf insisted. “I got him -from the Utahs.” - -“Where are his parents?” - -“I am his parent. I do not know anything more.” - -“You must give him up. He is not an Indian,” said Chief Pike. - -“He is a Pawnee. Why should I give him up?” argued Charakterik. - -“Because the great father wishes all captives to be given up. The -Potawatomi had many captives from the Osage. They have been given up. -There cannot be good feeling between people when they hold captives -from each other. I ask you to send this boy down river. Two French -traders are in your town now. You can send the boy with them.” - -“I will think upon what you say,” White Wolf replied. - -So Chief Pike left. - -“Why did you come in here to listen?” scolded White Wolf, of Scar Head. -“You are making me trouble. Do you want to be sent away with those -traders?” - -“No,” Scar Head admitted. For the two French traders were dark, dirty -little men, not at all like the Americans. He preferred the Pawnees to -those traders. But if he were an American, himself――――? An American the -same as the Pike Americans! That sounded good. - -He could see that White Wolf was troubled; and the rest of the day he -kept out of sight. Early in the morning the two French traders went -away, but he had not been sent for. Chief Charakterik probably had -matters of more importance to think about. - -The Americans were breaking camp. The Pawnee young men, urged by -Iskatappe and Skidi, were painting for battle, while the women filled -the quivers and sharpened the lance points, and cleaned the guns afresh. - -The sun mounted higher. A close watch was kept upon the American camp, -plain in view up the Republican River. Shortly after noon the cry -welled: - -“They are coming! Shall we let them pass?” - -“No! Kill them!” - -“See where they are going, first.” - -“Wait till they are in the village.” - -Nobody knew exactly what to do. The Americans were marching down, their -horses together, their ranks formed, their guns ready; and they looked -small beside the four hundred and more warriors of the Pawnees. It was -a brave act. - -“They are not striking the village. They are going around,” Rich Man -shouted. “We shall have to fight them in the open. That is bad.” - -The young warriors like Skidi ran to and fro, handling their bows and -lances and guns. They waited for orders from White Wolf; but White Wolf -only stood at the door of his lodge, with his arms folded, and said -nothing as he watched the American column. - -Mungo-Meri Pike was smart. He acted like a war chief. He was marching -around, far enough out so that if he were attacked the Pawnees could -not hide behind their mud houses. Now to charge on those well-armed -Americans, in the open, would cost many lives; and no Pawnee wished to -be the first to fall. - -The Americans had come opposite, and no gun had yet been fired, when -on a sudden Chief Pike left them. With Baroney and one soldier he -galloped across, for the village. That was a bold deed, but he did -not seem to fear. He paid no attention to the warriors who scowled at -him. He made way through them straight to Chief Charakterik. He spoke -loudly, so that all about might hear. - -“I have come to say good-by. I hope that when we come again we will -find the great father’s flag still flying.” - -“You had better go quickly,” White Wolf replied. “The Spanish will be -angry with us, and my young men are hard to hold.” - -“We are going,” Chief Pike assured. “We are going, as we said we would. -If your young men mean to stop us, let them try. Two of our horses were -stolen from us this morning. They were Pawnee horses. One was returned -to us by your men. The other is missing. I am sure that the Pawnee do -not sell us horses at a high price, so as to steal them. That is not -honest. If you are a chief you will get the horse back for us, or the -Pawnee will have a bad name for crooked tongues. So I will leave one of -my men, who will receive the horse and bring it on. He will wait till -the sun is overhead, to-morrow.” - -“I will see what I can do,” White Wolf answered. “The horse may have -only strayed. A present might find him again.” - -“The horse is ours,” reproved Chief Pike. “I shall not buy it twice. -If the Pawnees are honest and wish to be friends with their American -brothers, they will return the horse to me. I shall expect it, -to-morrow. Adios.” - -“Adios,” grunted White Wolf, wrapping his robe about him. - -Chief Pike and Baroney the interpreter galloped for the column. They -left the soldier. Now he was one American among all the Pawnees, but he -did not act afraid, either. - -He sat his horse and gazed about him with a smile. He was a stout, -chunky man, in stained blue clothes. His face was partly covered with -red hair, and the hair on his head, under his slouched black hat, was -red, too. He carried a long-barreled heavy gun in the hollow of one arm. - -“Get down,” signed White Wolf. “Come into my lodge.” And he waved the -crowding warriors back. - -The red-haired soldier got down and entered the lodge. Here he was -safe. Everything of his was safe as long as he was a guest of a lodge. -Scar Head slipped in after him, but White Wolf stayed outside. - -“The American chief has lost a horse,” he announced. “The horse must be -brought back, or we shall have a bad name with our American father.” - -“If the American chief has lost a horse, let him promise a present and -maybe it will be found,” answered Skidi. - -“That is no way to talk,” Charakterik rebuked. “I want the horse -brought to me; then we will see about the present.” - -“The present is here already,” laughed Skidi. “It is in your lodge. The -American chief would have done better to lose all his horses and say -nothing, for a red scalp is big medicine.” - -And all the warriors laughed. - -Inside the lodge the American soldier grinned at Scar Head. Scar Head -grinned back. - -“Hello,” said the soldier. - -Scar Head had heard that word several times. Now he blurted it, himself. - -“H’lo.” - -This was the end of the conversation, but Scar Head did a lot of -thinking. He well knew where the horse was. Skidi had stolen it and -hidden it out, and boasted of his feat. Now Skidi was talking of -keeping the red-hair. That did not seem right. The Americans were -brave. If somebody――a boy――should go out and bring the horse in, then -Skidi might not dare to claim it, and White Wolf would send it and the -red-hair on to Pike, and there would be no more trouble. Yes, being an -American, himself (as they had said), Scar Head decided that he ought -to help the other Americans. - -He would get the horse. - - - - -IV - -ON THE TRAIL OF THE SPANIARDS - - -Early in the morning, before yet even the squaws were stirring, Scar -Head slipped out to get the horse. He found it picketed near the river, -just where Skidi had cleverly concealed it. He led it in and tied it -short, before the lodge door. Then he crept back to bed again. It would -be safe, for nobody would dare remove it from the limits of the chiefs -lodge. - -The squaws were up first, of course, to start the fires and prepare the -breakfasts. Charakterik’s two wives, an old one and a young one, arose -and went outside. Lying quiet Scar Head heard them talking. - -“Someone has brought a horse,” said the young squaw. “It is a Pawnee -horse.” - -“That is queer,” said the old squaw. “Who is making White Wolf such a -present? This must be the horse that was stolen from the Americans. The -thief has changed his heart, and grown afraid.” - -“Or else it is a marriage gift,” giggled the young squaw. “Someone is -looking for a wife in our lodge.” - -“Who is there, to be married?” the old squaw demanded. - -“We are the only women, so it must be that someone is in love with me,” -the young squaw giggled again. - -“You!” scoffed the old squaw. “Who would look at you? You are not worth -a horse. No; the horse offering is made for me.” - -And they both laughed. They knew better than to rouse Charakterik and -tell him. Their business was to get the breakfast, and let him discover -the horse, himself. - -White Wolf and the American soldier were still snoozing upon their -buffalo-robe couches. Pretty soon Scar Head could wait no longer. -He went outside, yawning and rubbing his eyes, and pretended to be -surprised by the horse. - -“Whose horse is that?” he queried. - -“Ask it, and maybe you will know more than we do.” - -“Who brought it?” - -“That is none of our affair; nor of yours, either. It was here when we -came out.” - -“It had not been here very long,” added the young squaw, to the elder. -“See? The ground is only little trampled.” - -“If you want to know where it came from,” continued the old squaw, -to Scar Head, “you should trail it back, instead of asking silly -questions.” - -“Yes, and get into trouble. A gift is a gift, and not to be doubted,” -the young squaw added. - -At this, Scar Head ran off, to the river, for his morning swim. When he -returned, Chief Charakterik and the American soldier were up and out, -too, and surveying the horse. - -“Do you know where this horse came from?” White Wolf questioned, of his -wives. - -“No. It was here. That is all.” - -“The man who stole the horse from the Americans has returned it,” -declared White Wolf. “Good. Is this the horse you are waiting for?” he -asked, of the soldier. - -The soldier did not understand the words, but he understood the -gesture. Now he smiled and replied in his own language――which nobody -else understood. But he nodded and pointed to the horse and in the -direction of the Americans; and they all understood that. - -“After you have eaten, you may take the horse and go your way,” White -Wolf bade, well satisfied. - -So the matter seemed to be settled; but somehow, Scar Head did not -feel quite happy. The matter was settled too easily. In a few minutes -the soldier would go; then all the Americans would be gone, and he -himself would have lost them. In fact, he didn’t seem to be getting -much out of his scheme, except that he may have saved the soldier’s -scalp. Skidi would be angry, too, when he found out that the horse and -soldier both had gone. Somebody would suffer――and Scar Head rather -foresaw who that somebody might be! Skidi could make things very -uncomfortable. - -But before they were done eating, here came Skidi and several others, -of the men, all furious. - -“There is the horse,” exclaimed Skidi. “And there is the red-haired -white man. We are in time.” - -“What is all this shouting about?” reproved White Wolf. “This is no way -to come to a chief’s lodge.” - -“We come for a horse that has been stolen by that white man,” Skidi -boldly retorted. “There it is. We claim it.” - -“No. The horse belongs to the American chief. His soldier is here to -get it. We talked about that yesterday. I will talk no more.” - -“I will talk, for I am a man,” answered Skidi. “You let the white man -eat at your fire and sleep in your lodge, and during the night he -steals a horse. Are you a chief, that you close your eyes to such -things? We ask for our horse, or else a large present.” - -“Whose horse is it?” - -“It is a Pawnee horse, and that is enough.” - -“The horse was not here last night, but it was here early this -morning,” announced White Wolf. “The American did not go out and get -it. I am sure of that. If he did, why should he have brought it here, -if he had stolen it? He could have easily made off with it, and others. -No; the thief who took the horse from the Americans has returned it, as -is right. Let the man who claims to own the horse come forward. But I -think there is nothing more to be said.” - -The soldier was sitting, in his stained blue clothes, and gazing around -with a good-natured smile on his hairy face; but Scar Head could see -that he was thinking fast, and ready to spring for the lodge and his -gun. - -“Are you going to send him away with the horse?” - -“Who owns the horse?” White Wolf replied. “Why was it left at my lodge -door if not for the American to take with him? Somebody had bad dreams, -and went and got the horse, so that he might sleep.” - -“In that case, the man deserves a present,” Skidi declared. “Let a -present be given in exchange for the horse and the American may go.” - -“To whom shall the present be given?” White Wolf inquired. - -“I will take the present, and give it to the man who owns the horse,” -said Skidi. “But of course if he has done this good deed he may wish to -be secret about it, and if he is accused of having done an evil deed in -the first place, he does not wish to be pointed at as a thief.” - -“The American chief sent no present. He only asked for a horse that had -been taken from him. Here it is, left on the prairie at my door, and I -give it back to him.” - -With that, Chief Charakterik stood and folded his robe around him, as -sign that he was done. The soldier rose, also. - -But the squad led by Skidi murmured angrily. Somebody reached to grasp -the horse’s neck rope―― - -“No. Let him take it. He will not go far.” - -“There will be a red scalp, for a dance, to-night.” - -“The Americans will think the Pawnee are cowards, if all they need do -is ask for a horse and get it.” - -“You talk like children,” White Wolf reproved. “Who among you claims -the horse? Nobody. Why was it left at my door, if not for me? Or did -it come of itself? It is mine and I can do with it as I please.” - -“But the present! You will shame all the town if you, a great chief, -yield this way to the Americans. There is no proof that they have lost -a horse, and why should you give one up to them, for nothing? You have -no right to give the horse away until you find out why it was left at -your lodge. You should wait and find out. People do not leave horses -at lodges without expecting something in return. I may have left the -horse, myself; and I might look for a present. Where is the present?” - -Thus Skidi cunningly argued. - -“Yes, where is the present?” they all demanded. “You need not make it, -yourself. You can ask it from the Americans. Or tell the soldier to go; -and if he doesn’t like to go alone, we will help him on his way.” - -Scar Head suddenly spoke up. - -“The American can have the horse, White Wolf. I brought it, and I want -no present.” - -Everybody gaped. White Wolf turned on him severely. - -“You? You are a boy. Why do you say the American can have the horse? If -you brought it, where did you get it?” - -“I found it.” - -“Whose horse is it?” - -“It belongs to the American chief. It is the one he lost.” - -“How do you know?” - -“I know,” said Scar Head. “It was hidden, but I went and got it.” - -“You lie! You are a meddler!” Skidi stormed, furious. “Wait till I lay -my hands on you.” - -“I do not lie. I brought the horse, and I can show where I found it,” -Scar Head answered. - -“That is boy’s talk,” appealed Skidi. “Look at him! He is no Pawnee, -as everybody knows. He is not even an Indian. Who can believe what he -says? Are warriors to be ruled by a boy? I demand a council, on this -horse――and I will attend to that piece of impudence when I catch him -away from the lodge.” - -Chief Charakterik hesitated. Attracted by the loud voice of Skidi the -village was gathering; Iskatappe had come, and Old Knife, and other -leading men who were unfriendly to the Americans; and Scar Head felt -small. Now Skidi had called for a council; and between the council and -Skidi the red-haired soldier and he himself were likely to fare rather -badly. Charakterik, too, looked angry. Only the soldier stood smiling, -backed against the lodge doorway, his gun in his hands. - -But right in the midst of the crisis, somebody else arrived. It was -Baroney, the interpreter for Chief Pike. - -“Go into the lodge,” ordered White Wolf, to Scar Head. “You have made -bad work. I will talk with you later.” - -Scar Head went in, disgraced. Outside, the voices continued, with White -Wolf, and Skidi, and Baroney doing most of the speaking, and Rich Man -and Letalesha adding remarks. - -After a short time they all quit. White Wolf entered, with Baroney and -the soldier. - -“You are going away,” he said. “You may get your yellow pony and make -ready.” - -“Where am I going?” - -“With these two men, to the American camp. The horse matter is settled. -The American chief has sent a present, for the horse. Everybody is -satisfied. But you did a wrong thing, when you interfered in men’s -affairs. Why did you do that?” - -“I like the Americans,” Scar Head stammered. - -“Yes,” replied White Wolf. “What Skidi said is true. You are not red, -you are white, and they all know it. You can never be an Indian. Now -you have lost friends. The Pawnee will always look at you sideways, -and Skidi is likely to harm you. So I give you to the American chief, -to be rid of you before you are hurt. He asked me to send you away. If -I keep you it may mean trouble for me also. Get your horse. These two -men are waiting.” - -His brain in a whirl, Scar Head hastened out, for his yellow pony. As -he passed through the village, there were scowls and jeers, because now -nobody respected him as the chief’s son; but he did not care. He was an -American, and these Pawnees were no longer his people. So he tried to -walk fast, like an American, and pay no attention to the black looks -and the slurs. - -He rode back, on his pony. The two men were waiting, on their horses, -with the other horse in tow. White Wolf’s lodge received him kindly. -His brother, White Wolf’s real son, handed him a horn bow and -otter-skin quiver of arrows. - -“They are for you. Do not forget your brother.” - -The old squaw put new beaded moccasins upon his feet. - -“They are for you. Do not forget your mother.” - -The young squaw clasped a silver bracelet upon his wrist. - -“It is for you. Do not forget your sister.” - -White Wolf threw a white-tanned robe, soft and warm, from a young -buffalo-cow, over his shoulders. - -“Do not forget your father. You did wrong, but your heart was good. -Remember that you have been a chief’s son. Always bear yourself like a -warrior. To a warrior, heat and cold and thirst and hunger are nothing. -A brave man lives, while a coward dies. Now go.” - -“Come,” said Baroney. The stocky soldier smiled brightly. - -With never a backward glance they galloped out of the town, into the -south and on. - -Baroney began to lead. With the horse in tow, the soldier slackened, to -ride alongside Scar Head. He grinned, and spoke. - -“Hello,” he said, again. - -“H’lo,” responded Scar Head. - -The soldier rubbed his nose, as if figuring upon what to say next. - -“American, you?” he queried. - -Scar Head caught the word, and nodded. The soldier spoke farther, with -another question. - -“He asks your name,” called back Baroney. “I will tell him. His name is -Sparks. He is a good man. They are all good men. You will be happy with -the Americans.” - -“Sparks!” That was a simple name and a good one, because it fitted. -Fire might be his medicine; the stiff bright hairs of his face were the -red sparks, shooting out. - -The American chief had camped at only a short distance from the -Pawnee town, waiting on peace or war. There were shouts of welcome, -for Baroney and Sparks, and many curious gazes for Scar Head. He rode -proudly, on his yellow pony, with his warrior’s bow and arrows, his -chief-beaded moccasins, his bracelet and his white cow-robe. He was no -longer afraid of the Americans. Baroney took him on to Chief Pike, who -was standing beside his saddled horse. - -The camp lodges had been struck, the Americans were ready to march. - -Baroney explained to the young chief. Chief Pike listened――he nodded, -and spoke, and with a smile reached to shake Scar Head’s hand. The -medicine man also spoke, and smiled, and shook hands. The young second -chief came and did the same. Then they got on their horses. - -“It is well,” said Baroney to Scar Head. “You will ride in front, with -the chiefs.” - -“Where do we go?” - -“We go to the mountains, and to find the Ietans.” - -Scar Head said nothing, to that. It was a long way, and the danger way, -but he was with braves who seemed to feel no fears. They appeared to -know what they were about. - -Chief Pike shouted a command and led out. The second chief repeated -the command, and turned in his saddle to see that it was obeyed; then -he galloped to the fore. The two chiefs rode first, side by side. -Baroney signed, and Scar Head found himself between Baroney and the -medicine-man. Four Osages, still――Chief Pretty Bird, two warriors and a -woman――followed. The American warriors trudged after, two by two, in a -column, with the extra horses bearing packs. - -The warriors numbered eighteen. It was a small party, for a great -nation, when one remembered that the Spanish had sent several hundred -and that the Padoucahs or Ietans (the Comanches) numbered thousands. -The Osages of course need not be counted. The Pawnees thought little of -Osages――a poor and miserable people. - -The Spanish had left a very broad, plain trail. The Americans were -following it, although it was an old trail and the Spanish chief had -been gone several weeks. It stretched straight southward, toward the -Kansas country, and the Padoucah and the Spanish country, beyond. If -the young chief Pike followed far enough, in that direction, he would -have need of all his medicine to get out again. But perhaps he would -turn west, in time, and aim for the unknown mountains, many days’ -journey――although what he expected to find there, nobody might say. - -It was the home of the Utahs, who warred upon plains people and were -friendly to only the Spanish. - -He was a bold man, this young Chief Pike. - -The march southward continued all day, pursuing the trail, until when -the sun was getting low and the shadows long a place was reached where -the Spanish had camped. - -Chief Pike examined the signs. The Spanish of Chief Melgares had -camped in a circle. There were fifty-nine burnt spots, from campfires. -Allowing six warriors to each fire, that counted up over three hundred -and fifty. The grasses had been eaten off by the horses. - -Chief Pike led his eighteen warriors on a little distance, and ordered -camp for the night beside a fork of the river of the Kansas. Scar Head -was well treated; the American medicine man or “doctor” eyed him a -great deal, but did him no harm; the warrior Sparks grinned at him, and -beckoned to him, but he did not go. It was a cheerful camp, with the -men singing and joking in their strange language. - -He ate at the fire of the two chiefs and the medicine-man. They and -Baroney the interpreter talked together. Soon after dark everybody -went to bed, except the guards, and except Chief Pike, who sat up, -in his lodge, making black marks on white leaves, by the fire of a -sputtering white stick! - -Scar Head rolled in his buffalo robe, at one side of the lodge; the -couch for the medicine-man (who was already on it) and for the chief, -was at the other side. He stayed awake as long as he could, watching -lest the medicine-man should try to feel of the spot on his head, -again; but he was tired, and before the chief had finished making -marks, he fell asleep. - - - - -V - -THE CHASE OF THE BIG ELK - - -Bang! - -One of the American guards, stationed on a little rise, had fired his -gun, as an alarm signal. - -It was noon, of the second day, and Chief Pike had halted his men to -eat, and graze the horses. At the signal, everybody looked. - -“Injuns!” cried the Americans, while the guard pointed and called. - -Scar Head likewise looked. - -“Pawnee,” he said. He knew them instantly, although they were still far -off. - -Chief Pike and the young sub-chief shouted orders. The soldiers seized -their guns and formed to protect the horses; the guards came running -in. Scar Head strung his bow and plucked a good arrow from his quiver. -The “doctor” or medicine-man, standing with gun in hand, smiled and -asked him a question, in French. - -“What are you doing? Making ready to fight?” - -“Yes.” - -“Good,” praised the medicine-man. “You will fight for the Americans?” - -“I am American,” asserted Scar Head. “American. No Pawnee.” - -The medicine-man laughed, but he seemed pleased. - -There were many of the Pawnees――fully three hundred. They approached -swiftly, across the rolling prairie, from the north. They were -horseback, but they acted like a war party――all were warriors, with -guns and bows and lances. What did they want? Even Scar Head could not -guess. Had Charakterik decided to let the Americans be attacked? That -was foolish. The Americans were ready, and would fight hard. - -Or, perhaps Iskatappe and Skidi and other hot-hearts had planned this -without permission, and were determined to see what they might do. - -The Americans stood in a half circle, facing the Pawnees, their horses -tied short, behind them. Chief Pike stood in front of the center, his -sword in his hand. His sub-chief was at one end and the medicine-man at -the other end. Scar Head fitted his arrow upon his bow, twitched his -quiver around so that he might reach it more easily, and ran closer to -the medicine-man’s end, where he could shoot better. The soldier Sparks -was here, too. - -Iskatappe led the Pawnees. They were nearing fast. Yes, Skidi was among -them. Scar Head decided to loose his arrows upon Skidi, who had called -him a liar and who was the mischief-maker. Now Chief Pike uttered a -sharp command, and the gun-locks of the few Americans all clicked; he -uttered another command, and the guns of the few Americans all rose to -a level line. Scar Head lifted his bow and bent it, pointing his arrow -upward, his eyes measuring the distance to Skidi. - -But on a sudden the Pawnees stopped short, so that their ponies’ -forehoofs ploughed the sod, and Iskatappe and another chief rode -forward more slowly, with the peace sign. - -Chief Pike barked a command, so that the Americans’ guns were lowered. -Baroney went out and joined him, and they two met Iskatappe and the -other chief. - -After all, Iskatappe only gave Chief Pike a piece of meat. They rode in -together, and the Pawnees came on, and the Americans let them. - -“No war,” smiled the medicine-man, over his shoulder, at Scar Head. - -“Maybe,” grunted Scar Head, but he was suspicious. When the Pawnees -acted this way, they were of two minds. The Americans would do well to -watch out. They did watch, but it was hard to keep so many Pawnees at a -distance. They edged about, smiling and alert for chances. - -“Hello, little sneak,” greeted Skidi, of Scar Head. - -“Hello, thief,” Scar Head boldly answered. “You are the sneak. You give -with one hand and take back with the other.” - -“You talk big,” sneered Skidi. “Once you were a chief’s son; now you -are nothing. When I catch you, some day, you will be less than nothing.” - -“Why don’t you catch me now?” Scar Head retorted. “I am with the -Americans. I am not afraid of you.” - -“You are not worth the trouble. We are hunting meat. The Padoucah can -have you and those Osages. They and the Spanish will eat you all, for -us, and save us the bother. If we did not believe that, we would never -have let the Americans come even this far.” - -It appeared to be true that the Pawnees were hunting, and not bent upon -war. Iskatappe had brought Chief Pike a present of bear meat, to wipe -out the memory of the horse-theft, he said. But the Americans stood -ready, trying to see what the Pawnees really were up to――and Scar Head -kept his eye upon the crafty Skidi. - -Pretty soon Chief Pike and Iskatappe shook hands again. The Pawnees -were to ride one way, the Americans another. Scar Head was just in -time. As the Americans started, he brushed against the medicine-man, -so as to warn, with his French words: - -“Knife. No knife.” - -The medicine-man instantly felt of the knife scabbard on his saddle. -It was empty, as Scar Head well knew, for he had seen the clever Skidi -steal the knife out. Now the “doctor” exclaimed, and spoke quickly to -Chief Pike. They both reined aside, so did Baroney the interpreter―― - -“Come,” beckoned the medicine-man, to Scar Head; and while the column -went on with the second chief, they turned back to the Pawnees. - -“We have come for a knife that is lost,” announced Chief Pike, to -Iskatappe, with Baroney talking for him in bad Pawnee. - -“We know nothing about any knife,” asserted Rich Man, stiffly. - -“A knife is missing from this man’s saddle,” Chief Pike insisted. “I -ask you to get it for me.” - -“You grow angry about a very small thing,” Iskatappe replied. “What -is one knife to you? Besides, you say it is lost. Very well; then you -should find it. We know nothing about it.” - -Chief Pike flushed, angry indeed. His blue eyes looked hot. - -“Whether or not it is a small thing, we Americans are not men who can -be robbed. The knife may seem of little value, but it is ours. I am -here to get it from you.” - -“That is strong talk,” Iskatappe answered. “I have no knife of yours. -Where is your knife?” - -“Who has it?” the medicine-man asked, in quick low voice, of Scar Head. - -“Skidi,” whispered Scar Head. - -The medicine-man pushed forward to Baroney, and spoke with him. - -“This man says your warrior named Skidi has his knife,” said Baroney, -to Iskatappe. - -“We will see,” replied Iskatappe. He called Skidi, and told him to -throw back his robe; and sure enough, there was the knife. - -“I did not know that it was that man’s knife,” Skidi defended. “I found -it on the trail. Now it is mine. If I give it up, I must have another -to take its place.” - -“Your warrior lies,” Chief Pike flatly retorted, to Iskatappe. “He -stole the knife. Otherwise, how did we know that he had it?” - -Matters looked bad. The Pawnees were surrounding thicker and thicker, -and the other Americans had gone on. But Chief Pike gave no sign that -he was afraid; neither did the medicine-man. Only Baroney acted uneasy, -and Scar Head’s heart beat rapidly. - -“What the American chief says, sounds true,” remarked Iskatappe, while -Skidi glared and his friends jostled and murmured. “But maybe Skidi is -right, too. He should have another knife.” - -“We are not here to trade knives. When an honest man finds what belongs -to another, he returns it,” Chief Pike replied. - -“Much time is being wasted over a matter of no account,” growled -Iskatappe. “Here is your knife,” and he plucked it from Skidi’s waist. -“I am not stingy, so I give him one to take its place.” And so he did. - -Chief Pike passed the knife to the medicine-man. The medicine-man was -wise. He immediately passed it back to Iskatappe. - -“It is now yours. Keep it. By this you see that we did not come for the -knife; we came for justice.” - -“You show us that your hearts are good, after all,” Rich Man granted. -“I think you have done well.” - -The faces of the Pawnees cleared, even Skidi seemed satisfied, and -after shaking hands once more Chief Pike led out for the column and -left the Pawnees to go their way also. - -The Americans under the second chief were a long way ahead. Chief Pike -acted as if in no hurry. He and the medicine-man cantered easily and -chatted and laughed like brothers; Scar Head and Baroney cantered -together, behind them. - -“Our scalps were loose, back there,” uttered Baroney. - -“Yes,” said Scar Head. “I smelled blood.” - -“You are no Pawnee. They would scalp you, too. Were you afraid?” - -“No. No one is afraid, with Chief Pike.” - -Baroney laughed. He was a small, dark, black-bearded man who spoke -about as much Pawnee as Scar Head spoke French, but was good at the -sign language; so by using all three means, with now and then a word of -Spanish, he got along. - -They had ridden about a mile, and were slowly overtaking the American -column, when another band of figures came charging. The medicine-man -sighted them, the first, for he pointed――and they indeed looked, at a -distance, to be more Indians, issuing from ambush in a river bottom on -the left and launching themselves to cut off the Chief Pike squad. - -Scar Head himself read them with one keen stare. - -“Elk,” he grunted, in Pawnee, and stiffened with the hunt feeling. - -Baroney called, excitedly; but Chief Pike had read, too. He shouted, -turned his horse and shook his reins and flourished his gun, and away -he dashed, to meet the elk. In a flash Scar Head clapped his heels -against his pony’s ribs, and tore after. The medicine-man and Baroney -tore, too, on a course of their own. - -The yellow pony was a fast pony, well trained. He had been stolen from -the Comanches, whose horses were the best. Scar Head rode light――a boy -in only a buffalo robe. The American horses all were poor horses, even -those traded for with the Pawnees, and Chief Pike, in his clothes, -weighed twice as much, on the saddle, as Scar Head. - -The yellow pony over-hauled the Chief Pike horse――crept up, from -tail to stirrup, from stirrup to neck, from neck to nose. Scar Head, -his moccasined feet thrust into thong loops, clung close. Chief Pike -glanced aside at him, with blue eyes glowing, and smiled. - -“Good meat,” he said, in French. “We two hunt.” - -“Kill,” answered Scar Head. - -“Can you kill?” - -“Yes.” - -“What with?” - -“This.” And Scar Head shook his strung bow. - -Chief Pike laughed. - -“They are large; you are small. With a gun――yes. With a bow――I think -not.” - -“You will see,” Scar Head promised. His heart was filled with the -desire to prove himself to Chief Pike. But he had never killed an -elk――nothing larger than a badger; he only knew that it might be done. - -They raced. The elk were foolish things, and appeared to be thinking -more of some danger behind than the danger before. No――now Baroney and -the medicine-man had frightened them afresh, for they had swerved, they -paralleled the trail, and were scouring on to gain the open. - -Good riding might head them. - -The yellow pony knew. He ran like a deer, himself. Chief Pike’s horse -lengthened bravely. - -“Hi! Hi!” Scar Head urged. - -“Hurrah!” cheered the chief. - -They were veering in. The band of elk were led by a splendid buck, -whose horns branched like a tree. The elk chief ran with his nose out -and his horns laid upon his neck, but now and again he shook his head, -and his horns tossed. - -Baroney and the medicine-man were trying to close in, on the rear -flank――the medicine-man had shot. Scar Head belabored his pony harder. -The wind whistled in his ears, his white robe had dropped about his -thighs, he rode with his legs and notched an arrow upon his bow-string. -His eyes were upon the elk chief, and he almost lost sight of Chief -Pike, although he knew that Pike was thudding close beside him. - -The reports of the medicine-man and Baroney guns sounded, driving the -elk before them. The elk chief saw the two enemies cutting him off -before. He recoiled sharply, to turn, but the herd forced him on; they -all bunched, confused. This was the chance, and in charged Scar Head, -on his yellow pony. - -“Le grand cerf (The large stag)!” Chief Pike gasped. - -“Oui (yes)!” answered Scar Head. - -The herd broke. On bolted the stag, tossing his great horns. After -him pelted Scar Head and Chief Pike. It was another chase. But, see! -The Pawnees were coming, from before. The chase was leading straight -for them, they had seen, and fifty or sixty of their best hunters had -galloped in a long line, for a surround. - -The stag saw, too. Or else he smelled. He turned at right angles, to -escape the net. A minute or two more, and the yellow pony was at his -straining haunches, and Scar Head was leaning forward with bow bent to -the arrow’s head. - -“Look out! Look out!” Chief Pike shouted. - -With a mighty leap the stag sprang aside, whirled, and charged the -yellow pony. His bristling horns were down, his eyes shone greenly. -Around whirled the yellow pony, also, and scrambled for safety. Scar -Head, clinging and urging, gazed backward and laughed to show that -he was not afraid. Chief Pike, his pistol held high, pursued, to the -rescue. - -But the elk chief changed heart. The yellow pony nimbly dodged, and he -went on. Scar Head closed in on him once more. Chief Pike