There was a loose rein2 hanging on the neck of the mustang. Fred gently pulled it and the beast stopped. He was walking so quietly that his hoofs3 made scarcely any sound in falling upon the flinty surface, and the Indian, from some cause or other, failed to notice the cessation of sound until the distance between them had about doubled.
At that instant, the redskin turned his head as quick as lightning. Fred, who had been washing for that identical movement, whirled the steed about and started him back in the ravine at full gallop4, the brute5 responding gallantly6 to the sudden demand made upon him.
The fugitive7 was expecting a shot from the rifle in the hand of the Apache, and he threw himself forward upon the horse, so as to make the target as difficult to hit as possible. But the Indian did not fire, not only on account of the risk to his favorite mustang, but because it would have been certain to disarrange the reconnoissance upon which Waukko and his companions were engaged.
But the red-skin did not stand in stupid helplessness. A glance told him everything, and, running with extraordinary swiftness to the nearest mustang, he vaulted8 upon his back and started in pursuit, putting his animal upon the jump from the first. The few seconds' unavoidable delay gave the young fugitive something like a hundred yards start, an advantage which he used every effort to increase, and which, for a brief spell, he succeeded in doing.
Fred's object was to avoid a regular chase, for he dreaded9 that in such case the superior knowledge of the country possessed10 by the Indian would enable him to outwit him at every turn. Night was close at hand, and, if he could dodge11 the red-skin until darkness, the lad was confident of escaping him altogether.
For a short distance, the ravine continued in almost a straight line, and then it turned at a sharp angle. Without attempting to guide the mustang in the least, Fred kept himself thrown forward, with his arms about his neck, while he hammered his sides with his heels, spoke12 sharply to him, and did everything he could to urge him to the highest possible rate of speed. The animal whirled about the corner, and, with his neck extended, went down the ravine with almost incredible swiftness—a speed which was steadily13 drawing him away from his pursuer, and which would have carried him beyond his reach in a brief time, but for a singular and altogether unexpected check.
The pursuing red-skin saw his charge quietly slipping from his grasp, and he must have viewed the wonderful speed of his favorite mustang, under the circumstances, with mixed emotions. At any rate, it took him but a short time to see that in a stern chase he had no chance of coming up with his own animal, and so he commanded him to halt. This was done by a peculiar14, tremulous whooping15 sound, which he had used scores of times to summon his animal to him, and which had never failed. Nor did it fail now.
Fred was careering along at this amazing speed, congratulating himself meanwhile upon his cleverness, when the brute checked himself so suddenly that the rider narrowly escaped being pitched over his head. He jerked the bit, and pounded his heels against his ribs16, but it was of no avail. The horse had pricked17 up his ears, neighed, and was looking back, with very much the appearance of an animal that was in a mental muddle18.
The Indian saw it, and repeated the signal. Thereupon the mustang wheeled and started backward at a gallop, directly toward his master.
“If that's your idea, I'm not going with you!” gasped19 the lad, who slipped off his back, as nimbly as a monkey, and made a dash for the side of the ravine, without any clear idea of where he was going.
It seemed that there was no possible escape for the lad, for the Indian was but a short distance behind him, and was twice as fleet of foot as he; but one of those fortunate interferences which seem to be in their nature like special Providences occurred at this juncture20.
The flight and pursuit of Fred Munson took place at a critical period in the affairs of all parties and so mixed up the business that it was thrown entirely21 out of gear and almost into inextricable confusion. It seemed that there was a party of Kiowas in hiding, and awaiting the chance to open fire upon the approaching Apaches. The sly scamps saw every movement of the warriors23, and it looked as if the flies were about walking into their trap when the unexpected by-play occurred.
There must have been all of half a dozen Kiowas, enough to extinguish the Apaches, and when Fred Munson started in his flight, two of the Indians hurried down the ravine for the purpose of taking a hand in the business. They unavoidably fell behind in such a trial of speed, but when they saw the Apache about to reach out his hand to grasp the fugitive, two shots were fired almost simultaneously24 at him.
