Frank on the Prairie

“Wal, the Injuns stayed round in the edge of the tim’er fur ’bout two hours, yellin’ an’ firm’ at us; but, knowin’ that they could not take the fort – fur they tried that twice – they all set up a yelp an’ put off, burnin’ every thing as they went. It war a sad day fur that settlement. Nigh every family war mournin’ fur somebody; but I war wusser off nor any of ’em. My mother carried a heap of years on her shoulders, an’ when she seed the ole man pulled down an’ scalped, it gave her a shock she never got over. We buried them both nigh the fort, an’ arter stayin’ round fur a week or two, I sot out with a party of trappers fur our ole huntin’ grounds on the Saskatchewan. I never forgot that young Injun, an’ all I keered fur or thought ’bout, war to meet him. I jest knowed that I should find him ag’in some day, an’ if I had met him among his tribe, with hundreds of his friends standin’ round, I would have knowed him.

“Wal, as I war sayin’, I sot out with this party of trappers, an’ it war on the Saskatchewan that I fust diskivered this chestnut king that I had made up my mind to have. I follered him a’most all winter, an’ the more I seed him run, the more I wanted to ketch him. I ’tended to my shar’ of the trappin’, but every chance I got I war arter them hosses. At last they put off somewhar, an’ I never seed ’em ag’in. I couldn’t think what had ’come on ’em, but I knowed that they had gone clean out of the country, an’ that I should have to look fur another hoss, an’ give up all hopes of ketchin’ the chestnut.

“When spring opened, an’ it come good travelin’ we held a council, an’ settled it that we should start fur the fort to onct. We war in a hurry to get away, too, fur some of our fellers had seen Injun sign ’bout two miles from the camp; so, one mornin’ we sot out to gather up our traps. I had ’bout five mile to go to reach my trappin’ ground, so I rode off on a gallop. I went along mighty keerless, fur I didn’t b’lieve what them fellers had said ’bout seein’ Injun sign, but I soon larnt that ole trappers never get fooled ’bout sich things. I hadn’t gone more’n a mile from the camp, when, whizz! something whistled by my head, an’ went chuck into a tree on the other side of me. It war an arrer, an’ afore I could look round to see whar it come from, I heered a yell, an’ the next minit a hoss popped out of the bushes, an’ came t’wards me. An Injun war on his back, an’ in one hand he carried a long spear, an’ with the other he held his bow an’ guided his hoss. As soon as he got cl’ar of the bushes, he p’inted that spear straight at my breast, an’ came at me, full jump. I war a youngster then. I hadn’t been in as many rough-an’-tumble fights with wild Injuns as I have been since, an’ I would have give all the spelter I had trapped that winter if I had been safe in camp. These war the fust thoughts that went through my mind. But arter I had tuk jest one good look at the Injun an’ his hoss, I wouldn’t have been away from thar fur nothin’. The Injun war the young chief that had rubbed out my ole man, an’ the hoss war the chestnut king – the very one I had been tryin’ to ketch fur a’most a year. So, you see, I had two things to work fur. Fust, I had swore to have that Injun’s scalp; next, I wanted that hoss; an’ I made up my mind that I wouldn’t leave that ’ar place till I had ’em both. The young chief war so clost to me that I didn’t have time to shoot, so I sot still in my saddle, an’ when I seed the p’int of the spear ’bout two foot from my breast, I stuck out my rifle an’ turned the we’pon aside. Then, jest as the Injun war goin’ by me, I ketched him by the scalp-lock, quicker nor lightnin’, an’ pulled him from his hoss. My own hoss warn’t trained wuth a plug o’ tobacker, an’, skeered by the fuss, an’ the Injuns yellin’, he give a jump, an’ the fust thing I knowed, me an’ the young chief war rollin’ on the ground together. I’ve had one or two wild savages by the top-knot since then, but I never got hold of a chap of his size that war so strong an’ wiry. When I fust ketched him, I allowed to rub him out easy, fur I war purty good on a rough-an’-tumble, an’ it warn’t every body that could take my measure on the ground; but when I ketched that Injun, I found that I had come acrost a varmint. We fell side by side, I all the while hangin’ on to his har; but afore I could think whar I war, or what a doin’, I found the young chief on top of me; an’, both his hands bein’ free, he commenced feelin’ fur his knife. In course I couldn’t allow that, so I ketched one of his arms, which he twisted out of my grasp, as easy as though I had no strength at all. I tried this two or three times, but findin’ that I couldn’t hold him, I fastened on his belt which held the knife, an’, with one jerk, tore it loose, an’ flung it over my head. The Injun, findin’ that his we’pon war gone, whooped an’ yelled wusser nor ever. We war on even terms now, fur my knife war under me, an’ neither of us could git at it. Then I began tryin’ to git him off me; but it war no use, an’ the Injun findin’ that I breathed hard, held still an’ quiet, hopin’ that I would soon tire myself out, an’ then he would have no trouble in gittin’ away from me. But I war layin’ my plans all this while, an’, watchin’ the Injun clost, I ketched him off his guard, an’ went to work in ’arnest. By the way that chap kicked an’ yelled, I guess he thought I had only been foolin’ with him afore, an’ the way he did fight warn’t a funny thing fur me to think of jest then. But it war no use. I thrashed around till I got hold of my knife, an’, in a minit arter that, the young chief had give his last yell. Arter bein’ sartin that he was done fur, I jumped up an’ run t’wards the mustang, which had stood a little way off watchin’ the fight, as though he war wonderin’ who would come out at the top of the heap. I ketched him easy, an’ arter takin’ the young Injun’s top-knot, I picked up his we’pons – here’s one of ’em, youngsters.”