was coming; -the arrow should be sped now or never. - -The elk chief was spattered with froth from shoulder to haunch; his -great horns, polished at the tips but still ragged with their velvet, -lay flat, reaching to his back. Scar Head forged on farther and -farther, his bow arched from arrow notch to arrow point; he leaned, -aimed quickly, and loosed. It was a warrior’s bow, and the recoil -jarred his whole arm, but the arrow had sunk to its feathers in the -right spot, just behind the elk’s fore shoulder. - -“Hi!” cheered Scar Head. He whipped another arrow from his quiver; -without slackening speed he fitted it to the bow. - -The elk chief had given a tremendous bound; for a moment it seemed as -though he would get away yet. On thudded the yellow pony, in the rear -at the other side on thudded Chief Pike, ready to use his pistol. - -Before, the Pawnees were yelling. Scar Head feared that he was going to -lose his kill to them, or to Chief Pike. That would never do. He kicked -his pony fiercely. Ha! The old chief was failing, as the arrow point -worked. The pony drew up on him. Now another arrow. Whang! It buried -itself almost out of sight behind the elk chief’s ribs. - -[Illustration: WHANG! IT BURIED ITSELF ALMOST OUT OF SIGHT BEHIND THE -ELK CHIEF’S RIBS] - -The elk chief bounded high, screamed, turned blindly, and with one more -bound crashed headlong to the ground. The yellow pony leaped right -across him as he struggled to rise. But he rose only half way, still -screaming with rage. Then, just as Chief Pike arrived, and Scar Head, -twisting the yellow pony, leveled a third arrow, he collapsed, gushing -blood from his mouth, and quivered and died. - -Scar Head yelled the scalp halloo. He had killed the elk chief, a -mighty animal indeed. - -Chief Pike, out of breath, swung his hat and cheered, too. He got off -his horse, and walked around the elk, examining it. He examined the -arrow wounds, with the reddened feather tips just showing. - -“That was well done,” he said. - -Scar Head sat happy, breathing fast. The scar under his white mark -throbbed and burned, as it always did when he worked hard or played -hard, but he was happy. His heart glowed at the praise by Chief Pike. -He felt like a man. - -“Yours,” he panted. “I kill. You keep.” - -“It is much meat,” replied Chief Pike. - -Baroney and the medicine-man were chasing hither-thither. The Pawnees -were killing. Chief Pike galloped away to see. But he would see no -arrows buried deeper than these. - -After the hunt was over, the Pawnees cut up their animals, and the Pike -party cut up the big elk. With Scar Head riding proudly, they four -caught the column under the second chief. The camp feasted, this night, -upon a spot where the Spanish also had camped. There was only one alarm -call, from the guard, on account of two Pawnees who came in by mistake. -They had not eaten for three days and thought that this was a camp of -their own people. - -Chief Pike sent them out again, with food for a sick comrade. He was -kind as well as brave. - - - - -VI - -LIEUTENANT WILKINSON SAYS GOOD-BY - - -“Chief Pike asks you to go back with one man and find John Sparks.” - -These were the words of Baroney, to Scar Head, who was just finishing -breakfast so as to be ready to march. - -A number of days had passed since the elk hunt, and several things had -happened. Although the Americans were brave, the Great Spirit seemed -to be angry with them for marching through the country. He gave them -hungry camps, without wood and water. He sent rain on them, and made -them sick. Chief Pretty Bird and another Osage man had left. They -said that they wanted better hunting――but it was plain that they were -afraid. And on the same day the Spanish trail had been blotted out by -buffalo hoofs, and the Americans had lost it. - -By the talk, this was bad. According to what Scar Head understood, -Chief Pike depended upon the Spanish trail to guide him by the best -road into the south and to the Comanches. The Spanish knew this country -better than the Americans did. - -The rain kept falling, and the men straggled. Yesterday afternoon the -warrior Sparks had dropped behind. He had pains in his joints, which -the medicine-man had not been able to cure: “rheumatism.” He could not -ride a horse and he could scarcely walk, using his gun as a crutch. -Last night he had not come into camp. The Spanish trail was lost, -again; and Sparks was lost, too. - -Scar Head was glad to go back and look for him. He liked Sparks. He -liked all the men and was getting to know them by their names: queer -names. Each man had two――one for each other and one for the chiefs. -There was “Jake” and “Carter”; the same man. And “Jerry” and “Jackson”; -and “Tom” and “Dougherty”; and “John” and “Brown”; and “Hugh” and -“Menaugh”; and “Bill” and “Meek”; and “Joe” and “Ballenger”; and -the others. The last two were head warriors, called “sergeant.” The -medicine-man’s names were “John” and “Doctor Robinson.” The second -chief’s names were “the left’nant” and “Lieutenant Wilkinson.” Chief -Pike was “the cap’n” and “Lieutenant Pike.” - -The warriors spoke only American, but they knew Indian ways. The -most of them, Baroney said, had been on a long journey before with -Lieutenant Pike, far into the north up a great river, into the country -of the Sioux. - -The medicine-man, Doctor Robinson, was popular, but he was not a -chief. The men did not seem to fear him. He rode well and shot well. -Lieutenant Pike and he rode and hunted together, while the second -chief, Lieutenant Wilkinson, stayed with the men. Scar Head also had -grown not to fear the medicine-man, who frequently asked him about his -white spot and where he had come from, to the Utahs and Pawnees, and -tried to teach him American words. - -Some of the American words were hard and some easy. On some days they -were harder than on other days; and again Scar Head suddenly spoke -words that he didn’t know at all――they arrived to him of themselves. -That was odd. He was getting to be an American; he felt as though he -had been an American in his heart all the time, but that his heart had -been shut up. The times when his spot throbbed and burned were the -times when he knew the fewest words. - -The men had given him a new name. His Pawnee name was not good enough -for them. The new name was “Stub.” John Sparks had told him of it, -first, by saying it. - -“Hello, Stub? How goes it, Stub?” - -And the other men laughed and repeated: - -“Here, Stub.” - -“Hello, Stub!” - -“You’re the boy, Stub.” - -“What is ‘Stub’?” he asked, of the medicine-man, Doctor Robinson. - -“It is ‘short,’ ‘cut off,’ coupé,” carefully explained the -medicine-man. “They like you. It is a good name, because you are small.” - -“American?” - -“Yes.” - -“Sure, an’ we mane no harm, doctor, sir,” called “Tom,” whose other -name was Dougherty. “If sawed-off he is, a rale little man he is, too.” - -And while Scar Head (whose other name was now “Stub,” in American -language) did not understand all those words, he knew that they were -kindly spoken. So his name pleased him. - -John Brown was the man who rode with him to look for Sparks. They took -the back trail and rode for a long time. Everything was wet from the -rains. Sparks must have spent a miserable night, alone on the prairie, -without food or fire. Finally they saw him, far ahead, hobbling slowly, -trying to catch up with the march. - -He grinned when they met him, and shouted cheerfully, although he made -faces. - -“Mornin’ to ye, boys. ’Rah for Stub!” - -“H’lo, John. No walk; ride. My pony.” And Stub sprang off. - -“Can you ride, John?” asked John Brown. - -“Sure, I’ll try. At this rate I dunno whether I’m goin’ or comin’. -You’ll all be to the mountains an’ back ag’in before I ever ketch up. -Hey, Stub?” - -But Stub might only smile. - -With many grunts and awkward movements John Sparks climbed aboard the -yellow pony. It was near noon when they brought him into the camp. - -Lieutenant Pike and Doctor Robinson had been hunting for the Spanish -trail, again, but had not found it. There was talk of a large river, -the Arkansaw, somewhere southward yet. The Americans were anxious to -reach the river, which would guide them; but they had lost the trail to -it. - -After eating, they made another march. When the sun was low, Lieutenant -Pike pointed to some trees a long way ahead and told Lieutenant -Wilkinson to march the men to that place. He beckoned to Stub. - -“Come with me?” he asked. - -Stub nodded. He and Lieutenant Pike and Doctor the medicine-man went -off by themselves, scouting up a creek. Lieutenant Pike was still -looking for the Spanish trail. - -They all looked and looked, but did not cross it. The lieutenant -sighted some buffalo; he and the medicine-man gave chase, and before -Stub reached them they had killed two. That was good. They took the -tongues, and left a coat on the carcasses, to keep the wolves away; -but when the three rode hard, to get to camp before dark, there was -no camp. The Lieutenant Wilkinson men had not gone to the trees. Now -everybody was lost! - -After searching about and speaking angrily, Lieutenant Pike ordered -camp. It was lucky that they had taken the buffalo tongues, because now -they might make a fire and cook the tongues. - -What had become of the Lieutenant Wilkinson men seemed very queer. -Early in the morning Lieutenant Pike led up the creek, from the trees, -and did not find them. The three arrived at the spot where the two -buffalo carcasses were lying. The wolves were eating the carcasses, -in spite of the coat, but there were marrow bones left. Next, the -lieutenant led down the creek. Not even the smoke of any campfires -might be seen, and there were no pony tracks or footprints. - -Stub used all his eyes, but discovered nothing. At night the lieutenant -and the doctor were much worried. - -“Injuns, mebbe?” Stub asked. - -Lieutenant Pike nodded gravely. - -“I fear so. We will hunt more to-morrow.” - -That night it rained, and in the morning was still raining, cold. But -they had had plenty to eat. This day they rode and rode, up the creek -again, in the rain. - -“It is bad,” said the doctor. “A long way from home. Only four shots -left. No trail, no men, nada (nothing). Indian country. We look one -more day; then we find the river Arkansaw.” - -“Go to ’Nited States?” Stub queried. - -“Cannot tell. The Great Father sent us out. We are men; we hate to go -back.” - -“Mebbe they there, on Arkansaw. Injuns chase ’em.” - -“Maybe. But it is bad. Maybe Injuns chase us, next.” - -“We fight,” declared Stub. - -And the doctor laughed. - -“You’re all right. We’ll do our best, eh?” - -Stub had ten arrows; the lieutenant and the medicine-man each had four -loads for their guns. That was not much, in a fight. - -Early in the morning they again rode, searching up the creek, with -their eyes scanning before and behind and right and left. When the sun -was halfway to noon, they saw two horsemen, coming from the south. -Indians? No! White men――soldiers! - -Lieutenant Pike cried gladly, and fired his gun, in signal. His face -had been dark and stern; now it lighted up, and they all galloped for -the two men. Lieutenant Wilkinson was only three miles south, on the -Arkansaw. - -“What! The Arkansaw?” Lieutenant Pike repeated. - -“Yes, sir. It is right close.” - -“Have you found the Spanish trail?” - -“No, sir. But we found the river.” - -The two soldiers guided. When they drew near where the river was, -Lieutenant Wilkinson galloped out. By the way in which he shook hands -with his chief and with the doctor, he, too, had been worried. - -“Sure, we thought you were lost or scalped,” said John Sparks, to Stub, -in camp. - -“No lost; you lost,” answered Stub. - -“Well, depends on how you look at it,” agreed John Sparks, scratching -his red hair. - -The river was a wide river, flowing between cottonwood trees. The -country was flat, and the trees had hidden the size of the river. The -men began to look for trees to make boats of. Did this mean that Chief -Pike was going to travel on by boat? Baroney explained. - -“Lieutenant Wilkinson travels down river by boat. The captain takes men -and marches to the Comanches.” - -“Lieutenant Wilkinson, how far?” Stub asked. - -“Very far, to the American forts at the mouth of the river, and to -report to the American father.” - -“Captain Pike, how far?” - -Baroney shrugged his shoulders. - -“Who knows?” - -Stub made up his mind what _he_ was going to do. - -Lieutenant Pike moved the camp to the other side of the river, where -the best boat-trees grew. The river was rising fast, from the rains, -and everybody had to swim and arrived very wet. Rain fell almost all -the time, but it was a good camp, with plenty of wood and meat. - -While the men under Lieutenant Wilkinson cut down trees Chief Pike and -the doctor medicine-man scouted up and down the river, hunting meat and -the Spanish trail. There were buffalo and antelope, but there was no -Spanish trail. - -Lieutenant Pike grew curious about the wish-ton-wish, or prairie dogs. -He found a large town of them, where the rattle-snakes and the tortoise -lived, too. He and the doctor shot them, to eat, and they were good――as -Stub well knew. It took true shooting, because unless a wish-ton-wish -is killed dead, he crawls into his hole. - -The wish-ton-wish is among the smartest of animals. He digs his hole -cunningly. The lieutenant and the doctor tried to fill one hole with -water, and get the wish-ton-wish that way. Stub said, “No use”――he and -the Pawnee boys had tried it often. And the men found out that this was -true, for they spent a long time and poured in one hundred and forty -kettles of water, and it all disappeared but no wish-ton-wish came out. - -Still, the towns were interesting places, where the dogs sat up -straight with their hands across their stomachs, and held councils, -like people, and whistled “Wish-ton-wish (Look out)!” whenever an enemy -was sighted. - -A great deal of buffalo-meat was dried, for Lieutenant Wilkinson to -take. Making the boats required several days. The trees were too small -and soft. When one boat had at last been hollowed the men started to -build another out of buffalo and elk hides, stretched over a frame. - -On the night before Lieutenant Wilkinson was to leave, Chief Pike the -captain said to Stub: - -“Come here. Listen.” - -“What?” - -“To-morrow you go with Lieutenant Wilkinson.” - -“No,” answered Stub. He had been afraid of that. - -“Yes. You go with him, to the United States. That is best.” - -“No.” And Stub shook his head. - -“Why not?” - -“No go. Stay with you.” - -“Don’t you want to be an American, and see the towns of the Great -Father?” - -“Be an American here,” answered Stub. - -“We do not stay here. We go on, a long way, up the river, to the -mountains.” - -“Yes,” said Stub. - -“You will be cold.” - -“Don’t care.” - -“You will be hungry.” - -“Don’t care.” - -“We may all die.” - -“Don’t care.” - -“The Osage were afraid. The Pawnee were afraid. You are not afraid?” - -“No. No Osage, no Pawnee; American. March, hunt, fight, stay with you,” -Stub appealed, eagerly. - -The doctor medicine-man laughed, and clapped him on the shoulder. - -“Good. Let him come, lieutenant.” - -“He may come,” replied the lieutenant. And Stub’s heart beat gladly. - -Baroney and John Sparks and Tom Dougherty and John Brown and others of -his friends were coming, too. Had he been sent away with Lieutenant -Wilkinson, in the boat, for the United States, he would have run off at -his first chance and followed the Pike trail. - -Right after breakfast in the morning camp was broken. It had been a -very cold night, with snow, and ice floated thickly down the swollen -river. But by help of the Wilkinson boats Lieutenant Pike moved his men -and baggage across the river again, to the north side which everybody -said was the American side. The men worked hard, to load the boats and -swim the horses, in the slush and ice. Then Lieutenant Wilkinson made -ready to start. - -He took with him, in his two boats, one of the head soldiers, Sergeant -Joe Ballenger; the soldiers John Boley, Sam Bradley, Sol Huddleston, -and John Wilson; the Osage man and woman who had come this far, and -corn and meat for twenty-one days. - -Head soldier Sergeant Bill Meek marched the Pike men up-river, but -Stub stayed with Lieutenant Pike, the doctor, and Baroney, to see the -Wilkinson men leave. He had no fear of being put aboard, now, for Chief -Pike always spoke the truth. - -Lieutenant Wilkinson shook hands all ’round, stepped into the boat, -made of four buffalo hides and two elk hides, and with his crew pushed -off, after the other boat. The floating ice did not matter. - -Lieutenant Pike watched them out of sight, in a bend. Then he turned -his horse toward the west. - -“Come,” he said. - -He and Doctor Robinson led; Baroney and Stub followed. - -“Now to the mountains,” cheered Baroney. “Huzzah!” - -“Huzzah!” Stub echoed. - -The mountains were far, through Comanche country, maybe through Spanish -country, perhaps into Utah country; and after that, what? Nobody had -said. Winter was here, as if the Great Spirit were still angry. The -men had shivered, this morning, in their thin clothes; but nobody had -seemed to care. Young Chief Wilkinson, with a few men, was going one -way, on an unknown trail; young Chief Pike, with the rest of the men, -was going the other way, on another unknown trail. So, huzzah! To be an -American one must be brave. - - - - -VII - -“THE MOUNTAINS! THE MOUNTAINS!” - - -The Spanish trail again! They struck it toward evening of the day after -Lieutenant Wilkinson had left――and they struck it just in time, too. -Snow was falling once more, and dusk was at hand. - -The trail came in from the north, and crossed the river. Lieutenant -Pike ordered camp made. Then he and the doctor forded the river, -through the floating ice, to see where the trail went on the other side. - -They returned in the dark. They had lost the trail, among the buffalo -tracks, but were going to try again in the morning. - -“We’ll have to take Stub, and use his eyes, too,” said the doctor. - -This was another cold night. The snow had quit, after falling two -inches deep. The horses groaned, where they were picketed to graze; -before rolling themselves in their blankets and buffalo robes, on the -ground, the men huddled about their fires. There were now thirteen -soldiers, and Chief Pike, the doctor, Baroney and Stub. - -“Heap winter, b’gorry; eh?” spoke Pat Smith, to Stub, and holding his -hands to the blaze. - -Stub gravely nodded. - -“Winter come soon,” he answered. - -“An’ aren’t ye cold, boy?” queried John Sparks. “In only your skin an’ -a buff’lo robe?” - -“No cold,” Stub asserted. That was all the Pawnees wore. He was used to -it. - -The day dawned clear. After eating, Sergeant Meek marched the men up -along the river. With Lieutenant Pike and the doctor, Stub crossed to -help find the Spanish trail. They had to break a way through the ice. -The ice cut the horses’ legs, the stinging water splashed high, soaking -moccasins and drenching the lieutenant and the doctor above the knees. -The lieutenant wore thin blue cotton leggins――a sort of trousers called -overalls; now these clung to him tightly. - -Stub rather preferred his own skin, for it shed water. - -The Spanish had camped over here. There were lots of horse sign showing -through the snow, in a space of more than a mile. The Spanish seemed to -have grown in numbers. It was an old camp, and the trail out of it had -been flattened by buffalo tracks, and by the snows and rains. So they -three――Lieutenant Pike, the doctor, and Stub――made circles, as they -rode up river, to cut the trail farther on. - -They did not find it until noon. But they found something else: Indian -signs which were not older than three days. A party of warriors were -ahead. Stub picked up a worn moccasin: “Pawnee――Grand Pawnee,” he -announced, when he handed it to the lieutenant “War party. All on foot. -Mebbe so many.” And he opened and shut his fingers five times. - -The lieutenant and the doctor examined the moccasin. After that they -rode more rapidly, as if anxious to get to their soldiers. - -The soldiers also had crossed the river, on account of bad travel, and -were camped on this, the south side. In the morning they all marched -by the Spanish trail, along the river, into the west, over a country -covered with salt. There were more Indian signs. It looked as though -twenty warriors had been marching in the same direction only a short -time before; and fresh horse tracks pointed down river. - -Whether the Indians were the same Pawnees or not, was hard to tell. But -the horse tracks looked to be wild-horse tracks. - -“Sure, wouldn’t it be fun to ketch a few o’ them wild hosses, Stub, -lad?” proposed John Sparks, in camp. “We need ’em. Would ye know how?” - -“Chase ’em; with rope. Chase ’em all day, make tired, mebbe no ketch -’em,” Stub answered. - -“Or if ye shoot one jest right, through the nape o’ the neck an’ graze -the nerve there, ye’ll down him like as if lightning struck him an’ he -won’t be hurt,” asserted Hugh Menaugh. - -“Yes, but it takes mighty fine shootin’,” said soldier Bill Gordon. -“You’re like to kill him, or miss him complete.” - -The wild horses were sighted the next evening, from camp on an island -where there was wood and shelter. The lieutenant and the doctor and -Baroney had come in with two antelope that they had killed among their -own horses, while they themselves were lying on the ground and resting. -They might have killed more, but they did not need the meat. Now while -spying on the country around, through his long glass, the lieutenant -saw a bunch of moving figures out there on the prairie, north of the -river. - -Indians? No――wild horses, more than one hundred! Good! Out he went, and -the doctor, and Baroney, and Stub followed, to get a nearer view. - -They were of many colors, those wild horses――blacks and browns and -greys and spotted. They waited with heads high, as curious as if -they had never seen men before. Then they came charging, in a broad -front, and their hoofs drummed like thunder. Only a short way off they -stopped, to start and snort. - -“Ma foi, quelle beauté (My gracious, how beautiful)!” cried Baroney. - -“Try to crease that black, lieutenant,” the doctor proposed. - -The lieutenant rested his gun upon his empty saddle, took long aim, and -fired. But he did not stun the black――he missed him entirely――he had -not dared to draw fine enough. - -At that, around the wild horses wheeled, as if by command, and pelted -off, to halt and gaze again. - -“To-morrow we’ll see if we can run some down,” said the lieutenant. -“Shall we, Stub?” - -“Pawnee sometimes run all day. Mebbe ketch one, mebbe not. Too swift, -have too much wind.” - -“Well, we can try,” laughed the doctor. - -The camp was excited, to-night, with the thought of catching wild -horses. The men busied themselves tying nooses in their picket ropes. - -“But we haven’t a critter that could ketch a badger,” John Sparks -complained; “unless it be the doctor’s black an’ that yaller pony o’ -Stub’s.” - -Stub doubted very much whether his yellow pony would amount to -anything, in racing wild horses. The Pawnees always used two or three -horses, each, so as to tire the wild horses out. - -However, the lieutenant was bound to try. In the morning he picked out -the six best horses, which included the yellow pony, and appointed the -riders. They were himself, the doctor, Baroney, soldier John Sparks, -soldier Freegift Stout, and Stub. Only Baroney and Stub had seen wild -horses chased before. - -All the camp, except the camp guards, followed. The wild horses were in -about the same place, a mile distant. They waited, curious, pawing and -snorting and speaking to the tame horses, until within short bow shot, -or forty steps. On a sudden they wheeled. - -“After ’em!” the lieutenant shouted. - -“Hooray!” - -Ah, but that was sport! Stub’s yellow pony sprang to the fore; he -was nimble and he carried light. No――another horse and rider forged -alongside him. They were the medicine-man and his black; a good rider -and a good horse. - -Stub hammered and yelled. “Hi! Hi! Hi!” The doctor lashed and yelled. -Already they had gained the heels of the flying herd. The clods of -earth thrown by the rapid hoofs bombarded them lustily. Baroney and -soldier Sparks and soldier Stout, and even the lieutenant had been -dropped behind. - -But working hard, they two never got quite far enough in, to cast the -ropes. The wild horses were playing with them. After about two miles -the yellow pony and the doctor’s horse began to wheeze and to tire; -the wild band were running as strongly as ever――only romping along, -biting and kicking at each other. Then as if to show what they really -could do, led by their black stallion, they lengthened their strides, -opened the gap wider and wider, and were away. - -The doctor hauled short. - -“No use, Stub,” he called. - -So Stub pulled down, and turned. - -“No use,” he agreed. “But heap fun.” - -“You bet!” pronounced the doctor, panting. “What do you say ‘heap’ fun -for? That’s not American; that’s Injun. Americans say ‘much’ fun, or -‘great’ fun.” - -“All right,” Stub admitted――for the doctor knew. “Heap chase wild -horse, much fun.” - -“Oh, pshaw!” the doctor laughed. “If I could only get into that head -of yours I’d take the ‘heaps’ out of it. How’s your white spot, these -days? Burn any?” - -“Some days burn, some days no. Some days heavy, some days light.” And -with that, Stub kept his distance. He wished that the doctor would quit -talking about “getting into” his head. A medicine-man had dangerous -power. - -The lieutenant and Baroney and the two soldiers had come as fast as -they could. There was a great deal of laughing and joking as the doctor -and Stub joined them, and all rode back for the main party, and camp. -The lieutenant joked the least. He never did joke much, anyway; he was -stern and quiet. - -“We’ll delay no more for wild horses, men,” he said. “Our Country -expects something better of us than such child’s play at the -impossible. Forward again, now. We will hunt only for food, in line of -duty.” - -This afternoon they marched thirteen miles. - -The Spanish trail continued, up the river, and ever westward. It was a -pity that some of the wild horses had not been caught, for the other -horses were beginning to give out. The grass was short and thin, and -eaten off by the buffalo, and at night the men cut cottonwood boughs -for the horses to feed upon. - -This was a rich meat country, though. Buffalo were constantly in sight, -by the thousand, many of them fat cows, and the hunters brought in -humps and tongues. The Spanish had left camp signs――at one camp almost -one hundred fires might be counted, meaning six hundred or seven -hundred warriors. A whole Spanish army had been through here, but the -lieutenant and his little army of sixteen marched on. - -There were several old camp-places of Indians. One showed Comanche -signs; near by, the Spanish also had camped, as if making ready to meet -the Comanches, and Baroney and the lieutenant thought that the Comanche -range must be close at hand. - -But where were the mountains? How far were the mountains, now? The -river was getting narrower and deeper, the country higher and rougher. -Two horses became so weak that they could not carry their packs. The -horses had been traveling, starved and foot-sore, under heavy loads -more than twenty miles a day. - -John Sparks, who had been out hunting, returned with news. - -“I sighted an Injun hossback,” he reported. “He made off up a little -ravine south of us. Don’t know whether he saw me or not.” - -Before night fresh moccasin tracks not over a few hours old were -discovered. A large war party were somewhere just ahead. This night the -camp guards were doubled, but nothing happened. - -In the morning the lieutenant took the doctor, John Sparks, and Stub -for interpreter, and circled south, to find the lone horseman. Only his -tracks were found; so they rode back again and the column marched on. - -Nothing special occurred today, but everybody kept sharp lookout. The -country was lonely, broken by rocky spurs and uplifts, and the buffalo -herds seemed to be less in number. - -The next day the lieutenant and the doctor led, as usual, with Baroney -and Stub behind them, and the column of toiling men and horses under -Sergeant Meek, following. The two weak horses had fallen down, to die, -and another was barely able to walk. - -Lieutenant Pike frequently used his spy-glass, which made things ten -miles off appear to be only a few steps. In the middle of the day he -halted and leveled it long. - -“Sees something,” said Baroney, in French. - -In a moment the lieutenant galloped forward to the doctor, who had gone -on, and they both looked. But they did not signal, and they did not -come back; so what it was that they thought they saw, nobody knew. Stub -and Baroney strained their eyes, seeking. Aha! - -“Smoke sign,” uttered Baroney. - -“Heap smoke. Big fire. Mebbe cloud,” Stub answered. - -From the little rise they could just descry, far, far to the northwest, -a tiny tip of bluish color, jutting into the horizon there. It did not -move, it did not swell nor waver. No smoke, then; cloud――the upper edge -of a cloud. The lieutenant and the doctor had read it, and were riding -on. In another minute it had sunk, swallowed by the land before. - -“N’importe (does not matter),” murmured Baroney. “Perhaps more snow, my -gracious! But who cares?” - -In about two miles more, the lieutenant and the doctor halted again, -on the top of a low hill that cut the way. They gazed, through -the spy-glass, examining ahead. They did not leave the hill. They -stayed――and the lieutenant waved his hat. He had seen something, for -sure. Baroney and Stub were a quarter of a mile from him. The soldiers -were a quarter of a mile farther. - -“Come! He signals,” rapped Baroney. Now he and Stub galloped, to find -out. Behind, the soldiers’ column quickened pace, for the orders of -Sergeant Meek might be heard, as he shouted them. - -The lieutenant and the doctor were gazing once more, with eyes and -spy-glass both. - -“What is it? The savages?” cried Baroney, as he and Stub raced in, up -to the top of the flat hill. - -Or the Spanish? The Spanish trail had been lost, for the past day or -two. Maybe the Spanish were encamped, and waiting. The lieutenant -answered. - -“No. The mountains, my man! The mountains, at last!” - -“Hurrah!” cheered the doctor. “See them?” - -Baroney stared. Stub stared. It was the same bluish cloud, only larger -and plainer. It jutted sharply――no, it sort of floated, but it did not -move. It was fastened to the earth. And north from it there extended -a long line of other clouds, lower, as far as one might see; while -southward from it were still lower clouds, tapering off. - -“One big mountain! A giant! Ma foi, how big!” Baroney gasped. - -“All mountains. The Mexican mountains, on the edge of the United -States,” announced the lieutenant. “Take the glass. Look――you and Stub.” - -Look they did. The spy-glass worked wonders. It brought the clouds -much closer, and broke them. They were no longer clouds――they changed -to mountains indeed. In the spy-glass they shimmered whitely. That -was snow! Or white rocks! They were medicine mountains. And the big -mountain, so high, so mysterious, so proud: a chief mountain. - -“You have been there?” asked the doctor, eagerly, of Stub. “With the -Utahs?” - -“No.” And Stub shook his head. “Not there. No remember.” - -“Pshaw!” the doctor answered. - -The column came panting up. The doctor and the lieutenant again waved -their hats. - -“The mountains, men! You see the Mexican mountains――the Great Stony -Mountains. Three cheers, now, for the Mexican mountains!” - -Everybody cheered three times: “Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!” Only the -horses stood with heads drooping; they did not care. - -“How far, would you think, cap’n?” Sergeant Meek queried. - -“We ought to reach their base day after to-morrow.” - -“Hooray!” - -But although they all marched ten more miles to-day, and more than -eleven miles the next day, and more than twenty-three miles the next -day, from camp on the third evening the big chief mountain and the -lesser mountains seemed no nearer than before. - -“Sure, they’re marchin’ faster’n we are,” said John Sparks. - -“Spirit mountains,” Stub decided. “See ’em, no get ’em.” - -Another horse was about to die. There were fresh Indian signs, again. -The Spanish trail had been found――it led onward, toward the mountains. -The country was growing more bare, the air thinner and chillier. -Through the spy-glass the mountains looked bare. - -When the next herd of buffalo were seen, the lieutenant ordered camp -made, and sent hunters out to kill meat enough for several days. There -might be no buffalo, farther on. It was a poor country. He himself did -not hunt. He went up on a hill and drew pictures of the mountains, on a -piece of paper. - -Stub did not hunt, either; he was almost out of arrows. He followed -Lieutenant Pike to the hill, and watched him. But the pictures were -only crooked lines, like Indian pictures. - -The lieutenant glanced aside at him, and smiled. His smile was sweet, -when he did smile. - -“Would you like to climb that big blue mountain?” he asked. - -Stub had to think, a moment. The big blue mountain! Yes, big and blue -it was――and white; and very far. The thunder spirit might live there. -Winter lived there. Could anybody climb it? It never was out of sight, -now, except at night (and it never was out of sight, for days and days -afterward), but it seemed hard to reach.