Over the Rocky Mountains: Wandering Will in the Land of the Redskin by Ballantyne (desktop ebook reader .txt) đ
- Author: Ballantyne
Book online «Over the Rocky Mountains: Wandering Will in the Land of the Redskin by Ballantyne (desktop ebook reader .txt) đ». Author Ballantyne
The trapper was a naturally earnest, matter-of-fact man, but knew little or nothing of the Christian religion, except what he had heard of it from the lips of men who, having neither knowledge of it nor regard for it themselves, gave a false report both of its blessed truths and its workings. He glanced inquiringly at our hero when he ceased to speak.
âWhat is your own opinion about heaven?â asked Will Big Ben looked earnestly at his companion for a few seconds and saidâ
âYoung man, I never was asked that question before, anâ so, of course, never made a straightforward reply to it. Nevertheless, I think I have a sort of notion on the pint, anâ can state it, too, though I canât boast of havinâ much larninâ. Seems to me that the notion of the men of the settlements isnât worth much, for few oâ them can tell ye what they think or why they think it, except in a ramblinâ way, anâ they donât agree among themselves. Then, as for the Redskins, I canât believe that itâs likely there will be such work as shootinâ anâ fishinâ in heaven. So Iâm inclined to think that we know nothinâ about it at all, and that heaven will be nothinâ more nor less than beinâ with God, who, beinâ the Maker of the soul anâ body, knows whatâs best for both, and will show us that at the proper time. But there are mysteries about it that puzzle me. I know that the Almighty must be right in all He does, yet He permits men to murder each other, and do worse than that.â
âI agree with you, Ben,â said Will Osten, after a momentâs reflection. âThat everything in heaven will be perfect is certain. That we donât at present see how this is to be is equally certain, and the most certain thing of all is, that the very essence of heaven will consist in being âfor ever with the Lord.â I donât wonder at your being puzzled by mysteries. It would be strange indeed were it otherwise, but I have a book here which explains many of these mysteries, and shows us how we ought to regard those which it does not explain.â
Here Will Osten drew a small volume from the breast-pocket of his coat.
âThe Bible?â said the trapper.
âPart of it at all events,â said Will. âIt is the New Testament. Come, let us examine it a little.â
The youth and the trapper sat down and began to read the New Testament together, and to discuss its contents while supper was being prepared by their comrades. After supper, they returned to it, and continued for several hours to bend earnestly over the Word of God.
In the wild remote part of the Rocky Mountains where their camp was made, neither trappers nor Indians were wont to ramble. Even wild beasts were not so numerous there as elsewhere, so that it was deemed unnecessary to keep watch during the night. But a war-party of Indians, out on an expedition against another tribe with whom they were at deadly feud, chanced to traverse the unfrequented pass at that time in order to make a short cut, and descend from an unusual quarter, and so take their enemies by surprise.
Towards midnightâwhen the rocky crags and beetling cliffs frowned like dark clouds over the spot where the travellers lay in deepest shade, with only a few red embers of the camp-fire to throw a faint lurid light on their slumbering formsâa tall savage emerged from the surrounding gloom, so stealthily, so noiselessly, and by such slow degrees, that he appeared more like a vision than a reality. At first his painted visage only and the whites of his glittering eyes came into view as he raised his head above the surrounding brushwood and stretched his neck in order to obtain a better view of the camp. Then slowly, inch by inch, almost with imperceptible motion, he crept forward until the whole of his gaunt form was revealed. A scalping-knife gleamed in his right hand. The camp was strewn with twigs, but these he removed one by one, carefully clearing each spot before he ventured to rest a knee upon it. While the savage was thus engaged, Larry OâHale, who was nearest to him, sighed deeply in his sleep and turned round. The Indian at once sank so flat among the grass that scarcely any part of him was visible. Big Ben, who slept very lightly, was awakened by Larryâs motions, but having been aroused several times already by the same restless individual, he merely glanced at his sleeping comrade and shut his eyes again.
Well aware that in such a camp there must assuredly be at least one who was acquainted with the ways and dangers of the wilderness, and who, therefore, would be watchful, the savage lay perfectly still for more than a quarter of an hour; then he raised his head, and, by degrees, his body, until he kneeled once more by the side of the unconscious Irishman. As he raised himself a small twig snapt under his weight. The face of the savage underwent a sudden spasmodic twitch, and his dark eye glanced sharply from one to another of the sleepers, while his fingers tightened on the hilt of his knife, but the rest of his body remained as rigid as a statue. There was no evidence that the sound had been heard. All remained as still and motionless as before, while the savage bent over the form of Larry OâHale and gazed into his face.