As the trapper spoke, he drew his hatchet from his belt and handed it to Archie, who sat nearest him. The boys remembered that the first time they met old Bob, they had noticed that his hatchet was different from any they had ever seen. The blade was long and narrow, and as keen as a razor. The back part of the hatchet was hollow, as was also the handle, and thus the weapon could be made to answer the purpose of a pipe. The handle was also ingeniously carved, but was so worn by long and constant usage, that the figures upon it could not be distinguished. The travelers had often noticed that the old trapper was very particular about his “tomahawk,” as he invariably called it; but now that they knew its history, they did not wonder that he considered it worth preserving. When the boys had examined the weapon to their satisfaction, they returned it to old Bob, who continued:

“Wal, arter I had tuk the young chiefs scalp an’ we’pons, (I had his knife, too, but I lost that in the Missouri River by bein’ upset in a canoe,) I jumped on my new hoss, and rode t’wards the camp, leavin’ my ole mustang to go where he pleased. When I reached our fellers, I found ’em all busy packin’ up. They had diskivered signs of a large party of Injuns, an’ they said that the sooner we got away from thar the better it would be fur us. We traveled all that night an’ all the next day, an’ got safe off. I had the laugh on my side then, fur ’em fellers all said I couldn’t never put a bridle on the chestnut king; an’ when I told ’em my story ’bout the young chief, you ought to seed them open their eyes. I hadn’t been fooled ’bout the good pints of that ar’ hoss, fur he war a critter that suited me exactly. He carried me safe through many a fight with grizzly bars an’ Injuns; but, finally, I lost him but a few miles from whar I fust seed him – on the Saskatchewan. I never trapped on that river yet without losin’ somethin’. I have lost two chums thar; throwed away four or five winter’s work – or jest the same as throwed it away, fur all my furs war captur’d by the Injuns, an’ thar I lost this hoss.”

CHAPTER XVIII

Old Bob’s Adventure

THE old trapper paused for a moment to refill his pipe, and then continued —

“I went out as usual with a party of trappers, fur in them days it warn’t no way safe fur a feller to go thar alone. We war a’most sartin to be chased by the Injuns, but them as got away with a hul skin, allers went back as soon as they could make up a comp’ny, fur it war thar the best trappin’ war to be found.

