There was a certain system in all this apparent confusion, and, it being known that a halt would be made at this point, a half dozen of the most skilful4 hunters of the party had scattered5 among the mountains in quest of game. By the time several fires were fairly under way, these providers began dropping in, all of them laden6 with spoils of the chase, which were dressed and boiling over the different camp-fires in an incredibly short time. The Apaches had reduced this thing to a science, and a company of trained soldiers could not have done the thing more expeditiously7 than did they.
While it was all going on, Fred Munson walked to the brook8 near at hand, and taking a deep draught9 from the icy water, he stood somewhat apart from the others, watching the proceedings10 with a strange interest.
At first he failed to understand one thing. He knew, from what he had seen, that at least a dozen of the Apaches had been killed, and as many wounded, on the night before during the fight. Yet not one of these was visible, with the exception, perhaps, of Lone Wolf, whose scratches from Sut Simpson's bullets were of a superficial nature. The only explanation of the absence of these parties was that they had gone home. Under the charge of a strong escort they had taken another route, and were probably miles away at that moment, and most likely in their own wigwams, receiving the nursing and attention required.
“I wonder whether there is any chance of my getting away?” mused11 the lad, as he looked searchingly about him. “If a fellow could only get the start, there are plenty of places where he might hide; but there's where the trouble is.”
On the right and left of the gorge12 were precipitous mountains, evidently broken by chasms13, ravines, and covered with patches of wood, their elevation14 being so moderate that no snow was visible upon their tops, while the scene was wild and forbidding in the extreme.
“If I were only up there,” sighed Fred, as he looked at the mountain side, “I could crawl into some of the places, where I'm sure they couldn't find any signs of me.”
This might all be, provided the lad had an hour or two in which to hunt his hiding place, but the whole difficulty lay in getting that opportunity. It was not to be supposed that the Apaches were so stupid as to give a young captive like him a chance to slip from their hands in broad daylight. They were too shrewd for that and Fred felt that he must wait for some better opportunity than the present.
The meat was prepared in short order, and then the Apaches fell-to like so many wild beasts, using only their fingers and teeth. A large quantity of food was provided, and the redskins were rapidly disposing of it, when the lad saw that no one was likely to offer him any, and he struck in and helped himself.
This morning halt of the war-party lasted about an hour, during which Fred felt that there was little attention being paid him. Considerable earnest talk was indulged in by the warriors, who were apparently15 discussing some important plans with Lone Wolf, the whole thing resolving itself into a sort of council of war. When they leaped upon the backs of their mustangs, the decision had been made, and preparations made for carrying it out without delay.
The whole party started up the gorge, Fred riding again with the Apache Apollo, Waukko, while Lone Wolf kept himself at the head of the force.
“I thought he would be mad enough to kill me,” mused the boy, as he caught sight of the notorious chief, “for the reason that I gave him such a scare night before last. It can't be that he has forgotten it or that he doesn't know who I am; but maybe he is going to do something dreadful to me after he gets me home.”
What the real purpose of Lone Wolf was could only be conjectured16; but there was reason to believe that he meant to hold his prisoner for a ransom17, as the aboriginal18 scamp was very partial to that kind of business. By carrying the lad back among the mountains, he could hold him against the army of the United States, utterly19 refusing to yield him up until he should receive his price.
The mustangs galloped21 along at an easy gait, for a mile or so, when the canon, or gorge, divided in a manner precisely22 like that which is frequently observed in the highways or streets of a city. Lone Wolf instantly turned the head of his mustang to the left, and, without checking him in the least, continued at a sweeping23 gallop20 in that direction, followed by all of his warriors, save three.
These were Waukko and two companions scarcely less repulsive24 in appearance, who wheeled their steeds to the right. Without any exchange of word or signal, they sped down the ravine and in less than a minute the two parties were lost to sight of each other.