They were intended to kill, too, for the Kiowas, who were actuated by no love for the despairing white boy, felt that they could afford to give him this temporary respite25. They were certain of their own ability to step in and pluck the prize at the very moment it might seem to be beyond their reach. Rather curiously26, however, neither of the shots did what was intended. One of them missed the Apache altogether, and the other only slightly wounded him.
As it was, however, the pursuing warrior22 was dumbfounded, and he stopped as suddenly as if smitten27 by a bolt from heaven. Leaving his mustang to look out for himself, he darted28 to the opposite side of the ravine from that taken by the lad, for the purpose of securing cover before a second volley could be fired.
Fred heard the report of the rifle-shots, and sup posed that he was the target and that they had been fired by Waukko and his companion. Instead of stopping to ascertain29, he continued his flight with all the desperation of combined hope and despair.
A few seconds sufficed to carry him across the ravine, and among the rocks, boulders30, and stunted31 growth. The panting fugitive was rendered almost frantic32 by the thought that he was about to elude33 the red-skin after all. As he bounded into cover, he cast a terrified glance backward, to see how close to his heels was his dreaded enemy.
Not an Indian was visible.
But although Fred failed to see anything of his enemies, he could not but believe that they were somewhere in the immediate34 neighborhood, and he did not relax his efforts in the slightest. Such strenuous35 efforts speedily exhausted36 him, and after climbing, clambering, and stumbling forward and upward for some twenty rods or so, he tripped and pitched forward upon his face, where he lay panting, and so weak that he could not rise. He was sure he heard the footsteps of his pursuer but a short distance away, and the most that he could do was to raise his head and glance furtively37 in the direction. He had not the strength absolutely to rise to his feet and run away.
Again and again he was confident that the Apache was close to him, but still he did not become visible, and all this time Fred was rapidly regaining38 his strength. In a very short time his rapid breathing subsided39, and he felt his old vigor40 and vitality41 creeping back into his limbs. He was ready to spring to his feet again, but he did not deem it best. It seemed to him that the warrior had lost sight of him, and was looking about. If the boy, therefore, should rise to his feet, he would be the more likely to be seen, and if he remained where he was he was sure of being found.
He compromised the matter by crawling forward on his hands and knees, listening and looking, and continually pausing to prevent creeping into the arms of his enemies. All this time night was approaching, and with the passage of each minute came a corresponding rise in the hopes of the fugitive. Fred kept moving forward upon his hands and knees, climbing higher and further away from the point of danger.
Everything remained as silent as the tomb.
The Apache that Fred fancied was so close upon him was, in reality, playing hide and seek with the Kiowas, a business which is generally conducted in silence, unless the stillness be broken by the occasional crack of the rifle, or the death-yell of one of the participants. The footsteps which the boy fancied he heard were all in his imagination. In fact, he was alone. No human eye saw him, or took cognizance of his movements. For the present he was left to himself.
There was but One who held him in view and remembrance at this critical juncture. To Him Fred appealed again and again to lead him through the labyrinth42 of peril43, and to permit him to return in safety to his friends.
Still the boy picked his way along as does the frightened animal, and still he failed to see or hear anything of his enemy. Meanwhile the gloom deepened, and with the passage of every moment his heart lightened, until he felt that for the time being, at least, his safety was assured.
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1
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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2
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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3
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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4
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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8
vaulted
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| adj.拱状的 | |
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9
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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10
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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12
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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13
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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14
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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15
whooping
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| 发嗬嗬声的，发咳声的 | |
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16
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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17
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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18
muddle
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| n.困惑，混浊状态；vt.使混乱，使糊涂，使惊呆；vi.胡乱应付，混乱 | |
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19
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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20
juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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24
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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26
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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28
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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29
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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30
boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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31
stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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32
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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33
elude
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| v.躲避，困惑 | |
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34
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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37
furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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38
regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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39
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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40
vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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41
vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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42
labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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43
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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