Girl Scouts in the Rockies Part 14

"Mink Maiden saw her beloved turned to ice before her eyes, and she went away, weeping, to her home with Lame Bull. And Crow Man besought her in vain to return to his lodge. She would not, and that is why the Crow always calls, 'Come, come, come!'

"And every year when the time returns that Thunder Chief came for his bride and the North Forces overpowered him, you will see Mink Maiden come from the woods, weeping over her lost love."

When Tally concluded this legend, the scouts called for another, but Mr. Gilroy mentioned that the three men planned to get an early start for the glacier fields and it was time to retire. So the two guides prepared the fire for the night and the girls began their good-nights.

Mr. Lewis stopped them, however. "Scouts, I want to say a word to you.

I notice that you do not know the Indian walk--the only way to walk in the woods and not grow weary. In fact, the way all the wild creatures walk, whether they run or creep, without making a sound that will attract attention to them."

"No one ever gave it a thought, Lewis," admitted Mr. Gilroy. "Now that you mention it, suppose you show the girls, and let them practice, to-morrow, with the guides to teach them."

Mr. Lewis then demonstrated the white man's walk and the natural gait of the Indian. The two guides walked to show exactly what he meant, and then the girls were told to do it.

"Walk perfectly erect,--not leaning from the waist-line forward, as most people do. Plant your feet with more weight coming upon the sole instead of on the heel of the foot. Always turn your toes straight forward, and take your steps, one foot directly in front of the other so that the track you leave will look like a one-footed man walking a chalk-line.

"Once you have acquired this gait, you will wonder that you ever walked in any other manner. You can walk a narrow ledge, or stick to any foothold that a living creature can go on, without slipping from lack of room for your feet.

"But the greatest benefit such a walk is for one in the forests, is that you can proceed without making any noise. You will not be soaked with the dew that remains on leaves or undergrowth; and after you have taken a long hike you will feel fresh, and have enough energy to start on another trip."

The scouts practiced that night, and had many a good laugh at the awkward steps they took when first trying the Indian gait. But they finally acquired it, and with daily practice in the woods, they soon walked as well as Mr. Lewis himself.

CHAPTER EIGHT

SCRUB'S UNEXPECTED HUNTING TRIP

Mr. Lewis's dog, Scrub, was a never-ending source of fun and entertainment for the scouts. He was a most intelligent animal, and understood everything said to him. In fact, his owner said that Scrub was far more intelligent and practical than many human beings he had known. He also told the girls that they could follow Scrub into the woods if the guides could not go with them, and he would always bring them back by easy trails--he had such a wonderful sense of location and traveling.

The first day in camp, after the three men had started for the glacier field, Tally and Omney had to complete minor details in the camping arrangements, so the scouts did not ask to be taken for a hike up the mountainside. Scrub nosed about for a time, trying to attract the girls' attention by his "talk" but when they failed to understand, he ran away alone, and was not seen again until late that afternoon.

He came tearing into camp, barking excitedly, and jumping about the guides and the scouts, as if to tell them of some thrilling adventure he had experienced in the woods that day. They made much of him, but finally his master scolded him for barking so shrilly, so Scrub placed his stub tail between his hind legs and crept under a tree.

The next day Scrub began again to caper about and bark excitedly to invite the scouts to go hunting with him. But they laughed, and Julie said to him, "We're going with Tally and Hominy after a while."

It was not, however, to Scrub's liking that they tarried so long in camp, and he started away alone. Then when the guides were all ready to go with the scouts, the dog was not to be found.

"Ev'buddy take gun dis time," suggested Tally.

"Oh, what fun! Shall we find any wild animals?" asked Joan.

"Mebbe--dunno."

The Captain warned the girls about using the rifles without first noting all the conditions, and told them not to use them under any circ.u.mstances if there was no danger. As each scout knew perfectly well how to carry the firearm so as to protect others, and as every one used precaution at all times, there was no risk of accident.

The woods were still wet from the heavy night-dew, but the girls found their newly-acquired step protected their skirts from much moisture.

