the party pushed on until the greater portion of the forenoon was passed, when ned was transferred to the back of tom's horse. the lad had noticed that the hunters were acting in a strange manner, as though they were ill at ease, and were apprehensive that peril of some kind was approaching.
dick morris rode fully a hundred yards in advance of his comrade, and the motion of his head showed that there was no part of the horizon that was not under his surveillance. tom was equally busy while riding in the rear. neither of the hunters addressed a word to the other, but the boy detected a sort of telegraphy occasionally passing between them. they were working by a preconcerted arrangement, like corresponding parts of some machine, understanding each other so well that there was no need for explanation. the boy also used his to the best advantage possible, often turning his head and scanning the prairie and horizon, but not a single time did he discern anything that looked like indians. had he been alone, he would have journeyed serenely forward, certain that no danger of any kind threatened.
at noon, a brief halt was made as they struck the margin of a small stream, the water of which was rather warm and muddy, the buffaloes having probably disturbed it at some point above. the horses quaffed their fill, and upon the suggestion of tom, ned did the same. there was a good deal of significance when he uttered the words.
"it may be a good while before you get a chance at another."
it did not escape the notice of the lad, either, that both his friends filled to the full their old canteens, after which they repaired to one side, where they conversed for some time in low tones, and with such earnest, excited gestures, that it was plain they were in deadly earnest.
"i don't see why they keep everything from me," he muttered, as he observed this. "i think i've seen as big sights as they have for the last few days, and if there's any trouble coming, i wonder whether i haven't got to take my chance the same as them? but i'll let them alone till they get ready to tell me."
he was watching the two as they were talking to each other, when tom beckoned to him to approach.
"there's no use of talkin'," said the hunter, in a low voice; "we're gettin' into the worst scrimmage of our lives. we're right in the middle of a dangerous tract. we've been seen by the apaches and they're arter us."
"why don't you wait until night and go through when they can't see you?"
the hunter shook his head at this seemingly reasonable query.
"the darkness is worse for us than it is for them. they can lay flat on the perarie and hear the sound of the hosses' feet a good deal further off than they can see 'em, and the scamps are so cunnin' they would have drawn us right into some ambush afore we'd knowed anythin' about it. no, we must try it with our eyes open and the sun shinin'."
"but what of it?" asked ned, who did not see why their position need be looked upon as so critical. "your mustangs are as fleet as theirs. how are they going to catch you?"
the whole difficulty was then made clear to the lad. if the apaches were nowhere but in the rear, it would be an easy matter to give them the slip, but they were on the right and left, and in front, and signs that had been seen through the day indicated very clearly that the indians were carrying out to the letter the plan of which the hunters had spoken, and which they dreaded so much. they had already surrounded them, the circle being quite a number of miles in diameter, and were now simply drawing in their lines.
this, as a matter of course, made a collision inevitable, unless the hunters could manage to steal between these redskins, and, by striking the open country beyond, place the entire company in their rear. such a plan as this was scarcely possible of accomplishment.
if attempted during the daytime, it would be instantly detected by some of the redskins, who would notify the proper ones, when an immediate concentration would take place in front of the fugitives. if tried during the darkness of night, it would fail. the apaches would take every imaginable precaution against it and there was no means of concealing the noise made by hoofs. by going on foot they could get through the lines without difficulty; but they could not commit the imprudence of leaving their horses. the situation, therefore, was critical. tom made known two most important facts. the first was that beyond a doubt lone wolf was at the head of the whole enterprise, and they were likely to meet with this treacherous chief again. the second was that, in case they were driven to the wall, the hunters had determined upon taking refuge in a place known as hurricane hill.
"it's nothing more than a pile of rocks," added hardynge. "i've been there before, and it's just the spot to make a desp'rit stand. two men like us, if we can reach the right p'int, can keep a hundred of the redskins back."
"won't they get there ahead of us?" asked ned.
"i think not," replied the hunter, in that hesitating manner which showed that he had thought of the contingency before; "for the reason that i b'leve they'd like to have us run there; but, come, let's be off."
that the mustangs might be relieved, the lad was now taken on the back of dick's, and the journey toward the southwest was resumed at the same sweeping gallop. tom took the lead, carefully scanning the ground over which they traveled. for an hour all went well, and then he reined up his steed with startling suddenness.
"look yonder!" he said, pointing to the south.
glancing in the direction indicated, the boy saw a number of moving specks, apparently on the very horizon.
"injuns," said dick, in a low voice, although the boy scarcely needed the explanation to know they were their old enemies—mounted apaches.
"do you see 'em?"
"yes."
"now take a peep off there."
this time the hunter pointed exactly opposite, where almost precisely the same thing was visible.
"now, i s'pose you understand how it all is? they've been keeping along with us all day, a little ahead, and all the time closing in a little. they've got things down to a dot, and mean bus'ness, you can bet."
"but are we anywhere near hurricane hill?"
"yonder it is."
several miles in advance, a dark, mound-like obstruction appeared against the sky. it was so far away that it was seen only indistinctly, but its character was evidently such as described by the hunter.
"are you going for it?"
"we are."
and, suiting action to his words, they immediately broke into a gallop which was more rapid than before.
the situation, especially to the boy, became painful in its thrilling intensity. he required no telling to know that the dreaded programme described by his friends was being carried out to the letter. the apaches were steadily closing in upon them, and it was evident that, if they chose to do so, they could effectually shut them out from reaching their vantage ground. young chadmund dreaded such a course upon their part. somehow or other he had grown to look upon hurricane hill as their haven of safety. the few words of recommendation that tom hardynge had given it caused this belief upon his part. he did not pause to ask himself what was to be done after reaching it.
suppose it could be gained in perfect safety, what then? if they should prove themselves fully able to keep a whole host of apaches at bay, how was the siege to end? if the indians should content themselves with merely waiting until hunger and thirst could do their work, what more? these questions naturally occurred to the men themselves, but it came back to hobson's choice after all. and so they dashed ahead, gradually increasing their speed, while the apaches, with the regularity of machine work, as gradually drew in upon them.
"will they cut us off?" inquired ned, when the chase had continued for some time.
"guess not," replied dick; "but it don't make much difference."
"why not?"
"'cause it begins to look as if they had a dead sure thing of it," said the scout, sententiously.
"i hope not—i hope not," said the trembling lad, who could only pray that heaven would not desert them in the peril which was encompassing them on every hand.
