The Scalp Hunters Part 63

"But what of Seguin? Did you see him afterwards?"

"Did I see him arterwards? No; I didn't."

"I fear he is killed."

"That ain't likely, young fellur. He knows these diggin's better'n any o' us; an' he oughter know whur to cacher, I reckin. He's did that, I'll be boun'."

"Ay, if he would," said I, thinking that Seguin might have followed the captives, and thrown away his life recklessly.

"Don't be skeert about him, young fellur. The cap ain't a-gwine to put his fingers into a bee's nest whur thur's no honey; he ain't."

"But where could he have gone, when you did not see him afterwards?"

"Whur could he 'a gone? Fifty ways he kud 'a gone through the brush. I didn't think o' lookin' arter him. He left the Injun whur he had throw'd him, 'ithout raisin' the har; so I stooped down to git it; an'

when I riz agin, he wa'n't thur no how. But that Injun wur. Lor'! that Injun are some punkins; he are."

"What Indian do you mean?"

"Him as jined us on the Del Norte--the Coco."

"El Sol! What of him? is he killed?"

"Wal, he ain't, I reckin; nor can't a-be: that's this child's opeenyun o' it. He kim from under the ranche, arter it tumbled; an' his fine dress looked as spick as ef it had been jest tuk out o' a bandy-box.

Thur wur two at him, an', Lor'! how he fit them! I tackled on to one o'

them ahint, an' gin him a settler in the hump ribs; but the way he finished the other wur a caution to Crockett. 'Twur the puttiest lick I ever seed in these hyur mountains, an' I've seed a good few, I reckin."

"How was it?"

"'Ee know, the Injun--that are, the Coco--fit wi' a hatchet?"

"Yes."

"Wal, then; that ur's a desprit weepun, for them as knows how to use it; an' he diz; that Injun diz. T'other had a hatchet, too, but he didn't keep it long. 'Twur clinked out o' his hands in a minnit, an' then the Coco got a down blow at him. Wagh! it wur a down blow, an' it wa'n't nuthin' else. It split the niggur's head clur down to the thrapple.

'Twus sep'rated into two halves as ef 't had been clove wi' a broad-axe!

Ef 'ee had 'a seed the varmint when he kim to the ground, 'ee'd 'a thort he wur double-headed. Jest then I spied the Injuns a-comin' down both sides o' the bluff; an' havin' neyther beast nor weepun, exceptin'

a knife, this child tuk a notion 'twa'n't safe to be thur any longer, an' cached; he did."

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

SMOKED OUT.

Our conversation had been carried on in a low tone, for the Indians still remained in front of the cave. Many others had arrived, and were examining the skull of the Canadian with the same looks of curiosity and wonderment that had been exhibited by their comrades.

Rube and I sat for some time in silence, watching them. The trapper had flitted near me, so that he could see out and talk in whispers.

I was still apprehensive that the savages might search the cave.

"'Tain't likely," said my companion. "They mout ef thur hadn't 'a been so many o' these diggins, do 'ee see? Thur's a grist o' 'em--more'n a hundred--on t'other side; an' most o' the men who got clur tuk furrer down. It's my notion the Injuns seed that, an' won't disturb--Ef thur ain't that dog!"

I well understood the meaning of the emphasis with which these last words were repeated. My eyes, simultaneously with those of the speaker, had fallen upon the dog Alp. He was running about in front of the cave.

I saw at a glance he was searching for me.

The next moment he had struck the trail where I had crawled through the cacti, and came running down in the direction of the cave.

On reaching the body of the Canadian, which lay directly in his track, he stopped for a moment and appeared to examine it. Then, uttering a short yelp, he pa.s.sed on to that of the doctor, where he made a similar demonstration. He ran several times from one to the other, but at length left them; and, with his nose once more to the ground, disappeared out of our view.

His strange actions had attracted the attention of the savages, who, one and all, stood watching him.

My companion and I were beginning to hope that he had lost me, when, to our dismay, he appeared a second time, coming down the trail as before.

This time he leaped over the bodies, and the next moment sprang into the mouth of the cave.

A yell from without told us that we were lost.

We endeavoured to drive the dog out again, and succeeded, Rube having wounded him with his knife; but the wound itself, and the behaviour of the animal outside, convinced our enemies that someone was within the shaft.

In a few seconds the entrance was darkened by a crowd of savages, shouting and yelling.

"Now show yur shootin', young fellur!" said my companion. "It's the new kind o' pistol 'ee hev got. Load every ber'l o' it."

"Shall I have time to load them?"

"Plenty o' time. They ain't a-gwine to come in 'ithout a light. Thur gone for a torch to the shanty. Quick wi' yur! Slap in the fodder!"

Without waiting to reply, I caught hold of my flask, and loaded the remaining five chambers of the revolver. I had scarcely finished when one of the Indians appeared in front with a flaming brand, and was about stooping into the mouth of the cavern.

"Now's yur time," cried Rube. "Fetch the niggur out o' his boots!

Fetch him!"

I fired, and the savage, dropping the torch, fell dead upon the top of it!

An angry yell from without followed the report, and the Indians disappeared from the front. Shortly after, an arm was seen reaching in, and the dead body was drawn back out of the entrance.

"What will they do next, think you?" I inquired of my companion.

"I can't tell adzactly yit; but thur sick o' that game, I reckin. Load that ber'l agin. I guess we'll git a lot o' 'm afore we gins in. Cuss the luck! that gun, Tar-guts! Ef I only had that leetle piece hyur!

'Ee've got six shots, have 'ee? Good! 'Ee mout chock up the cave wi'

their karkidges afore they kin reach us. It ur a great weepun, an' no mistakes. I seed the cap use it. Lor'! how he made it tell on them n.i.g.g.e.rs i' the shanty! Thur ain't many o' them about, I reckin. Load sure, young fellur! Thur's plenty o' time. They knows what you've got thur."

During all this dialogue none of the Indians made their appearance, but we could hear them on both sides of the shaft without. We knew they were deliberating on what plan they would take to get at us.

As Rube suggested, they seemed to be aware that the shot had come from a revolver. Doubtless some of the survivors of the late fight had informed them of the fearful havoc that had been made among them with our pistols, and they dreaded to face them. What other plan would they adopt? Starve us out?

"They mout," said Rube, in answer to my question, "an' kin if they try.

Thur ain't a big show o' vittlin' hyur, 'ceptin' we chaw donnicks. But thur's another way, ef they only hev the gumshin to go about it, that'll git us sooner than starvin'. Ha!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the speaker, with emphasis. "I thort so. Thur a-gwine to smoke us. Look 'ee yander!"

I looked forth. At a distance I saw several Indians coming in the direction of the cave, carrying large bundles of brushwood. Their intention was evident.