Part 19 (1/2)

”Are you sure that it was done by the Indians?” asked Fred, a little frightened at learning that they had been so close while he slept.

”Thar ain't a bit of doubt. I've looked the ground over, and thar's the trail, as plain as the nose on your face.”

”How many?”

”Two.”

”And they did it during the night?”

”No,” replied the scout, displaying his wonderful woodcraft. ”The varmints come yesterday arternoon, or just at dusk, arter I'd took supper and left.”

”How do you know that?”

”I'd be a fool if I couldn't tell by the look of the trail how long ago it war made.”

It seemed impossible that such was the fact, and yet, young as was Fred, he had heard of such things, and the scout spoke after the manner of one who meant what he said.

”Begorra, but it's meself that has it!” exclaimed Mickey, with a sudden lighting up of the countenance; ”they're the same two spalpeens that took your hoss down by the Staked Plain, and then follyed ye up and did the same thing over again, just as ye was going into Fort Severn.”

But the scout shook his head.

”The varmints don't know much about pity, but that's too rough a thing even for a Comanche to repeat. I've a s'picion that Lone Wolf had a hand in that, and I'm going for him. Come along.”

And the indignant Sut strode out of camp, followed by his friends. He was not the man to submit to such a loss, and they saw that he was in deadly earnest. He neither spoke nor looked behind him for the next quarter of an hour, nor were his friends able to tell what direction he was following, for he changed so often, winding in and out among the trees, that they could form no conjecture as to the general course taken.

They saw that he was following a trail, for he continually looked down at the ground in front of him, and then glanced to the right and left, occasionally inclining his head, as though he was listening for something which he expected to hear. He appeared to be altogether unconscious of the fact that he had companions at all and they sought to imitate his stealthy, cat-like movement, without venturing to speak. After traveling the distance mentioned, and while they were moving along in the same cautious way, the scout suddenly wheeled on his knee, and faced them.

”See yer,” said he; ”it won't do for you to travel any further.”

”What's up?” asked Mickey.

”Why, the trail's getting too hot. I ain't fur from them horses.”

”Well, doesn't ye want us to stand by and obsarve the shtyle in which you are going to scoop them in?”

Simpson shook his head.

”Ye are both too green to try this kind of business. I never could get a chance at them varmints if I took yer along. All you've got to do is to stay yer till I get back. That won't be long.”

”Suppose you don't get back at all?” asked Fred, anxiously.

”Then yer needn't wait.”

”But ain't it probable that some of the Apaches will visit us?”

The scout was quite confident that the contingency would not occur; but, as long as they were in that part of the world, so long were they in danger of the redskins. It was never prudent to lay aside habits of caution; but he did not believe they were liable to molestation at that time. He charged them to keep quiet and always on the alert, and to expect his return within a couple of hours, although he might be delayed until noon. They were not to feel any apprehension unless the entire day should pa.s.s without his coming. Still, even that would be possible, he said, without implying anything more than that he had encountered unexpected difficulties in regaining his horse. They were still to wait for him until the morrow, and if he continued absent they were at liberty to conclude that the time had come for him to ”pa.s.s in his checks.” and they were to make the effort to reach home the best way they could. With this understanding they separated.

At the time Sut left his friends the trail was exceedingly ”hot,” as he expressed it, and he was confident that within the next half hour he could force matters to an issue. The scout was of the opinion that a couple of Apaches had accidently struck his trail, or happened directly upon his norse while he was grazing, and, without suspecting his owners.h.i.+p, aad taken him away. The trail led toward the Apache camp, although by a winding course, and that was not far away. He was desirous of coming up with the marauders before they joined in with the others. In that case he would consider himself fully equal to the task of getting even with them; but it was not likely that they would go into camp when they were so close to the main body.