The sun was sending its searching light into every secret nook of the forest, and soon the dew evaporated and the gloom in the dense woods brightened. The many hitherto hidden things in the forest now stood clearly revealed in the sunshine.

They followed the trail that led up the mountainside back of the camp.

Tally waved his hand in an inclusive sweep at the sun, then at the forest it shone upon, and remarked, "Him no shine in long. Onny mornin'--den shadow come back an' fores' grow black agin."

The scouts were eagerly gazing at one thing or another in their progress up the steep trail when Betty gave a little cry and jumped out of the way.

"What is it--a rattler?" cried many voices, anxiously.

"No, but the cutest little rabbit I ever saw,--just like the one Verny caught and helped in the Adirondacks, you know."

Tally then added, "No rattlers on dis side Rockies, all on udder side mountains."

"Betty's scream would make one think she was facing a grizzly!" said Julie, scornfully.

"I wasn't frightened,--it startled me, that's all," Betty said, defensively.

"Was it big enough for rabbit pie?" asked Anne, unwittingly calling down the reproaches of all the scouts upon her head.

As they scolded Anne for always thinking of something to eat,--even a darling little rabbit,--Tally suddenly held up a hand for silence.

Instantly everything was quiet. Then they heard distinctly the plaintive cry of a distressed animal.

"Dat deer call. Him 'fraid an' need help. Shall us go?" explained Tally.

"Oh, yes, Tally, by all means!" exclaimed Mrs. Vernon.

So they pushed a way through the thick screen of pines until they came to a clearing where the trees had been burned down. The sun shone into the place, clearly showing the scene of a forest tragedy which was about to be enacted there.

The two guides made way for the scouts to crowd up beside them, and there they saw a well-grown deer in the center of the tiny park. It was still young and inexperienced, as was shown by the way it backed around and voiced its horror and fear.

"What is it afraid of, Tally?" questioned the Captain, because her unaccustomed eyes saw nothing to fear.

"See on limb dere--where deer must go if she like to get out?"

whispered Tally, pointing to one end of the clearing where a giant pine spread its branches far over the place.

Along the lowest bough crouched a panther, ready to leap. Its green eyes gleamed with hungry desire for the choice breakfast so near, and its sinuous tail whipped gracefully back and forth against the tree.

But its gaze wavered from the deer to something at the other end of the clearing. What could be restraining this ferocious beast, whose claws, as they dug sharp nails into the wood of the tree, appeared ready to rip open the tender flesh of its prey?

Two sides of the clearing were made impa.s.sable for the deer by the close growth of aspens, interlocked like a brush-fence. At one end of the clearing the panther kept guard, but what was the cause of the starting eyes of the deer as it gazed at the nearer end--the end where the scouts stood?

"Ah, Omney--see?" breathed Tally, softly, as he pointed.

Then they saw a grey-brown animal about the size of Scrub, with a stubby tail. Its body was thick and short, and its head was round. It had gleaming eyes, green-slitted like a cat's. Its ears were sharp-pointed and stood erect. The mouth was partly open, with the tongue showing its red edge between the fanglike teeth. Its rusty color merged so perfectly with the bushes that it was small wonder the scouts had not seen it immediately.

Its expression, the crouching pose, its tense muscles--all denoted its eagerness to taste the blood of the deer, but there was the panther to reckon with first! Now the girls realized the danger of the young deer. How could the poor thing hope to escape from a panther and a lynx?

When the lynx sensed the human beings, she snarled viciously, but showed no fear. Her entire attention was given to the movements of the panther. But the fact that her natural enemies, human beings, stood so close to her, made her act sooner than she might have done.

Tally whispered the situation in a breath. "Pant'er no jump, fear lynx get him an' en get deer. Lynx 'fraid to jump firs' 'cause pant'er den jump on bof an' eat 'em."

Then Omney whispered, "Tally shoot pant'er, an' me shoot lynx--same time. When I say fire--den shoot!"