Part 12 (1/2)

Ready a.s.sent was given, a s.p.a.ce was cleared and an Indian clapped his hands as a signal for the contest to begin. Like a panther the young brave sprang toward his st.u.r.dy white opponent to catch him ”Indian hold.”

But he reckoned without knowledge of his man. Ree had not forgotten the teachings of Peter Piper, and so cleverly did he dodge, and so quickly seize the Indian about the legs, that in a twinkling the proud buck was stretched upon the earth.

There were expressions of wonderment from the Indians, but in a second the vanquished redskin was on his feet, anxious for another trial.

John, with utter disregard of good manners, was laughing heartily over his friend's success, and as Ree declined to wrestle any more, the Indian turned to him, and somewhat fiercely demanded that he should try conclusions with him.

John glanced at Ree and the latter nodded for him to go ahead. In another minute then, a match, the closeness and desperation of which delighted the savages beyond measure, was in progress.

Tightly clasping each other's arms, the contestants strained every muscle and struggled back and forth and round and round--now slowly, now with movements most rapid, neither gaining an advantage. Longer and longer the contest continued in this way, and Ree saw that John was becoming worn out. He must act quickly or succ.u.mb to the Indian's greater weight and power of endurance.

”You can throw him if you only say to yourself that you must and that you will, and then do it,” Ree whispered, as John was pushed near him, and his advice was taken.

With a show of strength which surprised them all, John forced his opponent backward, and tried again to trip the fellow, but could not.

Then he allowed the savage to try to trip him, and seizing the opportunity, gave the redskin so sudden and violent a pull that he was taken off his feet and fell heavily, dragging John down with him. Both the Indian's shoulders touched the ground, however, and with savage glee the redskins acknowledged John to be the victor. To do them justice, they seemed not at all put out that their man was defeated. Only one who was present scowled. He was Big Buffalo, and with an ugly look he strode away from the campfire's light.

Ree could not help but notice the savage fellow's hostile manner. ”We better watch out for him,” he said to John as they discussed the incident sometime later, when they had sought rest for the night on the skins in Capt. Pipe's house.

”It makes me feel--well, not exactly comfortable, Ree,” John answered.

”Here we are a hundred miles from civilization sleeping in the hut of one of the bloodiest Indians of the Northwest Territory; Indians all around us, and Goodness knows what else in the woods, on every side!”

”Why, John,” said Ree, ”I believe we are safer to-night than at any time since we left Fort Pitt. Capt. Pipe may be a bad Indian, but he would fight for us, if need be, while we are his guests. He might scalp us to-morrow after we have said good-bye, but when we are in his house as friends, we will be protected.”

CHAPTER XI.

Again a Hidden Enemy.

The boys were early astir the following morning. As soon as they were up Capt. Pipe's wife placed a dish of boiled corn, like hominy, before them, and this was their breakfast. A little later, telling Capt. Pipe of the great amount of work they had to do, the lads bade him good-bye, the chief giving them each a pouch of parched corn, and sending an Indian to take them in a canoe across the lake.

It was two hours past noon when Tom Fish suddenly started up from the broiled turkey with which he was regaling himself, as he heard some one approach, and discovered Ree and John returning. He greeted them gladly, but not in his usual hilarious fas.h.i.+on, and they could not but notice how unlike himself he was as he carved for them some juicy slices from the fine young gobbler he had cooked. Yet he listened with interest to Ree's account of their trip, John often breaking in with such jolly comment as: ”You should have heard those Indians talk! Why they beat a quilting bee for gabbling, except that they didn't all talk at once.”

”But they are real orators,” added Ree quite soberly. ”I've heard that an Indian has three ambitions--to be a mighty hunter, a great warrior and a grand orator; and there are some splendid speakers among the Delawares.”

”The's some red-handed, b.l.o.o.d.y murderers among 'em, too, I kin tell ye,”

Tom Fish growled. ”I got no rest whilst ye was gone, a thinkin' of it.”

”Has anything happened, Tom?” asked Ree, struck by his friends grave manner.

”Cheer up, Thomas, cheer up!” cried John. ”You've been about as cheerful company as a box of indigo ever since you saw that--that hideous thing at Big Buffalo's belt.”

”Well, it's a wonder the' didn't nothing happen, an' somethin's goin' to happen, I know,” the hunter replied to Ree's question, ignoring John's bantering, as he often did. ”That Buffalo varmint means harm. I've been thinkin' it all over an' the' ain't no two ways about it. If I ain't a sight mistaken, I seen him peekin' down from the hill back there, not a half hour ago--either him or some dirty Mingo; I didn't exactly see him, but I heard some one, an' I'd a' peppered away at him if you kittens hadn' 'a been gone an' me not knowin' just where ye might be. So I've been thinkin' it all over, an' mighty sorry I am I ever piloted ye into this hostyle kentry. The's only one thing to do, an' that's to take what stuff ye kin an' get back to Pittsburg fast as yer legs kin take ye. Now as fer me, I kin take care of myself, but I'll see ye part way anyhow, an' I'd go clear back with ye if I didn't have somethin' very important to 'tend to.”

Ree could not help but smile at Tom's drooping spirits, though the discouraging talk made it necessary for him to appear really more cheerful than he felt, as he realized that Big Buffalo really seemed anxious to cause trouble. But he shook his head at John, as he saw the latter about to scold Tom for bringing them into this part of the wilderness only to advise them to leave it; for his chum's face showed that he was not pleased with Tom's manner.

”There is just one thing to be done,” Ree exclaimed.

”An' that's get right back--” Tom Fish was saying.