To The West Part 71

"No, it ain't: wait a bit," he said; and carving away at the thick bark, he made four deep incisions at one end so as to form an arrow-head, and eight at the other end for the feathering of the arrow, so that when he had ended there was a rough white arrow on the red bark pointing down the river, and of course in the direction of the Fort.

"There!" he said, triumphantly. "No brave will think that means gold in the stream, will he?"

I confessed that it was most unlikely, and we started off home.

"Wouldn't old Quong like to know of that?" I said.

"Yes; he'd give something--half of what he found I dare say," cried Esau; "but he isn't going to know, nor anybody else, from me."

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

"ON MY WORD OF HONOUR."

I felt rather startled when we left the valley, for we came suddenly upon a large party of Indians who seemed very different to the quiet, stolid-looking beings we had been accustomed to see with their skin canoes, or busy fishing along the side of the river. These were swarthy, fierce-looking fellows, mounted on st.u.r.dy, wiry-looking ponies--steeds which they sat admirably.

It might be thought that they would be as much surprised and startled as we were, but they did not make a sign to indicate that they even saw us, but rode slowly along, well armed, and with their long hair, feathers, and gaily-coloured blankets, giving them a brightly picturesque look.

"They don't mean mischief, do they?" whispered Esau.

"No, they must be friendly Indians," I said; "and look, they've got packs on those other horses. I know: they are taking skins up to the Fort."

This proved to be the case, for the party kept right on in the same track as we were taking, halting a short distance from the gate of the Fort; but, though we were pretty close to them all the time, they never made the slightest sign of being aware of our presence; and when we entered, and I glanced back, I could see that they were already beginning to make their little camp, while others were seeing to the laden horses.

"What!" said Mr Raydon, when I told him of my discovery. "Gold?"

"Yes; and I think in large quant.i.ties."

"Are you sure it is gold?" he said. I took out what I had found, and placed the little scales before him. He seized them, and examined them carefully, closing his hand over them afterward, and sitting gazing straight before him for some moments, while a chill of dread ran through me.

"It is not gold," I thought; and as I gazed at him intently, he looked up. "Well?" he said.

"You think it is not gold, sir?" I said. "I am sure it is," he replied, sadly. "Tell me whereabouts you found it;" and I described the place.

"Yes," he said; "one of our most lovely valleys. Here, are you tired?"

"No."

"Are you?" he said, turning to Esau, who replied that he was not the least so.

"Stop a moment--to whom have you spoken?"

"Spoken, sir?"

"How many people about the place have you told about the gold?"

"No one, sir."

"Neither of you?" he said, with a sharp look at Esau.

"We came straight to you," I said, "because I felt that you ought to know about it, and I thought you would give us your advice."

He laid his hand on my shoulder, and gripped it fast, speaking very firmly, but in a kindlier tone than I had heard from him before.

"That's right," he said, "quite right. We'll go up there at once, and see if this is an important discovery, or only one of the little patches that are found at times."

"Then no one saw you there?" he said, after a few minutes' thought.

"We did not see a soul, sir, till we came out of the little valley, and found that party of Indians coming here."

He stood with his brows knit, thinking deeply, and then he nodded his head sharply.

"Yes," he said, "we'll go at once. Come along."

He led us to his garden, and out of the shed took a shovel and a shallow wooden basket.

"You lads can carry these," he said, "and I'll take my rifle. It will look as if we are going on some pleasure trip. One minute, though, while I give orders about those Indians."

He spoke to his second in command, giving him some instructions, whose import I did not understand then; and afterwards we strolled out through the gate slowly enough, and wandered away along the track and down by the lake, Mr Raydon stopping every now and then to pick up some flower or stone to which he drew my attention.

This went on till we were out of sight of the Fort, when his whole manner changed.

"Now, boys," he said, sharply, "on as fast as you can. How far is it from here?"

"About two hours' walk," I said.

"Then we shall not be back much before dusk; so best leg foremost."

It was quite the two hours before we got to the spot where the tree was blazed, and Mr Raydon's keen eyes detected the sign long before we were abreast of it.

"Your mark to show the spot, eh?" he said. "Very ingenious. It would have deceived me. Now wait a few minutes."

He walked forward for a few hundred yards, and then returned.

"No one has been along here," he said. "There is not a footmark. Now then; to work."

He stood his rifle against a tree, stripped off his boots and stockings, and signed to me to do the same.

"You, my lad," he said to Esau, "keep watch by my rifle, and at the slightest sign or sound give me warning. Now then, Gordon, in with you and use the shovel."

I stepped into the stream, where it was shallow, and in obedience to his instructions plied the tool, and threw three or four spadefuls into the shallow wooden basket, which he held down then in the running water, and rapidly agitated, giving it a curious circular motion, and letting the light sand run with the water over the side. Then he stopped from time to time to pick out stones.

"Another shovelful," he said, "from that place. Yes," he continued, as I obeyed him; "now another from as deep as you can. In with it."

Thus in the late afternoon, with the sun getting low, and throwing our shadows far over the stream, he worked the basket about in the water somewhat after the manner adopted by Quong, but of course on a large scale, for the basket was heavy with what I had thrown in, and it made the muscles stand out in knots upon his arms where he had rolled his sleeves up to his shoulders; and I remember thinking, as I gazed at his sun-browned face and grey hair, what a fine thing it must be to feel so big and strong and manly.

Esau stood resting on the rifle, for he could not resist the temptation of taking hold of it to stand like a sentry, while I, nearly up to my knees in water, raised one foot and rested it on the blade of the shovel, as intent as my companion, and, I am afraid, indulging in all kinds of golden dreams of wealth and position, and of how happy we should all be.