“If all the red-skins we have rubbed out thar could come to life ag’in, I reckon thar would be lots of ’em, an’ if all our poor fellers who have had thar har raised on the plains of that same river, could come back, you’d see a heap of fine trappers. An’ if me an’ Dick could have all the furs we have lost thar, I’ll allow it would keep us in pipes an’ tobacker fur a year or two. In them days, a feller could git a good rifle fur a beaver or otter skin, an’ a fust rate hoss fur two or three mink skins. Our furs war the only thing we had to depend on to buy us a new outfit; so when we lost all our winter’s work, it warn’t a thing to laugh at.

“Wal, as I war sayin’, I went out with this party of fellers, an’, as usual, not the least bit of Injun sign did we see durin’ the winter. As a gen’ral thing the red-skins don’t run ’round much in cold weather – leastways, they don’t go fur from their camps; but by the time the snow is off the ground, they ar’ well-nigh out of grub, an’ have to start out on their huntin’ expeditions. The Saskatchewan war a good place fur them to come to, fur thar war plenty of game; but the country warn’t big enough for them an’ us; so when they begun comin’ in, it war high time fur us to be goin’ out. Thar war five of us in the party, an’ as every man knowed his own bisness, by the time spring come we had as much spelter as four hosses could pack away. When the snow commenced goin’ off, we kept a good lookout fur Injuns – fur the trappin’ war so fine we didn’t want to leave so long as it war safe to stay – an’, one mornin’, as I war comin’ in from tendin’ to my traps, I seed whar two Injuns had crossed the creek. That war enough fur me, so I put for the camp, but didn’t find nobody thar. The fellers war all out tendin’ to their bisness; an’, in course, I warn’t goin’ away without ’em; so I packed up my spelter ready fur the start, and while waitin’ fur ’em, kept sharp watch on all sides fur Injuns. ’Bout noon I heered a hoss comin’, an’, in a few minits, up rid one of our fellers with his huntin’ shirt all bloody. As soon as I seed him, I knowed that the game war up.

“‘Bob!’ says he, ‘Get away from here to onct. Bill Coffee is done fur (that war his chum), an’ you can see how nigh they come to rubbin’ me out too. Some varlet sent an arrer clean through my arm. Hand me my pack o’ furs, and let’s be off to onct, I tell you.’

“This man – Bill Simons his name war – war the oldest an’ bravest man in our comp’ny, an’ he war our leader. Although I didn’t like the idee of leavin’ them fellers out thar in the woods with them Injuns – fur every one of ’em had done me a kindness – I knowed I couldn’t do them no good by stayin’; fur, when Bill Simons deserted his own brother, thar warn’t no use of any body’s tryin’ to help him. So I handed Bill his furs, grabbed up my own, jumped on my hoss, an’ we started. It war no light load them hosses had to carry, fur our spelter war a’most as heavy as we war. But we couldn’t think of leavin’ ’em behind without makin’ one effort to save ’em, fur we had worked hard fur ’em, an’ didn’t want ’em to fall into the hands of them lazy Injuns. As we rid along, we made up our minds that we would stick together as long as we could, an’ that we wouldn’t drop our furs as long as we seed the least chance of escapin’ with ’em. But if we had knowed any thing, we would have throwed away them packs to onct, fur hangin’ on to ’em so long was jest the very thing that got us ketched. We run our hosses with them heavy loads, till they war clean done out; an’ when the Injuns got arter us, they war a’most ready to drop. Wal, as I war sayin’, we rid along fur ’bout two mile, keepin’ a good lookout on all sides fur Injuns, an’, finally, we seed ’em behind us. Thar war ’bout twenty of ’em, an’ as soon as I sot eyes on ’em, I somehow knowed that we war ketched.

“‘Bob,’ said Bill, turnin’ to me, ‘our scalps ar’ wuth more nor this spelter. It is time to run in ’arnest now.’