But the snapping of that little twig had not been unobserved. The trapperâs eyes were open, and his senses wide awake on the instant. Yet, so tutored was he in the ways and warfare of the wilderness that no muscle of his huge frame moved, and his eyes were closed again so quickly that the glance of the savage, sharp though it was, failed to detect the fact of his having awakened. The busy mind of Big Ben was active, however, while he lay there. He saw that the savage was armed, but the knife was not yet raised to strike. He saw, also, that this man was in his war paint, and knew that others were certainly around him, perhaps close to his own back, yet he did not dare to look round or to make the slightest movement. His spirit was on fire with excitement, but his body lay motionless as if dead, while he rapidly considered what was to be done. Presently the savage removed a corner of the blanket which covered Larryâs broad chest and then raised his knife. In another moment the trapperâs rifle sent forth its deadly contents, and the Indian fell across the Irishman in the agonies of death.
Instantly the other sleepers sprang to their feet and seized their arms, but before they had time to use them they were surrounded by the whole band of savages, and, amid a hurricane of whoops and yells, were overpowered and pinioned. Larry, with the fiery zeal of his countrymen, struggled like a madman, until one of the savages gave him a blow on the head with the flat of his tomahawk to quiet him, but the others, who knew that to struggle against overpowering odds would only make matters worse, at once surrendered.
âIt is all over with us now,â exclaimed Will Osten, bitterly; âif we had only had the chance of a good fight beforehand, it would have been some comfort!â
âWhen you have lived longer in the wilderness, lad,â said Big Ben, âyouâll not give way to despair so easily.â
These remarks were made as they sat on the grass while the Indians were engaged in catching and saddling the horses. Soon after our travellers were assisted to mount, having their wrists tied behind their backs; and thus, with armed savages around them, they were led away prisonersâthey knew not whither.
One fortunate circumstance attending the capture of Wandering Will and his friends was that the Indians happened to follow the route which they had been pursuing, so that, whatever might be their ultimate fate, in the meantime they were advancing on their journey.
Big Ben took occasion to point this out to his comrades the next night, when, after a severe dayâs ride, they were allowed to sit down and eat a scanty meal surrounded by the Indian warriors. No fire was lighted, for the savages knew they were now approaching their enemiesâ country. Their food, which consisted of dried buffalo meat, was eaten cold. In order to enable the captives to feed themselves, their hands had been loosed and refastened in front instead of behind them, but this did not in any degree improve their chance of escape, for they were guarded with extreme vigilance.
âYou see, Mr Osten,â said Big Ben, in a low tone, âitâs a piece of good luck that theyâve brought us this way, âcause when we leave them we have nought to do but continue our journey.â
âLeave them!â exclaimed Will in surprise. âHow shall we manage to leave them?â
âBy escapinâ,â answered the trapper. âHow it is to be gone about no man can tell, for man is only mortal anâ donât know nothinâ about the futurâ, but weâll find that out in good time.â
âI hope we may,â returned Will sadly, as he gazed round on the stern faces of the savages, who ate their frugal meal in solemn silence; âbut it seems to me that our case is hopeless.â
âFaix, thatâs what meself thinks too,â muttered Larry between his teeth, âfor these cords on me wrists would howld a small frigate, anâ thereâs a black thief just forenint me, who has never tuk his eyes off me since we wos catched. Ah, then, if I wor free I would make ye wink, ye ugly rascal. But how comes it, Mister Trapper, that ye seem to be so sure oâ escapinâ?â
âIâm not sure, but Iâm hopeful,â replied Big Ben, with a smile.
âHopeful!â repeated the other, âitâs disapinted yeâll be then. Havenât ye often towld me that thim blackguards roast anâ tear and torture prisoners nowadays just as bad as they ever did?â
âI have.â
âWell,âdâye think them Redskins look as if they would let us off, seeinâ that weâve shot wan of them already?â
âThey donât.â
âSure, then, yer hope stands on a bad foundation, anâ the sooner we make up our minds to be skivered the better, for sartin am I that our doom is fixed. Donât âee think so, Bunco?â
The worthy appealed to was busily engaged in tearing to pieces and devouring a mass of dried buffalo meat, but he looked up, grinned, and nodded his head, as if to say that he believed Larry was right, and that in his opinion being roasted, torn, tortured, and skivered was rather a pleasant prospect than otherwise.
âI have two reasons for beinâ hopeful,â observed Big Ben, after a short silence. âOne is that I never got into a scrape in my life that I didnât get out of somehow or another, and the other reason is that I have observed signs on the trees that tell me the enemies, for whom the Redskins are seeking, are aware of their beinâ on the trail and will give them a warm reception, perhaps sooner than they expect.â
âWhat signs do you refer to?â asked Will Osten. âI see no sign of man having been here.â
âPerhaps not, and by good luck neither do the Injuns, for why, they canât read handwritinâ as is not meant for âem, but I know somethinâ of the tribe they are after, anâ one or two small marks on the trees tell me that they are not
Comments (0)