Part 24 (1/2)
Both had evidently become tired of their respective services. The routine of a frontier post is of itself sufficient to produce the deadliest _ennui_; and the Californian attraction had ”capped the climax.” The temptation was too strong for either Yankee or Hibernian nature to resist; and these worthy types of both had taken French-leave of the fort. It was thus that I epitomised the recent history of my old _camarados_. As they were evidently aware of the caravan being in the advance, and had been following it, it was easily conjectured that Fort Smith--a military post on the Arkansas opposite Van Buren--had been the scene of their defection. Very likely, they had kept near the train all along the route--with a view to guidance and partial protection--as also for a _dernier ressort_ to which they might betake themselves in case of their stores giving out. The escort, hinted at, would be sufficient to account for their not being in closer communication with the caravan.
It appeared, they had been so far fortunate in escaping an encounter with Indians; but this, as in our case, was most likely due to the pa.s.sage of the caravan. We knew that the red-skinned robbers would be too much occupied with the train itself and its more immediate stragglers, to be looking out for any so far in the rear as we; and to this circ.u.mstance, no doubt, were we indebted for the uninterrupted travel we had achieved. A greater proximity to the train would have rendered our pa.s.sage more perilous. Sure-shot, though a slouch in his dress, was no simpleton. The trick of taking up the barrow was, no doubt, a conception of his brain, as well as its being borne upon the shoulders of the Irishman--who, in all likelihood, had performed the _role_ of wheeling it from Fort Smith to the Big Timbers, and was expected to push it before him to the edge of the Pacific Ocean! It was evident that Patrick was tired of his task: for they had not made much progress in their Homeric supper, before he once more returned to the subject.
”But shure now, comrayde! we moight manage widout the borra--seein' as we've got into the buffalos' counthry. Aren't them bastes as aizy to kill as tame cows? Shure we'd niver be widout mate as long as our powder lasts?”
”Jess t'other way, ye fool! We're a going _out_ o' the buffuler country, an' into perts where theer ain't a anymal bigger than a rat.
On t'other side o' the mountings, theer ain't no beests o' any kind-- neery one; an' its jess theer we'll want that eer bag o' meel. Ef we don't take it along, we'll sterve for certing.”
”Be me sowl! I'd ruther carry the male on my showlders. There's liss of it now; an' maybe I could manage it, iv you'ld only carry the spids, an' thim other things. We moight lave the knapsicks an' kyarthridge-box behind. What use ud they be in Kalifornya? They'll only lade to our detiction by the throops out there.”
”Don't ee be skeert 'bout thet, kimrade! Ef theer's troops in Californey, they'll hev theer hands full 'ithout troublin' us, I reeking. We ain't like to be the only two critters as hain't got a _pa.s.s_ for the diggins. Ne'er a bit o't. We'll find deserters out theer es thick as blue-bottles on a barkiss. Certingly we sh.e.l.l.
Besides, Petrick, we needn't take the knepsacks all the way out theer, nor the berra neythur, nor nuthin' else we've brought from the Fort.”
”Fwhat div yez mane?” interrogated the Irishman--evidently puzzled to interpret the other's speech. ”We kin leave all them fixing in Morming City.”
”But will the thrain be afther thravellin' that way? Shure ye don't know that.”
”Certing it will. A putty consid'able pert o' it air made up o'
Mormings; an' they'll be boun' to the Salt Lake. We kin foller them an'
drop t'other. In the Morming settlements, we kin swop our unyforms for suthin' else, an' the berra too. Es to the knepsacks an' cartridge-box, I guess as how I inteend to make a spec on them ere two articles.”
”Fwhat! a pair ov soger knapsacks, an' an owld kyarthridge-box! They wuldn't fitch the worth ov dhrinks apaice.”
”Theer your mistaking, Mister Tigg. Preehaps they'll swop better'n you think. How d'ye know I ain't like to git a beest apiece for 'em--eyther a mule or a hoss? This child ain't a going to fut it all the way to Californey. B'yont the Morming City, he rides a spell, I recking.”
”Be j.a.pers! that's an out-an'-out good oidea. But how dev ye mane to carry it through? that's what bothers Patrick O'Tigg.”
”We--ell, Petrick, I'll tell ee my plan. I ain't got it straightened out yet, but I hope to hev it all right by the time we're on t'other side the mountings--leastwise before we reaches Morming City.”
”Arrah! fwhat is it?” inquired the impatient Irishman.
The Yankee did not vouchsafe an immediate answer; but, while polis.h.i.+ng off the bone he held in his hand, appeared at the same time to be busy with some mental operation--perhaps _straightening out_ the plan he had promised to reveal.
CHAPTER FORTY SIX.
A TOUGH STORY.
For some seconds the two worthies observed a mutual silence--broken only by a formidable rattle of teeth, as large ”chunks” of buffalo-meat were put through their respective masticating machines. Curious to hear the promised revelation, Wingrove and I checked our impatience, and clung to our covert among the bushes. One thing--to which their speech had incidentally adverted--was not without much significance; and had produced upon me a certain impression that was unpleasant. They appeared to know, or Sure-shot did, that at least a portion of the train was _en route_ for the Mormon city. It is true, I had had originally suspicions of this; but the letter of Lilian had led me to hope it might be otherwise. Any destination but that.
I had commenced reflecting upon this point, when I was interrupted by the voice of Sure-shot resuming the conversation. Thus did he enter on his explanation:
”Ye see, kimrade, these Mormings, es I've heern, air mighty taken up wi'
sogerin', an' thet sort o' thing. Ye've heerd talk o' theer great bettelion. They'll be arter these eer treppings for certing, since they hain't much chence o' gittin' soger fixings out theer. We-ell, what I mean to do is to put the knepsacks off on 'em for some new improvement o' pattern. I guess it air thet--I've heerd say so at the Fort--then the Morming jineral, who air the prophet hisself, an' who's got berrls o' dollars--he'll buy the knepsacks at any price. Now, de ye take, Mister Tigg?”
”Troth do I. But dev ye think yez can fool thim so aizy?”
”Easy as eatin' punkin-pie. Jehosophet! I hain't been five year in the tradin' line 'ithout lernin' the bizness, I recking.”
”Be me faith! yez must have been raal cliver at it, whin ye sowld them cypress-knees for bacon-hams to the Bawltemoreans. You remimber that story yez towld us down in Mixico?”