What this meant was a mystery as baffling as the other, but Fred concluded that Lone Wolf had gone in quest of some other party of his warriors, and had sent Waukko and his two companions as an escort to conduct him to some place where he would be beyond all danger of rescue. The shrewd Apache chief, in doing this, only acted with ordinary discretion25.
He knew Sut Simpson through and through, and had not a particle of doubt that the hunter was already on their track, and that he would use every exertion26 to recover the lad. Hence the most important thing to do was to get forward without any loss of time. He had a full night's start of the scout27, who could only press his pursuit by daylight, when the trail was visible, and there was no reason why the three men who had the lad in charge should allow the fleetest-footed mustang to catch up with them.
Fred, as may be supposed, was gratified to find his companions so suddenly and greatly reduced in number, for it seemed to him at once that his chances of escape were increased tenfold. It simplified matters. It did not occur to him that three vigilant28 Indians were as effective as three hundred, and that in a certain sense his prospect29 of deliverance was diminished rather than increased. He was a boy and as hopeful as his years.
The day remained sunshiny and pleasant, and the easy canter of the mustangs caused just enough breeze to make the riding delightful30. Fred felt an unconquerable aversion to the Apache Waukko, whose horrible face and appearance caused him more than once to half suspect that he was a ghoul or demon31. He again made an attempt to open communication with him, but he uttered a sort of grunt32 that Fred took as a command for silence, and he resolved that he would die before he would repeat the attempt.
The gorge continued its winding33 course among the mountains, some of the turns being at very sharp angles. The width of the ravine varied34 from fifty to five hundred feet, the walls on either side showing about the same difference of altitude. At times they were perpendicular35, and then again sloped at such a moderate angle that a horse could have galloped up them without difficulty.
The mountainous nature of the country rather increased than diminished, and, looking right and left, in front and rear, the jagged peaks were forever visible, the distances varying, but the number greater and greater. At times it seemed as if the ravine were about to terminate suddenly against the solid wall of the mountain, but, as they rode forward, the open way was there, albeit36 the angle was sharp, and the little party suffered no interruption of progress until near the close of the day.
The noon halt which Fred expected was not made.
He was hungry and supposed that the Apaches were; but, if so, they manifestly considered it of more importance to get forward than to satisfy that hunger. Once or twice they permitted their horses to drink from the water when it was reached, but these momentary37 halts were all that were made.
It was near the middle of the afternoon, when Waukko, who was the leader of the little group, suddenly showed great excitement, which speedily communicated itself to his companions. All three of these scamps were sullen38 and reticent39, frequently riding for hours at a time without exchanging a word, so that this excitement meant something. The three halted simultaneously40, and talked loudly and excitedly, so that Fred suspected that some cause for a quarrel had abruptly41 sprung upon them.
“I wonder if they're wrangling42 about me?” was the thought that came to the lad, who immediately recalled the fate of Miss MacCrea during the Revolution, when the two Indians conducting her to Fort Edward settled a quarrel over her by sinking a tomahawk in her brain.
If the present excitement could be quelled43 only by such a remedy, he preferred that it should go on. Otherwise, if there was a prospect of their settling it by falling upon each other, he was in hope of seeing it intensified44. It looked as if a deadly fight were impending45, when he was tossed to the ground, and the three Apaches instantly dropped to the earth and faced each other.
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1
harangue
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| n.慷慨冗长的训话，言辞激烈的讲话 | |
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2
lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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3
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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6
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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7
expeditiously
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| adv.迅速地，敏捷地 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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12
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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13
chasms
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| 裂缝( chasm的名词复数 )； 裂口； 分歧； 差别 | |
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14
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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aboriginal
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| adj.（指动植物）土生的，原产地的，土著的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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21
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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27
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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31
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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32
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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33
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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34
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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35
perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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36
albeit
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| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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38
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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39
reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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40
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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41
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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42
wrangling
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| v.争吵，争论，口角( wrangle的现在分词 ) | |
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43
quelled
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| v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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