“He throwed down his pack, as he spoke, an’ then his hoss went faster. But I, bein’ young an’ foolish, didn’t like the idee of losin’ my winter’s work; so I held on to my pack, till, findin’ that Bill war leavin’ me behind, I throwed it away Thar war our eight months’ wages gone. We had worked hard an’ froze among the snows of the mountains fur nothin’. But we hadn’t gone fur afore we diskivered that we had oughter throwed ’em away long ago. Both our hosses run as though they had traveled all day, an’ it war plain as bar’s ears that they couldn’t go much further. Every time we looked back we seed that the Injuns war gainin’ on us fast, an’ the way they yelled told us that they, too, knowed that they would soon have us. I looked t’wards Bill, an’ although I could read in his face that he knowed we war ketched, he didn’t seem the least bit skeary. He had been in jest such scrapes afore. He had often been a pris’ner, but he war strong as a hoss, could run like a skeered deer, an’ had allers succeeded in gittin’ away from the Injuns at last. I, howsomever, had never been in the hands of the red-skins, but I knowed, from the stories I had often heered, that they didn’t treat a feller very kind, an’ this set me to thinkin’. The Injuns knowed Bill, an’ wouldn’t they know me to? The young chief I had rubbed out b’longed to that same tribe, an’ wouldn’t his friends ’member the hoss, an’ the knife, an’ tomahawk I carried in my belt? I could throw the we’pons away, an’, arter thinkin’ a leetle, I did. I unbuckled my belt, an’, jest as we went over a swell out of sight of the Injuns, I dropped knife, tomahawk, an’ all, hopin’ that the red-skins would never find ’em; fur I knowed that if they thought I had ever rubbed out any of the tribe, I would ketch the wust kind of punishment.

“Wal, all this while the Injuns had been gainin’ on us, fur, the further we went, the slower our hosses run, an’ all the whippin’ an’ poundin’ we could do, didn’t make them go no faster. They war well-nigh tuckered out. Purty quick I see Bill turn in his saddle an’ draw up his ole shootin’ iron. He war bound to die game. I watched the shot, an’ couldn’t help givin’ a yell when I seed one of the varlets drop from his hoss. The Injuns had all this while been ridin’ clost together; but findin’ that we war goin to begin shootin’, they scattered, an’ throwed themselves flat on their hosses’ backs, so that we couldn’t hit ’em. But we war sartin of our game, no matter how small a mark we had to shoot at, an’ when I fired, I seed an Injun an’ his hoss come to the ground together. By this time, Bill war ready ag’in, an’ down come another Injun.

“If our hosses had only been fresh, we could have picked off the last one of ’em afore they could have ketched us. But the varlets kept gainin’ all the time, an’ purty quick they got nigh enough to use their we’pons, an’ the way the arrers whistled ’bout our heads warn’t pleasant, now I tell you. But we kept shootin’ at ’em as fast as we could load up, bringin’ down an Injun at every pop – till some chap sent his arrer into my hoss’s side – an’ the next minit I war sprawlin’ on the ground. Bill kept on, but he hadn’t gone fur afore he got an arrer through his neck, which brought him from his saddle, dead. I jest seed this as I war tryin’ to get up; fur my hoss had fell on my leg, an’ war holdin’ me down. Jest arter Bill fell, the Injuns come up an’ I war a pris’ner. I couldn’t tell you how I felt, youngsters. I had heered enough to know that much depended on my showin’ a bold front; but it takes a man of mighty strong nerve to look a dozen yellin’, scowlin’ Injuns in the face, without onct flinchin’. Howsomever, I kept a leetle courage ’bout me, I guess, fur when one chap jumped, an’ drawed his bow with an arrer p’inted straight at my breast, I looked him in the eye without winkin’; an’ when another ketched me by the har, an’ lifted his tomahawk as if he had a good notion to make an end of me to onct, I stood as still an’ quiet as though I didn’t see him. Arter this had been goin’ on fur a while, the Injuns seemed to grow tired of it, fur my hands war bound behind my back, an’ one feller fetched up Bill’s hoss, an’ war goin’ to put me on him, when the critter, bein’ clean tired out, give a grunt an’ lay right down on the prairy. The Injuns seemed to think the hoss war no ’count, fur they turned him loose, an’ I war lifted on to a mustang behind one of the savages. I didn’t think much of this at the time, but I arterward had reason to be glad that the varlets had left Bill’s hoss out thar on the prairy.