[A] - -[A] This was the celebrated Pike’s Peak, of Colorado, later named for -Lieutenant Pike, first white man to tell about it. - -“Top?” - -“Yes, clear to the top,” smiled the lieutenant. - -Stub’s eyes widened; and he smiled also. - -“Sure. No afraid, with you.” - -“Good!” the lieutenant praised. “We’ll see.” - -The hunters killed seventeen buffalo, and wounded many more. When the -best of the meat had been smoked, there were nine hundred pounds of it, -and one hundred and thirty-six marrow-bones. The camp finished off the -marrow-bones in one meal, as a feast before marching on to storm the -big blue mountain. - - - - -VIII - -BAD HEARTS IN THE WAY - - -“Des sauvages (Indians)!” - -Thus Baroney shouted, pointing, from where he had checked his horse on -the edge of a little rise overlooking a dip in the trail. - -They all had been marching two more days, and had covered about forty -more miles. This made seven days’ travel, counting the two days of meat -camp, and eighty-five miles, since the Big Blue Mountain had first been -sighted. Now it and the lesser mountains were much plainer. - -But here were the Indians, sure enough. The lieutenant had rather been -expecting them. Yesterday the fresh tracks of the two men, again, had -given warning. So the column were marching close together. - -The Indians, on foot, were running toward the column, from some trees -on the river bank, at the right. - -“Close up, men,” the lieutenant ordered. - -“Close up, close up! Look to your priming!” ordered Sergeant Meek. - -And the lieutenant and the doctor, with Baroney and Stub ready to -interpret for them, led for the Indians. - -“Pawnee, hein (hey)?” said Baroney. - -“No Republic Pawnee; Grand Pawnee. War party; no horses,” Stub -explained. There was a difference between the Republic Pawnees and the -Grand Pawnees. - -“Others yonder, lieutenant!” exclaimed the doctor. - -They looked. Another squad of the Indians were running down from a hill -on the left. They carried flags on lances――the Grand Pawnee war colors. - -“Make a surround!” guessed Baroney. - -The lieutenant reined his horse, and drew his curved sword. - -“Company, halt! Watch sharp, men!” - -He glanced right and left, waiting to see if this was an attack. -No――for, as the doctor suddenly said: - -“Those first fellows act friendly, lieutenant. They have no arms; -they’re holding out empty hands.” - -“Forward!” ordered the lieutenant. - -In a minute more they met the Indians from the timber. These Pawnees -did indeed act friendly――and all too friendly! They crowded in among -the soldiers, shaking hands, putting their arms around the soldiers’ -necks, even trying to hug the lieutenant and the doctor and Baroney and -the others who rode horseback. - -The lieutenant got off, good-naturedly; instantly a Pawnee leaped into -the saddle and rode the horse away. The doctor and Baroney lost their -horses, also; Stub (who knew what the Pawnees were up to) was almost -dragged down, but he stuck fast. - -All was in confusion of laughter and jostling and pretended play. - -“No, no!” the lieutenant objected, growing angry; and half drew a -pistol. The men were getting together, wresting their guns from the -Pawnees’ hands and holding them high, to keep them free. - -More Pawnees, from the timber, had joined, with guns and bows and -lances; and the Pawnees from the hillside had come in. They included -two chiefs. - -The two chiefs issued orders, and the play stopped. The horses were -returned. Then all went on to the trees by the river, for a talk. - -Here matters again looked bad. The warriors frolicked, in spite of the -chiefs. They were Grand Pawnees――sixty: a war party out to plunder the -Padoucahs. But they had not found any Padoucahs; so this seemed a good -chance to plunder somebody else, instead of returning home empty-handed. - -The lieutenant’s face was red, as he angrily warded off the hands that -clutched at his pistols and gun and horse’s bridle. - -“Stand firm, men!” he called. “Don’t let loose of a thing――don’t let -them get behind us!” - -“Kape your distance, you red rascals!” rasped Tom Dougherty, as they -hustled him about. - -“Steady! Steady!” Sergeant Meek cautioned. - -“By thunder, they’d like to strip us,” the doctor exclaimed. - -Even Stub objected vigorously, in Pawnee. The Grand Pawnees were indeed -rascals. - -Guns were being cocked――click, click; several of the Pawnees, angry -themselves, leveled bended bows. It was likely to be a fight between -the sixteen Americans and the sixty Pawnees; and Stub sat alert, ready -to pluck an arrow as quick as lightning. - -“Guard those packs, men!” the lieutenant kept shouting. - -But the two chiefs were working hard, shoving the warriors back, -clearing a space. The head chief spoke to the lieutenant, and signed. - -“He says: ‘Let us talk,’” Baroney interpreted. - -“Very well. Tell him we will talk or we will fight,” replied the -lieutenant. “We won’t be robbed. If it is peace, we will give him -presents.” - -They all sat down in a ring, with the lieutenant and Baroney and the -two chiefs in the center. The Americans sat under the American flag, -the Pawnee warriors sat under the Grand Pawnee flags. The doctor, -however, stood up, watching everything. - -The Pawnee head chief took out a pipe and tobacco, for a peace smoke. -That looked good. But before filling the pipe, the two chiefs made -speeches. - -“They ask what presents you will give them. They say they are poor,” -Baroney translated. And that was what they had said. - -“Bring half a bale of tobacco, a dozen knives, and flints and steels -enough for all, sergeant,” the lieutenant ordered. - -The head chief made another speech. He was refusing the presents. He -asked for corn, powder and lead, blankets, kettles――all kinds of stuff. - -“Tell him that there are our presents. We have nothing else for him,” -the lieutenant answered. “We are ready to smoke with him.” - -The chief did not lift the pipe. He and the other chief sat, with bad -spirit showing in their eyes. The warriors commenced to hoot, and -handle their guns and bows again. - -“He will not smoke such poor presents,” Baroney reported. “I think -they mean trouble. A little tobacco, lieutenant; maybe a little tobacco -and powder.” - -“You had best look out, lieutenant,” warned the doctor. “I don’t like -their looks.” - -“Tell the chief he will get nothing else. He can take those presents or -leave them,” bade the lieutenant, to Baroney. - -Baroney hated to do it, but he had to obey. The head chief scowled. -Then he signed, and an old man lugged in a kettle of water, as a return -present. - -Stub heard the Pawnee warriors talking scornfully. - -“See what manner of men these white men are, with their rags and their -poor gifts,” they said. “They do not travel like the Spanish. They look -like beggars.” - -But Stub well knew that although their horses were thin and sore, and -they themselves were lean and tattered and almost barefoot, these -Americans could fight. - -Now Chief Pike and the two Pawnee chiefs drank from the kettle of -water, out of their hands, and smoked the pipe, and ate a little dried -buffalo meat. Several Indians were called upon by the chief, to pass -the knives and flints and steels around. Indians who were given the -presents threw them upon the ground. - -The lieutenant shook hands with the chiefs, and rose. - -“All ready, doctor,” he called. “Pack your animals, sergeant, where -necessary. We march.” - -The Pawnees sprang up, too, and crowded forward again. - -“They make a surround,” said Baroney. - -“Look out, lieutenant! They’re stealing your pistols――mine, too!” cried -the doctor. - -The lieutenant leaped upon his horse just in time to rescue his -pistols, hanging from the saddle. He was hemmed in. The soldiers were -swearing and darting back and forth, grabbing at thieves and protecting -the baggage also. - -Now the lieutenant had lost his hatchet. He exclaimed furiously. - -“Tell the chief my hatchet is gone.” - -The chief only said: - -“These are small matters for a great man.” - -He drew his buffalo robe high and turned his back. - -The lieutenant flushed, more angry still, and stiffened in his saddle. -He meant business. Stub had seen him look this way before. - -“Leave the baggage and get your men to one side, sergeant. Quick! -Be ready with your guns. That’s it. Baroney, tell the chief that the -next warrior who touches our baggage or animals shall die instantly. -Sergeant, at the first attempt, let the men shoot to kill.” - -The Pawnees understood. They saw the muskets half leveled, and the -grim, determined faces behind. A warrior stretched out his hand, -stealthily, to a pack――and John Spark’s muzzle covered him in a flash. -He jumped back. - -“Go!” suddenly ordered the head chief. The Pawnees sullenly gathered -their presents, and without another word filed away, the whole sixty. - -“See if we’ve lost anything, sergeant,” said the lieutenant. - -“One sword, one tomahawk, one axe, five canteens and some smaller stuff -missing, sir,” was the report. - -The soldiers waited eagerly. They wished to follow and fight. - -“No matter,” gruffly answered the lieutenant. “We must save our lives -for our work, my men. We have work to do. Forward, march.” He shrugged -his shoulders, and added, to the doctor: “I feel as badly as they do. -This is the first time I ever swallowed an insult to the Government and -the uniform. But our number is too small to risk failure of our plans. -Now for the mountains.” - -“By gar, once more my scalp was loose,” said Baroney, to Stub. - -“Yes. They had black hearts, those Grand Pawnee,” Stub gravely agreed. - -This day they marched seventeen miles, and the next day nineteen miles. -In all they had come more than one hundred and twenty miles, their eyes -upon the Big Blue Mountain, as the lieutenant called it. And at last -they had just about overtaken it. - -From camp, here where the river split into two large forks, one out of -the west, the other out of the south, the Big Blue Mountain looked to -be quite near, up a small north fork. - -“Le Grand Mont,” Baroney called it. “The Grand Peak.” And the men -called it that, too. - -“Sure, it can’t be more’n one day’s march now,” John Sparks declared, -as from camp they eyed it again. “We can be there to-morrow at this -time, with ease, in case those be the orders.” - -In the sunset the mountain loomed vast, its base blue, but its top -pinkish white. After everything else was shrouded in dusk, its top -still shone. - -“How high, d’ye think?” queried soldier Freegift Stout. - -“Thray miles higher’n we be; mebbe four,” guessed Pat Smith. - -“He’s a grand wan all right,” sighed Tom Dougherty. “Even a bur-rd wud -nade an ixtra pair o’ wings to get atop him, I’m thinkin’.” - -“No mortal man, or nothing else on two legs could do it, I reckon,” -said John Brown. “Unless that be the cap’n himself.” - -“American can,” Stub reminded, proudly. - -“You’re right, boy,” soldier Terry Miller approved. “Under orders an -American would come pretty close to filling the job.” - -The lieutenant and the doctor had been gazing at the peak; it -fascinated them, like it fascinated the men, and Stub. That night they -talked together until late, planning for to-morrow. The lieutenant had -decided to climb the mountain. - -He sent for Sergeant Meek. The sergeant stood before him and saluted. - -“I intend to take Doctor Robinson and two of the men, and this boy, -to-morrow, and set out for the big mountain,” the lieutenant said. “The -camp will be left in your charge.” - -“Yes, sir,” replied Sergeant Meek. - -“These reports of the journey to date I also leave, with my personal -baggage. The mountain is only a short day’s march, but I have to -consider that we may be cut off or meet with other accident. To-morrow -morning I will lay out a stockade, here, for the protection of your -party. You are to wait here one week, with due caution against -surprises by the savages and the Spanish. Admit nobody except your own -command into the stockade. If we do not return or you do not hear from -us within the seven days, you are to take my papers and such baggage -as may be necessary, and march down river by the safest direct course -for the nearest American settlement or military post, as may be. At the -American frontier you will leave your men under instructions to report -at St. Louis, and you will press ahead at best speed and deliver my -papers to General Wilkinson, the head of the Army, wherever he may be. -In event of your disability, you will entrust the papers to Corporal -Jackson――acquainting him in advance with what is expected of him. In -the meantime, here or on the march, keep your men alert and together, -and do not forget that our Country depends upon our performing our duty -without regard to our own interests.” - -“Yes, sir,” replied the sergeant. He gulped――the ragged, weather-worn -soldier. “Excuse me, sir――’tis only a day’s march yonder, you say? -You’ll be coming back, sir?” - -“If within human possibility, sergeant. But I must climb that mountain -to its highest point, in order to make certain of our position and -ascertain the trend of the various streams. We are near the sources of -the Arkansaw, as is evident. Our instructions are to find the heads of -the Arkansaw and the Red River, on our way to the Comanches.” - -“Yes, sir,” replied the sergeant. - -“That is all. Good-night.” - -“Good-night, sir. I make bold to wish you good luck, sir. I wish I -might be going with you, sir.” - -“Thank you, sergeant.” - -The lieutenant sat up late, writing. In his buffalo-robe, Stub dreamed -of to-morrow, and the Grand Peak. He had understood only part of the -lieutenant’s long speech; but it was enough to understand that he was -to be taken. - - - - -IX - -A TRY AT THE “GRAND PEAK” - - -Early in the morning the lieutenant set the men at work cutting down -fourteen trees, for stockade logs. A stockade was a fort. This fort was -to be only a pen, open on the river and five feet high on the three -other sides. - -Soldiers John Brown and Terry Miller were the men chosen. That made -a party of five. They all took only a blanket or robe apiece, and a -little dried meat, besides their guns and Stub’s bow and arrows. They -started horseback at one o’clock, to cross the river and travel up the -north fork, for the Grand Peak. - -The men paused long enough to give three cheers, and wave their caps. - -“Bon voyage (Good journey),” Baroney called. - -“Good luck to yez.” - -“We’ll be lookin’ for you back.” - -“When ye get to the top, be lightin’ us a bonfire, Terry.” - -The lieutenant raised his hat, in reply. The doctor waved, the two -soldiers and Stub waved. And the five splashed through the ice-cold -water and left the eleven men under Sergeant Meek to build the fort.[B] - -[B] The fort was near present Pueblo, Colorado. Lieutenant Pike’s squad -marched up the west side of Fountain Creek. - -According to the doctor, this was the twenty-fourth day of the month -named November. By the morning light the Grand Peak, glistening white, -had looked to be nearer than ever. The lieutenant was certain that a -half-day’s march would bring them to its base; to-morrow they would -climb it, and would be back in camp on the third day. - -Mile after mile they hastened, their eyes scanning the distance before. -The route up along the small fork was gravelly and bare, except for -clumps of sage brush, and the willows bordering the stream. In places -they had to cross deep washes cut by the rains. Not a living thing was -sighted, save rabbits and prairie-dogs and a few antelope. And the -Grand Peak and the line of lesser peaks――some white, some steel-gray, -waited. - -The sun sank low and lower, over their southern end. The Grand Peak -grew bluer and colder, and the other mountains darkened. - -The lieutenant and the doctor led. They always rode together. Stub and -soldiers Miller and Brown followed close behind. After a while they all -quit the stream, to strike westward, on a trail more direct. - -Soldier Miller scratched his head, on which the hair was long. - -“It’s a queer thing, John,” he said. “There it is, that peak――and there -it’s been for more’n a hundred miles, with us a-making for it and never -reaching it.” - -“We’ll not reach it this day, that’s sure, lad,” answered John. “We’ve -covered ten miles, and you’d think we’d been standin’ still!” - -In two miles more the sun had set. The shadows of the mountains seemed -to extend out over the plain and turn it dark and cold. Stub pulled his -robe closer around his neck. Now the Grand Peak had changed to deep -purple――it had pulled its own robe up, for the night. - -The lieutenant and the doctor suddenly veered aside, to a single low -cedar, the only tree of the kind, around. There they halted and swung -from their saddles. - -“We’ll make camp, men,” the lieutenant ordered. “The base of the -mountain evidently is farther than we had figured. But we’ll reach it -to-morrow morning, easily, and doubtless the top also, before night.” - -This was a cold camp――very cold with the breath from the mountains. -They had dried buffalo-meat to chew on, but no water except that in the -canteens, and the lieutenant wished to save on water, for the climb. - -He started them out again early, before sunrise. They headed for the -Grand Peak. The horses were stiff, from the night, and thirsty, and -moved slowly at first. Presently the sun rose. The Grand Peak flashed -white in its beams, and assuredly was near. The foothills at its base -were dark green: trees. - -And there they stayed, the peak and the foothills, all day! Stub’s eyes -ached with gazing. Soldier Brown grumbled a little. - -“It’s a wild-goose chase. I’ve said that no man will ever climb yon -peak. We’ll wear out ourselves and our hosses for nothin’. Even if we -ever reach the foot of it, look what’s ahead of us.” - -“You may be sure the cap’n’ll climb it, whether or no,” retorted -soldier Miller. “He’s set out to do it, and do it he will.” - -“Oh, well; we’re gettin’ into a more likely country, anyhow,” John -granted. “The sign is better――that’s one comfort.” - -This was true. They were entering among low hills, covered with cedars -and pines. Up and down, up and down, and winding over and through, -they hopefully pushed on――and from each rise they might see the long -dark-green slope of the Grand Peak more plainly. What a tremendous -huge fellow he was, as he towered, shadow-flecked, into the floating -clouds! The clouds veiled his top; he pierced them, and thus he sat -gazing above the world. - -“Gosh!” murmured John Brown. “He’s a neck-cracker.” - -Toward evening the lieutenant and doctor, in advance and just crossing -another of the many rolling hills, shouted back, and waved. - -“Almost there, men!” - -When the three others toiled up to the same place, they saw. A shallow -valley lay before; at the farther edge the timbered slope of the Grand -Peak commenced. - -Hurrah! - -Several buffalo were feeding, below. The lieutenant and the doctor made -a dash for them――cleverly headed them off, shot rapidly, and downed two. - -“Fresh hump for supper,” cheered Terry. “I could eat a whole one, -myself.” - -“Sure, I could drink a river dry, first,” wheezed John. “Do you mind -that we’ve struck no water since mornin’?” - -“Water there,” Stub hazarded, pointing at a line of lighter green near -the foot of the mountain. - -They arrived below in time to help butcher the buffalo while the -lieutenant and the doctor rode on looking for a good camping place. It -was too late to do anything more this day. - -A good camp spot was found on a little creek of ice cold water from -several springs flowing out of the mountain’s base. - -“Here we are at last, lads,” the lieutenant welcomed, as they brought -the meat in. “We’ve wood, meat and water, and to-morrow we’ll climb to -the top. Success awaits us.” - -“It’s been a long pull, eh?” laughed the doctor. “How about you, Stub? -Are you game? I mean, are you ready to try?” - -“I go,” Stub announced. - -“With the cap’n’s permission we’ll all go, sir,” added soldier Miller. -“’Twill be a view worth the seeing, up yonder above the clouds.” - -“No tellin’ what we’ll find, I reckon,” put in John Brown. - -“Whatever happens, we’ll be content in the knowledge that we’re losing -no opportunity,” the lieutenant declared. “When we stand up there, on -what may prove to be the uttermost southwestern border of the United -States, we will have extended the authority of the Flag into a region -doubtless never before penetrated by man.” - -“And procured considerable geographic information,” said the doctor. - -“Yes, sir. The Government will be enabled to revise its atlases with -accuracy, according to our new data as to the course of certain -rivers, and the National boundary between the United States and the -Mexican territory westward. And we may perceive a route that will take -us directly from the Arkansaw to the head of the Red River and the -Comanche country.” - -The long slope of the mountain rose dark and brooding right above them. -They were so close in that from the campfire they could not see the -top, but they felt the snow whitely waiting, up toward the black sky -beyond the million stiffly marshalled, sighing pines. - -Yes, cold it was, even here at the base; much colder than last night, -out on the plain. In spite of the fire, their coverings were all too -thin. At breakfast, before sun-up in the morning, the lieutenant’s -instrument by which he read the cold said nine degrees above freezing. -In his moccasins, made from a piece of his buffalo-robe, Stub’s feet -tingled. Several days back John Sparks had given him an old pair of -cotton trousers, cut off at the knees, but these did not seem to amount -to much, here. Still, Terry Miller and John Brown had nothing better, -and their bare toes peeped through the holes in their shoes. - -“We’ll leave the camp as it is,” the lieutenant briskly ordered. “We’ll -be back by night, so we’ll not need our blankets or meat. See that the -horses are well staked, Miller, where they’ll be able to drink and -forage during the day.” - -Doctor Robinson had gone outside for a minute. They heard his gun. He -came in, packing a partly dressed deer. - -“It’s a new kind, lieutenant,” he panted. - -“Good. We’ll hang up the hide, to inspect later.” - -The new kind of deer――a large deer with ears like mule ears――was -quickly butchered. They hung its hide and the best of the meat upon a -tree, until their return at evening. - -“Forward march, to the top, men,” the lieutenant bade. “Take only your -guns and ammunition. Never mind the canteens. We’ll find plenty of -water, I’m sure. All ready, doctor?” - -“All ready.” - -With the lieutenant in the lead and Stub bringing up the rear, they -attacked the timbered slope. Puff, puff! Wheeze, wheeze! The pine -needles underfoot and the frosty soil were slippery. Clouds veiled the -sky, the timber depths were dark and cold, but presently they all were -sweating. Gulches and draws cut the way, so that by sliding down in -and clambering out, or else making circuits they lost much time. The -mountain fought them with cliffs and canyons, too, and sometimes they -could scarcely make distance on hands and knees. Now and then they had -to halt, to rest and catch breath. - -Once or twice they jumped the new species of deer, from sudden coverts; -there were many large birds, that rose with loud whirr. “Pheasants,” -the doctor and lieutenant called them. And twice, in the early morning, -they saw buffalo feeding――a smaller buffalo than those upon the plains. - -But they did not stop to hunt any of these. - -About mid-morning they paused to rest again, and gaze behind from an -open rocky knoll. The sun had burst forth. - -“A fine day after all,” panted the lieutenant. - -“Yes, sir, up here. But look below. Ain’t that a snowstorm, sir?” -wheezed Terry Miller. The feet of him and of John Brown, where seen -through their worn-out shoes, were bruised and bleeding. Stub’s -moccasins were shredded and soaked. The feet of the lieutenant and the -doctor were in no better shape. - -Now when they gazed backward and down, they looked upon a layer of dull -cloud. With occasional break, the cloud rested over all the country at -the mountain’s base――and through the breaks might be seen the spume of -falling snow! - -“We’ve come some way, eh?” remarked the doctor. “Thank fortune, we’re -above the storm. We ought to be near the top.” - -But peer as they might, they could not see the top. The timber and the -rocks extended on and on and on. - -“A pair o’ stockin’s would feel mighty good, on this kind of a trip,” -muttered John Brown. “’Tain’t what you’d call a barefoot trail, in -winter.” - -They rested a minute, the men leaning upon their muskets. Then―――― - -“Come, boys,” the lieutenant urged impatiently. “One more stint and -we’ll make it. Forget your feet. Think only of the top.” - -They climbed, breathing short and fast while they clambered and -slipped. At noon they still had not reached the top; several times the -top seemed at hand, but when they glimpsed it, shining white, it always -was across another ridge, and higher. - -Stub’s ears rang, his heart drummed, his feet weighed like lead. The -two soldiers staggered and stumbled. The snowstorm below appeared far. -But the lieutenant and the doctor knew no quitting. - -“We’ll not reach it, this day,” gasped John Brown. “’Tis the same old -story. Marchin’, and marchin’, and never gettin’ there.” - -“Anyhow, we’ll reach it to-morrow,” Terry replied. - -The sun sank; the air grew very cold. Up here there was nothing moving -but themselves; the deer and the pheasants and the squirrels had gone -to bed. The pines were soughing mournfully in an evening breeze. - -The lieutenant came to a stop before a reddish cliff which overhung and -formed a shallow cave. - -“We’ve done enough for one day,” he panted. Even he looked tired out. -“I think we’ll gain the top shortly in the morning. We’re into snow, -and the trees are thinning; the top cannot be far. We’ll take advantage -of this cave, for the night. It’s a shelter, at least.” - -“That’s one piece of luck,” the doctor laughed. - -“We’ll bunk together, so as to keep warm,” announced the lieutenant. -“We’ll waive question of rank――we’re all men, serving our Flag.” - -He made no mention of the fact that they were tired, hungry and thirsty -after a long day’s climb, and that they did not have blankets or food -or water. He seemed to think that if he could stand it, they should -stand it, too, for the sake of duty. That was his style――that was one -reason the men loved him. He never asked them to do more than he did, -and he never took his ease even when he might, as commander. - -But this proved to be a miserable night. The fire at the mouth of the -cave smudged and smouldered. The rock bed was hard and cold. There was -nothing to eat, nothing to drink, nothing to see; all around stretched -the slope of the mountain, black and white and silent and lifeless――and -cold, cold, cold. - -Nobody slept much, as they all lay huddled close to each other for -mutual warmth. They only dozed shiveringly, afraid to move for fear of -losing what little warmth they were making. - -It seemed to Stub that he had just dropped off, at last, when he was -aroused. - -The lieutenant was standing outside the cave. Daylight had come. - -“Up, men,” the lieutenant cried. “See this view! Oh, doctor! Be quick. -It’s glorious.” - -They piled out, with sundry grunts and groans over muscles stiffened by -yesterday’s work and by the hard bed. The lieutenant had spoken truly. -The sky overhead was flushed rosily with sunrise――a clear day, here; -but the storm still raged down below. The clouds there extended, level, -in a thick layer of drab and white and pink, closing off the plains -world from the mountain world. - -“And yonder is the top, boys.” The lieutenant pointed. “It’s nearer -than we thought. Let’s try for it now, and get back to camp and our -supplies before dark.” - -He struck out and upward; in single file they followed, trudging -through the brittle snow, and weaving among the pines. The final white -ridge which their eyes had been marking during most of yesterday loomed -large and plain above. - -The snow gradually deepened. Its surface bore not a trace of foot or -paw or hoof. Soon it was to their knees, soon thigh high; but they were -out from the trees and upon the bald space which formed the top. - -Only a few more steps, now, through snow waist high, with rocks and -gravel underfoot. Whew! Now for it! Hooray! The lieutenant was there -first, to halt, and gaze about. - -“Is that it, lieutenant?” puffed the doctor, anxiously. - -Terry Miller huskily cheered, stumbled, but forged ahead. - -The lieutenant stood, fixedly peering beyond. - -“What!” uttered the doctor, arrived. - -“It’s the wrong peak, men,” quietly said the lieutenant, his voice flat -in the thin air. “Yes, the wrong peak.” - -The others floundered to him and the doctor, to gaze also. They all -leaned heavily upon their guns. Stub’s legs trembled; he had nothing -upon which to lean; but he stared, wide-eyed, his heart thumping. - -It was the top. On the other side the mountain fell away, in a long, -long snowy timbered slope, down into a deep, broad valley of dark -pines; and at the farther edge of the valley there arose a mountain -again――a snow-capped, much higher mountain: the Grand Peak itself![C] - -[C] They had climbed Cheyenne Mountain, height 9,407 feet, south of -Pike’s Peak, which is 14,109 feet in height. - -“And all our climb’s for nothin’, you say, sir?” wheezed John Brown. -“We’re not on the Grand Peak at all?” - -“No. But our climb had not been for naught. We’ve done our best, as -soldiers.” The lieutenant’s tone was dull and disappointed. - -“I don’t see how we made the mistake,” the doctor proffered. “We -thought that we were at the true base.” - -“We had no means of telling otherwise, doctor. This mountain looked to -be a part of that other; but that other is separate, and twice as high. -I judge it’s fully fifteen miles distant, now.” - -“Shall we try for it, sir?” Terry Miller asked. “The day’s young, sir.” - -The lieutenant shook his head decisively. - -“Not this trip, Miller. ’Twould take a whole day to reach its base. -You and Brown have no stockings, we none of us have proper clothing――no -blankets, no provisions, and there’s little prospect of game. We’ve -come so far, and taxed our strength to the limit. Comparing the height -of that mountain with this, I believe that no human being can climb -the Grand Peak and survive. It is a region of eternal snow, barred to -all vestige of life. We’ll go back while we can. We have performed our -duty, and we can see nothing from up here by reason of the cloud bank.” - -He looked at his thermometer. - -“Four degrees below zero.” Zero was the freezing-point. - -He glanced sharply about. - -“We must make haste. The storm is rising on us.” - -And even as he spoke the air turned raw and cloud wreaths began to -float around them. So they back-tracked as fast as they could, and -guided by a convenient ravine followed it down with such speed that -they reached their camp at the base before dark, but in a snowstorm. - -“Well,” sighed John Brown. “The horses are safe, but the birds and -beasts have eaten our deer and everything else.” - -The lieutenant shot a pheasant; of their meat there was left only two -deer-ribs; and they drank and ate. - -“Rather limited rations, for five hungry persons after a two-days’ -fast,” the doctor joked. - -“We have our blankets, and we are safe, sir,” the lieutenant answered. -“Such a matter as diet should not enter into the calculations of men -who explore the wilderness. They must expect only what they will get.” - -“The little cap’n’s a man o’ iron; he’s not flesh and blood,” Terry -murmured, to John and Stub. “But I reckon he’d not refuse a bit more -rib, himself.” - -“With him, when your belt’s at the last hole, why, cut another,” said -John. - -However, safe they were, although still very hungry. In the morning -they rode down the creek, constantly getting lower and finding less -snow. Just after noon the men shot two buffalo. That made a full -feast――the first square meal in three days. So to-night they camped -more comfortably under some shelving rock, outside the hills. - -The place seemed to be a favorite camp ground for Indians, also. The -valley was strewn with their horse sign, and with broken lodge-poles -and old lodge-pins. The lieutenant thought that these had been Ietan -or Comanche camps, and was much interested. - -The next afternoon they sighted the stockade; they were almost home. - -“The flag’s still flying. Thank God, the party’s all right,” exclaimed -the lieutenant. “Give them a cheer, boys, when we arrive. We return -disappointed, but not defeated, and far from conquered.” - -The hoarse cheer was answered. The soldiers――Sergeant Meek, Corporal -Jerry Jackson, Freegift Stout, Alex Roy, and all――trooped out, to stand -in line and present arms as the lieutenant, leading, rode through the -gate. He saluted them like an officer again, and smiled wanly as if -glad to be back. - - - - -X - -ONWARD INTO WINTER - - -“So yez didn’t climb the Grand Peak, after all,” Tom Dougherty once -more queried. - -“We climbed far enough. As I told you before, nothin’ on two legs or on -twice two legs will ever climb that Grand Peak,” John Brown answered. -“Only an eagle can fly there. We were above the clouds, with naught to -eat and little to breathe; and yon was the Grand Peak itself, as high -again.” - -The men were wearied, but not yet wearied of hearing about the try for -the Grand Peak. - -“You’re right. It’s beyond the reach o’ lungs and legs,” said Sergeant -Meek. “For the cap’n and the doctor measured it to-day with their -instruments, from a good sight of it. Ten thousand, five hundred and -eighty-one feet above ground they make it out to be, or a good two -miles into the air. And allowing for the fact that we’re nigh eight -thousand feet up, right where we be, though you might not think it, -that peak rises more’n eighteen thousand feet above sea level. The -cap’n says it’s close to being the highest mountain in the world.”