“wapaw must have worked hard, for we should have overhauled him by this time,” said walter to his uncle on the evening of the next day, as they plodded steadily along through the snow.
“i would give up the pursuit,” said robin, somewhat gloomily, “for it’s losin’ time that might be better spent on another search; but it won’t do to leave the crittur, for if he’s badly wounded he may die for want o’ help.”
“guess he can’t be very bad, else he’d niver travel so fast,” observed stiff, who, now that the chief murderer was punished, did not care much to go in search of the wounded indian.
“when a man thinks a band o’ yellin’ redskins are follerin’ up his trail,” said slugs, “he’s pretty sure to travel fast, wounded or not wounded—leastways if he’s able. but i don’t think we’ll have to go much farther now, for i’ve noticed that his stride ain’t so long as it was, and that’s a sartin sure sign that he’s failin’; i only hope he won’t go under before we find him.”
“niver a fear o’ that,” said larry o’dowd, with a grin. “i’ve seed him as far gone as any one iver i comed across, wi’ starvation; but the way that fellow walked into the grub when he got the chance was wonderful to behold! i thought he’d ait me out o’ the house entirely; and he put so much flesh on his bones in a week or two that he was able to go about his business, though he warn’t no fatter when he began to ait than a consumptive darnin’ needle. true for ye—it’s naither walkin’, starvin’, nor cowld, as’ll kill wapaw.”
“what does the black swan think?” inquired robin.
“we shall see wapaw when the sun is low to-morrow,” replied the indian.
“mayhap we shall,” quoth robin, “but it behooves us to get the steam up for to-morrow: so, comrades, as there’s a good clump o’ timber here away, we’ll camp.”
robin threw down his bundle as he spoke, and his example was at once followed by the others, each of whom set to work vigorously to assist in preparing the encampment.
they had all the requisite implements for this purpose, having returned, after the attack on the indians, for the things they had left behind them.
“it’s a pity that we shall have to keep watch to-night,” said walter; “one of us will have to do it, i fancy; for though i don’t believe these murderin’ redskins have pluck to attack us, it would not do to trust to that.”
slugs, to whom this remark was addressed, lowered the axe with which he was about to fell a neighbouring tree for firewood.
“that’s true,” said he, looking round him in all directions; “hold on, comrades, yonder’s a mound with a bare top, we’d better camp there. makin’ a big blaze on sitch a place’ll show the red reptiles we don’t care a gun-flint for them, and they’ll not dare to come near, so we won’t have to watch.”
“arrah! an’ a purty spot it’ll be for the blackyirds to shoot us all aisy as we’re sottin’ at supper,” exclaimed larry o’dowd.
“doubtless there’s a hollow on it,” rejoined slugs, “for the top is flat.”
“humph! maybe,” growled larry, who still seemed to object; but, as the rest of the party were willing to adopt the suggestion, he said no more, and they all went to the top of the little mound, which commanded a clear view of the surrounding country.
as slugs had surmised, there was a slight hollow on the summit of the mound, which effectually screened the party from any one who might wish to fire at them from below; and as there was no other mound in the immediate neighbourhood, they felt quite secure. huge logs were cut and carried to the top of the mound, the snow was cleared out of the hole, pine branches were spread over it, the fire was kindled, the kettle put on and filled with snow, and soon larry o’dowd was involved in the heat, steam, smoke, and activities of preparing supper, while his comrades spread out their blankets and lay down to smoke with their arms ready beside them.
the fire roared up into the wintry sky, causing the mound to resemble the cone or crater of a volcano, which could be seen for miles round. ever and anon, while supper was being eaten, the black swan or slugs would rise, and going stealthily to the edge of the mound would peep cautiously over, to make sure that none of their enemies were approaching.
immediately after supper, they all lay down to sleep, but, for a time, each motionless form that lay rolled tightly in its blanket like an egyptian mummy, sent a series of little puffs from its head. at last the stars came out, and the pipes dropped from each sleeper’s lips. then the moon rose—a circumstance which rendered their position still more secure—and the fire sank low. but slugs was too cautious a hunter to trust entirely to the alleged cowardice of the savages. he knew well that many, indeed most of the redskins, bad as well as good, had quite enough of mere brute courage to make them dare and risk a good deal for the sake of scalping a white hunter, so he rose once or twice during the night to replenish the fire and take a look round; and as often as he rose for these purposes, so often did he observe the glittering eye of the black swan glaring round the encampment, although its owner never once moved from his recumbent posture.
thus the night was spent. the first glimmer of daylight found the whole party up and equipped for the journey.
they did not breakfast before setting out, as they preferred to take their morning meal later in the day. few words were spoken. at that early hour, and in the sleepy condition which usually results from a very early start, men are seldom inclined to talk. only one or two monosyllables were uttered as each man rolled up his blanket with his share of the provisions in it, and fastened on his snow-shoes. a few minutes later robin led the way down the slope, and the whole party marched off in single file, and re-entered the woods.
