The Peril Finders Part 44

It was a glorious ride, and not without incident. Wherever there was water the fowl which frequented the marshy pools could be heard feeding, and the wild cries of the animals which haunted the far-spreading plain came frequently to the ear, while the sharp yelping barks, or the long, low-drawn wails like those of jackals and the dismally weird snapping shout of the prairie wolf came plainly from far away where the salt bush was known to be plentiful.

Every now and then too some owl came hawking by on silent wing, fixing its great eyes upon one or other of the party as it swooped past. Twice over Griggs paused in doubt as to their course, for the crushed-down gra.s.s trampled by the ponies was at times hard to trace in the moonlight; but he was not long in picking up the trail again, and at last the camp was reached, with everything looking just as it had been left that morning, while the mules were still grazing, apparently as hungry as ever, though a little closer observation proved they were picking and choosing amongst the youngest and juiciest twigs.

"Hah!" sighed Ned, dropping wearily from his pony. "Now for a good fire and some of that turkey, Griggs."

"Eh? Didn't you hear what the doctor said just now when he came up alongside?"

"No," said Ned anxiously; "what? That I was not to light the fire?"

"No, nor any one else, lad. He said that no fire was to be lit to-night, and that we must all make shift with a bite of what we left in camp this morning."

"Oh!" groaned Ned, so dismally that Chris was not too weary to forget his own disappointment and laugh and chuckle with delight at his companion's discomfiture.

But that was not the only disappointment, for as soon as the ponies had been unsaddled and freed from their bits, to be turned loose for a roll and graze, Griggs, who had been to examine the provender, came back to announce that there was none to examine.

"What!" cried the boys in a breath. "Why, we left plenty for a cold supper."

"Yes," said Griggs, "but the jackals, or wolves, or whatever they were, haven't."

"You don't mean to say--" began Chris, who felt far from mirthful now.

"Yes, I do; they've been here and cleared out everything."

"But no fire, no turkey, no tea," cried Ned. "What are we to do?"

"Just as the mustangs have, my lad; have a good long drink, a roll, and then--"

"We can't graze," cried Chris.

"No, but we can take it out in sleep."

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

ON THE TRAIL.

It was horribly disappointing in their hungry and weary state, but it was no time for finding fault.

"Roll yourselves up in your blankets, boys, and go to sleep," said Griggs.

"Is that what you are going to do?" said Chris dismally.

"No," was the reply; "I'm going to have the first watch."

"First watch?" said Chris, staring.

"Yes, and your father is going to relieve me at the end of four hours."

"But--watch? What for?"

"Because there are Indians about. You don't suppose we could leave the camp unguarded at a time like this, do you?"

"I--I never thought about it," stammered Chris. "Did you, Ned?"

"Of course not. But is it necessary?"

"If you want to take care of your scalp, yes, my lad," said the American dryly.

"Oh, but--" began Chris.

"You think there's no risk, eh? Well, perhaps it's not quite so bad as that, but we don't want to wake up and find that the mules and horses have been swept off in the night. There, lie down and sleep. Whoever has the morning watch will wake you up to a good fire and such a breakfast as will make up for your cold water supper. Well--why don't you lie down?--Here: stop! What are you going to do?"

"Going to speak to father."

"No, no, don't disturb him. I dare say he's asleep by now."

"He can't be," replied Chris st.u.r.dily; "there hasn't been time."

"What!" cried Griggs, laughing. "Not time? Well, come with me and look; I'll be bound to say he is. But what do you want to say to him?"

Chris hesitated to answer, but the American pressed him, and the boy spoke out.

"I only wanted to tell him that I didn't want to be such a selfish pig as to go to sleep and leave him to keep watch."

"Oh!" said Griggs gravely.

"And to say that I was going to order you to wake me when the four hours are up, and I'd go on duty."

"I see," said Griggs. "Well, come along; he's over there by the packs; but promise me if he's asleep that you will not waken him."

Chris hesitated for a moment or two, and then promised unwillingly, the boys following the American softly to where the heavy breathing of three sleepers could be plainly heard.

"There," said Griggs, leading them back; "are you satisfied?"

"Yes," replied Chris. "They haven't been long going off."

"Do you know how long it takes a tired man to go to sleep, my lad?"

"No. I never noticed."

"Just about as long sometimes as it takes him to shut his eyes."

"Nonsense!"

"And sometimes not so long, for he's asleep before they're shut."

"Old Griggs is making this up, Ned," said Chris.