[D] - -[D] The Lieutenant’s measurement was wrong only about 1,000 feet. The -height of the plain where they had been camping was some 4,500 feet, -and Pike’s Peak rises 9,600 feet above. - -Corporal Jerry Jackson came in, from changing guard, and stood warming -himself by the fire. - -“By jiminy, those hosses are being eaten alive,” he said. “I do pity -’em. I’d hate to be a hoss, on a trip like this.” - -“Yes; a man can understand an’ grin an’ bear it; but a hoss hasn’t any -sense o’ the why an’ wherefore.” - -“Those pesky magpies are still at ’em, are they?” asked the sergeant. - -“A man to a hoss couldn’t keep the things off with a club.” - -“They even try to take the meat out a fellow’s hands,” quoth Freegift -Stout. - -For the hungry magpies――bold birds of black-and-white, with long -tails――hovered over the unsaddled and unpacked horses, lighted and -pecked their raw backs until the blood flowed afresh. The horses, poor -weak, thin creatures, kicked and whinneyed in vain. The magpies stuck -fast and rode upon them, pecking. And as Freegift declared, swooped at -the men also and grabbed for the meat in their hands. - -“Have Roy and Gordon come in sight yet?” Sergeant Meek asked. - -“We thought we could see ’em away out,” replied Corporal Jerry. - -“I don’t wish ’em frozen feet. We’ve got enough of such in camp.” - -“Yes, and one pair too many, speaking for myself,” groaned Jake Carter. - -This was the fourth day since leaving the stockade, and a bitter cold -day, albeit warmer, according to the lieutenant’s instrument, than -yesterday. The thermometer stood at only three degrees below freezing; -yesterday it had been at seventeen below. - -The lieutenant had marched them out of the stockade, in a heavy -snowstorm, on the morning after the return from the climb. The route -was westward, again, up the south side of the Arkansaw. Just why he was -so impatient to go on, snow or no snow, none of the men knew. Maybe he -was in hopes of finding the Ietans or Comanches, yet; but Stub himself -was quite certain that the Ietans wintered farther south. Or if he -wished to discover the head of the Arkansaw and of the Red River, then -the men wondered why he didn’t build warm quarters, and lay in meat, -and make fur clothing, so as to explore safely. - -“Sure, sometimes I think that what he’s aimin’ at is to foller this -here Spanish trail cl’ar into New Mexico, an’ fetch up, with all of us, -at Santy Fe, even as prisoners to them Spanish,” John Sparks hazarded. -“We can swear we made a mistake, not knowin’ the country; an’ when we -get back home again we’ll have a nice lot o’ news about them people an’ -the trail in, for the Government.” - -“That’ll do,” Sergeant Meek rebuked. “’Tis for him to lead and for us -to follow; and he’ll do the thinking.” - -They had marched fifteen miles, the first day, through the storm, with -all on foot because the horses were getting unable to carry anything -but the packs. In fact, for some days past it had been more comfortable -to walk than to ride. - -All that night it had snowed, and was still snowing in the morning. The -men had slept under one blanket or robe apiece, in the snow. The little -tent for the lieutenant and the doctor and Stub sagged with the weight. - -“My gracious, but this is hard on the horses,” Baroney said. “They paw -and paw, to find one mouthful――and on their backs the ravens take many -mouthfuls.” - -This day there was no marching. The men had all they could do to keep -the fires going, and not freeze. John Sparks, who was a hunter, went -out, but saw nothing. By evening the snow was a foot deep on the -level――pretty tough for bare feet exposed in gaping shoes, and even for -damp moccasins. - -During the bitter night the sky cleared. It was to be the seventeen-below -morning. On the march one old buffalo bull was sighted, across the -river. John Sparks and Hugh Menaugh mounted and went after him. They had -to swim their horses through the ice-covered current, but they got the -bull. Then, only two miles farther, everybody was ordered to cross, -because a steep ridge barred the way. - -In wading and breaking the ice, all were drenched waist high, and their -wet clothing froze instantly. The lieutenant was wearing only thin -cotton overalls, like most of the men, but he seemed not to feel the -cold. He sent back help for John and Hugh, and set the other men at -work building a fire. When John and Hugh arrived, with the meat, their -feet had been frozen and they had to be lifted from their horses. - -After they had been thawed out by snow and rubbing, and clothes had -been partially dried, the march was continued, over a very rough, hilly -country, up the north side of the swiftly flowing river. Then one of -the pack-horses, driven crazy by the magpies and by hunger, ran off, -back down the trail. - -Jake Carter, Terry Miller and Pat Smith had pursued him on foot. By -dusk, when camp was made at the end of thirteen miles, they were not in -sight. The lieutenant grew worried. - -“It’s foolhardy for them to try to stay out all night, with no food or -blankets,” he said; and the doctor nodded gravely. - -“They’re likely to perish, on that open prairie,” he agreed. “But -what’s to be done? To search for them would be a fruitless risk, -lieutenant.” - -The lieutenant sat up late, waiting for word from them. This morning -they had appeared, Jake Carter with his feet, also, frozen. It had been -a terrible night, for them. They had found the horse, but could not -bring him in. - -So the lieutenant had directed Alex Roy and William Gordon to ride -and get the horse (which was almost frozen, itself, the other men had -reported); and he and the doctor, with Stub and John Sparks, went out -to scout. The lieutenant and the doctor measured the height of the -Grand Peak, from a distance; they and John killed two buffalo-bulls, -for moccasins for the camp, and took after a cow but didn’t get it. - -The gritty John Sparks stayed, to kill a cow if he might; the other -three returned to camp with the bull hides. - -Now the men, with numbed fingers, were busy making moccasins, around -the fire, and not envying John the buffalo-hunter. - -Alex Roy and Bill Gordon came in, with the strayed horse in tow, but -at dusk John had not appeared. - -“He’s still after his cow, and won’t quit till he fetches meat. That’s -him! Well, he has a buffalo-robe and his flint and steel, so we’ll see -him in the morning.” - -They didn’t worry about John. He was a good hunter and could take care -of himself. - -The lieutenant had decided not to wait for him, but to pick him up on -the way. The next morning, which was the fifth morning, he broke camp -at five o’clock, long before daylight; and sure enough, before they had -marched far they found John. He rode in on them, with a load of cow -meat. To-day they marched twenty miles, afoot and ahorse; killed two -more buffalo and six wild turkeys; and what with the new moccasins and -plenty of meat they thought themselves well fixed. - -The country steadily grew rougher and the march led higher, but the -soil was gravelly and the snow less than below. Pretty soon the Spanish -trail was lost again. From camp everybody went out, searching for it, -on both sides of the river. - -“Come along wid us, lad,” invited Tom Dougherty, of Stub; and afoot -Stub ascended the south side of the river with Tom, and John Sparks, -and John Mountjoy. It was a good squad. Tom was scarcely more than a -boy, himself: a young warrior of twenty years. - -Presently they struck a broad horse-trail, pointing up-river. - -“We’ll see where it goes to,” said John Sparks. They followed it as -rapidly as they could. The river flowed down shallow and rippling and -ice-bordered, among reddish, bare, rounded hills sprinkled with cedar -and with snow patches. Far northward they saw, every now and then, the -glistening Grand Peak. It was hard to lose this Grand Peak. - -About noon they emerged from the long valley of the river into a -broadening, with snow peaks shimmering in the distances, and a line of -high flat-topped hills crossing the route before. - -“Hist! There be Injuns or them Spanish, likely!” Tom warned, pointing -ahead. - -They halted and peered. - -“No. I take it they’re some of our own men,” said John Mountjoy. - -“What do ye say, Stub?” John Sparks queried. - -Stub nodded. His eyes were true eyes. - -“No Injuns. Our men,” he asserted. - -So they went on, toward the flat-topped hills, and met the parties of -Sergeant Meek and Baroney. - -“Hello to you,” John Sparks greeted “What luck?” - -“There’s no good your going much further up this side,” answered -Sergeant Meek. “The trail ends, and you’ll get nowhere.” - -“Why?” - -“You see where those flat-tops lie? The river comes out the mountains -there, and comes a-whooping. We followed it up, till the valley got -narrower and narrower; and right soon the river was nothing but a brook -in width, boiling out something tremendous from betwixt cliffs half -a mile high, leaving no space for man or beast. Nothing gets through -there, except the water. We’re thinking the trail must cross the river -this side the gap, and turn off north’ard to round it.”[E] - -[E] They had met near where present Canyon City, Colorado, is located, -on the Upper Arkansas River at the mouth of the famous Grand Canyon of -the Arkansas. The gap between the cliffs was the Royal Gorge, in the -Canyon. - -“Yes, it doesn’t tackle that gap, anyhow,” the men all declared. - -“Suppose we might as well ford at a good spot, an’ scout about a bit,” -proffered John Sparks. - -So ford they all did, wading and splashing through, and slipping on -the rounded stones of the bottom. The trail was found indeed, farther -up, on the north side, where it left the river and bore northwestward -through a dry valley or bottom, as if seeking a pass. - -“Now, whether to call this the trail o’ the Spaniards, ag’in, or -an Injun trail, I dunno,” mused John Sparks, as they all grouped, -examining. - -“It’s a hoss trail, plain enough,” uttered Bill Gordon. - -“’Tis hard to read, that’s a fact,” Sergeant Meek said. “But it leads -somewheres, and like as not to the Red River that the cap’n’s looking -for, in Comanche country. Anyhow, we’ve done all we can, for to-day; -and it’s time we went back down and reported.” - -“Sure, he’ll have no excuse for takin’ us through betwixt them high -cliffs,” declared Alex Roy. “We’d be drowneded, hosses an’ all. ’Tis a -tough-lookin’ hole, with no end in sight, an’ the rocks covered with -ice.” - -“Come on, boys,” bade the sergeant, “or we’ll be late for supper.” - -They turned and marched back, down river, to camp. This evening the -lieutenant talked the report over with the doctor. They decided to -proceed up the river, to the dry valley, and follow the trail. - -The dry valley, below where the river gushed out of the break in the -cliff barrier, was reached in one day’s march. Camp was made in it -at night-fall. This, according to the doctor, was the evening of the -tenth day of December. The horses were watered with melted snow, and -given one pint of precious corn, each, brought this far from the Osage -and the Republican Pawnee towns. For the camp there was plenty of deer -meat, killed on the way, and one buffalo. It was to be the last big -meal, through some days. - -The Spanish trail had been weak, upon entering the valley. The -lieutenant had rather feared that the sign was only that of a small -scouting party. But farther in it had strengthened. Now at the camp it -appeared to be a fairly well-trodden road, leading on northwest and -probably over the next range of hills. - -“The road to the Red River――hooray!” cheered Tom Dougherty. “Then down -the Red River we’ll go, out o’ this cruel cowld, an’ belike we’ll be to -Natchitoches an’ the blessed war-rmth o’ Louisiany long before spring.” - - - - -XI - -SEEKING THE LOST RIVER - - -“It’s no use to march farther on this line, doctor.” - -Doctor Robinson answered promptly. - -“I think you’re right, lieutenant. We’re getting nowhere, only deeper -into the mountains. Men and horses are about at the end of their -strength. There seems to be nothing ahead, except more cold, hunger and -blind scrambling.” - -“The men are brave fellows,” said the lieutenant. “That human beings, -half fed and near naked, should be called upon to endure such marches -and camps, amidst snow and zero weather, is almost more than can be -expected from even soldiers. Their pay is a pittance, they don’t know -where they’re going, they were not prepared for winter, yet I’ve heard -not a word of complaint. When we return to the United States, the -Government surely will reward them.” - -The lieutenant and the doctor, with Stub, were standing upon a high -ridge some distance from camp. A week had passed since they all had -entered the dry valley, to follow the trail north from the Arkansaw, -on the search for the head of the Red River. - -But instead of rounding the gap in the cliffs, the trail had led away, -and away, ever northward, into the midst of the snow-caps. Presently, -or after a couple of days, it had come out at the bank of another -river, frozen over, forty paces wide, and flowing, as the lieutenant -discovered, _northeast_! - -That was a disappointment and a surprise. He and the doctor plainly -were puzzled. The river was wrong. To be the Red River it should have -flowed southeast. The lieutenant decided that this river must be the -Platte River――or the beginnings of it, for the great Platte River -was known to flow mainly through the plains, far north of the Pawnee -country, and hundreds of miles distant. - -The snowy mountains had closed around. They rose high and white -and coldly silent. There appeared to be no way out, except by the -back trail to the Arkansaw again, or by following this new river -down-stream, but where?[F] - -[F] If this stream was the South Platte River, as the Lieutenant -thought, then they had entered into the western part of Central -Colorado’s great South Park; very far indeed from any Red River. - -The trail was continuing, up along this frozen river that wound through -a series of snowy valleys between steep wooded hills. They all marched -upon it. It evidently was going somewhere, perhaps to a better country, -perhaps still to the head of the Red River and the circuit south for -the lower regions of New Mexico. At least, the Spanish had some goal in -view. - -Next, they had come to a large camp, the largest yet, and only a few -weeks old. But it had been an Indian camp. There were the circles where -lodges――many lodges――had stood, the ashes in the center of each, and -sign of fully one thousand horses. - -“Utah,” declared Baroney, examining a cast-off moccasin. - -Stub agreed. Moccasins differed, and these were Utah moccasins, by the -cut. - -“Sure, then we’re not follerin’ the Spanish, or even the Comanches,” -John Sparks groaned, doubled over with rheumatism. The men all were -pretty badly crippled by frost and chilblains and rheumatism, and -their belts were small around their stomachs. “Weren’t ye ever in this -country before, boy? The Utahs had ye, once, you say.” - -Stub did not know. - -“No remember. Big country, John. Mebbe here, mebbe somewhere.” - -The lieutenant and the doctor had asked him the same question; but he -was as puzzled as they. He might have been hereabouts in summer; it -was very different in winter. His head hurt, too. So he could not help -them. - -From the old camp, which seemed to have been a hunting camp, a regular -village, and extended six miles long and two miles wide, covering the -valley bottom, a trail led out, up stream again. In killing two buffalo -(the first fresh meat since leaving the Arkansaw) another gun had -burst――the third in the march. Its muzzle had got stopped with snow, -and its barrel was very brittle from the frost. - -John Sparks cut the burst end off, so that the gun might be used. Hugh -Menaugh had no gun at all, and was marching with the lieutenant’s sword -and pistols. - -The trail westward was not made by the Spanish. The Spanish trail (if -there had been any Spanish trail) was swallowed up, in the big camp. -But the trail out was better than none at all. It led through still -more old camping places, where there were empty corn-cribs. There were -no old cornfields, though, and this set the men to wondering whether -these Indians might not have got corn from the Spaniards, after all. - -Then, on a sudden, the trail quit. It left them stranded, amidst the -mountains. That had occurred this morning. The lieutenant had sent out -searching parties. He then had taken the doctor and Stub, and climbed -to the top of the high ridge, to spy out the country lying around. - -“The men should be rewarded the same as the Lewis and Clark men will be -rewarded――with money and land,” now the doctor said. - -“A more heroic little band never wore the United States uniform,” the -lieutenant declared. - -The doctor laughed. - -“They’re not wearing that, these days, lieutenant. No one would take -you and them for soldiers.” - -Very true. About the last trace of the blue uniforms had vanished. -Only the lieutenant still had blue trousers, of thin cloth, for -wearing on the march. His chief’s uniform, of bright shoulder-pieces -and shining buttons, he kept in a trunk, until he should meet the -Spaniards or the Comanches. From his red-lined cloak he had cut a cap, -and sewed fox-skin to it, for the inside; the rest of the cloak had -gone into socks and mittens, for himself and Stub. On his feet were -buffalo-hide moccasins, on his body a capote or blanket-coat; and up to -his knees his legs were wrapped in deer-hide. He looked like a chief, -nevertheless. - -All this was little enough, for day and night wear in cold and storm. -The doctor had less. To be sure, he had made himself a fur cap, of -rabbit-skin, and a deer-hide coat and mittens――but buckskin, without -much under it, is cold stuff, as everybody knows. His trousers were -torn so that they showed his own skin. His feet were clad in socks cut -from a piece of blanket, and in the hide moccasins which did not fit -and had to be tied on with thongs. - -The men, and Stub, had been put to all kinds of shifts. Some wore -coats cut, like the doctor’s socks, from the gray, threadbare army -blankets――and socks to match. Some wore coats of leather――poorly -tanned hides that they had saved. Some wore even leather trousers like -leggins. All wore buffalo hide moccasins, but not a one had a hat -or cap. Their long hair protected their heads, and their faces were -covered with shaggy, bristling beards――except Tom Dougherty, whose -beard was only a stubble in patches. The other men poked a great deal -of fun at young Tom. - -As for Stub, his beautiful robe had long ago been turned into moccasins -and leggins; and he tried to be comfortable in these, and a shirt from -a left-over piece of John Sparks’ gray blanket, and socks and mittens -from the lieutenant’s red-lined cloak. He did not need a cap. - -Of course, the blankets and hides that had been used were needed for -coverings, at night; but in such cold weather it was almost impossible -to strip other hides and dress them. They were like boards, especially -the buffalo hides. And deer were scarce. - -From the high ridge where he and the lieutenant and the doctor stood -the view was wide and wonderful, although not cheering. Mountains, -mountains, mountains, their sides and tips shining white with snow, -their bases, where seen, dark with wooded hills, the pine branches -heavily laden by winter. - -Far in the east and the southeast the mountains seemed to form a line -with every gap stopped. - -“Isn’t that our Grand Peak, away yonder?” asked the doctor, pointing. -“If so, I judge it’s a hundred miles, as the bird flies.” - -“And unreachable from here, except by a bird, sir. We’re shut off from -it, completely. Besides, our road does not lie in that direction. -Our duty as explorers demand that we do not give up so easily.” And -the lieutenant turned his glasses, so as to sweep the north and the -northwest. - -On the north were lofty hills, pine covered, breaking the nearer view; -and snow mountains grouped behind them. The frozen river, marked by -willows, stretched onward, in crooked bed, through the valley, now -broad, now narrowed, into the northwest, soon to be closed upon by the -hills and mountains there. - -In all the great expanse nothing moved; even the other exploring -parties were out of sight. It was a dead country. - -The lieutenant shrugged his shoulders. - -“Not very promising, eh?” the doctor queried anxiously. - -“It does not promise success. Our course up this river should be -abandoned. We are constantly making farther and farther northward, -separated from the Red River by the mountains; game is getting less, -the trail is unreliable, and we shall depend upon it no longer.” - -He gazed southward. The hills rose to mountains here also. He used his -spy-glass intently. He handed it to the doctor. - -“You’ll see a great white mountain range, appearing through a gap -almost directly south.” - -“Yes, sir. A thundering way off.” - -“It seems to be the end of a long chain extending westward from it. -That chain, I believe, is the divide draining on this side into the -Platte, on the other side into the Red River. We’re on the wrong side. -We should march southwest, to cross the nearer portion of the chain, -and eventually come out upon the head of the Red River. At all events, -we’ll try it, while we can. But our march through here has not been -wasted, for our Country. We can lay down on our map the sources of the -Platte, which no one has supposed to be located at such a distance -from the plains.” - -They all took another look, scanning the region south and southwest. -With his own eyes Stub might descry the landmark of the Great White -Mountains. The air was very clear, the sun rested just right, and -through the gap there the tops of the mountains, sharp cut and -triangular, stood out plainly amidst the other, lesser peaks. That -called for a long, long journey. - -They went back to camp. The other parties came in, and reported nothing -but an old Indian camp, farther up. They had seen no game. - -“An’ what nixt, then, I wonder?” Pat Smith remarked, at the fire. “Do -we kape goin’, wid no end. Sure, the Red River can’t lay hereabouts. -We’ll be nearer comin’ to Canady.” - -“No keep going,” Stub proudly announced. “The cap’n say turn ’round, -for south. Big ridge there; big white mountains; Red River other side.” - -“South’ard? Hooray! That’s a good word. It puts heart into us; hey, -lads? We’ll be gettin’ out o’ this trap where even the Injuns don’t -dare bide in winter, an’ we’ll be findin’ the Red River, after all.” - -Stub’s news cheered the men greatly. It took only a little to encourage -them. - - - - -XII - -IS IT FOUND AT LAST? - - -“The Red River, men! Three cheers! We think we’ve found it at last!” - -It was the evening of the second day’s march into the southwest. The -doctor and the lieutenant had gone out from camp, to survey about, as -usual. The first line of mountains had been crossed and already every -eye was eager and every heart was keen for the traces of the shifty Red -River. - -Matters looked promising, too. Noon camp to-day had been made at a -little spring, the unfrozen waters of which flowed trickling and formed -a small stream wending southeast for the bottom of the valley. - -“The beginnings of the Red River――do you reckon it might be the -beginnings of the Red River, cap’n?” the men queried. - -But the lieutenant smiled and shook his head. - -“I wouldn’t dare say so, lads, and disappoint you. We may be a long way -yet from the real Red River.” - -Still, some of the men did not believe him, until they had left the -valley and the spring behind, and in a narrow pass of the next ridge -had come upon another spring and another stream, larger. Among so many -springs and streams, who might tell which was the source of the Red -River? - -They followed the stream part way through the pass, and encamped -there in a snowstorm. The snow, sifting thickly, shut off the view -before; it was glum weather for a hungry camp; the men crouched close, -snow-covered, around the fire, or moved hobbling, at their various -jobs; the gaunt, sore-backed horses cropped desperately, pawing into -the snow, or hunched, coughing and groaning, in the scant shelter of -the low cedars and spruces. - -The horses of the lieutenant and the doctor, and Stub’s yellow pony, -had been turned into pack animals, to lessen the loads of the other -animals. Everybody was marching on foot. - -“Did you say that the cap’n an’ the doctor thought likely we’d have to -go cl’ar back south’ard, fur as the Great White Mountains yonder, so’s -to strike the river?” John Sparks asked, of Stub. - -“Mebbe there, mebbe sooner,” Stub nodded. - -“If we ketch ’em, I hope he won’t be axin’ us to climb ’em,” spoke John -Brown. - -“Got to ketch ’em, first,” laughed somebody. - -“We might as well be chasing a mountain as a river,” said Terry Miller. - -“Oui,” agreed Baroney. “Ma foi, the mountains are there, in sight; but -the river――it’s nowhere.” - -“Never mind, never mind, lads,” Sergeant Meek put in. “Not a man of us -works as hard as him and the doctor; they’re always breaking the trail, -and they’re always out whilst we’re resting a bit. Look at ’em now, -scouting in the snow without a bite to eat. Sure, we ought to be proud -to keep a stiff upper lip and follow ’em as fur as they’ll go, whether -that’s to Canady or Mexico or the Pacific Ocean. Ain’t we soldiers?” - -“We’ll follow. You bet we will,” the men chorused. “There’s no harm -meant in our talk, but we got to talk about somethin’ besides our feet -an’ our bellies.” - -Now here came the lieutenant and the doctor――trudging fast, panting, -snowy, their beards plastered white, but their thin faces lighted with -smiles. The doctor gleefully flourished his fur cap, and hailed them. - -“The Red River, men! Three cheers! We think we’ve found it at last!” - -“Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!” The steep sides of the narrow pass echoed, -and the miserable horses half pricked their ears, dumbly questioning. - -The two came directly to the fire. They were out of breath. The circle -respectfully opened for them. - -“Did we hear right? Is it true, then, sir? Ye found the Red River?” -eagerly inquired Sergeant Meek, of the lieutenant. - -“Yes, sergeant.” And the lieutenant beat his red cap and stamped, to -dislodge some of his snow. “That is, the signs are the most hopeful -for many a day, and we all have good reason to be inspired of success. -Listen, men. The facts are these: Doctor Robinson and I advanced about -four miles, out of this defile and into a prairie that lies beyond. -There we discovered a fine stream, with all the characteristics of a -river. It is some twenty-five yards wide, very swift, in a clearly -marked rocky channel, and the general direction of its flow is -southeast.” - -“Hooray!” - -“The creek we are now encamped beside evidently joins it. This is all -I have to say at present. To-morrow, or as soon as marching conditions -warrant, we will proceed, examine the ground more thoroughly, and -demonstrate whether or not we may consider ourselves actually at the -source of the Red River.” - -“News like that takes the chill off the air,” laughed Freegift Stout, -when the lieutenant and the doctor had gone into their tent, for a -rubdown. - -“B’gorry, we been tellin’ ’em that the Red River was surely -hereabouts,” asserted Tom Dougherty. “Wan spring, an’ then another, an’ -then a crick, an’ then the river itself――an’ nixt, out o’ the mountains -we’ll be an’ wid iv’ry mile gettin’ closer to war-rmth an’ people.” - -“What do you want o’ people?” Corporal Jerry demanded. “They may be the -Spanish, or the Pawnees again, or worse.” - -“Come wan, come all,” Tom retorted. “Sure, I wouldn’t object to a bit -of a fight, for a change, man to man. But fightin’ these mountains is -up-hill work.” And he laughed at his joke. - -“Well, I hope with all my heart the cap’n’s struck the right trail,” -said Sergeant Meek. “And he’s pretty certain, or he wouldn’t have -said so much. He’s no man to make a brag, as you know. For the first -time since we entered the mountains he’s looking sort o’ content. He -deserves a turn o’ luck. ’Tis always of his country he’s thinking, and -of us, and never of himself; and though in matter of muscle he’s the -smallest man amongst us, he picks the hardest jobs.” - -In the morning the snow was falling faster than ever. They all were -anxious to reach the river, but the pass was so clogged with drifts -and their horses were so weak that the march took them only out to the -edge of the bottom-land. - -It was the fifth day without sight of game. The lieutenant ordered a -hunt, before dark; but not even a rabbit was found. There was nothing -but snow, snow, snow. - -“My belt’s twice around me already, an’ is startin’ on the third lap,” -declared Alex Roy. - -However, the horses were in luck, at last――and they needed it. John -Sparks and Tom Dougherty reported a fine big patch of long grass down -near the river. In the morning the lieutenant sent Baroney and Stub, -with the wretched animals, to set them to grazing and herd them――and a -long cold task this proved to be. - -Still, as Baroney said, as he and Stub trudged about or squatted with -their backs to the squalls: - -“If we cannot eat, ourselves, it is a great pleasure to watch the -horses eat; hein?” - -Late in the afternoon Corporal Jerry Jackson came down. - -“You’re to fetch the horses in with you, at dusk,” he said. “Never a -trace of game, all day, so we’ll pull out in the mornin’.” - -“Down the Red River, mebbe, Jerry?” Stub asked. - -“I dunno, but somewhere. The cap’n knows――an’ he knows we’re on short -rations of only a few mouthfuls to a man.” - -The doctor and Baroney were to start out early, down river, hunting. -The lieutenant and two or three men were to explore up stream and see -where the river began, if they could. The rest of the men were to march -down river with the baggage, until they killed enough game so that they -might camp and wait. - -“Miller and Mountjoy, ’tis you with the cap’n,” ordered Sergeant Meek. - -“I go, too, Bill?” pleaded Stub. - -“Sure, that’s for him to say. I’ve only my orders, lad,” Sergeant Bill -answered. - -So Stub appealed to Lieutenant Pike himself. - -“I go with you, please?” - -But the lieutenant gravely shook his head. - -“Not this time, my boy. You’d best go down river with the others, where -there’s more chance of finding game. Up stream it’s a rough country, -and the three of us are likely to be hard put for meat. We’ll only -explore for a day or two; you stay with the party.” - -As anybody might have foretold, the lieutenant again had taken the -heaviest work. - -“I go with the doctor, then, please,” Stub proposed. “Down river.” - -“He and Baroney will be hunting. You have no weapon. But you can do -your duty like a soldier by tending the horses.” - -Stub mournfully thought upon his bow, broken several days ago. Hugh -Menaugh spoke up, saluting. - -“Beggin’ your pardon, cap’n――he’s a plucky lad an’ if you say for him -to go wid the doctor he can have one o’ the pistols you loaned to me. -Belike he’ll fare as well wid the doctor as wid us, an’ mebbe bring him -luck. An’ we’ve all been boys, ourselves, oneasy for doin’ things.” - -“You’ve a kind heart, my man,” answered the lieutenant, smiling. “If -the doctor is agreeable to having his company, all right. You may -settle it between you.” - -Settled it was, right speedily, for Doctor Robinson had a kind heart, -too. - -“Here’s your pistol, then,” Hugh bade. “Wid wan load. Be sure ye get a -buff’lo, now.” - -Stub nodded, and carefully stowed the long dragoon pistol in under his -belt. The curved handle crossed his stomach. - -“I see him, I get him, Hugh.” - -He and the doctor and Baroney set out, first. - -“Down river; we’ll meet you down the Red River, Baroney, old hoss,” -called the men. “Here’s wishin’ you fat meat, doctor, sir――an’ the same -for the rest of us.” - -“I’ll follow the main trail in two days and catch up,” the lieutenant -had promised. “But nobody is to wait for me until meat has been -secured. Do your best, doctor. There are rations for only forty-eight -hours.” - -It was another lean day. Although the three did do their best, scouting -in advance from the river to the hills, and exploring the side draws, -oftentimes waist deep in the snow, they stirred never a hoof nor paw, -and rarely a feather. That was discouraging. - -Now and again they saw the main party, who had crossed the river and -were toiling along, down the other flank of its winding course. - -“Not a thing sighted by us, and not a gunshot heard from those other -fellows,” the doctor sighed, at evening. “Well, we’d better go over and -join them, for camp, and try again in the morning.” - -They made for the fire that was twinkling, below and beyond; crossed -the river upon the ice, and arrived. - -“Any luck, sir?” queried Sergeant Meek, of the doctor. - -“None to-day sergeant; but we have hopes for to-morrow.” - -“Yes, sir. The same here, sir.” - -“So ye didn’t fetch in a buffler with that big pistol?” John Sparks -bantered, of Stub. - -“To-morrow,” answered weary Stub. - -“To-morrow is a grand time,” said Baroney. “If there wasn’t any -to-morrow, I don’t know what we’d do.” - -The supper to-night was a scant meal, for all: just a few mouthfuls of -dried meat and a handful of parched corn. In the morning the doctor -decided briskly. - -“You’ve rations for only to-day, sergeant?” - -“Yes, sir; and scarce that, but we can make ’em do.” - -“I feel sure that Baroney and the boy and I will find game before -night. If we do, we’ll come in with it. But you keep on, as Lieutenant -Pike ordered, until you kill meat or until he joins you, and never mind -our whereabouts. We’ll take care of ourselves somehow, and I don’t -propose to come in unless loaded.” - -“You’ll likely stay out, in the hills, sir, you mean?” - -“That depends on the day’s luck,” smiled the doctor. “But even if we -do, we’ll be no worse off than Lieutenant Pike and Miller and Mountjoy. -We’re all rationed the same, and there’s little to choose between -camping together and camping separately.” - -But even Stub felt the seriousness of it when again he followed -the doctor and Baroney, for the second day’s hunt. If nothing was -killed to-day, then to-morrow they would begin to starve; pretty -soon they would be eating the horses, and next their moccasins, and -without horses and moccasins they would die before getting out of the -mountains. - - - - -XIII - -MEAT FOR THE CAMP - - -Buffalo! - -Stub stared hard. He scarcely could believe his bleared, aching eyes. -Was it really true? Buffalo? Now what to do? - -This was early in the third morning after leaving the main camp. For -two days he and the doctor and Baroney had been hunting, hunting, from -dawn to dark; ranging up and down, among the hills and draws, and -wading the snow, on only one small meal. In fact, they practically had -had nothing at all to eat, in forty-eight hours. Through the two nights -they had tended fire and shiveringly dozed, without blankets, in the -best spot they might find, where they could secure a little protection -from the biting wind. - -How they were going to keep on living if they discovered nothing to -eat, this day, he did not know; Baroney did not know; the doctor -hadn’t said. But they had told the sergeant not to expect them unless -with good news; the other men probably were famishing, too, and they -themselves might as well starve in one place as another. - -Full of aches and pains (and that was all!) they had passed a bad -night, so that this morning they really had been glad to stagger up -and out again, into the bleak whity-gray, even though they might be -starting upon only another long day of fruitless tramping. - -Baroney groaned. - -“Ma foi! My legs move, my head thinks, but there is nothing between. I -have no stomach.” - -“We’ll find meat to-day. Not only for ourselves but for the boys in -camp, remember,” encouraged the doctor. “They’re likely depending on -us, for we’ve heard no gunshots. We must separate and hunt widely.” - -They had trudged forth, before sun-up. They had crossed the first -wooded ridge, to the next little valley. - -“Stub, you follow up, along the high ground on this side,” the doctor -ordered. “Baroney will take the middle. I’ll take the farther side. -Move slowly and all together, and we’ll surely start something. Head -off anything that comes your way, Stub, and drive it down to us. Don’t -waste the load in your pistol.” - -“Yes, I will drive,” answered Stub, patiently. - -He waited, shivering, until Baroney had halted in the bottom, and the -doctor had toiled clear across to the other slope, and up. Then they -three moved on together――one searching either flank, the third in -between. - -The valley was not wide. Its bottom was level and open except for -the snow-covered brush; its sides were dotted with cedars and pines. -Keeping near the top of his side, so as to drive anything down hill, -Stub hunted faithfully, hoping, too, that he would hear the doctor or -Baroney shoot. His eyes scanned every foot before and to right and -left, seeking tracks. Even a rabbit would be welcomed――yet he didn’t -wish to spend his bullet on a rabbit. - -He saw nothing to make him draw his pistol. It weighed heavily and -rasped his stomach and thigh as he plodded on. - -The sun was about to rise above the snowy ridges on the east. They had -been hunting for an hour, at least, and had heard never a sound. Then -he reached a place where his slope broke sharply into a side valley. A -fellow always expected something, at such places. So he stole forward -cautiously; he came to a ledge of rock, and peered down. What he saw -instantly almost stopped his heart-beating, and dazed his eyes with -sudden excitement. - -Buffalo! Really? Yes, yes――buffalo! He was not dreaming. - -It was more of a basin than a valley, in there: broadening to a snug -cup protected by rim-rock, just back of the opening into the main -valley, and thence tapering and climbing until it pinched out, on the -ridge. A few leafless aspens (sign of water) and sprawly evergreens -grew in the cup, and there was marsh grass, in weedy clumps. And the -buffalo. - -Two――three, lying down and comfortable, like cattle, their legs under -them. The snow was well trodden; they had been in here some time. - -Now what to do? He trembled, and thought his best. If he only might -take the time to signal Baroney and the doctor. But even as he peered -the sun flashed up, and the first beams streamed into the cup. One -large bull suddenly stirred, and all at once was on his feet, swaying -his shaggy head and sniffing the air. Was it the sun, or did the breeze -tell him something? He may have scented the doctor, or Baroney, or -Stub, or he might merely be thinking of breakfast and the day’s program. - -There! The second buffalo was out of bed, and imitating the first. The -third seemed to be getting uneasy. Stub dared not delay, to signal. His -eyes roved rapidly. He was too far, for pistol shooting. The buffalo -might only start to graze――they might start to travel, warned by danger -smell――and they were as likely to go one way as another. He must get -down in behind them and drive them out where the doctor and Baroney -would see them. - -He drew back, and crouching scurried on a half circuit, to slip into -the basin, above them. He struck a little ravine, leading down. All his -practice at scouting with the Pawnee boys stood him in good stead, now. -He moved fast but silently, darting from spot to spot, stepping with -care and listening for alarm sounds; and stealing more gently as he -arrived at the bottom, where the ravine ended in a cedar and a shoulder -of rock. - -The upper edge of the basin was just around that corner. He planned to -step out, into sight. The buffalo would run in the other direction, -and the doctor or Baroney might be able to head them, and