The Indian braves and their three paleface brethren gathered closely around the camp fire after the feasting was over. The warriors3 told stories and legends of their tribe and indulged in wrestling and other sports, in all of which they showed great skill.
Buffalo4 Bill and his friends noticed that in the wrestling a tall and truculent5-looking warrior2 named Leaping Dog overcame the other braves with ease. He threw one of them after another with scarcely an effort, until at last he could find none willing to meet him.
“Will you wrestle8 with me, palefaces? I will wager9 my tomahawk that there is none of you who can throw me.”
“Remember that the white chiefs are guests in our lodges10, Leaping Dog,” said Red Cloud, in a reproving voice. “It is not seemly to challenge them thus.”
“I mean them no harm,” declared the truculent brave. “All men say that Long Hair is a great warrior and a mighty12 champion among his own people. If that is so, he should not fear me.”
“Fear you!” yelled Nick Wharton angrily. “It ’u’d take a sight more than you, ye durned red devil, ter scare the bravest man thet ever straddled a hoss on the plains.”
In his indignation the old trapper spoke13 in English, which the Indian did not understand. But he knew from the tone that what was said was not particularly complimentary14 to himself, so he turned his piercing black eyes on Wharton with an angry glance.
“If Long Hair will not wrestle with me, perhaps the old chief who roars like a bull will do so,” he said sarcastically16.
“Sure, thar’s nothin’ better I’d like than ter break yer neck, ye durned savage17,” retorted old Nick.
“Let him alone, old pard,” Buffalo Bill said soothingly18. “I’ll take him on, if one of us must. I guess your muscles aren’t quite as tough, or your limbs as supple19 as they used to be when you were a young man.”
“You be everlastingly20 gol-durned, Billy Cody!” exclaimed Nick, now thoroughly21 incensed22. “I kalk’late I kin6 tackle a blamed Indian still, even if I hev come ter be an old man. You let him get at me—an’ don’t you or Bill Hickok butt23 in.”
“All right! Go as far as you like, but try not to quite kill him,” laughed Cody.
Nick Wharton advanced into the center of the ring of redskins, in which his adversary24 was already standing25 in an attitude of defiant26 challenge.
Old Nick was a husky fellow, despite his age, but he did not look the physical equal of the red man, who was a giant over six feet tall, with muscles that stood out like masses of whipcord all over his arms and legs.
“I guess I may be a gone coon,” said the old trapper, as he removed his hunting jacket and stared critically at his opponent. “I used ter be powerful strong on the wrassle onct, but I guess I’m weakening a bit now. In all my wrasslin’ days, I reckon I never hit up agin’ a tougher proposition than thet thar redskin.”
The redskin rushed suddenly forward and had him in a resistless grip almost before he understood what was happening. He tried to struggle, but, with a mighty heave, the Indian sent him squarely to the ground and rose from his prostrate29 body with a sarcastic15 laugh.
“Will either of the other palefaces wrestle with Leaping Dog now?” he asked.
Cody and Hickok both jumped up, ready to accept the challenge and avenge30 their friend, but Wharton had already risen from the ground, and he stepped in between them.
“Wait a minute, old pards!” he said. “This hyar is my funeral. I ain’t had my bellyful yet, not by a long shot! I want the best two out of three.”
When Leaping Dog understood this he said that he was perfectly31 willing. He would throw the white man again, as he had thrown him before.
“It is no use, my brother,” said Red Cloud, taking Nick Wharton aside for a moment. “In wrestling we are all as children in the hands of Leaping Dog. He is a champion against whom no man can stand. He has beaten the best wrestlers of all the tribes.”
Old Wharton said nothing, but a look of grim determination came into his face that meant volumes.
The other Indians seemed to be of the same opinion as their chief, for they shouted to the white man not to meet their champion again, saying that he might hurt him seriously.
“Gol-durn him, let him go as fur as he kin!” muttered Nick savagely33, as he stepped forward and faced his late victor.
Leaping Dog did not seem to hold his opponent so[91] cheaply this time. He saw, by the glitter in the old trapper’s eyes, that he was indeed a man to be feared.
He held his body as tense and rigid34 as that of a panther, and his coal-black eyes did not waver for a second in their baleful glance into those of the white man.
Suddenly he leaped like a wild beast straight at the throat of his opponent, seeking to grapple him round the neck—a favorite hold among the less sportsman-like of Indian wrestlers.
But Nick had seen Indians wrestle too often to allow himself to be caught in that manner.
With a movement even quicker than that of the Indian, he side-stepped, and, before his foe36 could recover his balance, he had grasped him round the shoulders in a clever hold that left him little chance to break away.
After swaying to and fro for a few moments, he forced the redskin backward until his shoulders fairly touched the ground.
The Indians were dumb with intense surprise for a second or two, and then they hailed the victory with loud whoops37 of delight. Leaping Dog, being a surly fellow, was not popular in the tribe. As the wrestling champion he had always been overbearing in his manner, and they were therefore glad to see his pride meet with a fall.
“Quits!” cried Nick. “Now fur the rubber!”