“It war ’bout five mile to the place whar the Injuns had made their camp, an’ while on the way thar I warn’t bothered at all, fur they seed that I warn’t skeered easy. When we reached the village – which must have had nigh two hundred Injuns in it – I found that I warn’t the only pris’ner, fur thar war Pete Simons, Bill’s brother, tied to a post in the middle of the camp, an’ he war surrounded by men, women, and young uns, who war beatin’ him with sticks, an’ tormentin’ him every way they knowed how; but findin’ that they couldn’t make Pete show fear – fur that war something he didn’t have in him – they left him, when I came up, and pitched into me. I didn’t mind ’em much, howsomever, although I did wince jest the least bit when one feller struck at me with his tomahawk, and jest grazed my face; but they didn’t see it; an’ purty quick one big feller ketched me by the har, an’, arter draggin’ me up to the post, tied me with my back to Pete’s. It then wanted ’bout three hours of sundown, an’ the Injuns, arter holdin’ a leetle council, made up their minds to have some fun; so they untied me an’ Pete, an’ led us out on the prairy ’bout three or four hundred yards, an’ thar left us. We looked back an’ seed the Injuns all drawed up in a line, with their we’pons in their hands, an’ knowed that the varlets had give us a chance to run for our lives. In course they didn’t mean fur us to git away, but they wanted the fun of seein’ us run, never dreamin’ but some of their fleet braves would ketch us afore we had gone fur. I never looked fur ’em to give us sich a chance fur life as that, an’ I made up my mind that I would learn ’em to think twice afore they give a white trapper the free use of his legs ag’in. I a’most knowed I war safe, but I felt shaky ’bout Peter, fur the Injuns had shot him with two arrers afore they ketched him, an’ he war hurt bad. I didn’t think he could run far – nor he didn’t, neither; fur when we shook hands an’ wished each other good luck, he said to me, ‘Bob, I wish I had my rifle.’ He meant by that, if he had his ole shootin’ iron in his hands, he wouldn’t die alone; he would have fit the Injuns as long as he could stand. Wal, as I war sayin’, we shook hands an’ bid each other good-by, an’ jest then I heered a yell. I jumped like a flash of lightnin’, an’ made t’wards a little belt of tim’er which I could see, ’bout two miles acrost the prairy. I war runnin’ fur my life, an’ I reckon I made the best time I knowed how. I soon left poor Pete behind, an’, when I had gone about a mile, I heered a yell, that told me as plain as words, that he had been ketched. I never stopped to look back, but kept straight ahead, an’ in a few minits more I war in the woods. The yellin’ of the Injuns had been growin’ louder an’ louder, so I knowed that they were gainin’ on me, an’ that if I kept on they would soon ketch me; so, as soon as I found myself fair in the tim’er, I turned square off to the right, an’ takin’ to every log I could find, so as to leave as leetle trail as possible fur them to foller, I ran ’bout a hundred yards further, an’ then dived into a thick clump of bushes, whar I hid myself in the leaves an’ brush. I had kinder bothered the varlets, for a leetle while arter, they came into the woods, an’ went on through, as if they thought I had kept on t’wards the prairy. But I knowed that they wouldn’t be fooled long; an’ when I heered by their yellin’ that they had left the woods, I crawled out of the bushes to look up a better hidin’-place. Arter listenin’ an’ lookin’, to be sartin that thar war no Injuns ’round, I ag’in broke into a run, an’ finally found a holler log at the bottom of a gully, whar I thought I had better stop; so I crawled into the log, an’ jest then I heered the Injuns coming back. They knowed that I war hid somewhar in the tim’er, an’ they all scattered through the woods, hopin’ to find me afore it ’come