kill one at -least; then follow and maybe kill more. - -But first he drew his big pistol, on the slim chance of a sure shot, -himself. Gradually he thrust his head beyond the cedar and the rock -shoulder――and jerked back in a jiffy. A fourth buffalo was standing -there almost within touch! - -Stub’s heart beat furiously, and he sank trembling, to think. He must -look again; and he did, as gradually as a timid prairie-dog emerging -from its burrow. - -Wah! It was a cow, turned broadside to him, half dozing as she bathed -in the sunshine. - -Now he must steady down, and slide out a little farther, for a sure -shot. He huddled back, once more to take breath. He examined his flint, -and opened the pan, to stir the caked powder of the priming. Then -with both hands he cocked the heavy hammer――click-click! The noise -frightened him, and he hoped that it had not frightened the cow. Then -he extended the pistol in front of him, and began to follow it by -worming on, inch by inch, around the low-branching cedar. - -Hoorah! The cow was still there, but she had heard or smelled. Maybe -she had heard the click-click. She had not moved; only, her head was -up, and she was gazing with her head turned in the direction of the -other buffalo. - -He’d better shoot as quickly as possible. Another inch, and another, he -squirmed, for right position. Now! She was about fifteen paces――not so -near as he had thought, but this was the best that he might do with any -safety. So he leveled the long-barreled dragoon pistol, again with both -hands; held breath until the muzzle seemed to be pointing directly in -line with a spot just behind her fore shoulder――and while it slightly -wavered there, he pressed the trigger. - -Bang! The pistol well-nigh jumped from his hands; a cloud of smoke had -belched――and dimly seen through the smoke, by his watering eyes, the -cow had given a great leap and had vanished. - -She had run the other way, down the basin. Up Stub leaped, and ran, -too. The basin seemed to be still echoing with the report, but he heard -the thud and clatter of hoofs, also, and a fear that he had missed her -made his heart sick. - -He panted into full sight of the little basin just in time to see a -half score――no, a dozen or more of the burly animals pelting through -for the other end, to gain the open of the main valley. He’d had no -idea that so many were in here. They’d been hidden from him, the most -of them――lying in cosy beds where he’d not happened to look. - -Away they went, jostling and stringing out, bolting blindly. One, the -last in the flight, loped painfully――fell farther and farther behind. -It was his cow! He had hit her, and hit her hard. Hoorah! He darted for -the spot where she had stood. He trailed her for a few steps, and the -trampled snow was blotched red. Blood! Hoorah! He ran on, down through -the basin, to see her again. Now Baroney or the doctor might get her, -because she would grow weak. - -He wondered if they had heard him shoot. The basin was empty, all the -buffalo had charged on into the valley――that was what he had wished -them to do, and maybe he had killed one and signaled, besides. He -hoped that the doctor would not be angry. Now if the buffalo only -turned down toward Baroney――――! - -Hark! Another shot! Somebody out there had fired――Whang! He ran -faster――to the mouth of the basin――into sight of the main valley――and -again, hoorah! - -The fleeing buffalo had blundered against Baroney. He had been not -far outside; he had shot one――it was down, in the snow; not the cow, -either, for the cow was down, too――there were the two black spots, -motionless, and the little herd were streaming across the valley, for -the other slope, with Baroney lumbering after――and yonder, on the -slope, the doctor was plunging toward the bottom, to get in a shot also. - -Could he do it? Yes! He ran quartering, stumbling and lunging; the -leading buffalo sensed him, swerved, they all swerved; he knelt and -aimed and fired, quickly――around wheeled the buffalo, again alarmed, -and came pelting back for Stub’s side, as if to escape through their -basin――but one lagged, wavered, halted, and suddenly collapsed. That -made three! - -The remainder of the herd were coming straight for Stub. He had no load -for his pistol; he could only dance and wave his arms and yell, to -stop them. This he did. Once more they tacked; Baroney had lain flat, -hoping; foolish things, they tacked almost for him――wait――wait――aha! -His gun puffed smoke, the report echoed dully, a buffalo had jumped -high and stiff-legged and Baroney was after him, loading on the run. -Down pitched the buffalo. That made four! - -The doctor was running again, but the rest of the buffalo got away, up -the valley. All right; they had left plenty of meat. Hoorah! - -Stub hastened forward, wild with joy. The doctor was coming. They met -Baroney, where two carcasses――a bull and Stub’s cow――were lying close -together. - -“Hurrah!” cheered the doctor. - -Baroney capered――“Hoozah! Hoozah!” - -“Four! One to me, two to you――that’s good. And what about this other? -Who killed _her_?” - -“The boy. Oui! I think he killed her, with that pistol,” Baroney -jabbered. “I hear one shot――bang! I do not know where. Then the buffalo -come running out. And before I can shoot, I see this cow tumble down, -and die. She has a hole in her――a bullet hole.” - -“Did you shoot her, Stub? With your pistol?” - -Stub nodded. - -“First I see three. Down on bottom. They act scared. I go to drive them -out. She very close. I shoot her. She run, all run, I run. Then I hear -shooting. Baroney get one, you get one, Baroney get ’nother. Now lots -of meat. Hoorah!” - -“The meat! The meat!” cried Baroney, as if reminded of great hunger. -Down he plumped, digging furiously with his knife and tearing with his -fingers. He wrested out a strip of bloody flesh and began to chew it -and suck it. - -Stub, seeing red, likewise fell to. All of a sudden he could not wait -longer. - -“Here, doctor.” And Baroney, his beard stained wolfish, passed him a -piece. - -But the doctor straightened up. - -“That’s enough. I must carry the news to the men. You two stay here and -butcher what you can till horses come from the camp. It may be a matter -of life or death for those other fellows. We ought to get this meat to -them without delay.” - -And he was away, walking fast and running down through the valley, for -the river beyond and the main party somewhere along it. - -“He’s one fine man,” gasped Baroney, gazing after. “We think only of -our stomach, he thinks of those others.” - -They worked hard, cutting and hacking and hauling before the carcasses -got cold and the hides stiff. With Baroney’s hatchet they cracked a -marrow-bone apiece, so as to scoop out the fatty pith. - -Presently the sun was high and warming. Two men were coming afoot up -the valley. They brought no horses―――― - -“Miller and Mountjoy, hein?” Baroney said, eyeing them as they drew -nearer. “Where is the lieutenant, I want to know?” - -Terry Miller and John Mountjoy they were; and they staggered and -stumbled in their haste at sight of the meat. - -“Did you lose the lieutenant? What?” - -“No. He’s gone on for camp, with the doctor. He sent us in here to eat. -Give us some meat, quick.” - -“Nothing but one turkey and a hare for the three of us, these four days -past,” panted Terry, as he and John sucked and gobbled. “And in the -last two days nothing at all.” - -“Go far?” Stub queried, eager to know. - -“Away up, twenty-five miles or two camps above where the rest o’ you -left us. Up to where the river petered out to a brook betwixt the -mountains. Then we turned back and traveled day and night with our -clothes froze stiff on us, and our stomachs clean empty, to ketch -the main camp. The cap’n was worrying more about the other men than -himself.” - -“And sure, when we met the doctor, by chance, with news of this meat, -the little cap’n told us to come in and eat, but he wouldn’t. He went -on――him and the doctor――hungry as he was, to find the camp below,” -mumbled John. “They’ll send hosses. How many did you kill? Four?” - -“Four,” assured Baroney. “Stub one, the doctor one, I myself had the -fortune to kill two. Stub, he found them; but it was the good God who -put them there, waiting for us.” - -“I suppose we might have a bit of a fire, and eat like Christians, -whilst waiting?” Terry proposed wistfully. - -“The marrow is strong; we must not get sick,” Baroney wisely counseled. -“Let us butcher, and be ready for the horses; and to-morrow we will all -have a big Christmas dinner.” - -“To-morrow Christmas?” exclaimed John. “Right you are! Hooray for -Christmas!” - -They cheered for Christmas; and with aching brain Stub puzzled over the -new word. - -Toward the last of their butchering Corporal Jerry Jackson and Hugh -Menaugh arrived with two horses. The camp was famished, the lieutenant -and the doctor had toiled in, and now everybody there was waiting for -the buffalo meat. The camp had been out of food for two days. - -“I told the doctor that the boy an’ his pistol would fetch him luck,” -Hugh declared. “An’ it surely did. Faith, a fine little hunter you be, -Stub, me lad.” - -They loaded the horses, at full speed, and made for the starving camp. -It was a joyous place. John Sparks had come in with more good news――he -had discovered another buffalo herd and had killed four, himself! Men -and horses were out, to get the meat. - -Now with eight buffalo on hand, Christmas Eve was to be celebrated -to-night, and Christmas Day to-morrow. They were American -feasts――feasts for the Spanish and French and all white people, too, -the doctor and Sergeant Bill said. Stub had heard the names before, -somewhere; perhaps from the French traders. But he quit thinking and -bothering. He was an American, they were his feasts now; Lieutenant -Pike looked happy, and that was enough. - - - - -XIV - -A TRAIL OF SURPRISES - - -The lieutenant had explored the source of this Red River far enough. He -was ready to march on down, for the plains and the United States post -of Natchitoches above the mouth in Louisiana. Everybody was glad. - -The big meals of buffalo meat had made several of the men, and Stub -also, quite ill; so that on the day after Christmas the march covered -only seven miles. The tent was turned into a hospital, and the -lieutenant and the doctor slept out in the snow. - -The Great White Mountains, far to the east, had been in sight from -high ground; the river appeared to lead in that direction. But here at -the lower end of the bottom-land other mountains closed in. The river -coursed through, and everybody rather believed that by following it -they all would come out, in two or three days, into the open. - -That proved to be a longer job than expected, and the toughest yet. The -river, ice-bound but full of air-holes, sometimes broadened a little, -and gave hope, but again was hemmed clear to its borders by tremendous -precipices too steep to climb. The poor horses slipped and floundered -upon the ice and rocks; in places they had to be unpacked and the loads -were carried on by hand. - -Soon the lieutenant was ordering sledges built, to relieve the horses -of the loads; men and horses both pulled them――and now and then sledge -and horse broke through the ice and needs must be hauled out of the -water. - -Twelve miles march, another of sixteen miles, five miles, eight miles, -ten and three-quarter miles, about five miles――and the river still -twisted, an icy trail, deep set among the cliffs and pinnacles and -steep snowy slopes that offered no escape to better country. - -The horses were so crippled that some could scarcely walk; the men were -getting well bruised, too; the dried buffalo meat had dwindled to a few -mouthfuls apiece, and the only game were mountain sheep that kept out -of range. The doctor and John Brown had been sent ahead, to hunt them -and hang the carcasses beside the river, for the party to pick up on -the way. - -From camp this evening the lieutenant and Baroney climbed out, to the -top, in order to see ahead. They came down with good news. - -“We’ve sighted an open place, before,” said the lieutenant, gladly. -“It’s not more than eight miles. Another day’s march, my men, and I -think we’ll be into the prairie and at the end of all this scrambling -and tumbling.” - -That gave great hope, although they were too tired to cheer. - -But on the morrow the river trail fought them harder than ever. Toward -noon they had gained only a scant half mile. The horses had been -falling again and again, the sledges had stuck fast on the rocks and in -the holes, the ice and snow and rocks behind were blood-stained from -the wounds of men and animals. - -Now they had come to a narrow spot, where a mass of broken rocks, -forming a high bar, thrust itself out from the cliff, into the stream, -and where the water was flowing over the ice itself. The horses balked -and reared, while the men tugged and shoved. - -“Over the rocks,” the lieutenant ordered. - -That brought more trouble. Stub’s yellow pony, thin and scarred like -the rest, was among those that still carried light packs. He was a -stout, plucky pony――or had been. Here he lost heart, at last. His hoofs -were sore, he was worn out. Terry Miller hauled at his neck-thong, Stub -pushed at his braced haunches. The line was in a turmoil, while -everybody worked; the canyon echoed to the shouts and blows and -frenzied, frightened snorting. - -Suddenly the yellow pony’s neck-thong snapped; he recoiled threshing, -head over heels, before Stub might dodge from him; and down they went, -together, clear into the river. But Stub never felt the final crash. On -his way he saw a burst of stars, then he plunged into night and kept -right on plunging until he woke up. - -[Illustration: BUT STUB NEVER FELT THE FINAL CRASH] - -He had landed. No, he was still going. That is, the snow and cliffs at -either side were moving, while he sat propped and bewildered, dizzily -watching them. - -His head throbbed. He put his hand to it, and felt a bandage. But whose -bowed back was that, just before? And what was that noise, of crunching -and rasping? Ah! He was on a sledge――he was stowed in the baggage upon -a sledge, and was being hauled――over the ice and snow――through the -canyon――by――by―――― - -Freegift Stout! For the man doing the hauling turned his face, and was -Freegift Stout! - -Well, well! Freegift halted, and let the sled run on to him. He shouted -also; they had rounded a curve and there was another loaded sled, and a -man for it; and they, too, stopped. - -“Hello. Waked at last, have ye?” spoke Freegift, with a grin. - -“Yes, I guess so.” Stub found himself speaking in a surprisingly easy -fashion. A prodigious amount of words and notions were whirling through -his mind. “Where――where am I, anyhow?” - -“Ridin’ like a king, down the Red River.” - -“What for?” - -“So’s to get out an’ reach Natchitoches, like the rest of us.” - -Stub struggled to sit up farther. Ouch! - -“What’s your name?” he demanded. Then――“I know. It’s Freegift Stout. -That other man’s Terry Miller. But what’s my name?” - -“Stub, I reckon.” - -“Yes; of course it is. That’s what they call me. But how did you know? -How’d you know I’m ‘Stub’ for short? I’m Jack. That’s my regular -name――Jack Pursley. I got captured by the Utahs, from my father; did -the Pawnees have me, too? Wish I could remember. I do sort of remember. -But I’m a white boy. I’m an American, from Kentucky. And my name’s Jack -Pursley――Stub for short.” - -Freegift roundly stared, his mouth agape amidst his whiskers. - -“Hey! Come back here, Terry,” he called. And Terry Miller came back. - -“That crack on the head’s set him to talkin’ good English an’ turned -him into a white lad, sure,” quoth Freegift. “Did you hear him? Ain’t -that wonderful, though? His name’s Jack Pursley, if you please; an’ he -answers to Stub, jest the same――an’ if that wasn’t a smart guess by -John Sparks I’ll eat my hat when I get one.” - -“I’ll be darned,” Terry wheezed, blinking and rubbing his nose. “Jack -Pursley, are you? Then where’s your dad?” - -“I don’t know. We were finding gold in the mountains, and the Indians -stole me and hit me on the head――and I don’t remember everything after -that.” - -“Sho’,” said Terry. “How long ago, say?” - -“What year is it now, please?” - -“We’ve jest turned into 1807.” - -“I guess that was three years ago, then.” - -“And whereabouts in the mountains?” - -“Near the head of the Platte River.” - -“For gosh’ sake!” Freegift blurted. “We all jest come from there’bouts. -But you didn’t say nothin’, an’ we didn’t see no gold.” - -“I didn’t remember.” - -“Well, we won’t be goin’ back, though; not for all the gold in the -’arth. Were you all alone up there?” - -“My father――he was there. Some other men had started, but they quit. -Then we met the Indians, and they were friendly till they stole me.” - -“Did they kill your father?” - -“I don’t know.” - -“That’s a tall story,” Freegift murmured, to Terry; and tapped his -head. Evidently they didn’t believe it “Where do you think you are now, -then?” he asked, of Stub. - -“I guess I’m with Lieutenant Pike. But where is he?” - -“Well, we’ll tell you. You see, that yaller hoss an’ you went down -together. You got a crack on the head, an’ the hoss, he died. We had -to shoot him. But we picked you up, because you seemed like worth -savin’. The lieutenant put a bandage on you. Then he took the rest of -the outfit up out the canyon. The hosses couldn’t go on――there wasn’t -any footin’. But he left Terry an’ me to pack the dead hoss’s load an’ -some other stuff that he couldn’t carry, on a couple of sledges, an’ to -fetch them an’ you on by river an’ meet him below. Understand?” - -Stub nodded. How his brain did whirl, trying to patch things together! -It was as if he had wakened from a dream, and couldn’t yet separate -the real from the maybe not. - -“We’d best be going on,” Terry Miller warned. “We’re to ketch the cap’n -before night, and we’re short of grub.” - -So the sledges proceeded by the river trail, while Stub lay and -pondered. By the pain now and then in his head, when the sledge jolted, -he had struck his scar; but somehow he had a wonderful feeling of -relief, there. He was a new boy. - -The trail continued as rough as ever. Most of the way the two men, John -and Terry, had to pull for all they were worth; either tugging to get -their sledges around open water by route of the narrow strips of shore, -or else slipping and scurrying upon the snowy ice itself. Steep slopes -and high cliffs shut the trail in, as before. The gaps on right and -left were icy ravines and canyons that looked to be impassible. - -The main party were not sighted, nor any trace of them. Toward dusk, -which gathered early, Terry, ahead, halted. - -“It beats the Dutch where the cap’n went to,” he complained. “He got -out, and he hasn’t managed to get back in, I reckon. Now, what to do?” - -“Only thing to do is to camp an’ wait till mornin’,” answered Freegift. -“An’ a powerful lonesome, hungry camp it’ll be. But that’s soldierin’.” - -“Well, the orders are to ketch him――or to join him farther down, -wherever that may be,” said Terry. “But we can’t travel by night, in -here. So we’ll have to camp, and foller out our orders to-morrow.” - -It was a lonesome camp, and a cold camp, and a hungry camp, here in the -dark, frozen depths of the long and silent defile cut by the mysterious -river. They munched a few mouthfuls apiece of dried meat; Stub slept -the most comfortably, under a blanket upon the sledge; the two men laid -underneath a single deer-hide, upon the snow. - -They all started on at daybreak. Stub was enough stronger so that he -sprang off to lighten the load――even pushed――at the worst places. -Indeed, his head was in first-class shape; the scar pained very little. -And he had rather settled down to being Jack Pursley again. Only, he -wished that he knew just where his father was. Dead? Or alive? - -It was slow going, to-day. The river seemed to be getting narrower. -Where the current had overflowed and had frozen again, the surface -was glary smooth; the craggy shore-line constantly jutted with sudden -points and shoulders that forced the sledges out to the middle. The -slopes were bare, save for a sprinkling of low bushes and solitary -pines, clinging fast to the rocks. Ice glittered where the sun’s faint -rays struck. - -This afternoon, having worked tremendously, they came out into the -lieutenant’s prairie. At least, it might have been the prairie he had -reported――a wide flat or bottom where the hills fell back and let the -river breathe. - -“Hooray! Here’s the place to ketch him,” Freegift cheered. And he -called: “See any sign o’ them, Terry?” - -“Nope.” - -They halted, to scan ahead. All the white expanse was lifeless. - -“I swan!” sighed Terry. “Never a sign, the whole day; and now, not a -sign here. You’d think this’d be the spot they’d come in at, and wait -for a fellow or else leave him word.” - -“Yes,” agreed Freegift, “I would that. Do you reckon they’re behind us, -mebbe?” - -“How’s a man to tell, in such a country?” Terry retorted. “They’re -likely tangled up, with half their hosses down, and the loads getting -heavier and heavier. But where, who knows? We’ll go on a piece, to -finish out the day. We may find ’em lower on, or sign from ’em. If not, -we’ll have to camp again, and shiver out another night, with nothing -to eat. Eh, Stub? At any rate, orders is orders, and we’re to keep -travelling by river until we join ’em. If they’re behind, they’ll -discover our tracks, like as not, and send ahead for us.” - -“Anyhow, we’re into open goin’. I’m blamed glad o’ that,” declared -Freegift. “Hooray for the plains, and Natchitoches!” - -“Hooray if you like,” Terry answered back, puffing. “But ’tisn’t any -turnpike, you can bet.” - -Apparently out of the mountains they were; nevertheless still hard put, -for the river wound and wound, treacherous with boulders and air-holes, -and the snow-covered banks were heavy with willows and brush and long -grass. - -After about four miles Terry, in the lead, shouted unpleasant news. - -“We might as well quit. We’re running plumb into another set o’ -mountains. I can see where the river enters. This is only a pocket.” - -Freegift and Stub arrived, and gazed. The mountains closed in again, -before; had crossed the trail, and were lined up, waiting. Jagged and -gleaming in the low western sunlight, they barred the way. - -“There’s no end to ’em,” said Terry, ruefully. “Heigh-hum. ’Pears -like the real prairies are a long stint yet. The cap’n will be sore -disappointed, if he sees. I don’t think he’s struck here, though. -Anyhow, we’ll have to camp――I’m clean tuckered; and to-morrow try -once more, for orders is orders, and I’m right certain he’ll find us -somewheres, or we’ll find him.” - -So they made camp. Freegift wandered out, looking for wood and for -trails. He came in. - -“I see tracks, Terry. Two men have been along here――white men, I judge; -travellin’ down river.” - -“Only two, you say?” - -“Yes. Fresh tracks, just the same.” - -They all looked, and found the fresh tracks of two men pointing -eastward. - -“I tell you! Those are the doctor and Brown hunting,” Terry proposed. -“Wish they’d left some meat. But we may ketch ’em to-morrow. Even -tracks are a godsend.” - -They three had eaten nothing all day; there was nothing to eat, -to-night. To Stub, matters looked rather desperate, again. Empty -stomach and empty tracks and empty country, winter-bound, gave one -a sort of a hopeless feeling. He and Freegift and Terry trudged and -trudged and trudged, and hauled and shoved, and never got anywhere. For -all they knew, they might be drawing farther and farther away from the -lieutenant. But, as Terry said, “orders were orders.” - -“Well, if we ketch the doctor he’ll be mighty interested in that head -o’ yourn,” Freegift asserted, to Stub. “He’s been wantin’ to open it -up, I heard tell; but mebbe that yaller hoss saved him the trouble.” - -“He’ll not thank the hoss,” laughed Terry, grimly. “He’d like to have -done the job himself! That’s the doctor of it.” - -Stub privately resolved to show the doctor that there was no need of -the “job,” now. He felt fine, and he was Jack Pursley. - -Nothing occurred during the night; the false prairie of the big pocket -remained uninvaded except by themselves. They lingered until about ten -o’clock, hoping that the main party might come in. - -“No use,” sighed Freegift. “We may be losin’ time; like as not losin’ -the doctor. Our orders were, to travel by river till we joined the -cap’n.” - -With one last survey the two men took up their tow-ropes and, Stub -ready to lend a hand when needed, they plodded on. - -The tracks of the doctor and John Brown led to the gateway before. -The space for the river lessened rapidly. Soon the sides were only -prodigious cliffs, straight up and down where they faced upon the -river, and hung with gigantic icicles and sheeted with ice masses. The -river had dashed from one side to the other, so that the boulders were -now spattered with frozen spray. - -The tracks of the doctor and John Brown had vanished; being free of -foot, they might clamber as they thought best. But the sledges made a -different proposition. Sometimes, in the more difficult spots amidst -ice, rocks and water, two men and a boy scarcely could budge one. - -Higher and higher towered the cliffs, reddish where bare, and streaked -with motionless waterfalls. The sky was only a seam. Far aloft, there -was sunshine, and the snow even dripped; but down in here all was shade -and cold. One’s voice sounded hollow, and echoes answered mockingly. - -The dusk commenced to gather before the shine had left the world above. -Stub was just about tired out; the sweat had frozen on the clothes of -the two men, and their beards also were stiff with frost. - -Now they had come to a stopping-place. There was space for only the -river. It was crowded so closely and piled upon itself so deeply, -and was obliged to flow so swiftly that no ice had formed upon it -beyond its very edges. The cliffs rose abruptly on either side, not a -pebble-toss apart, leaving no footway. - -The trail had ended. - -“I cry ‘Enough,’” Terry panted, as the three peered dismayed. “We -can’t go on――and we can’t spend the night here, either. We’ll have to -backtrack and find some way out.” - -“The doctor an’ Brown must ha’ got out somewheres,” Freegift argued. -“They never passed here. Let’s search whilst there’s light. If we can -fetch out we may yet sight ’em, or the cap’n. An’ failin’ better, we -can camp again an’ bile that deer-hide for a tide-me-over. Some sort o’ -chawin’ we need bad.” - -“Biled deer-hide for supper, then,” Terry answered. “It’ll do to fool -our stomicks with. But first we got to get out if we can.” - -They turned back, in the gloomy canyon whose walls seemed to be at -least half a mile high, to seek a side passage up and out. Freegift was -ahead. There were places where the walls had been sundered by gigantic -cracks, piled with granite fragments. Freegift had crossed the river, -on boulders and ice patches, to explore a crack opposite――and suddenly -a shout hailed him. - -“Whoo-ee! Hello!” - -He gazed quickly amidst his clambering; waved his arm and shouted -reply, and hastened over. - -“Somebody!” Terry exclaimed. He and Stub ran forward, stumbling. They -rounded a shoulder, and joining Freegift saw the lieutenant. In the -gloom they knew him by his red cap if by nothing else. He was alone, -carrying his gun. - -“I’ve been looking for you men,” he greeted. “You passed us, somehow.” - -“Yes, sir,” Freegift admitted. “An’ we’ve been lookin’ for you, too, -sir. We didn’t know whether you were before or behind.” - -“And begging your pardon, sir, we’re mighty glad to see you,” added -Terry. “Are the men all behind, the same as yourself, sir?” - -“Part of them.” The lieutenant spoke crisply. “The doctor and Brown -are still ahead, I think. I haven’t laid eyes on them. You three were -next. The rest of the party is split. From the prairie back yonder I -detached Baroney and two men to take the horses out, unpacked, and find -a road for them. We have lost several animals by falls upon the rocks, -and the others were unable to travel farther by river. The remaining -eight men are coming on, two by two, each pair with a loaded sledge. I -have preceded them, hoping to overtake you. The command is pretty well -scattered out, but doing the best it can.” His tired eyes scanned Stub. -“How are you, my brave lad?” - -“All right, sir. But my name’s Jack Pursley, now. That knock I got made -me remember.” - -“What!” - -“You see, sir,” Freegift explained in haste, and rather as if -apologizing for Stub’s answer, “when he come to after that rap on the -head he was sort o’ bewildered like; an’ ever since then he’s been -claimin’ that he’s a white boy, name o’ Pursley, from Kaintuck, an’ -was stole from his father, by the Injuns, up in that very Platte River -country where we saw all them camp sign.” - -“Oh!” uttered the lieutenant. “You were there? How many of you? All -white? Where’s your father? How long ago?” - -“About three years, I think,” Stub stammered. “Just we two, sir. We -were hunting and trading on the plains, with some Kiowas and Comanches, -and the Sioux drove us into the mountains. Then we joined the Utahs, -and after a while they stole me. They hit me on the head and I forgot a -lot of things――and I don’t know where my father is, sir.” - -“Hah! I thought we were the first white men there,” ejaculated the -lieutenant. “The first Americans, at least. It’s a pity you didn’t come -to before. You might have given us valuable information.” - -“He says they found gold in that Platte country, sir,” said Terry. - -“Yes? Pshaw! But no matter now. We’ll pursue that subject later. First, -we must get out of this canyon. You discovered no passage beyond?” - -“No, sir. Never space to set a foot.” - -“Have you any food?” - -“Had none for two days, sir. We were thinking of biling a deer-hide for -our supper.” - -“You’re no worse off than the others. The whole column is destitute -again, but the men are struggling bravely, scattered as they may be. -The doctor and Brown came this way. You haven’t sighted them?” - -“No, sir; only their tracks, back a piece.” - -“Then they got out, somehow. We must find their trail before dark, and -follow it up top, where there’s game. Search well; our comrades behind -are depending on us.” - -They searched on both sides of the canyon. Stub’s Indian-wise eyes made -the discovery――a few scratches by hands and gun-stocks, in a narrow -ravine whose slopes were ice sheeted. That was the place. - -They all hurried to the sledges, took what they might carry, and -clawing, slipping, clinging, commenced to scale the ravine. It was -a slow trail, and a danger trail, but it led them out, to a flat, -cedar-strewn top, where daylight still lingered. - -“The doctor and Brown have been here,” panted the lieutenant. “Here are -their tracks.” - -They followed the tracks a short distance, and brought up at camp sign. -Evidently the doctor and Brown had stopped here, the night before; had -killed a deer, too――but there was nothing save a few shreds of hide. - -“The birds and beasts have eaten whatever they may have left,” spoke -the lieutenant. “Too bad, my lads. However, we’re out, and we’ll make -shift some way. Fetch up another load, while I hunt.” - -Out he went, with his gun. They managed to bring up another load from -the sledges. They heard a gunshot. - -“Hooray! Meat for supper, after all.” - -But when he returned in the darkness he was empty-handed. - -“I wounded a deer, and lost him,” he reported shortly; and he slightly -staggered as he sank down for a moment. “We can do no more to-night. -We’ll melt snow for drinking purposes; but the deer-hide is likely to -make us ill, in our present condition. We’ll keep it, and to-morrow -we’ll have better luck.” - -So with a fire and melted snow they passed the night. Nobody else -arrived. The doctor and Brown seemed to be a day’s march ahead; Baroney -and Hugh Menaugh and Bill Gordon were wandering with the horses through -this broken high country; and the other eight were toiling as best they -could, with the sledges, in separate pairs, seeking a way out also. - -The lieutenant started again, early in the morning, to find meat for -breakfast. They went down into the canyon, to get the rest of the -loads, and the sledges――and how they managed, with their legs so weary -and their stomachs so empty, Stub scarcely knew. - -They heard the lieutenant shoot several times, in the distance; this -helped them. He rarely missed. But he came into camp with nothing, and -with his gun broken off at the breech――had wounded deer, had discovered -that his gun was bent and shot crooked――then had fallen and disabled it -completely. - -He was exhausted――so were the others; yet he did not give up. He rested -only a minute. Then he grabbed up the gun that had been stowed among -the baggage. It was only a double-barreled shotgun, but had to do. - -“I’ll try again, with this,” he said. “You can go no further; I see -that. Keep good heart, my lads, and be sure that I’ll return at best -speed with the very first meat I secure.” - -“Yes, sir. We’ll wait, sir. And good luck to ye,” answered Terry. - -Sitting numb and lax beside the baggage, they watched the lieutenant go -stumbling and swerving among the cedars, until he had disappeared. - -“A great-hearted little officer,” Freegift remarked. “Myself, I -couldn’t take another step. I’m clean petered out, at last. But -him――away he goes, never askin’ a rest.” - -“And he’ll be back. You can depend on that,” put in Terry. “Yes. He’ll -not be thinking of himself. He’s thinking mainly on his men. He’ll be -back with the meat, before he eats a bite.” - -They heard nothing. The long day dragged; sometimes they dozed――they -rarely moved and they rarely spoke; they only waited. Up here it was -very quiet, with a few screaming jays fluttering through the low trees. -Stub caught himself nodding and dreaming: saw strange objects, grasped -at meat, and woke before he could eat. He wondered if Freegift and -Terry saw the same. - -The sun set, the air grew colder. - -“Another night,” Freegift groaned. “He’s not comin’. Now what if he’s -layin’ out somewheres, done up!” - -“If he’s still alive he’s on his feet, and seeking help for us,” Terry -asserted. “He said to wait and he’d come. You can depend on him. Orders -be orders. He found us, below, and he’ll find us here.” - -“We’ve got to suck deer-hide, then,” announced Freegift. “It may carry -us over.” - -They managed to arouse themselves; half boiled strips of deer-hide in a -kettle of snow-water, and chewed at the hairy, slimy stuff. But they -couldn’t swallow it. - -“Oh, my!” Terry sighed. “’Tain’t soup nor meat, nor what I’d call -soldiers’ fare at all. We had hard times before, up the Mississippi -with the left’nant; but we didn’t set teeth to this. What’d I ever -enlist for?” - -“The more I don’t know,” answered Freegift. “But stow one good meal in -us an’ we’d enlist over again, to foller the cap’n on another trip.” - -Terry tried to grin. - -“I guess you’re right. But, oh my! Down the Red River, heading for -white man’s country, is it? Then where are we? Nowhere at all, and like -to stay.” - -Through the gnarled cedars beside the mighty canyon the shadows -deepened. The mountain ridges and peaks, near and far, surrounding the -lone flat, swiftly lost their daytime tints as the rising tide of night -flowed higher and higher. And soon it was dark again. - -Now they must wait for another morning as well as for the lieutenant. - -They had already sickened of the deer-hide, and could not touch it -again. So the morning was breakfastless. The sun had been up only a -few minutes, and Stub was drowsing in a kind of stupor, when he heard -Freegift exclaim: - -“He’s comin’, boys! Here comes the cap’n! Say! Don’t I see him――or not?” - -“There’s two of ’em!” cried Terry. “He’s found company. No! That ain’t -the cap’n. It’s somebody else. But our men, anyhow.” - -Two men afoot were hastening in through the cedars, along the canyon -rim. They carried packages――meat! They were Hugh Menaugh and Bill -Gordon. Hooray! - -“Hello to you!” - -“Yes, we’re still here,” replied Terry. “And if you’ve fetched anything -to eat, out with it quick. Where’s the cap’n? Did you see him?” - -Hugh and Bill busied themselves. - -“Yes, we met up with him last evenin’, below, down river. He hadn’t -come back to you, ’cause he hadn’t killed anything. But Baroney and us -were packin’ buffalo meat and deer meat both, and he sent us two out -to find you first thing this mornin’, soon as ’twas light enough to -s’arch. After you’ve fed, we’ll help you on to camp.” - -“Who else is there?” - -“Just the cap’n and Baroney, but they’re expectin’ the doctor and -Brown. Them two are somewheres in the neighborhood. The cap’n fired a -gun as signal to ’em. We’ll have to look for the other fellers.” - -“What kind of a camp, an’ whereabouts?” Freegift asked, as he and Terry -and Stub greedily munched. - -“Oh, a good camp, in the open, not fur from the river.” - -Hugh and Bill acted oddly――with manner mysterious as if they were -keeping something back. After the meal, Hugh opened up. - -“Now that you’ve eaten, guess I’ll tell you what’s happened,” he -blurted. “You’ll know it, anyhow.” - -“Anybody dead? Not the cap’n!” - -“No. Nothing like that. But this ain’t the river.” - -“Ain’t the Red River?” - -“Nope.” - -The three stared, dazed. - -“What river might it be, then?” gasped Freegift. - -“The Arkansaw ag’in. An’ camp’s located on that very same spot in the -dry valley where we struck north last December, scarce a month ago!”