Leaping Dog got to his feet, looking angry and crestfallen38. There was an expression of fierce vindictiveness39 in his eyes as he faced Wharton for the final bout40.
Before they could clinch41, Red Cloud rushed in between them, put his hand down to the brave’s belt, and pulled out a knife, which he tossed to the ground at Buffalo Bill’s feet.
There was nothing wrong in the fellow having the knife. All the braves were wearing one, as they commonly did; but Red Cloud had caught that evil look in Leaping Dog’s eyes, and he thought that the man might be tempted42 to use his weapon, if he were worsted again.
Leaping Dog glared at his chief savagely, but said nothing.
A chorus of emphatic43 “Ughs!” of approval went up from the Indians around the circle. It was clear that they did not think their chief’s suspicions were altogether unjust.
As the two men met again the Indian was far more wary44 than on either of the other occasions. Nick Wharton, tired of his cautious feints, eventually had to rush in and grapple him.
He secured a good grip, but the redskin struggled stoutly45, bringing all his tremendous strength to bear to overcome the old scout46.
The men struggled backward and forward for more than two minutes, panting heavily. Now one, and now the other, would gain a slight advantage, only to lose it again in a moment.
Then Wharton thought of an old trick which he had often used in his youth. It was too old to be used with any good effect on an expert American wrestler32, but it might be new to the redskin, whose style of wrestling was altogether different.
Putting forth47 all his strength, he started to push the Navaho backward, inch by inch, as if he meant to force him over to the ground, as he had done before.
Leaping Dog strained his muscles to resist this attempt, just as Wharton had expected he would do. The redskin was thus pushing forward with all his strength.
Suddenly the trapper stopped pushing and pulled him violently forward.
As the Navaho’s own strength was being exerted in the same direction, he could not save himself in time. He struggled for a second or two to keep his balance, but in vain.
Before the spectators could fully48 realize the cleverness of Wharton’s trick, Leaping Dog was lying face downward on the ground, as flat as the proverbial pancake.
He was badly shaken up, for the fall was a heavy one. For several moments he lay prostrate, and then Nick Wharton helped him to his feet and offered to shake hands with him.
“I will fight you with knife or with tomahawk!”
“That you shall not!” declared Red Cloud angrily, stepping in between them. “Begone to your tepee, Leaping Dog! You blacken the face of our tribe. Learn respect for our white brothers, who have fought so well for us.”
The other braves around the fire shouted angrily that Leaping Dog ought to be expelled from the tribe.
Seeing how strong was the feeling against him, Leaping Dog retired50 to his lodge11, as commanded, but he did not lie down to sleep.
Had any one drawn51 aside the flap of buffalo hide that served for a door, the buck52 would have been seen busy at a task congenial to his savage nature.
He was whetting53 a long, broad-bladed knife by the light of a lamp of crude oil, and singing a savage death song as he did so.
After the wrestling was over, some other games were indulged in, and then the circle around the camp fire broke up.
Cody and his two comrades were conducted by Red Cloud to his own tepee, which was the best in the village. He begged them to use it for the night, saying that he would sleep in the medicine lodge with Silver Fox, the venerable medicine man of the tribe.
As the chief turned to leave his white friends, after bidding them good night, he did not notice that a figure was watching him from the shadow cast by an adjoining wigwam.
The figure was that of Leaping Dog. He had caught the last words uttered by the chief.
He had sharpened the knife until its edge was as keen as that of a razor, and now he thirsted to plunge54 it deep into the hearts of his enemies.
But he knew he must be cautious. He must stab them when they were asleep. If he were discovered in his crime, his life would not be worth a moment’s purchase.
Even when the bodies were found it would go hard with him, though there might be no actual evidence that he was the guilty party. His fellow braves would at once suspect him, and they were likely enough to kill him on suspicion—for he knew that most of them disliked him strongly.
Lurking55 in the shadows, he wondered whom he should attack first—the whites or his own chief. Red Cloud had disgraced him before his own people, and his savage heart burned with rage at the thought. But the old white man had beaten him at wrestling, and made him a laughingstock before them all.
He must carry out his revenge quickly, and put a long distance between himself and the village before the dawn. He would have to travel fast and far, for[95] the avengers of blood would follow on his trail as soon as the dead bodies were discovered.
With this idea in his mind Leaping Dog went to his tepee, and made preparations for a long journey. He saddled his pony56, and placed some provisions and his weapons upon it. This done, he stole quietly to the medicine lodge of Silver Fox.
He had made up his mind. He would slay57 his chief first, and then assassinate58 the white men. He had a violent hatred59 of all palefaces, and the blood of Nick Wharton alone would not satisfy his lust60 for revenge.
He listened outside the lodge and heard voices talking inside. The chief of the Navahos and his venerable host of the night had not yet gone to sleep. They were talking of the white men and praising them highly. Their words added fuel to the fire of hatred in Leaping Dog’s heart.
At last their voices ceased, and by the sound of their deep and regular breathing, the watcher concluded they were asleep.
Meanwhile, the three scouts61 had made themselves comfortable in their wigwam, and were talking over the events of the evening.
Cody and Wild Bill congratulated their old friend heartily62 on his victory over the redskin wrestler.
