Nothing more was seen or heard of the Apaches during these long waiting hours, unless the distant report of a gun could be construed10 as their work, and the summer day gradually wore away. By this time the condition of the boy was truly pitiable. He was thirsty and nearly famished11, feverish12 from his long abstinence. Yet with water within a few feet of him he refrained, for the reason that he was fearful of imperiling his safety.
"I'll wait till it is nearly dark," he said, as he looked down at the cool water flowing beneath; "for this is the only chance I shall ever have of giving them the slip."
The time he had fixed13 upon to venture forth14 had not yet arrived when he observed a large tree floating along below him. It had probably become displaced at some point up the stream, and would drift along until it should again catch some obstruction15, and remain moored16 for an indefinite time. Yielding to a sudden inspiration, Ned crept hastily out of his concealment, and dropped lightly upon the trunk, which was heavy and buoyant enough to bear his weight without sinking below the surface.
The course of the stream was such that this proceeding17 carried him back directly over the ground that he had passed, and, in case the Apaches were in camp, would take him near it. But there was real woodcraft in this act, imprudent as it seemed; for nothing could be conceived, which, if successful, would more effectually throw the Indians off his trail. Knowing that he had gone northward18, what inducement could there be for looking toward the south for him? The next thing after getting upon his raft was to stoop over and get a drink from the stream, which, having its source up among the mountains, was cold, clear, and pure.
Oh! the refreshing19 draught20! None but those whose frames have been consumed with flaming fever can appreciate the delicious nectar, the invigorating, permeating21 life that lay in that wonderful fluid, which is without smell, taste or color, and to which no other liquid can be compared.
"Oh dear!" groaned22 the lad, as he raised his head. "Another drink like that and there'll be nothing left in the creek23."
But thirst satisfied left him with such a tormenting24 sense of hunger that the question of something to eat speedily became paramount25 to all others. He almost ceased to think of Apaches in his wild desire for something with which to satisfy the cravings within.
The heavy trunk, covered with a few knotty26 protuberances, kept very nearly in the center of the stream and shifted on below the wood, across the open space and around the curve which has been already referred to, by which time it was fairly dark. Beyond this he could discern the outlines of the grove27 in the encampment of the day before, and where his own rush for liberty had been made. Were the Apaches still there, awaiting the conclusion of the hunt for him? This was the question, and, in his desire to answer it, he carefully steadied himself until he stood upright upon the log, so as to look across the intervening space to the wood beyond.
"If they're there, they'd be sure to have a camp fire," was the truthful28 conclusion; "but I can't catch sight of anything."
Had a point of light twinkled through the foliage29, it is doubtful whether he could have had the courage to continue on down the stream to the point where it passed so close to the camp. No doubt he would have dodged30 it. But all continued dark and silent, and he was quite confident that they had gone. He crouched31 upon the raft again, and drifted with the current.
As he neared the rapids and narrow places where the water dashed over its rocky bed, it looked as if he would be unable to keep his seat upon the raft; but as this was the very section, where, above all others, he wished to keep his feet off the ground, he grasped the limbs and held on. He went safely on, although considerable water was splashed over him, and in a few minutes was in the broad, smooth current below, and so close to the grove that he trembled with fear.
In the dim moonlight he easily recognized the place, and for a few seconds he believed he had committed a fatal error in retracing32 his route in this fashion; but the silence remained unbroken, and he began breathing more freely, when all at once one end of the trunk struck the shore; the other end swung round, but it remained fast, and his journey for a time was at an end.
Ned was dismayed and at a loss what to do, for the only way of breaking loose that he could see was to step ashore33 and shove off. He remained quiescent34 a moment or two, in the hope that the raft would loosen itself; but, as it did not, he sprang ashore for that purpose. As he did so, he looked around for some sign of his enemies, but there was none, and the fact gave him assurance that they had really gone.
"They must have had dinner there," was his conclusion, "and maybe they have left something that I can make use of."
Encouraged by this hope, he moved over the intervening space, and speedily reached the spot where Lone35 Wolf and his band had encamped twenty hours before. As he had taken his departure from the savages36 before dinner, he was not really certain that that important meal had taken place; but he made diligent37 search, resolved that he would find out beyond all peradventure. The very best good fortune attended him. He had hunted but a few minutes, when he trod among the ashes where the camp fire had been burning. This proved that a meal had been partaken of, and in this country, so prodigal38 in the different species of game, the Indians were not economical in the use of food. Groping around in the dark, his hands soon came upon a goodly-sized bone, plentifully39 covered with meat, which had not been cooked so that it could be called overdone40. A starving wolf could not have devoured41 this with greater gusto than did he, nor could a dozen starving wolves have enjoyed it more than did the poor fellow who had been so long without any nourishment42.
When it was gnawed43 clean he hunted around for more. There was no lack of the material, and Ned was thankful beyond expression for this wonderful piece of good fortune, by which he had escaped from Lone Wolf and his warriors44, and then, when starving, had obtained the food he needed from them. He ate and ate, and then rested and ate again, until he had gormandized himself to his utmost capacity, when with a sigh of happiness, he rose to his feet, and stole back toward the stream where he had left his craft. It was found there as if waiting expressly for his return, and, shoving it loose, he made his way to near the middle, where he crouched down and looked around with a feeling of misgiving45 and fear.
"I wonder if it can hold me after such a supper? It is a little lower in the water, but I guess it can stand it."
Whither the stream was tending was a question for the wanderer to consider; but as he was without any possible means of determining, he did not devote much time to the consideration thereof. His purpose was to get ahead without leaving a trail behind, and that was what he was doing.
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1
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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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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rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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8
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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construed
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| v.解释（陈述、行为等）( construe的过去式和过去分词 )；翻译，作句法分析 | |
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famished
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| adj.饥饿的 | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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obstruction
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| n.阻塞，堵塞；障碍物 | |
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16
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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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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permeating
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| 弥漫( permeate的现在分词 )； 遍布； 渗入； 渗透 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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tormenting
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| 使痛苦的，使苦恼的 | |
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paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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knotty
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| adj.有结的，多节的，多瘤的，棘手的 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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30
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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retracing
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| v.折回( retrace的现在分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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quiescent
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| adj.静止的，不活动的，寂静的 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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diligent
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| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
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prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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plentifully
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| adv. 许多地，丰饶地 | |
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40
overdone
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| v.做得过分( overdo的过去分词 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度 | |
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41
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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42
nourishment
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| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
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43
gnawed
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| 咬( gnaw的过去式和过去分词 )； （长时间） 折磨某人； （使）苦恼； （长时间）危害某事物 | |
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44
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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45
misgiving
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕 | |
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