[G] - -[G] That was the remarkable and disappointing fact. From the heads of -the Platte River they simply had passed southwestward to the head of -the Arkansas, had fought their way down through the Grand Canyon of the -Arkansas to the Royal Gorge, and crossing around this were completing a -big circle to the Cañon City region again. - -“It’s certainly hard on the little cap’n,” Bill added. “Yesterday, his -worst day of all, when near dead he made out and espied the landmarks, -was his birthday, too.” - -“What’s the date?” Terry queried. “I’ve forgot.” - -“Fifth o’ January. To-day’s the sixth. It was December 10 when we -camped yonder before.” - - - - -XV - -NOT YET DEFEATED - - -Helped by Hugh Menaugh and Bill Gordon they might now travel on for the -lieutenant’s camp. They had to cross several gulches and one or two -ridges; then they came out into view of the dry valley, at the foot -of which the Arkansaw issued from the mountains, to course eastward -through the foothills and down to the plains far beyond. - -It was the same valley. They might see again the Grand Peak, distant in -the north, and mark the line of the river, nearer in the south. From -the ridges they had been enabled to sight the Great Snow Mountains, -also in the south and much farther than the Grand Peak in the opposite -direction. Yes, this was the Arkansaw, and the lieutenant had missed -his guess by a wide margin. - -He was waiting at the camp. He greeted them kindly, but was haggard -and seemed much cut up over the result of all his hard marches. No one -could resist being sorry for him. - -The doctor and John Brown were here, too. They had brought in six deer, -so that now there was plenty of meat on hand. - -It was two more days before the last of the men had straggled in. -Meanwhile the doctor especially had been interested in the new “Jack -Pursley,” otherwise Stub; had examined his head, and together with the -lieutenant had asked him questions. But as Stub stuck to his story, -they had to accept it; appeared rather to believe it――the doctor in -particular. - -Considerable of their talk, between themselves, Stub did not -understand. There was something about “removal of pressure,” -“resumption of activity,” “clearing up of brain area,” and so forth, -which really meant nothing to Stub, except that now he knew who he was -and the spot under his scar no longer burned or weighed like lead. - -If he might only find his father, whose name, he remembered, was James, -and if the lieutenant might find the Red River after all, then he would -be perfectly happy. - -The lieutenant acted somewhat worried. He did not know quite what to -do next. He did not like to waste time; but instead of having found -the Red River, after a month of search which had lost him horses and -crippled others and almost had lost him men also, here he was with -nothing gained except a little information about the mountain country -north. - -But he was not a man to shilly-shally. He and the doctor, and sometimes -Baroney, talked earnestly together; on the day after the last of the -squads had arrived, and when everybody had eaten well and had rested, -he called a council. - -“I have decided to make another attempt, men,” he said. “We are -soldiers, and our duty to our orders and our Flag demands that we do -not admit defeat. The thought of defeat is unworthy of brave men. It -is far better to die with honor, in the knowledge that we have done -our utmost, than to live as cowards and weaklings. Fortune has been -trying us out, but she will not find us lacking. We have explored to -the north, and we know that the Red River does not lie there. That much -has been accomplished, and not in vain, for we have made important -discoveries and greatly extended the Government’s knowledge of the -sources of the Platte and the Arkansaw Rivers. It will be impossible -to travel onward with the horses. We have lost a number of them, and -the remainder are unfit. So I propose to stay here a few days, in order -to erect a block-house and gather meat. Then I shall leave the horses, -and the useless baggage, with two men in charge; and with the rest of -you shall strike southward to cross the next divide, in the vicinity of -the Great White Mountains, where, I am positive, we shall emerge upon -the head streams of the Red River. We have demonstrated the fact that -the Red River can lie only in that direction. From there we will send -back for the horses, which by that time will be recovered; and we will -descend along the river to the civilization of our own people and the -just reward, I trust, of a Country appreciative of your efforts.” - -Sergeant Meek faced the men and flourished his lean arm. - -“Three cheers for the cap’n and the Red River, boys! Hooray! Hooray! -Hooray!” - -They all spent the next four days in building the block-house with -logs, and in hunting. A good pasture was found, for the wretched -horses. John Sparks made a new stock for the lieutenant’s broken gun. - -Baroney and Pat Smith were to stay here. Although a great deal of -the baggage, including the lieutenant’s own trunk with his “chief’s” -uniform, was left also, what with the ammunition and axes and spades, -and the presents in case the Comanches or other Indians should be met, -and the meat, the lieutenant and the doctor and the eleven men carried -each seventy pounds, weighed out equally, and Stub himself had a pack. - -Followed by a good-luck cheer from Baroney and Pat, they marched out -from the block-house on the morning of January 14, southward bound -across the Arkansaw, to find the Red River down in the region of the -Great White Mountains. - -The first day they marched thirteen miles; the doctor killed a deer. -The second day they marched nineteen miles, up along a stream that -opened a way for them to the mountains; the lieutenant and the doctor -and John Sparks each killed a deer. On the third day they marched up -the same stream, eighteen miles, in a snowstorm; and nobody killed -anything. So to-night they pretty well finished their meat. Travelling -afoot in winter was hungry work, and they could carry only a little at -a time. - -On the fourth day they marched twenty-eight miles――and a bad day it -proved to be. The Great White Mountains had been getting nearer, -at this end――their upper end. They formed a tremendous snowy chain -stretching northwest and southeast. The stream came down from them, -and they were about to bar the trail. Upon the east there were lesser -mountains. But no Red River flowed in this broad trough between the two -ranges; its streams fed the Arkansaw River; therefore the Red River -must lie upon the farther, or western side, of the Great White range.[H] - -[H] These Great White Mountains of Lieutenant Pike are the Sangre de -Cristo Range of Southern Colorado. They extend from the Arkansas River -above the Grand Canyon clear into New Mexico, and are a noble snowy -range indeed. The early Spanish explorers from the south named them -Sangre de Cristo, or Blood of Christ, because when first sighted they -were bathed red in the reflection from a New Mexico sunset. And this -frequently is their sunset coloring today. From the block-house beyond -present Cañon City north of the Arkansas River the Pike men had marched -south across the river, and probably had followed up Grape Creek, which -descends from the east slope of the Sangre de Cristo――the Great White -Mountains. - -The mountains seemed to rise from a bare prairie which grew no wood. -The lieutenant had left the stream, so as to aim more directly for a -low place in the range; but he was not to cross, to-day. The range was -farther than it looked to be. The sun set――and here they were, in the -cold open, without wood or water either, or a bite to eat. - -“There’s timber at the base of those first slopes,” he said. “We’ll -have to push on, men, until we reach it. The night will be too cold for -existing with no fires.” - -Suddenly they were barred by the creek, and needs must ford it through -ice that broke under their moccasins. It was long after dark, and -was stinging cold, when they arrived at the trees. The men stumbled -wearily; Stub could not feel his feet at all. Nobody had complained, -though――but when the fires had been built and they all started to thaw -themselves out, the doctor found that nine pairs of feet had been -frozen, among the men, with Stub’s pair to be included. - -He, and the lieutenant, Sergeant Meek and Terry Miller were the only -ones to have escaped! John Sparks and young Tom Dougherty were the -worst off. Their feet were solid white to their ankles. Hugh Menaugh -and Jake Carter were badly off, too. The doctor did his best――everybody -rubbed hard with snow, and several groaned from the pain; but there -was nothing to eat and the thermometer dropped to more than eighteen -degrees below zero or freezing. - -With cold, hunger and aching feet it was a hard night. The lieutenant -sent Sergeant Meek and Terry out early in the morning, to hunt in one -direction; he and the doctor made ready to hunt in another. - -“Do the best you can, lads,” they encouraged, as they set forth. “We’ve -all been in tight places before, and have come out safely. Wait now in -patience, and you shall have the first meat that’s killed.” - -It was another long day: a cold, bleak day for this open camp on the -edge of the snow-laden pines and cedars, with the Great White Mountains -overlooking, on the one hand, as far as eye might see, and the wide -prairie bottoms stretching lone and lifeless on the other hand. - -Stub’s feet were swollen, puffy and tender, but he could walk. He and -Corporal Jerry Jackson and Alex Roy managed to keep the fires going. -John Sparks and Tom Dougherty lay suffering until the sweat stood on -their foreheads. Their feet seemed to be turning black, and were alive -with sharp pains. - -“Sure, we’re like never to walk ag’in, Tom,” John moaned. “Our -country’ll owe us each a pair o’ feet.” - -“I know that, John. But what’ll we do wid those we have? That’s what’s -botherin’ me. ’Tis cruel hard.” - -“’Tis harder on you than on me, lad,” John declared. “For you’re young. -An’ still, I’d like to do a bit more marchin’, myself.” - -They heard never a sound from the hunters, all day. At dark the -sergeant and Terry Miller came in, completely tuckered. They had not -fired a shot; had seen no game, nor seen the lieutenant and the doctor, -either. - -“We’ll have to pull our belts in another notch, boys,” quoth the -sergeant. “And trust to them other two. Had they found meat, they’d be -in. If they don’t come to-night, they’ll come to-morrow. ’Tis tough for -you, here by the fire; but it’s tougher on them, out yonder somewheres -in the cold, with their hearts aching at the thought of us waiting and -depending on ’em. Jest the same, I’d rather be any one of us, in our -moccasins as we are, than Henry Kennerman serving time in his boots.” - -Henry Kennerman was a soldier who had deserted on the way to the Osage -towns. - -The next day was the fourth without food. It passed slowly. The feet of -some of the men, like those of Stub, were much better; but John Sparks -and young Tom could not stand, and Hugh Menaugh and Jake Carter could -not walk. - -Toward evening the sergeant grew very uneasy; alarm settled over them -all. No tidings of any kind had arrived from the lieutenant and Doctor -Robinson. - -“We’ll wait, the night,” finally said Sergeant Meek. “In the morning -’twill be up to us, for if we sit here longer we’ll be too weak to -move. We’ll divide up, those of us who can walk. A part’ll have to -search for them two men, for maybe they’re needing help worse’n we -are, and ’tis the duty of a soldier never to abandon his officers. -The rest’ll look for meat again. And we’ll none of us come in till we -fetch either news or meat. Shame on us if we can’t turn to and help our -officers and ourselves.” - -“You’re right. There’s nobody can blame the cap’n an’ the doctor. -They’ve never spared themselves. We’ll all do our best, sergeant.” - -“Only lend me a pair o’ fate, any wan o’ yez whose heart’s too heavy -for ’em, an’ I’ll look for the cap’n meself,” appealed Tom Dougherty. - -They kept up the fires and tried to sleep. The black, cold night -deepened; overhead the steely stars spanned from prairie to dark -slopes. The Great Bear of the sky, which contained the Pointers that -told the time, drifted across, ranging on his nightly trail. - -Suddenly, at midnight, they heard a faint, breathless “Whoo-ee!” And -while they listened, another. - -“’Tis the cap’n and the doctor!” the sergeant exclaimed. “Hooray! Give -’em a yell, now, all together. Build up the fires.” - -They yelled. They were answered, through the darkness――and presently -through the same darkness the lieutenant――and the doctor――came -staggering in, bending low, to the fire-light. - -Meat! - -“Here you are, my lads!” the lieutenant panted. He dropped the load -from his back, swayed, sank to his knees, and the sergeant sprang to -catch him. - -“We’re all right, sir. We knew you’d be coming. You’re a welcome sight, -sir, meat or no meat. We were getting anxious about you and the doctor, -sir.” - -“I’ll tend to him, sergeant,” gasped the doctor. “You be helping the -men with the meat. Don’t let ’em over-eat. There’s more, back where we -killed.” - -The lieutenant had almost fainted. It was several minutes before he -could speak again. He and the doctor had had a terrible two days. The -doctor said that they had wounded a buffalo with three balls, the first -evening, but it had made off. All that night they had sat up, among -some rocks, nearly freezing to death while they waited for morning. -Then they had sighted a herd of buffalo, at daybreak, and had crawled -a mile through the snow――had shot eight times, wounded three, and the -whole herd had escaped. - -That second day they had tramped until the lieutenant was about spent -with hunger and lack of rest. Matters had looked very bad. But they -both decided that they would rather die looking for game, than return -and disappoint the men. Just at dusk, when they were aiming for a point -of timber, there to spend another night, they saw a third herd of -buffalo. The lieutenant managed to run and hide behind a cedar. When -the buffalo were about to pass, he shot, and this time crippled one. -The doctor ran, and with three more shots they killed the buffalo. -Hurrah! - -Then they butchered it, without stopping to eat; and carrying as much -as they could they had traveled for six hours, bringing the meat to the -camp. - -“It’s a story hard to beat,” said Sergeant Meek, simply. “You may not -be one of the army, yourself, sir; but as officer and man we’re proud -to follow you――you and the cap’n, sir.” - -“The lieutenant and I wondered what you men were thinking, when we -didn’t return,” the doctor proffered. “You had a right to expect us -sooner? Did you plan to march on and try to save your lives?” - -“No, sir; not exactly that,” replied rugged Sergeant Meek. “We knew you -hadn’t forgotten us, and there was no complaining. Seemed like we’d -best search for you, and the same time find meat if we could; and that -we’d ha’ done, the first thing in the morning, sir.” - -“Your plan, and the way with which you received us, do you all credit -before the world,” spoke the lieutenant, who overheard. “As your -comrades we thank you, men; and as your officer I am proud of you. My -reports to General Wilkinson and the Secretary of War shall not omit -the devotion to duty that has characterized your whole march.” - - - - -XVI - -BLOCKED BY THE GREAT WHITE MOUNTAINS - - -John Sparks and Tom Dougherty were to be left behind. That was the word. - -“What?” - -“Yes. The doctor says not a step shall they march, if they would save -their feet; an’ poor Tom, he’s like to lose his, anyhow. An’ since they -can’t march, no more can we carry ’em across the mountains without -hosses. So here they stay till we can send an’ get ’em.” - -All the buffalo meat had been brought in. The lieutenant was preparing -to march on, for the Red River. From the camp he had explored farther -westward, to the very foot of the mountains, seeking a trail over; but -the snow was four and five feet deep even there, the whole country -above was white, and he gave the trail up. - -“We’ll have to march on south along this side, until we find a better -place.” - -Now they made ready. John Sparks and Tom were fixed as comfortably as -possible, with guns and ammunition, a lean-to for shelter, and the -best buffalo-robes, and wood and meat. Their packs, and the packs of -Hugh Menaugh and Jake Carter (who barely could hobble, using their -muskets as crutches) were hidden under trees. - -Sturdy red-haired John and young Tom felt badly. So did everybody. The -lieutenant’s voice broke, as he said: - -“We aren’t deserting you, my lads. Never think of that. As surely as we -live we will send for you, the very first thing, as soon as we locate -a desirable camping spot, to which to bring down the horses. That will -not be long; we have only to cross these mountains. Rather than desert -you, if I should be the last man alive in the party I would return, -myself, and die with you. Whatever happens, meet it like soldiers, -bearing in mind that you are suffering for your Country. It is far -preferable to perish thus, in the wilderness, in discharge of duty, -rather than to forfeit honor by evading hardships and toil like the -disloyal Kennerman.” - -“Oh, sir! We’ll act the man, sir,” they replied. “We’ll keep a stiff -upper lip, an’ be waitin’ for the hosses to come get us.” - -The lieutenant shook hands with them; the doctor shook hands with them. - -“Now take care of those feet,” he urged. - -Everybody shook hands with them. - -“Good-by, lads.” - -“Good-by to yez. God send yez safe to the Red River, an’ we’ll join yez -there, all bound home together.” - -“For’d, march!” barked the lieutenant. His voice was husky. There were -tears freezing on his cheeks. - -“For’d, men,” rasped old Sergeant Meek, and blew his nose violently. - -A number of the other men were sniffling and blowing, and Stub choked -as he blindly trudged. Bluff Hugh Menaugh growled gently to himself, -while he and Jake hobbled. - -As long as they could see the little camp and the two figures sitting -they occasionally turned and waved; and John and Tom waved answer. - -“Well, we did our best for ’em,” sighed Corporal Jerry. “We took only -one meal o’ meat. They have the rest. ’Twill get ’em through, like as -not.” - -“Yes. Once across these mountains, to the Red River, and we’ll send for -them and the hosses.” - -This evening the one meal of meat was eaten. A little snow fell. In -the morning the lieutenant ordered Sergeant Meek to take the party on, -while he and the doctor hunted. The day was dark and lowering. Then the -storm set in again, snowing furiously. By noon the snow was knee high; -they could not see ten feet around; Hugh and Jake were unable to move -farther; the lieutenant and the doctor were still out――perhaps lost, -like themselves. - -“’Tis no use, men. We’ll make for the nearest timber and camp there,” -ordered Sergeant Meek. - -That was another miserably cold, hungry day, and a worse night. - -“How flesh and blood may be expected to stand more of this, I don’t -know,” uttered John Brown. - -“And it’s not for you to ask,” the sergeant sternly rebuked. “If you’re -so weak-hearted as to think them thoughts, keep ’em to yourself. Even -the lad Stub――a mere boy that he is――speaks no such words. Shame on -you――you a soldier!” - -John Brown muttered, but said no more. - -“Heaven help the cap’n an’ the doctor, again,” spoke Corporal Jerry, -as they all huddled about their fire, and the wind howled and the snow -hissed, and the drifts piled higher against their little bulwark of -packs. “An’ if they don’t find us an’ we don’t find them, ’twill go -hard with Sparks and Dougherty, too.” - -“If the storm clears, we’ll march on in the morning,” said Sergeant -Meek. “We’ve had orders to meet ’em, on a piece yet, and that’s our -duty.” - -The morning dawned gray and white, but the storm had ceased. They shook -off the snow, reshouldered their packs, and guns in hand stiffly -started. The snow was thigh high; the Great White Mountains looming -in a long front without end on their right were whiter than ever; the -bottoms and the more distant mountains on their left were white. It was -snow, snow, snow, everywhere; the very dead of winter. - -Now (Good!) here came the lieutenant and the doctor, ploughing down -a slope, their packs on their backs, but nothing else. Snowy and -breathing hard, they arrived. The men, plodding, had seen; and having -given up hope plodded on, saying not a word. Only Sergeant Meek -greeted, saluting as best he might: - -“All well, cap’n. Good morning to you, sirs.” - -“No luck this time, sergeant,” wheezed the lieutenant, cheerily, but -with face pinched and set. “We missed you, and spent the night together -in the snow.” - -“Yes, sir. We couldn’t see, for the storm, sir, and had to camp in the -nearest shelter.” - -“You did right, sergeant. The storm was so thick that I found even the -compass of little help. The doctor and I became separated and were -fearful that we had lost each other as well as the party. Halt the men.” - -“Squad, halt,” rasped the sergeant. - -The men waited, panting and coughing. - -“It’s evident there are no buffalo down in the open, lads,” spoke the -lieutenant. “The doctor and I have sighted never a one nor any sign of -one. The storm has driven them back and higher, into the timber. We’ll -make in the same direction, and be crossing the mountains while seeking -meat.” - -He and the doctor led off, heading westward, to climb the Great White -Mountains. The route commenced to get more rolling――up and down, up -and down, over the rounded foothills concealed by the snow. ’Twas -leg-wearying, breath-taking work. The snow grew deeper. In the hollows -it had gathered shoulders high; upon the slopes it was waist high. The -little column was straggling. Stub, the smallest member, trying to -tread in the broken trail, was at times almost buried. - -In an hour they all had covered a pitiful distance; to be sure, the -prairie was somewhat below, but the real mountains seemed far above, -and the silent timber still awaited, in a broad belt. - -The lieutenant and the doctor had halted. They turned and began to -plough back. The little column, steaming with the vapor from lungs and -bodies, drew nearer to them. - -“The snow is too deep, here, lads,” the lieutenant called, as he and -the doctor passed in front of the file. His voice was tired; anybody -might have thought him discouraged――and little wonder. “We’ll have to -keep lower down, and try elsewhere.” - -“To the famine country of the open bottoms,” he said. Were they never -to get across these Great White Mountains, which faced them unending? -Were they to die in the snow, just for the sake of hunting the Red -River? John Brown, near the head of the column, broke restraint again -and exclaimed roundly: - -“I say, it’s more than flesh an’ blood can bear, to march three days -with not a mouthful of food, through snow three feet deep, an’ carry -loads only fit for hosses!” - -Everybody heard. Sergeant Meek turned on him angrily. Had the -lieutenant heard also? No? Yes! He had paused for an instant, as if to -reply; then without another sign he had proceeded. - -“You’ll be called to answer for this, Brown,” warned the sergeant. - -John muttered to himself, and a silence fell upon the file. Stooped and -unsteady under their own loads, the lieutenant and the doctor doggedly -continued, breaking the trail on course obliquing for the lower -country. The others followed, breathing hard. - -The lieutenant and the doctor had struck down a shallow draw. Issuing -from the end of it, they were out of sight. When the head of the -column arrived at the same spot, there were only the two packs, and a -message scrawled with a ramrod on the snow. Sergeant Meek read. - -“We see buffalo. Camp in nearest timber and wait. Z. M. P.” - -Every eye sprang to search the landscape. There! Far down, upon the -prairie! Black dots――slowly moving across! Buffalo! And where were the -hunters? Their tracks pointed onward from the two packs. See! They were -running, crouched, down among the billowy swells, as if to head the -animals off. It was a desperate chance. - -“The breeze is with us,” Sergeant Meek cried hopefully. “Quick! For -that timber tip, yon, and keep out o’ sight. Trust the cap’n and the -doctor to do their best. Let’s take no risk of spoiling their chance.” - -The column hustled, with strength renewed. The tip of timber was about -a mile distant. The buffalo had disappeared behind a knoll of the -prairie; the last seen of the lieutenant and the doctor, they were -hastening――stumbling and falling and lunging again, to reach the same -knoll. The doctor had forged ahead. He was stronger than the lieutenant. - -Then the scene was swallowed up by a dip in the trail to the timber. - -Next, a dully-sounding gunshot! But only one. The doctor probably had -fired――perhaps at long distance. Had he landed――disabled, or only -wounded, or missed? Nothing could yet be seen. The men, and Stub, -their lungs almost bursting, shambled as fast as possible. Just as -they emerged at the point of timber, other shots boomed: two, close -together. Hooray! That meant business. They paused, puffing, to gaze. - -Again hooray! Down near the knoll a black spot blotched the snow. At -one side of it there were other black spots, some still, some moving -in and out. It was the herd, and seemed confused. Look! From the -black spot, off by itself――a dead buffalo, that!――smoke puffs darted -and spread. The buffalo herd surged a little, but did not run. The -lieutenant and the doctor were lying behind the carcass and shooting. - -“One, anyway, lads!” cheered Sergeant Meek. “Maybe more. Off with your -packs, now. Roy, Mountjoy, Stout, Brown, you cut wood; the rest of -us’ll be clearing a space. There’ll be meat in camp before long, and -we’ll have fires ready.” - -They all worked fast. No one now felt tired. The hunt down below -sounded like a battle. The lieutenant and the doctor were firing again -and again, as rapidly as they might load and aim. Toiling with ax and -spade and hands, the column, making camp, scarcely paused to watch; -but presently the firing ceased――the buffalo herd were lumbering away, -at last, with one, two, three of them gradually dropping behind, to -stagger, waver, and suddenly pitch, dead! Meat, and plenty of it! - -The lieutenant and the doctor were busy, butchering the carcass that -had shielded them. They wasted no time. Here they came, loaded well. -The fires were crackling and blazing, in readiness; and when they -panted in, spent, bloody and triumphant, the camp cheered hoarsely. - -“Eat, boys,” gasped the lieutenant. “Fortune has favored us. There’s -more meat below. But we’ll eat first.” - -Everybody hacked and tore at the red humps, and in a jiffy the strips -from them were being thrust into the fire by ramrods; without waiting -for more than a scorching and a warming through, the men devoured like -wolves. With the meat juice daubing his chin and staining the men’s -beards, Stub thought that never before had he tasted such sweetness. He -forgot his other hungers. - -Whew! One by one the men drew back, to chew the last mouthfuls, and -light pipes, contented. The meat all had vanished. - -“Send Brown to me, sergeant,” the lieutenant ordered. There was -something _he_ had not forgotten. - -John Brown arose and shambled to where the lieutenant and the doctor -were sitting. He looked sheepish and frightened. The lieutenant stood, -to front him; did not acknowledge his salute, but scanned him sternly, -his haggard eyes commencing to blaze bluely. - -“Brown, you this day presumed to make use of language that was -seditious and mutinous; I then passed it over, pitying your situation -and laying your conduct to your distress from hunger, rather than to -desire to sow discontent amongst the party. Had I saved provisions for -ourselves, whilst you were starving,” reproached the lieutenant; “had -we been marching along light and at our ease, whilst you were weighed -down with your burden, then you would have had some excuse for your -remarks: but when we all were equally hungry, weary, worn, and charged -with burdens which I believe my natural strength is less able to bear -than any man’s in the party――when we are always foremost in breaking -the road, reconnoitering and enduring the fatigues of the chase, it -was the height of ingratitude in you to let an expression escape that -showed discontent. Your ready compliance and firm perseverance I had -reason to expect, as the leader of men who are my companions in misery -and danger. But your duty as a soldier (the young lieutenant’s voice -rang, and his eyes flashed) called on your obedience to your officer, -and a suppression of such language. However, for this time I will -pardon; but I assure you, should that ever be repeated, I will answer -your ingratitude and punish your disobedience by instant death.” - -John Brown had shrunk and whitened. - -“Yes, sir,” he faltered. “Thank you, sir. I’ll remember. It shan’t -happen again.” - -“You may go.” The lieutenant’s eyes left Brown’s face and traveled -over the other men. “I take this opportunity,” he said, “likewise to -express to you, soldiers, generally, my thanks for your obedience, -perseverance, and ready contempt of every danger, which you have in -common shown. And I assure you that nothing shall be lacking on my part -to procure you the rewards of our Government and the gratitude of your -countrymen.” - -“Three cheers for the cap’n, lads,” shouted Sergeant Meek. “Hooray, -now! Hooray! Hooray!” - -“We’re with you to the end, sir!” - -“We’re not complainin’, sir. No more is Brown.” - -“You’re the leader, sir, and we’re proud to follow.” - -“Sure, you an’ the doctor do the hard work.” - -Thus they cried, bravely and huskily; for who could help loving this -stanch little officer, who asked no favors of rank, except to lead, -and who now stood before them, in his stained red fur-lined cap, his -wet, torn blanket-coat, his bedraggled thin blue trousers and soaked, -scuffed moccasins. He was all man. - -He raised his hand. His face had flushed, his eyes had softened -moistly, and his lips quivered. - -“That will do, lads. We understand each other, and I’m sure Brown will -not repeat his offense. For my part, I am determined that we shall not -move again without a supply of food. That imperils our success, and is -more than our duty would require of us.” - -“Still, we might have made good, hadn’t we left the bulk of our meat -with Sparks and Dougherty, back yonder,” Freegift Stout remarked, to -the others in his mess. “That’s what pinched us.” - - - - -XVII - -THE FORT IN THE WILDERNESS - - -Across the Great White Mountains at last! - -That had proved to be not such a hard trip, after all, although -uncomfortable on account of the snow. First, the meat from the other -buffalo (three) had been brought into camp――had been sliced and the -strips hung on frames, to dry. There was a great quantity of it; more -than could be carried on foot. So Hugh Menaugh, whose frozen feet still -crippled him badly, was left to guard the extra amount, at this supply -depot; and, loaded well, the twelve others marched on. - -The lieutenant and the doctor led into the mountains. Now was the time -to cross while the men had meat and felt strong. In spite of the snow -three feet deep they made fourteen miles, following the low places; and -at evening they were over――they had come upon a stream flowing west! It -surely was a feeder of the Red River! - -Again they all cheered. But if they were over, they were not yet -through, for ahead they could see only the same bald or timbered swells -and ridges, snow-covered and still without end. - -Near noon, the next day, the lieutenant and the doctor, in the advance -as usual, turned and gladly beckoned, and pointed before. They all -hastened. The signs were good――the brush had been flattened or cut off, -down a long draw, and the trees had been blazed and curiously painted -with rude figures. It was an Indian pass. - -The lieutenant and the doctor had gone on. When the others arrived at -the spot, they saw. - -“We’re coming out, boys!” - -“We’ll be out before night!” - -A separate, distant range of mountains might be sighted, through the -gap made by the blazed trail; and below, nearer, there was glimpse of -the low country, bordered on this side by bare sandy foothills of these -Great White Mountains themselves. - -At sunset they were down and into the open, between the timbered slopes -and the rolling sand-hills. On the west, beyond the sand-hills there -appeared to be a wide valley; and beyond the valley that other range of -mountains. - -Camp had to be made soon, here at the base of the Great White -Mountains. The lieutenant went out alone, to climb the sand-hills, for -a view. They could see him, a small figure, toiling up and standing, to -peer through his spy-glass. He came back in the dusk, but his face was -aglow. - -“I have good news,” he announced. “We have won success. With the glass -I can see from those sand-hills a larger river coursing from northwest -to southeast through the valley beyond. There can be no doubt that it -is the Red River.” - -They cheered and cheered, and ate with fine appetites. It was a happy -night. As Sergeant Meek said: - -“Once there――and ’twon’t be long――we can send back for Menaugh, and -poor Sparks and Dougherty, and Baroney and Smith and the hosses; and -we’ll all be together again, ready for the march home.” - -The sand-hills were five miles wide, and looked to be about fifteen -miles long. The river came down obliquely through the valley――which was -indeed a broad bottom of prairie-land; so they cut across at an angle, -and not until the second evening, after a day’s march of twenty-four -miles, did they reach the bank of the river itself, January 30. - -It certainly was the Red River, issuing from the western mountains, and -here turning more southwardly, in the middle of the valley. - -The valley was a wonderland. It lay flat, with little