dark – yellin’ all the while, as though they didn’t feel very good-natured ’bout bein’ fooled that ar’ way. I knowed that they couldn’t foller my trail easy, but thar war so many of ’em, that I war afraid somebody might happen to stumble on my hidin’-place. But they didn’t; an’ arter awhile it ’come dark, an’ the varlets had to give up the search. I waited till every thing war still, an’ then crawled out of my log, and struck fur the prairy. I warn’t green enough to b’lieve that they war all gone, fur I knowed that thar war Injuns layin’ ’round in them woods watchin’ an’ waitin’ fur me. In course I didn’t want to come acrost none of ’em, fur I had no we’pon, and I would have been ketched sartin; so I war mighty keerful; an’ I b’lieve I war two hours goin’ through the hundred yards of woods that lay atween me an’ the prairy. When I reached the edge of the tim’er, I broke into a run. If thar war any Injuns ’round, they couldn’t see me, fur the night war dark; an’ they couldn’t hear me, neither, fur my moccasins didn’t make no noise in the grass. I kept on, at a steady gait, fur ’bout two hours, an’ finally reached the place whar I war captur’d. Arter a leetle lookin’ and feelin’, I found my belt and we’pons. I felt a heap better then, fur I had something to defend myself with; but still I didn’t feel like laughin’, fur I war afoot, an’, havin’ no rifle, I couldn’t think how I war to git grub to eat. But I war better off nor while I war a pris’ner ’mong the Injuns; so I knowed I hadn’t oughter complain. Arter takin’ one look at poor Bill, whom the Injuns, arter havin’ scalped, had left whar he had fallen, an’ promisin’ that every time I seed a Blackfoot Injun I would think of him, I ag’in sot out. Arter I had gone ’bout half a mile further, the moon riz, an’, as I war running along, I seed something ahead of me. I stopped to onct, fur I didn’t know but it might be a Injun; but another look showed me it war a hoss. He war feedin’ when he fust seed me, but, when he heered me comin’, he looked up, an’ give a leetle whinny that made me feel like hollerin’. It war Bill Simons’s hoss. How glad I war to see him! An’ he must a been glad to see me, too, fur he let me ketch him; an’ when I got on his back, I didn’t keer, jest then, fur all the Injuns on the plains. The critter had had a good rest, an’, when I spoke to him, he started off just as lively as though he war good fur a hundred mile. Wal, I rid all that night, an’, ’arly the next mornin’, I found myself nigh a patch of woods whar we allers made our camp when goin’ to an’ from the Saskatchewan, an’ I thought I would stop thar and git a leetle rest, fur I war tired an’ hungry. So I rid through the woods, an’, when I come in sight o’ our ole campin’ ground, I seed something that made me feel like hollerin’ ag’in; an’ I did holler; fur thar war two of our comp’ny – the only ones that ’scaped ’sides me – jest gettin’ ready to start off. They stopped when they seed me – an’, youngsters, you may be sartin that we war glad to meet each other ag’in. One of ’em war Bill Coffee, who I thought war dead. He war bad hurt, but he got off without losin’ his har, an’ he felt mighty jolly over it. Arter they had told me ’bout their fight with the Injuns – an’ they jest did get away, an’ that war all – I told ’em ’bout Bill Simons bein’ killed, and how me an’ Pete had run a race with the varlets, an’ we all swore that the Blackfeet wouldn’t make nothin’ by rubbin’ out them two fellers. I stayed thar long enough to rest a little an’ eat a piece of meat that one of ’em give me, an’ then we all sot out fur the fort, which we reached all right. We laid ’round fur ’bout a month, an’ then – would you b’lieve it? – we three fellers made up another comp’ny, an’ put fur the Saskatchewan ag’in. None of us ever forgot our promise, an’ every time we drawed a bead on a Blackfoot, we thought of Bill an’ Pete Simons.”