“Thet’s all right,” said Nick, “but thar’s goin’ ter be more trouble over that. Thet redskin is out fur blood.”
“If that’s the case, we had better not all go to sleep to-night,” remarked Buffalo Bill. “He did look pretty wicked. This is his chance to get even with us, for he knows we shall probably leave the village to-morrow.
“Of course, the tribe would punish him with death if he stuck a knife into any one of us, but when an Indian sees blood he isn’t going to stop out of fear of the consequences. We must take turns at keeping watch to-night.
“By the way, don’t you think he is as likely to stab Red Cloud as any one of us? Remember how the chief treated him in front of all the other braves. That must have been a bitter pill for him to swallow.”
“Let us go to Silver Fox’s lodge and warn Red Cloud to be on his guard,” said Wild Bill. “I know which lodge it is. It’s only about a hundred yards down the line of tepees.”
His companions agreed, and they all stepped out into the cold, biting night air. Buffalo Bill took the precaution to pick up his revolver before he sallied forth.
As they came in sight of the medicine lodge they saw a figure outside it.
Before they could get near enough to recognize the man, the latter lifted the buffalo robe that hung over the door of the lodge, and passed inside.
“Come on!” said Cody, in a hoarse63 whisper, to his friends. “If that is Leaping Dog he may do his work before we can stop him.”
He ran toward the lodge at the top of his speed, but before he could reach it a frightful64 scream rang out—a cry far worse than any death yell he had ever heard. It froze his blood with horror, and for a moment he stood still—aghast.
Then he rushed forward, expecting to find the dead body of the young chief of the Navahos.
He tore aside the flap of the tent, but the sight which met his eyes was very different from that which he had expected.
Red Cloud was rising to his feet from his blanket, tomahawk in hand, but there was no foe for him to strike.
Buffalo Bill let the hand which grasped his revolver fall to his side, for he saw that the body of Leaping Dog was lying in a twisted and huddled65 heap on the floor.
The aged66 medicine man was towering over him, with his right arm outstretched, and his finger pointing down at the prostrate figure.
He looked as stern as an avenging67 angel. Fire seemed to flash from his eyes, and his frail68 form shook like an aspen leaf with the intensity69 of his passion.
There was a look of unfathomable terror in his eyes, and his body was twisted like the trunk of a blasted tree.
“He is dead,” said the border king. “You don’t want your tomahawk, Red Cloud. But how did he die, Silver Fox?”
“The dog was smitten71 by the wrath72 of the Great Manitou,” replied the old medicine man cautiously.
“So we see. But that wrath came through the medium of the Great Spirit’s servant, Silver Fox, I suppose. How did you do it?”
“Seek not to know the mysteries of the medicine lodge, Long Hair,” said the old priest solemnly. “They are known only to a few of us, who are bound by the most solemn oaths. We may not reveal them to our children or brothers—still less to white men. Let it suffice that there is an Indian magic which in some matters is greater than the wisdom of the palefaces.
“I knew what was in the heart of this dead dog,” he went on, spurning73 the body of Leaping Dog with his foot as he spoke. “I knew that he meant to murder Red Cloud as soon as he had formed the purpose in his mind. I waited for him to come and raise the knife, as I knew he would do, and then I invoked74 the wrath of the Great Manitou and slew75 him.”
“You mean that you killed him by sheer terror, Silver Fox,” said Buffalo Bill.
He bade good night to his red friends and went back, with Wild Bill and Nick Wharton, to their own tepee.
They discussed the strange death of Leaping Dog, but could come to no satisfactory conclusion about it.
“It must have been done in some way by means of hypnotism,” said Buffalo Bill. “Silver Fox must, in one momentary76 glance, have made the man think he saw something terrible enough to frighten him to death. And that Indian had pretty good nerves, too, I should say. Yet I never saw such a crazy look of fear and horror in any man’s eyes—not even in the eyes of men who have died under the tortures of the redskins—and you know what they look like. I tell you I’m afraid to go to sleep to-night, for I know I shall dream of that look in the eyes of Leaping Dog.”
However, in a few minutes, the border king was fast asleep. His nerves were much stronger than he had represented them to be.
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1
dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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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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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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truculent
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| adj.野蛮的，粗野的 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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wrestle
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| vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付 | |
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wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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lodges
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| v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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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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complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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everlastingly
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| 永久地，持久地 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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wrestler
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| n.摔角选手，扭 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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whoops
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| int.呼喊声 | |
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crestfallen
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| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
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vindictiveness
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| 恶毒；怀恨在心 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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clinch
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| v.敲弯，钉牢；确定；扭住对方 [参]clench | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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52
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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53
whetting
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| v.（在石头上）磨（刀、斧等）( whet的现在分词 )；引起，刺激（食欲、欲望、兴趣等） | |
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54
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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57
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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58
assassinate
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| vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤 | |
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59
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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61
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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64
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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67
avenging
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| adj.报仇的，复仇的v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 )；为…报复 | |
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68
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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69
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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70
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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71
smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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72
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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73
spurning
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| v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的现在分词 ) | |
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74
invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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75
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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76
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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