snow, full -fifty miles wide and in length almost farther than eye might say. -The mountains in the west were bald, snowy and grim. The Great White -Mountains on the east appeared to end opposite in a huge, dazzling -peak with three crests, but a lower range veered in, narrowing -the valley in the south. Afar in the north, the valley was closed -completely. - -The bottoms were dotted with herds of deer, browsing on the thick dried -grasses. Many smaller streams joined the big river. - -“Aye, ’tis a hunters’ paradise, this,” sighed Freegift Stout. “We’re in -a land o’ plenty. We can send back word that’ll gladden the hearts of -the boys behind.” - -The lieutenant had decided to make a fortified camp, so as to have -protection from the Indians and perhaps from the Spanish while the men -behind were being sent for and boats were being built. He intended to -descend the Red River by boat and horse, both. - -There was no timber at this spot. Some appeared lower along the river. -They marched for it――eighteen miles. The larger trees were across the -river; therefore the lieutenant led across, also, by way of the ice -and several islands. Then they came to another river, that looked like -a fork, entering from the west. About five miles from its mouth the -lieutenant found a good place. The fort should be here. - -It was a small piece of level bottom, grown to cottonwood trees on -the north side of this west fork. The fork was all open water, about -thirty paces wide. Opposite, on the south side, there was a high, -partly bare hill, out of gunshot. - -The next morning, which was February 1, the lieutenant staked a plan of -the fort, on the ground. Axes rang, spades scraped, picks thudded. As -soon as the fort was far enough along so that it would stand an attack, -a party should be sent back across the Great Snowy Mountains to get the -other men and the horses. - -“But what I’d like to know, is, what are we doin’ on this side the main -river?” queried Corporal Jerry, that night. - -“To get at the big trees, and because ’tis the proper place for the -fort,” answered Sergeant Meek. - -“Yes, maybe. But bein’ as this is the Red River, we’re on the Spanish -side, ain’t we? From all I hear, the Red River’s the dividin’ line -betwixt the United States an’ Mexico, an’ we’re across it into Mexican -territory.” - -“That’s not for you or me to say, my boy,” Sergeant Meek retorted. “The -cap’n has his orders, you can bet, and all we need do is to foller -him. But sure, this is a fork, at the head-waters, and we’re on the -north side the fork. In a bit more we’ll be starting on down, like as -not keeping safe to our own side again. And meanwhile if the Spanish -tackle us here, all the worse for ’em. Not the whole Spanish army could -budge us from this fort when it’s done. I wouldn’t mind having a dust -with ’em, for a change from shooting buff’lo and deer.” - -“You’re right. A dust at real fightin’ would serve to pass the time, -sergeant,” the others cried. “Didn’t we foller ’em, an’ didn’t they -lead us wrong?” - -“Or else we led ourselves wrong, mistaking Injun trail for white man -trail. At any rate, here we are; and as soon as the ice breaks――which -won’t be long――we’ll all be marching on, for home.” - -The fort was to be a strong one. Lieutenant Pike, who took great pride -in it, explained the scheme, himself, to Stub. - -“Thirty-six feet square, inside, fronting upon the river, where the -current is too deep to ford. Bastions (which were small block-houses) -at the two rear corners, to cover the walls on three sides. The walls, -six feet up, of large cottonwood logs two feet through. Smaller logs to -be laid for another six feet. A ditch will be dug all around, inside, -and sloped off toward the walls, for pickets to rest in. The pickets -will be sharpened and will slant two and one-half feet over the top of -the walls, like a fringe, so that nobody can climb in. All around, -outside, there will be a deep ditch four feet wide, and filled with -water. This is called a moat. We will cut a row of loopholes in the -walls, eight feet up; the men will stand upon platforms, to shoot -through. Our only entrance will be a hole, about the size of a man’s -body, low down, on the river side; and to use it, everybody will have -to crawl in or out on his stomach, and cross the big ditch by means of -a plank. There will be no roof; this is what is called a stockade. But -the men doubtless will construct shelters of brush.” - -“You’ll be a soldier yet,” the doctor laughed, to Stub, overhearing the -explanation. - -“Entrenched here we need have no fear of one hundred Spanish troops,” -the lieutenant remarked. “We could easily stand them off for a day or -two; then by a sally at night either disperse them, or make our escape -in the darkness, before our supplies were exhausted.” - -“And Indians?” - -“They would be less dangerous, unless they sent word to Santa Fe in -the south. We would endeavor to treat with them, which is one of the -purposes of the expedition.” - -Jake Carter and Alex Roy were not able to do much, on account of -tender feet. The other men worked hard, building the stockade around -the American flag that had been planted on a pole, in the center. The -lieutenant and Doctor Robinson hunted and explored. Stub frequently -went with them, to help bring in the meat. - -Once they discovered a group of springs, at the base of the hill south -of the fork and opposite the stockade. These were warm springs, and -strangely colored, brown and yellow. Their warm water was what kept the -fork open, clear to the main river and for some distance down below the -mouth of the fork. - -They discovered also a well-traveled trail up along an eastern branch -of the main river, not far above the western fork. It was a horse -trail. Camps beside it showed that soldiers――probably Spanish――had used -it. So the Spanish came in here. - -The lieutenant and the doctor talked considerably of Santa Fe, the -capital of New Mexico. It lay somewhere south. The lieutenant was -anxious to know more about it, so as to make report upon it to the -United States government. He could not leave the stockade, himself, but -the doctor arranged to go. - -Evidently this had been the plan for some time. A trader by the name -of William Morrison, in the United States, had sent goods there, three -years ago, in charge of another man named Baptiste Lalande, to be sold. -But Lalande had never come back with the money. Doctor Robinson had -agreed with William Morrison to visit Santa Fe, if near there, and -collect the money. This would be an excuse for spying around. - -At the end of the first week, when the stockade was partially finished, -the doctor left for Santa Fe. He set out westward, up the south bank -of the fork (which was the wrong direction, although none of them knew -it), and promised to return with his report in a week or ten days. - -The men were not so certain about this. Sergeant Meek wagged his -grizzled head dubiously. - -“Not to criticize a superior officer, but strikes me it’s a risky -move. The doctor’s pure grit, all right enough, to head alone through -a country full o’ Injun sign and Spanish sign to boot, and he’s like -to run his foot into a wolf trap. For if he gets there, them Spanish -will be curyus to know where he come from; and what’s to prevent their -back-trailing him? Oh, well; there’s something afoot that we don’t -understand. Our duty’s to obey orders, and if the lieutenant says for -us all to go to Santy Fee, go we will. But we’ll not go there by any -orders o’ the Spanish.” - -This evening Corporal Jerry Jackson was started out, to get John Sparks -and Tom Dougherty, if he could, and also Hugh Menaugh, on the other -side of the mountains. He took with him Freegift Stout, William Gordon, -John Brown and John Mountjoy. - -That left in the stockade only the lieutenant, Sergeant Meek, Terry -Miller, Jake Carter and Alex Roy (whose feet had been badly frozen), -and Stub. They missed the doctor, and Corporal Jerry’s squad, but could -get along for a few days. - -This was February 7. No word might be expected from the doctor or -Corporal Jerry for at least a week. Nothing especial happened during -the week. The men and Stub kept on laboring at the stockade, the -lieutenant read in a French book a great deal, or hunted for deer, -taking Stub as companion. - -By the sixteenth the walls of the stockade were about done, and the -inside ditch, for the pickets, was being pecked out――a slow job in the -frozen earth. Nine days had passed, and still there was no sign from -the doctor or Corporal Jerry. This morning the lieutenant and Stub -went out hunting again, down the main river. The lieutenant carried -his favorite musket――the one whose grip had been mended. Stub wore a -pistol, the mate to Hugh Menaugh’s, borrowed from the lieutenant. - -They had tramped about six miles, had just wounded a deer and were -trailing it, when the lieutenant suddenly exclaimed: - -“Halt. Be quiet. Somebody’s coming.” - -Two strangers, horseback, were topping a rise, half a mile before and a -little on the right or west. - - - - -XVIII - -VISITORS FROM THE SOUTH - - -“Not wild Indians; Spanish, rather,” mused the lieutenant, as, standing -motionless, he and Stub gazed. “Hah! They may be videttes (scouts) from -a large party, or they may be hunters like ourselves. We’ll turn back, -my boy; not from fear but to avoid trouble if possible.” - -So they turned back, in the direction of the stockade. Glancing behind, -Stub saw the two horsemen descending the hill at a gallop. - -“They’re coming, lieutenant. They’ve seen us.” - -“The sound of our gun no doubt attracted them first. They seem to be -alone. Very well. They must not be permitted to think that we’re afraid -of them. Should they persist in coming on, we’ll face them.” - -The two horsemen did come on, flourishing their lances as if in a -charge. They were closing the gap rapidly――were within gunshot, when -the lieutenant barked the brisk order: - -“Now! Face about! We’ll show them the muzzles of our guns.” - -They turned, and leveled musket and pistol. The two horsemen instantly -pulled their mounts short, whirled, and bending low scudded away. In a -short distance they halted, and sat waiting. - -“We’ll advance on them,” quoth the lieutenant. - -But the first few steps sent the pair scurrying in retreat again. - -“All right,” said the lieutenant. “They respect our weapons and see we -do not fear theirs. Maybe they’ll let us take our way.” - -However, when he and Stub proceeded on the trail for the stockade, -on came the two horsemen in another charge. The lieutenant ordered -a face-about――and away the two scampered, as before. This game was -repeated several times. The stockade was not in sight, and the -lieutenant was growing angry. - -“We’ll make an end to this, Stub.” His face had flushed. “I do not -propose to be badgered. It is beneath the dignity of an American -officer and soldier to be toyed with in such child’s play. Pay no -further attention to them until we round that shoulder yonder. Then -we’ll slip into a ravine there and see if we can’t lure them to close -quarters that will bring them to account.” - -It was back-tickling work, to trudge on, never turning, with those -lances threatening, closer and closer, behind. But the lieutenant gave -no sign――until, when around the shoulder and for a moment out of sight -by the pursuit, he sprang aside. - -“Quick, now!” - -They dived for cover and found it in a heap of large, brush-screened -rocks. They waited, peering and listening. Pretty soon they might hear -the hoofs of the horses. The two riders cantered into sight. They were -quite near. One was black-bearded――wore a large ribboned hat and blue -and red coat and leathern leggins, the same as Lieutenant Melgares’ -soldiers had worn. He was a Spanish dragoon. He carried a lance, a -shield and short musketoon or escopeta hung at his saddle. - -The other was dark, without whiskers: an Indian. He wore a blue cotton -shirt and leggins wrapped in white from moccasins to knees. His hair -fell in two braids. He, also, carried a lance and shield. - -They saw nobody ahead of them, and began to move cautiously, craning, -and checking their horses. Little by little they came on. Now they were -within forty paces. - -“This will do,” the lieutenant whispered. “We have them. Lay down your -pistol and stand up so they can see you’re unarmed. Then walk out. -I’ll follow and cover them. If they show sign of harm, I’ll fire upon -them instantly.” - -Stub bravely stood into full view and spread his empty hands. He was -not afraid; not while Lieutenant Pike was backing him. - -The two horsemen were completely surprised. They reined in and sat -poised and gawking, on the verge of flight. But the lieutenant’s gun -muzzle held them fast, while Stub walked toward them, his hand up in -the peace sign. The lieutenant called: - -“Amigos (Friends)! Americanos (Americans)!” And he must have beckoned, -for the two timidly edged forward, ready to run or to fight. Evidently -they would rather run. - -The lieutenant advanced also, and joined Stub. - -“Take your pistol. Here it is. We’ll talk with them. Do you know -Spanish?” - -“I’ve forgotten,” Stub stammered. - -“We’ll manage with signs and the few words we do know. At the same time -we must stand prepared to fire.” - -“Where are you from?” he queried sharply, in French. - -The dragoon seemed to understand. - -“From Santa Fe, señor.” - -“How far is Santa Fe?” - -“Three days as we come, señor.” - -“What are you doing here?” - -“We hunt.” - -They got off their horses, and led them in nearer; then they smiled -friendly, and sat down and rolled themselves smokes. The lieutenant and -Stub warily sat down, opposite. It was a little council. Stub eyed the -Indian. He was a tame Indian――one of the house-building Indians from -the south: a Pueblo. - -“What do you hunt?” asked Lieutenant Pike. - -“Game, señor. Do you hunt, also?” - -“We travel down the Red River, to the American fort of Natchitoches.” - -“Another stranger has arrived, in Santa Fe. His name is Robinson. He is -an American. The governor received him well. He comes from your party?” - -“There is no such man in my party,” the lieutenant answered; which was -true, now. - -Presently he arose. It was difficult talking by signs and short words. - -“A Díos, señores. A pleasant journey to you.” - -“One moment, señor,” begged the dragoon. “Where is your camp?” - -“It is far; we have several camps. So good-by.” - -He and Stub started on. But the dragoon and the Indian mounted their -horses and followed. They were determined to find the camp. - -“They are spies,” said the lieutenant. “We cannot get rid of them -without trouble, and I have orders to avoid trouble. We shall have to -take them in.” - -So he and Stub waited, and it was just as well, for soon the regular -trail up river to the stockade was reached; the two horsemen struck -into it, and forged ahead, peering eagerly. The trail crossed the fork -above the stockade――and the first thing the two horsemen knew they were -stopped in short order by Alex Roy who was posted as sentinel. - -That astonished them again. They could just glimpse the stockade, they -heard Alex challenge them, and saw his gun――and ducking and dodging -they raced back, to the lieutenant. - -“Do not fear. Come,” he spoke. - -He led them on; they left their horses outside, and, still frightened, -followed him and Stub through an opening in the stockade, which was -being used until the ditch and the hole were ready. - -They stayed all that day. The men had orders to watch them, but not to -talk with them. They stared about as much as they could. They asked -several times where the Americans’ horses were, and how many men the -lieutenant had. Lieutenant Pike said that these were only a part of -his men, and that he had marched without horses, through the snow. He -was going down the Red River, holding councils with the Indians on the -borders of the United States. If the governor at Santa Fe would send -somebody who spoke good French or English, he would explain everything. - -The dragoon and the Pueblo did not believe; and when they rode away in -the morning they were as suspicious as ever. They said they would be -in Santa Fe in two days with the lieutenant’s message to the governor, -whose name was Don Joaquin del Real Alencaster. The lieutenant had -given them a few presents, which appeared to please them. The Pueblo -gave the lieutenant some deer meat, part of a goose, a sack of meal and -pieces of flat, hard-baked bread. - -Everybody was glad to see them go, but―――― - -“It’s an ill wind that brought ’em,” Sergeant Meek remarked. “Not -blaming him or the cap’n, the doctor did it. To be sure the Spanish -would set out to s’arch the country. Unless I’m mistaken, we’ll see -more of ’em.” - -The lieutenant thought the same. He ordered that the work of finishing -the stockade be rushed, and even lent a hand himself. He had no idea -of leaving until Hugh, and John Sparks and Tom, across the mountains, -and Baroney and Pat Smith, on the Arkansaw with the horses, had been -brought in. - -It was high time that Corporal Jerry and party turned up. They had been -gone a long while, and were needed. Five men and a boy were a small -garrison. This evening Corporal Jerry, with John Brown, William Gordon -and John Mountjoy, did arrive. After he had reported to the lieutenant, -he told his story to the rest of them. - -“Yes, we found Hugh, but we had to cross in snow middle deep, to do it. -He’s comin’ on with Freegift. They’ll be down to-morrow. We went back -to Sparks an’ Dougherty, too.” - -“How are they?” - -“Bad off. Ah, boys, ’twould melt your hearts to see ’em. They sheer -wept when we hailed ’em. They’ve got food enough yet, even after the -near two months; but they can scarce walk a step. Their feet are gone, -an’ they’ve hardly a finger between ’em. So we couldn’t move ’em; not -through the snow of the passes. We did what we could to cheer ’em up, -but when we left they acted like they never expected to see us again. -Yes; an’ they sent over bones from their feet, for the cap’n, an’ made -me promise to give ’em to him as a token an’ to beg him, by all that’s -sacred, not to let the two of ’em die like beasts, alone in the wilds. -When I gave him the bones an’ told him, he turned white an’ his eyes -filled up. ‘They should know me better than that,’ said he. ‘Never -would I abandon them. To restore them to their homes and their country -again I’d carry the end of a litter, myself, through snow and mountains -for months.’” - -“He’d do it,” asserted Sergeant Meek. “And so would any of us. Bones -from their feet, is it? Who but a soldier would lose the smallest joint -for such a pittance of pay, even to serve his country? Surely the -Government won’t lose sight o’ men like poor John and Tom.” - -The lieutenant took prompt measures. The news from the back trail had -affected him sorely. This same evening he approached the men who were -sitting around the fire. They sprang up, to attention. - -“You have heard of the condition of Sparks and Dougherty,” he -addressed. “They must be brought in at once, with all possible speed.” -He paused, as if planning. - -Sergeant Meek saluted. - -“One man and myself will take the trip, sir, with your permission. Jest -give us the word, sir.” - -“I’m with you, sergeant,” blurted Terry Miller. - -“None better,” accepted the sergeant. “We’ll go on back to the -Arkansaw, cap’n, for the hosses. And with the hosses we’ll pick up -John and Tom, and if they can’t ride we’ll sling ’em in litters.” - -Lieutenant Pike colored with pleasure. - -“That is handsome of you, sergeant; and of you, Miller. You will march -as soon as Stout and Menaugh get in, and we can make the preparations. -Your volunteering for a journey afoot of almost two hundred miles over -two ranges of mountains waist deep in snow, at the risk of encountering -savages, and soldiers of a nation that may not be friendly, is worthy -of the uniform that you have worn.” - -“By your leave, sir, there are some others who’d be proud to share the -honor with the sergeant and Terry,” spoke up Jake Carter, crippled -though he was. “I’ll answer for my feet, sir. They’ll carry me, once I -limber ’em up.” - -“Two will be enough. I’m sorry that I can’t spare more, my man. I see -that if you all had your way you’d leave me without a garrison.” - -Sergeant Meek and Terry felt highly tickled at having got in ahead of -the rest. - -The next morning Hugh and Freegift arrived all right. The other two -were to start early on the morrow. Ten pounds of deer meat apiece was -all that might be spared them; they said it was plenty――they had to -travel light, anyway, and would hunt as they went. - -The lieutenant, with Corporal Jackson, John Mountjoy and William Gordon -and Stub, walked with them for six miles, so that they might be shown -a better pass for the horses, than the one used by the corporal. Jerry -had reported that his pass was four feet deep with snow, during three -days’ travel. - -After the sergeant and Terry had trudged on, the others killed a deer; -Stub and Corporal Jerry were sent back with it, to the stockade, but -the lieutenant took John and Bill with him, on a farther scout, down -the east side of the main river. - -They were gone all day and the night. When they came in, the next -afternoon, they said that they had discovered fresh signs of men and -horses, south. The lieutenant called the garrison together and issued -strict orders. The two spies had left five days ago; and if Santa Fe -was only two days’ march distant, soldiers from there were likely to -appear at any moment now. - -“We must especially watch out for Indians, my lads,” he directed. “The -tribes hereabouts are doubtless under the influence of the Spanish -government in New Mexico. When any strangers are sighted loitering -about or passing, you are to retire unobserved, if possible. If they -see you, you are not to run, however, nor permit them to approach you -with the idea of disarming you or taking you prisoner. Should you be -unable to evade them, you are to guard your liberty and bring them to -the fort, where I will attend to them.” - -A sentry was posted all day on the top of a hill at the edge of the -stockade prairie, from where he had a fine view up and down the fork -and along the main river also. During the nights another sentry kept -watch from one of the bastions or little block-houses on the land-side -corners of the stockade. - -The stockade had been enclosed by the log walls, the pickets had been -planted, and within a day or two the outside ditch would be ready for -the water. - -On February 24 the lieutenant took Stub again upon another scout and -hunt. The two spies had been gone seven days, and nothing had been -heard from them. He was getting nervous while waiting for the sergeant -and Terry to return with the horses, Baroney, Pat, and John and Tom. -Meat was low; the men themselves had been too busy to hunt――but the -water was in the ditch and everything was snug and shipshape. - -He and Stub were out two days, scouting eastward, to examine the -traveled road along which the Spanish might come. They made a circle -and arrived “home,” lugging the meat of three deer, about nine o’clock -at night. - -Corporal Jerry greeted them, after the challenge of Freegift Stout, who -was the guard in the bastion. - -“We were beginnin’ to be scared for you, sir,” he said. “We didn’t know -but what the Injuns or the Spanish had taken you.” - -“All quiet here, corporal?” - -“Yes, sir; all quiet.” - -“That’s good. We’d have been back sooner, only we hunted farther than -we intended, and had heavy loads to pack in. Now if the other men with -the horses return in safety, we may all march on unmolested, through -American territory.” - -But in the morning, while they were at breakfast, the musket of John -Brown, on the hill, sounded――“Boom!” It was a signal: “Strangers in -sight.” Corporal Jerry dropped his knife and bolted into a bastion, to -look. Everybody paused, to learn the news. - -Back ran Corporal Jerry, to the lieutenant, who was standing at the -entrance to his brush lean-to, buckling on his sword. - -“Two men are crossin’ the prairie for the fort, sir. Menaugh (Hugh was -the sentinel pacing outside) is about to stop ’em.” - -“See what they have to say. And if there are no more, admit them,” -ordered the lieutenant. - -Away ran Corporal Jerry, for already Hugh was calling for the corporal -of the guard, while holding off the two strangers. - - - - -XIX - -IN THE HANDS OF THE SPANIARDS - - -In a few minutes the two strangers crawled through the hole. They were -clad in blanket-coats and deer-hide trousers and fur caps; looked like -French traders――and Frenchmen they proved to be, for the lieutenant -called to them, in French, “Come here,” and he and they talked together -in that language. - -Stub might catch only a word now and then; the men listened, puzzled, -prepared to grasp their stacked guns. - -The lieutenant finished the conversation. The Frenchmen bowed politely -again, he saluted them and spoke to his party. - -“These are two Frenchmen from Santa Fe, lads,” he said. “They inform -me that the governor of New Mexico is fearful of an attack upon us by -the Utah Indians, and has sent a detachment of fifty dragoons for our -protection. The detachment is within two days’ march of us. You know -your duty. I rely upon you to act in a manner that will reflect credit -upon our Country.” - -Scarcely had he spoken when they all heard the sentinels outside -hailing loudly, with “Halt! Who comes there? Corp’ral of the guar-rd! -Post Number One!” - -Out dived Corporal Jerry, once more. - -“To arms! Man the works, men!” the lieutenant rapped. - -They grabbed guns and hustled for the platforms under the loopholes. -There were more loopholes than men. Peeping through his, Stub might -see out into the prairie before the stockade. From up the fork a large -body of mounted soldiers had ridden into the edge of the clearing. John -Brown, who had come in from his hill, and Hugh Menaugh were holding -them back, Corporal Jerry was hastening to the scene. - -The lieutenant also had seen. - -“That is the company?” he demanded, of the two Frenchmen. - -“Oui, Monsieur Lieutenant.” - -“Tell the commander with my compliments to leave his men in the woods -where he now is, and I will meet him on the prairie before the fort.” - -“Oui, oui.” - -Out went the two Frenchmen. - -“They look like a hundred,” remarked Jake Carter. “We’re only eight, -and an officer an’ a boy. But what’s the difference?” - -“Sure, in case of a dust, Meek and Terry an’ the rest of ’em will be -sorry to miss it,” replied soldier Mountjoy. - -“Hooray for a brush, if that’s the word. We’re equal to it, no matter -how many they send ag’in us.” - -The men were keen for a fight. ’Twas a great thing, thought Stub, to -be an American. But the Spanish soldiers, halted at the edge of the -prairie within short gunshot, looked strong. About fifty, in one body, -were the dragoons; fifty appeared to be a mixture――a part Indians. But -all were well armed with short muskets, pistols, swords, lances and -shields――some in one style, some in another. - -The lieutenant had left and was striding into the prairie, to meet two -Spanish officers. He had taken only his sword, by his side. That would -show his rank, for his clothes certainly did not. Nevertheless, the -two Spanish officers, all in their heavy crimson cloaks, and decorated -hats, and long boots, did not look any more gallant than he in his -ragged blanket-coat, torn trousers, moccasins and fur-lined bedraggled -makeshift cap. - -The three saluted, and talked for a short time. Beyond, at the timber, -the horses pawed and snorted. Corporal Jerry and the two sentries -stayed, vigilant. At the loopholes, inside the stockade, the five men -and Stub peered, ready. - -Presently one of the Spanish officers shouted a command to the -soldiers; they relaxed, at ease――some dismounted, to stretch their -legs; he and the other officer followed Lieutenant Pike to the stockade. - -“No fight, hey?” uttered Alex Roy. - -“But no surrender, either, you can bet,” grunted Freegift. “The cap’n -likely has something up his sleeve.” - -The lieutenant entered, through the hole; the two Spanish officers -crawled in after――and an odd sight they made as they straightened -up, to stare about them curiously. It was plain that they were much -astonished by the completeness of the trap. - -The lieutenant led the two officers to his brush shelter. Stub heard -his own name called――the lieutenant beckoned to him. So he jumped down -and went over. - -“These two gentlemen of the Spanish army of New Mexico are to be my -guests at breakfast, boy,” said the lieutenant. “I wish you to serve -us. Bring out the best we have. The provisions given me by the Indian -we met can now be put to good use.” - -It was fortunate indeed that the lieutenant had saved the meal, goose -and pieces of bread particularly. They were a treat――although doubtless -the Spanish soldiers were used to even that fare. At any rate, most of -the stuff soon disappeared, washed down by water, after the table had -been set, so to speak. - -The lieutenant and his guests chatted in French. When they had finished -eating, and the two Spanish officers had wiped their moustaches with -fine white handkerchiefs, the lieutenant said, crisply: - -“Have I the pleasure to understand that this is a friendly call upon me -by his Majesty’s troops, at the instance of the New Mexico government?” - -The elder officer coughed. He answered politely: - -“Señor, the Governor of New Mexico, being informed that you have missed -your route, has ordered me to offer you in his name mules, horses, -money, or whatever you may need, for the purpose of conducting you to -the head of the Red River. From Santa Fe that is eight days’ journey, -before open to navigation. We have guides and know the routes.” - -“What! Missed my route, sir? Is not this the Red River?” - -“No, señor. This is the Rio Grande del Norte, of New Mexico. The Red -River is many leagues to the southeast.” - -The lieutenant flushed red. His thin hands clinched, and he gazed -bewildered. - -“Impossible. Why was I not told this by those two men ten days ago, and -I would have withdrawn?” - -The officer twirled his moustache and shrugged his shoulders. - -“Quien sabe (Who knows), Señor Don Lieutenant? But I now have the honor -to inform you, and am at your service.” - -The lieutenant recovered, and stepped outside a few paces. - -“Stout!” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“Lower the flag and roll it up. It will not be hoisted again without my -orders.” - -“Sir?” Freegift stammered. And―――― - -“Oh, no, sir! Not that! Not haul down the flag! Let us keep it flyin’, -sir. We can do it.” - -Those were the cries. The lieutenant lifted his hand. - -“Silence. I thank you, men. This is not surrender. I have no thought -of surrender. But we are not upon the Red River. We are upon the Rio -del Norte, in Mexican territory, and in courtesy to that government I -am lowering the flag of my own free-will. By building this stockade we -have unwittingly trespassed.”[I] - -[I] All the Rio Grande River which flows southward through south -central Colorado into New Mexico was Spanish territory. The Lieutenant -Pike party had crossed the Sangre de Cristo Range and had struck the -Rio Grande near present Alamosa in the southern half of Colorado’s -great San Luis Park or Valley. The largest of the White Mountains, on -the east, was Sierra Blanca (“White Mountain” today), altitude 14,390 -feet, ranking third among the peaks of the Rockies. From the camp at -the river the Pike men had travelled south, and built their stockade -about five miles up the Conejos (Rabbits) River, which enters the Rio -Grande from the west. Did he know this to be the Rio Grande del Norte, -or did he really think it to be the Red River? Why did he stop in what -was certainly Spanish territory? Did he wish to be captured? Or did he -only take a chance? Historians have puzzled over this ever since. - -The men muttered; the two visiting officers sat uneasy; but Freegift -lowered the flag, caught it in his arms, and with rather a black glance -at the red cloaks folded it carefully. - -“By thunder, when we raise it ag’in, it’ll stay,” he grumbled, as he -went to stow it away. - -“His Excellency Governor Alencaster requests the pleasure of a talk -with you at Santa Fe, señor,” said the elder officer, with a smile, to -the lieutenant. “He is desirous of entertaining you and learning the -story of your journey. For your accommodation he has provided me with -one hundred animals, to carry your baggage.” - -“I thank His Excellency, but it is impossible for me to accept the -invitation,” replied Lieutenant Pike, seating himself again. “I can -only send him my apologies for trespassing, by mistake, upon his -domain. I will wait here merely until the return of my sergeant and the -remainder of my company, and then withdraw at once to American soil. My -orders forbid me entering into Spanish territory.” - -“His Excellency will be much distressed not to see you, señor,” the -officer insisted. “I must beg of you to take advantage of our escort. -Otherwise I cannot answer for your safety.” - -At this, the lieutenant straightened, and his eyes flashed. - -“My safety will be attended to, sir. I shall not move until the safety -of my sergeant and party, some of whom may be suffering, is assured -also. Do I understand that your intent is to use force to convey me to -the governor?” - -The officer spread his hands and shook his head. - -“No, no, señor! Not in the least. But it is necessary that for the -information of the governor-general the governor of New Mexico should -receive from you personally an explanation of your presence within his -frontier, that he may send in the proper report. If you wish to go -with us now, very well; or if you wish to wait for the return of your -other party, very well. But in that case we shall be obliged to obtain -more provisions from Santa Fe, and dispatch a small number for that -purpose.” Even Stub, who had been listening agog, and catching most -of the words, knew that this meant reinforcements. “If you decide to -march with us now,” the officer added, “I will leave here an Indian who -speaks English, and a part of my dragoons, to greet your sergeant and -escort him and his men to join you at Santa Fe.” - -The lieutenant bit his lip and fidgeted. He was of two minds; but one -thing was certain: he could not get rid of these Spanish without a big -fight. And the worst of that would be, that he was an invader and had -broken the law. - -He did not hesitate long. - -“I shall not yield to force, sir,” he said. “We are American soldiers -and prepared to defend ourselves, as you have seen. However, in -consideration of your courteous attitude I am disposed to go with your -escort to His Excellency, and give him the explanation that is due from -one friendly nation to another. But I must leave two of my men here, -to receive the sergeant and reassure him; otherwise, I promise you, he -will not come on without a fight, except by direct orders from me.” - -“That is agreed, señor,” bowed the officer. “And we may consider the -matter very happily settled. You have my respectful thanks.” - -The lieutenant’s eyes fell upon Stub. - -“Tell Stout to send Corporal Jackson in to me.” He spoke to the Spanish -officer. “I will instruct my men to permit yours to approach, and would -suggest that you inform your company we are willing to receive them as -friends, if their actions so warrant.” - -“Thanks, señor.” - -Stub sought Freegift Stout. - -“The lieutenant says for you to tell Jerry to come in.” - -Freegift climbed down. - -“What’s it all about? Say! Is it true we’re not on the Red River yet, -but on what they call the Rio del Norte? Sure, that’s not so.” - -“It’s what they say. The lieutenant believes it. And we’re going to -Santa Fe.” - -“For what?” - -“The governor wants to talk with him.” - -“But not without a dust! Oh, no, now! Leave these good works, an’ go -without a dust?” - -Stub nodded soberly. Freegift dared not delay longer. He went off -muttering. The other men also murmured. The plan was not to their -liking. - -Freegift returned with Corporal Jerry. The men trooped after him, to -the lieutenant. Freegift acted as speaker. He saluted―――― - -“What’s this? Why have you left your posts?” the lieutenant demanded. - -“Please, cap’n. Beggin your pardon, sir――but ’tain’t true, is it, that -were layin’ down our arms an’ givin’ up to them Spanish, to march out, -an’ no fight offered? Sure, sir, we’re only eight and a boy; but we’re -behind good walls, an’ you’re the proper kind of an officer, an’ -’twould be no great job at all to hold them fellers off till we could -slip away with colors flyin’. You can’t trust them fellers, sir. An’ if -you’ll only give us the orders, sir, we’ll hand out a dose of Yankee -Doodle; eh, boys?” - -“Yes, sir! We’re ready for a dust, cap’n, sir. We’d rather trust to our -muskets than to those Spanish. We’re not afeared of ’em.” - -“That will do,” Lieutenant Pike answered, but not unkindly. “You’re -brave lads. I know I can depend on you――and with you I’d like to test -our defences at which you’ve worked so faithfully. But we are marching -of our own free will, and shall retain our arms. My orders are to avoid -a conflict with the Mexican forces, unless attacked. Since we are -unfortunately in Spanish territory, it will be better if we proceed -boldly to the New Mexican capital, at the invitation of the governor, -rather than put ourselves in the wrong by resistance.” - -“Yes, sir. If you say so, sir,” they replied, with glum faces. - -“Corporal, you may draw the sentries in,” continued the lieutenant “The -Spanish soldiers are to be allowed to move freely outside of the works. -Some of the men may meet them, to treat them civilly, for I wish no -sign of suspicion to be shown.” - -The two Spanish officers had gone to their troops. A great cheering -arose, from that direction, as if the soldiery had been told that there -would be no fighting, and were heartily glad. - -The Spanish flocked forward, into the prairie in front of the stockade. -Freegift and several of the other men, and Stub, did sally out, curious -to inspect their new friends. The Spanish soldiers were regular -dragoons, fifty; and mounted militia, fifty――a mixture, these, of -Spaniards and Mexicans and Indians. - -And they were kind and friendly, indeed. They brought food and blankets -and insisted that the Americans accept. Freegift himself finally -admitted: - -“Well, I’d still prefer a little dust, for the honor of the army -an’ a proof that a half-froze American is as good a man as a dozen -foreigners; but I don’t deny they’re treatin’ us mighty handsome, the -same as brothers-at-arms. The colors of ’em are a bit peculiar, yet -their hearts seem white.” - -Toward noon Corporal Jerry sought out all the garrison and called them -together, inside. - -“Mountjoy, you an’ I are to stay here, with some of the Spanish, an’ a -letter from the cap’n to hand to the sergeant when he comes. The rest -of you are to get ready to march at once. So good luck to you――an’ -we’ll see you later.” - -“That you will,” they answered. “And be sure you fetch Sparks and -Dougherty. They’re the ones who need all these fine fixin’s.” - -Horses were provided, as promised by the Spanish officer. Riding -comfortably on these, and escorted by fifty of the dragoons and -militia and the two officers (whose names were Lieutenant Don Ignatio -Saltelo and Lieutenant Don Bartholomew Fernandez), after dinner they -rode twelve miles westward up the fork to the Spanish camp. Now they -numbered only Lieutenant Pike, Privates Freegift Stout, Alex Roy, Hugh -Menaugh, William Gordon, Jacob Carter, John Brown, and Jack Pursley -otherwise Stub. Corporal Jerry Jackson and Private John Mountjoy -remained at the stockade, with the other fifty Spanish soldiers, to -wait for Sergeant Meek, and Private Terry Miller, who were bringing in, -across the mountains, John Sparks and Tom Dougherty (lacking feet and -fingers), Baroney Vasquez and interpreter, Pat Smith, and the horses. - -Truly, the little American column had become much scattered. - -“Jinks! I’d like to be there at the reception and see the sergeant’s -face,” Alex Roy chuckled. “’Specially when he learns we ain’t been on -the Red River at all!” - -“It may seem like a joke, but it’s a rough one,” quoth William Gordon. -“A look at the cap’n’s face is enough for me. To think, after all -these months he’s never got anywhere. ’Twill be a great report that -he’ll have to turn in, ’less he aims to l’arn something of the Spanish -country. At any rate, we’ve hauled down our flag, and given up our fort -and I’m sorry for him. He deserved better.” - - - - -XX - -STUB REACHES END O’ TRAIL - - -“Santa Fe! The city of Santa Fe! Behold!” - -Those were the cries adown the delighted column. Here they were, at -last; but this was the evening of the fifth day since leaving the camp, -and the distance was more than one hundred and sixty miles. The two -spies, who had said that Santa Fe was only two days’ journey from the -stockade, had lied. - -The first stage of the trip had been very cold, in deep snow. Then, on -the third day, or March 1, they had emerged into a country of warmth -and grass and buds, at the first of the Mexican settlements――a little -town named Aqua Caliente or Warm Springs. Hooray! - -They all, the Americans, viewed it curiously. The houses were low and -one-story, of yellowish mud, with flat roofs; grouped close together so -that they made an open square in the middle of the town and their rears -formed a bare wall on the four sides. - -“’Tis like a big brick-kiln, by jinks,” remarked Freegift. “Now I -wonder do they build this way for fear o’ the Injuns?” - -The people here numbered about five hundred――mainly Indians themselves, -but tame Indians, Pueblos who lived in houses, with a mingling of -Mexican blood. From the house-tops they welcomed the column; and -thronging to meet it they brought out food and other gifts for the -strangers. That night there was a dance, with the Americans as guests -of honor. - -“If this is the way they treat prisoners,” the men grinned, “sure, -though some of us can’t shake our feet yet, we’re agreeable to the good -intentions.” - -The same treatment had occurred all the way down along the Rio Grande -del Norte, through a succession of the flat mud villages. There had -been feasting, dancing, and at every stop the old women and old men had -taken the Americans into the houses and dressed their frozen feet. - -“This feet-washin’ and food-givin’ makes a feller think on Bible -times,” William Gordon asserted. “The pity is, that we didn’t ketch up -with that Spanish column that was lookin’ for us and gone right home -with ’em for a friendly visit. They’d likely have put us on the Red -River and have saved us our trouble.” - -“Well, we ain’t turned loose yet, remember,” counseled Hugh Menaugh. -“From what I l’arn, the Melgares column didn’t aim to entertain us -with anything more’n a fight. But now we’re nicely done, without -fightin’.” - -“Yes, this here politeness may be only a little celebration,” Alex -mused. “It’s cheap. For me, I’d prefer a dust or two, to keep us in -trim.” - -There had been one bit of trouble, which had proved that the -lieutenant, also, was not to be bamboozled. In the evening, at the -village named San Juan, or St. John, the men and Stub were together in -a large room assigned to them, when the lieutenant hastily entered. He -had been dining at the priest’s house, with Lieutenant Bartholomew; but -now a stranger accompanied him――a small, dark, sharp-faced man. - -The lieutenant seemed angry. - -“Shut the door and bar it,” he ordered, of John Brown. Then he turned -on the stranger. “We will settle our matters here,” he rapped, in -French; and explained, to the men: “This fellow is a spy, from the -governor. He has been dogging me and asking questions in poor English -all the way from the priest’s house. I have requested him to speak -in his own language, which is French, but he understands English and -would pretend that he is a prisoner to the Spanish――‘like ourselves,’ -he alleges. I have informed him that we have committed no crime, are -not prisoners, and fear nothing. We are free Americans. As for you,” -he continued, to the man, roundly, “I know you to be only a miserable -spy, hired by the governor in hopes that you will win my sympathy and -get me to betray secrets. I have nothing to reveal. But it is in my -power to punish such scoundrels as you”――here the lieutenant drew his -sword――“and if you now make the least resistance I will use the sabre -that I have in my hand.” - -“Let us fix him, sir,” cried Hugh, Freegift, and the others. “We’ll pay -him an’ save the governor the trouble.” - -They crowded forward. The dark man’s legs gave out under him and down -he flopped, to his knees. - -“No, señores! For the love of God don’t kill me. I will confess all.” -He was so frightened that his stammering English might scarcely be -understood. “His Excellency the governor ordered me to ask many -questions. That is true. And it is true that I am no prisoner. I am a -resident of Santa Fe, and well treated. The governor said that if I -pretended hatred of the country you would be glad of my help. I see now -that you are honest men.” - -“What is your name?” the lieutenant demanded. - -“Baptiste Lelande, señor, at your service.” - -“You can be of no service to me save by getting out of my sight,” -retorted the lieutenant, scornfully, and clapping his sword back into -its sheath. “You are a thief, and doubtless depend upon the governor -for your safety. Tell His Excellency that the next time he employs -spies upon us he should choose those of more skill and sense, but that -I question whether he can find any such, to do that kind of work. Now -begone.” - -John Brown opened the door. The man scuttled out. - -“My lads,” spoke the lieutenant, when the door had been closed again, -“this is the second time that I have been approached by spies, on -the march. On the first occasion I assumed to yield, and contented -the rascal by giving into his keeping a leaf or two copied from my -journal――which in fact merely recounted the truth as to our number and -our setting forth from the Missouri River. The fellow could not read, -and is treasuring the paper, for the eyes of the governor. If I am to -be plagued this way, I fear that my baggage or person may be searched, -and my records obtained by our long toil be stolen. Accordingly I shall -trust in you, knowing that you will not fail me. I have decided to -distribute my important papers among you, that you may carry them on -your persons, out of sight.” - -So he did. - -“They’ll be ready for you when you want ’em, cap’n, sir,” Freegift -promised, as the men stowed the papers underneath their shirts. “If the -Spanish want ’em, they’ll have to take our skins at the same time.” - -“That they will,” was the chorus. - -“To the boy here I consign the most important article of all,” pursued -the lieutenant, “because he is the least likely to be molested. It is -my journal of the whole trip. If that were lost, much of our labors -would have been thrown away. I can rely on you to keep it safe, Stub?” - -“Yes, sir.” And Stub also stowed away his charge――a thin book with -stained red covers, in which the lieutenant had so frequently written, -at night. - -“We will arrive at Santa Fe to-morrow, lads,” the lieutenant had -warned. “And if my baggage is subjected to a search by order of the -governor, I shall feel safe regarding my papers.” - -Presently he left. - -“Lalande, the nincompoop was, was he?” remarked Jake Carter. “Well, he -got his come-upments. But ain’t he the same that the doctor was lookin’ -for――the sly one who skipped off with a trader’s goods?” - -“So what more could be expected, than dirty work, from the likes!” Hugh -proposed. - -The lieutenant fared so heartily at the priest’s house that this night -he was ill. In the morning, which was that of March 3, they all had -ridden on southward, led by him and by the pleasant Don Lieutenant -Bartholomew. They had passed through several more villages, one -resembling another; and in the sunset, after crossing a high mesa or -flat tableland covered with cedars, at the edge they had emerged into -view of Santa Fe, below. - -“Santa Fe! La ciudad muy grande (The great city)! Mira (See)!” - -Those were the urgent exclamations from the dragoons and militia. - -“‘Great city,’ they say?” Hugh uttered, to Stub. “Huh! Faith, it looks -like a fleet o’ flatboats, left dry an’ waitin’ for a spring rise!” - -It was larger than the other villages or towns, and lay along both -flanks of a creek. There were two churches, one with two round-topped -steeples; but all the other buildings were low and flat-roofed and -ugly, ranged upon three or four narrow crooked streets. At this side of -the town there appeared to be the usual square, surrounded by the mud -buildings. Yes, the two-steepled church fronted upon it. - -As they rode down from the mesa, by the road that they had been -following, the town seemed to wake up. They could hear shouting, and -might see people running afoot and galloping horseback, making for the -square. - -A bevy of young men, gaily dressed, raced, ahorse, to meet the column. -The whole town evidently knew that the Americans were coming. The -square was filled with excited men, women and children, all chattering -and staring. - -Lieutenant Bartholomew cleared the way through them, and halted in -front of a very long, low building, with a porch supported on a row of -posts made of small logs, and facing the square, opposite the church. -He swung off. The dragoons and militia kept the crowd back. - -Lieutenant Pike, in his old clothes, swung off. - -“Dismount!” he called. “We are to enter here, lads. Bear yourselves -boldly. We are American soldiers, and have nothing to fear.” - -He strode on, firm and erect, following the guidance of Lieutenant -Bartholomew. - -“Keep together,” Freegift cautioned; and the men pushed after, trying -not to limp, and to carry their army muskets easily. Stub brought -up the tail of the little procession. He, too, was an American, and -proud of it, no matter how they all looked, without hats, in rags and -moccasins, the hair of heads and faces long. - -They entered the long-fronted building. The doorway was a full -four feet thick. The interior was gloomy, lighted by small deep-set -windows with dirty panes. There was a series of square, low-ceilinged -rooms――“’Tis like a dungeon, eh?” Freegift flung back――but the earth -floors were strewn with the pelts of buffalo, bear, panther, what-not. - -They were halted in a larger room, with barred windows and no outside -door. Lieutenant Bartholomew bowed to Lieutenant Pike, and left. -Against the walls there were several low couches, covered with furs and -gay blankets, for seats. So they sat down, and the men stared about. - -“Whereabouts in here are we, I wonder,” John Brown proposed. - -“Did ye see them strings o’ tanned Injun ears hangin’ acrost the front -winders!” remarked Hugh Menaugh. - -“Sure, we’d never find way out by ourselves,” declared Alex Roy. “It’s -a crookeder trail than the one to the Red River.” - -The lieutenant briefly smiled; but he sat anxiously. - -Lieutenant Bartholomew suddenly returned; close behind him a large, -heavy-set, swarthy, hard-faced man, of sharp black eyes, and dressed in -a much decorated uniform. Lieutenant Pike hastily arose, at attention; -they all rose. - -“His Excellency Don Joaquin del Real Alencaster, Governor of the -Province of New Mexico,” Lieutenant Bartholomew announced. “I have the -honor to present Lieutenant Don Mungo-Meri-Paike, of the American army.” - -Lieutenant Pike bowed; the governor bowed, and spoke at once, in French. - -“You command here?” - -“Yes, sir.” The lieutenant answered just as quickly. - -“Do you speak French?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“You come to reconnoiter our country, do you?” - -“I marched to reconnoiter our own,” replied Lieutenant Pike. - -“In what character are you?” - -“In my proper character, sir: an officer of the United States army.” - -[Illustration: “IN MY PROPER CHARACTER, SIR: AN OFFICER OF THE UNITED -STATES ARMY”] - -“And the man Robinson――is he attached to your party?” - -“No.” The governor’s voice had been brusque, and the lieutenant was -beginning to flush. But it was true that the doctor was only an -independent volunteer. - -“Do you know him?” - -“Yes. He is from St. Louis.” - -“How many men have you?” - -“I had fifteen.” And this also was true, when counting the deserter -Kennerman. - -“And this Robinson makes sixteen?” insisted the governor. - -“I have already told your Excellency that he does not belong to my -party,” the lieutenant retorted. “I shall answer no more enquiries on -the subject.” - -“When did you leave St. Louis?” - -“July 15.” - -“I think you marched in June.” - -“No, sir.” - -“Very well,” snapped the governor. “Return with Don Bartholomew to his -house, and come here again at seven o’clock and bring your papers with -you.” - -He shortly bowed, whirled on his heels and left. The lieutenant bit -his lips, striving to hold his temper. Lieutenant Bartholomew appeared -distressed. - -“A thousand apologies, Don Lieutenant,” he proffered. “His Excellency -is in bad humor; but never mind. You are to be my guest. Your men will -be quartered in the barracks. Please follow me.” - -They filed out, through the rooms, into daylight again. - -“A sergeant will show your men, señor. They are free to go where they -please, in the city,” said Lieutenant Bartholomew. “My own house is at -your service.” - -“Go with Lieutenant Bartholomew’s sergeant, lads,” Lieutenant Pike -directed. “Guard your tongues and actions and remember your duty to -your Government.” - -Beckoning with a flash of white teeth underneath his ferocious -moustache the dragoon sergeant took them to the barracks. These were -another long building on the right of the first building, fronting upon -the west side of the square and protected by a wall with a court inside. - -At a sign from the sergeant they stacked their muskets and hung their -pistols, in the court. Then they were led in to supper. - -“Sure, we’re goin’ to be comfortable,” Freegift uttered, glancing -around as they ate. “The food is mighty warmin’――what you call the -seasonin’? Pepper, ain’t it, same as we got, above? Yes.” - -“Did you hear what they call that other buildin’, where we were took -first?” asked Jake Carter, of Stub. - -“The Palace of the Governors, the soldiers said.” - -“Palace!” Jake snorted. “It’s more like the keep of a bomb-proof fort. -I’ve dreamed of palaces, but never such a one. There’s nothin’ for a -governor to be so high and uppish about.” - -“The cap’n gave him tit for tat, all right,” asserted William Gordon. -“We’ve got a verse or two of Yankee Doodle in us yet!” - -They finished supper and shoved back their cowhide benches. - -“We’re to go where we plaze, ain’t it?” queried Hugh. “So long as we -keep bounds? Well, I’m for seein’ the town whilst I can.” - -“We’re with you, old hoss,” they cried, and trooped into the court. - -First thing, they found that their guns had vanished. - -Freegift scratched his shaggy head. - -“Now, a pretty trick. We’re disarmed. They come it over us proper, I -say.” - -Spanish soldiers were passing to and fro. Some stared, some laughed, -but nobody offered an explanation or seemed to understand the questions. - -“That wasn’t in the bargain, was it?” Alex Roy demanded. “The cap’n’ll -have a word or two of the right kind ready, when he learns. Anyhow, -we’ll soon find out whether we’re prisoners as well. Come on.” - -The gate at the entrance to the court was open. The guard there did not -stop them. They had scarcely stepped out, to the square, when loitering -soldiers and civilians, chatting with women enveloped in black shawls, -welcomed them in Spanish and beckoned to them, and acted eager to show -them around. - -“‘Buenas noches,’ is it? ‘Good evenin’ to ye,’” spoke Freegift. “I -expect there’ll be no harm in loosenin’ up a bit. So fare as you like, -boys, an’ have a care. I’m off. Who’s with me?” - -They trooped gaily away, escorted by their new Santa Fean friends. -Stub stuck to Freegift, for a time; but every little while the men had -to stop, and drink wine offered to them at the shops and even at the -houses near by; so, tiring of this, he fell behind, to make the rounds -on his own account and see what he chose to see. - -He was crossing the bare, hard-baked square, or plaza as they called -it, to take another look at the strings of Indian ears festooned on -the front of the Governor’s Palace, when through the gathering dusk -somebody hailed him. - -“Hi! Muchacho! Aqui! (Hi! Boy! Here!)” - -It was Lieutenant Bartholomew, summoning him toward the barracks. The -lieutenant met him. - -“Habla Español (You speak Spanish)?” - -“Very little,” Stub answered. - -“Bien (Good).” And the lieutenant continued eagerly. “Como se llama Ud. -en Americano (What is your name in American)?” - -“Me llamo Jack Pursley (My name is Jack Pursley), señor.” - -“Si, si! Bien! Muy bien! (Yes, yes! Good! Very good!)” exclaimed the -lieutenant. “Ven conmigo, pues (Come with me, then).” - -On he went, at such a pace that Stub, wondering, had hard work keeping -up with him. They made a number of twists and turns through the -crooked, darkened streets, and the lieutenant stopped before a door set -in the mud wall of a house flush with the street itself. He opened, and -entered――Stub on his heels. They passed down a narrow verandah, in a -court, entered another door―――― - -The room was lighted with two candles. It had no seats except a couple -of blanket-covered couches against its wall; a colored picture or two -of the saints hung on the bare walls. A man had sprung up. He was -a tall, full-bearded man――an American even though his clothes were -Spanish. - -He gazed upon Stub; Stub gaped at him. - -“It is the boy,” panted Lieutenant Bartholomew. “Bien?” - -“Jack!” shouted the man. - -“My dad!” Stub blurted. - -They charged each other, and hugged. - -“Good! Good!” exclaimed the lieutenant, dancing delighted. Several -women rushed in, to peer and ask questions. - -“Boy, boy!” uttered Jack’s father, holding him off to look at him -again. “I thought never to see you, after the Utes got you. They took -you somewhere――I couldn’t find out; and finally they fetched me down to -Santa Fe, and here I’ve been near two years, carpentering.” - -“Couldn’t you get away?” - -“No. They won’t let me. And now I’m mighty glad.” - -“Well, I’m here, too,” laughed Stub. “And I guess I’ll stay; but I’ll -have to ask Lieutenant Pike.” - -“He’s gone to the palace, to talk with the governor again. You and I’ll -talk with each other. I came especially to see him; thought maybe he -might help me, and I hoped to talk with one of his kind. American blood -is powerful scarce in Santa Fe. There’s only one simon-pure Yankee, -except myself. He’s Sol Colly; used to be a sergeant in the army and -was captured six years ago along with the rest of a party that invaded -Texas. But he doesn’t live here. A Frenchman or two, here from the -States, don’t count. My, my, it’s good to speak English and to hear it. -As soon as the lieutenant learnt my name he remembered about you; but -he couldn’t wait, so Don Bartholomew went to find you. Now you’ll go -home with me, where we can be snug and private.” - -He spoke in Spanish to Lieutenant Bartholomew, who nodded. - -“Certainly, certainly, señor. Until to-morrow morning.” - -And Jack gladly marched home hand-in-hand with his father, James -Pursley, of Kentucky, the discoverer of gold in Colorado, and the first -American resident in Santa Fe. - - - - -XXI - -GOOD-BY TO LIEUTENANT PIKE - - -The lieutenant and men were to be sent clear to the city of Chihuahua, -more than six hundred miles southward, where the commanding general of -all Mexico had headquarters. - -An officer and two soldiers from Governor Alencaster had called for him -again in the morning immediately after breakfast. He returned to the -Lieutenant Bartholomew house fuming. Stub never before had seen him so -angry. - -“I protested with all my power,” he related, to Lieutenant Bartholomew -and Stub’s father. “I said that I should not go unless forced to by -military strength. The governor agreed to give me a paper certifying -to the fact that I march only as compelled to, but our detention as -prisoners is a breach of faith. I consented to come to Santa Fe, for -the purpose of explaining to him my accidental presence within his -frontiers; and I have so explained. He has even read my papers and my -commission. Now he orders us still further into the interior.” - -“You have my sympathy, señor,” proffered Lieutenant Bartholomew. - -“That’s the system here, sir,” added Stub’s father. “I am an American -citizen, and was brought in by the Injuns, from outside territory; and -I can’t leave without a permit. I’m close watched――but I’ve still got -my old rifle; and give me two hours’ start and I’ll not ask for any -other passport.” - -“When I reminded His Excellency that my unintentional trespass was -not to be compared with his, when he dispatched five hundred troops -far into the Pawnee country, well within the territory of the United -States, he had no reply,” pursued Lieutenant Pike. “However, I am to -dine with him this noon, and march soon thereafter, to meet an escort -under that Lieutenant Melgares below.” - -“You will find Don Facundo Melgares to be a very pleasant gentleman, -señor,” spoke Lieutenant Bartholomew. - -“He spent a great deal of time and money looking for me,” Lieutenant -Pike grimly laughed. “He might as well have stayed here, for I should -never have yielded to him, north of the Red River; not while I had -a man left. I understand that Doctor Robinson, whom the governor -mentioned, also has been sent south.” - -“That is possible, señor.” - -The lieutenant shrugged his shoulders. - -“And I suppose my sergeant and the other men will follow me.” He -turned to Stub. “Come, boy; we’ll look up our party and order them to -be ready. Their arms are to be restored to them, at least. We’re not -to be driven like cattle. His Excellency has promised that, and we’ll -march as soldiers.” - -“You take the boy to Chihuahua?” queried Lieutenant Bartholomew. - -“What?” Stub’s tall father demanded, with a start. - -Lieutenant Pike smiled. - -“No, sir. He remains here, where he belongs. I am only too happy to -have reunited him and his father. His service with me ends――and it has -been a greater service than you may imagine.” - -They hastened for the barracks. Midway, the lieutenant halted in covert -of an old wall. - -“You have my journal?” he asked, guardedly. - -“Yes, sir.” - -“Good! You may give it to me, now. Quick! There!” He swiftly tucked it -away. “It is the only paper unknown to the governor, and I mean to keep -it. Last night, when I considered that he was done with me, I heard -that the men were drinking wine with the town people. So in case they -should drink too much I sought them out and took the other papers from -them. They’re faithful, but the wine might have made them careless. I -stowed the papers in my trunk again (this was a little hand-trunk that -the lieutenant had carried, with help, from the Arkansaw, as his only -important baggage); then early this morning the governor unexpectedly -sent for me and my trunk and I had no chance to open it privately. By -trusting in him I was cleverly outwitted, but thanks to you I’ve saved -my journal. Had I found you last night I would have taken it, to place -it with the other papers.” - -So, thanks to a boy, the journal of Lieutenant Pike was saved to the -world. - -“Can’t you get your trunk again?” Stub asked, as they hurried on. - -“It will go down to Chihuahua with me, but in charge of the officer of -the escort, for the commanding general.” - -“Do the papers tell anything wrong?” - -“No, unless they are wrongly read. There are letters, and scientific -notes upon the locations and distances; and maps. If the commanding -general thinks we were spying out the country, he may try to keep -everything. But the journal would be the greatest loss.” - -And truth to say, Lieutenant Pike never did get back any of the papers -in the trunk. - -Freegift and John Brown were at the barracks; the other men were -rambling about. John went to find them. - -“To Chihuahua is it, sir?” Freegift gasped. “Without our guns?” - -“You will get your guns.” - -“An’ don’t we wait for the sergeant an’ them others, sir?” - -“We’re not permitted. I’ll leave a note for Meek with this boy, here, -telling him to keep up courage and follow us.” - -“But doesn’t the lad go, too, sir?” - -“No. He stays in Santa Fe.” - -“I’ve found my father, Freegift,” eagerly explained Stub. “He’s here. -The Utahs brought him here. I’ve got to stay with him.” - -“Found your dad, eh? Well, well! An’ good! I want to know! That’s all -right, then. We’ve been some worried over you, but sure we felt sartin -you wouldn’t desert. Expect you’d rather have found your father than -the Red River; hey?” - -“I don’t know,” Stub stammered. “I wish we’d found both.” - -His heart ached for Lieutenant Pike, who seemed to have found -nothing――unless he really had intended to come here. - -“We soldiers must not complain; we will only rejoice in your good -fortune, my lad,” answered the lieutenant. “All in all, we did not -toil in vain, and we have done what we could. Have the men ready to -march at twelve o’clock, Stout.” And turning on his heel he strode off. - -“A fine little man, an’ a smart one,” mused Freegift, gazing after. -“We’ll go with him to Chihuahua――an’ to the ends o’ the earth, if need -be.” - -The lieutenant left first, shortly after noon. He had dined with the -governor; when he came out of the palace, into the public square, -prepared to start, the governor’s coach was waiting, attached to six -gaily harnessed mules. A detachment of dragoons also were waiting; so -were Stub and his father, and old Sergeant Colly who had been captured, -six years ago, in Spanish territory. - -They shook hands with the lieutenant. - -“Good-by. Good-by, sir.” - -“Good-by.” He held his head high, like an officer and a free American. -He did not mind the stares of the town people. “Remember, you are -Americans.” - -“Don’t forget us, sir, when you reach the States,” old Solomon Colly -implored. “Don’t forget Sergeant Colly of the army, who made his only -mistake when he was trapped by these Spanish. You’ll do what you can -for us, sir?” - -“I’ll not forget; not while I have breath in my body,” promised the -lieutenant, earnestly. “I will report you to the Government.” - -The governor had clumped out, in his uniform and jack-boots. Lieutenant -Bartholomew, and Captain D’Almansa who was to command the escort -southward, were with him. They all entered the splendid coach decorated -with gilt. - -The door slammed. The servant climbed to the seat beside the -driver――the sergeant in charge of the dragoons shouted an order, and -away they went, mules and horses at a gallop. - -That was the last that Stub or anybody in Santa Fe ever saw of young -Lieutenant Pike. - -Stub went to the barracks with his father and Solomon Colly, to watch -the men off. They were about to go. He shook hands with them, too: with -Freegift, and Alex Roy, and John Brown, and Hugh Menaugh, and William -Gordon, and Jake Carter――that brave six, still limping from frozen feet. - -“Good luck to you, boy.” - -“Good luck.” - -“An’ never forget you’ve been a Pike man, on one o’ the toughest -marches in history,” added Freegift. “Stick up for your country. You’ve -l’arned never to say die――an’ that’s the American of it.” - -“Yes, sir. I know it.” - -“Ah, lads, but Sol and I wish we were going with you,” sighed his -father. “But maybe you’ll be back again, by the thousand, and then -we’ll see the flag floating.” - -“Maybe. There’ll be a time,” replied Freegift. “There’ll be a time when -the flag’ll float over this very spot. But we won’t need any thousand. -Five hundred of us under Cap’n Pike could take the whole country. An’ -now we know a way in.” - -“I’ve half a notion that the lieutenant wasn’t so sorry to be made -prisoner, after all,” Stub’s father remarked to him, on the way -home. “There’s something secret about this that he doesn’t tell. As -that soldier friend of yours said, in case of war――and war over this -borderland dispute is likely to break out any day――the army will know -what’s ahead of it.” - -“They’ll let Lieutenant Pike go, won’t they?” - -His father chuckled. - -“They’ll have to. He’s not the kind of man they can keep. They can’t -prove he’s a spy, for he’s in uniform (what there is of it), and his -orders are plain to read.” - -This day was March 4. It was two weeks later, or March 18, when at last -Lieutenant Saltelo brought in Sergeant Meek and Corporal Jerry Jackson, -Terry Miller, John Mountjoy, poor John Sparks and Tom Dougherty, -Baroney, Pat Smith and the few miserable horses and the main baggage. -There was great rejoicing, again, in Santa Fe. - -Sergeant Meek was taken at once to Governor Alencaster, but ’twas safe -to say that the governor would find out little from _him_. Stub sought -the other men out, at the barracks. John Sparks and Tom were unable to -walk; they had lost their feet, and the most of their fingers; Baroney -and Pat, and, they said, the sergeant, too, were in bad shape, from the -march through the snows, to the stockade; but they all welcomed Stub. - -“Where’s the cap’n?” - -“He’s gone to Chihuahua.” - -“And what are ye doin’ here, then? Did you run off from him? Say!” - -“No. He told me to stay. I found my father. We’re living here――till we -can get away.” - -“You did? Found your father! Want to know! Hooray! And the cap’n and -the rest to Chihuahua. So it’s to Chihuahua the same for us, no doubt.” - -“Faith, that’s proper,” declared Tom Dougherty. “We’ll not desert him. -If it be prison for wan of us let it be prison for all of us. What’s -left o’ me’ll stick to the cap’n. Sure, John an’ me are only poor -cripples――whether we’ll be paid I don’t know; but all we want is to be -with him, doin’ as we can. He’s had the hardest luck an’ he complained -not wance.” - -When Sergeant Meek came, Stub gave him the note. The sergeant read it. - -“The cap’n says for us to keep our arms, and not lose the baggage. -Yes, that’s the caper. Bear in mind, lads. We’re for Chihuahua in the -morning.” - -They, also, were sent down to Chihuahua. Stub never saw any of them -again, either. He heard, much later, that the lieutenant and six had -safely reached Natchitoches; but from Chihuahua no word ever came back -of Sergeant Meek, Corporal Jerry, Baroney the interpreter, Privates -Sparks, Dougherty, Mountjoy, Miller, and Pat Smith, except that General -Salcedo, the commander, had found them a hard lot to handle and had got -them out of his province as quickly as he might. - -So probably they caught up with Lieutenant Pike somewhere in the United -States; and as likely as not some of them were with him to support -him when he fell, dying on the field of battle, away north in Canada, -during the War of 1812. - -They all loved him. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes: - - ――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - - ――Except for the frontispiece, illustrations have been moved to - follow the text that they illustrate. - - ――Printer’s, punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently - corrected. - - ――Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. - - ――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOST WITH LIEUTENANT PIKE *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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