CHAPTER II.
A LONELY VIGIL.
It was not yet dark when Dick arrived within sight of the wagon, andshouted cheerily that those who were so anxiously awaiting his comingmight know he had been fortunate in the search.
As soon as his voice rang out, startlingly loud because of the almostoppressive stillness, Mrs. Stevens appeared from beneath the flap ofthe canvas covering, and an expression of most intense disappointmentpassed over her face as she saw that Dick was alone.
"It's all right, mother!" he cried, quickening his pace that she mightthe sooner be relieved from her suspense. "It's all right!"
"Did you find your father?"
"Yes; an' I've come back for one of the horses. He's been hurt, an'can't walk."
"Thank God he is alive!" she cried, and then for the first time sincethe previous evening she gave way to tears.
Dick did all he could toward comforting her without making any delayin setting out on the return journey.
While he filled the canteen with fresh water he repeated what hisfather had bidden him to say; and when his mother asked concerning thewound, he spoke as if he did not consider it serious.
"Of course it's bad, for he thinks one of the bones has been splintered;but I don't see why he shouldn't come 'round all right after a spell.We've known of people who had worse hurts and yet got well."
"But they were where at least something of what might be needed couldbe procured, while we are here in the desert."
"Not quite so bad as that, mother dear. We have water, and I should beable to get food in plenty. After I've supplied the camp, I'm goin' onfoot to Antelope Spring, where we can buy whatever daddy may need."
"Across the desert alone!"
"A boy like me ought to be able to do it, and"--
"Your father hasn't a penny, Dick dear."
"I know that, mother; but I'll sell my rifle before he shall suffer foranything. Now don't worry, and keep up a good heart till I come back."
"Can't I be of some assistance if I go too?"
"You'd better stay here with Margie. Father and I can manage it alone,I reckon."
Then Dick set about catching one of the horses; and as he rode thesorry-looking steed up to the wagon, his mother gave him such articlesfrom her scanty store as the wounded man might need.
"You're a good boy, Dick," she said, as he stooped over to kiss her;"and some day you shall have your reward."
"I'll get it now, mother, if I see you looking a little more jolly;and indeed things ain't quite so bad as they seem, for I can pull ourlittle gang through in great shape, though I'm afraid after it's beendone I sha'n't be able to get you and Margie the new outfit I promised."
"We should be so thankful your father is alive as not to realize thatwe need anything else."
"But you do, just the same, whether you realize it or not; an' I'llattend to everything if I have time enough. Don't trouble yourself ifwe're not back much before morning, for I reckon daddy can't stand itto ride faster than a walk."
Then, without daring to stop longer, lest he should betray some signof weakness, Dick rode away, waving his hand to Margie, who waslooking out of the rear end of the wagon, but giving vent to a sighwhich was almost a sob when they could no longer see him.
Young though he was, Dick understood full well all the dangers whichmenaced. Although he had spoken so confidently of being able to "pullthe gang through," he knew what perils were before them during thejourney across the desert; and it must be made within a reasonablyshort time, otherwise they might be overtaken by the winter stormsbefore arriving at their old home.
The beast he rode, worn by long travelling and scanty fare, could notbe forced to a rapid pace; and when night came Dick was hardly morethan two miles from the wagon.
He could have walked twice the distance in that time; but the delaywas unavoidable, since only on the horse's back could his father bebrought into camp.
When it was so dark that he could not see the broken sage-brush whichmarked the trail, it was necessary he should dismount, and proceed evenat a slower pace; but he continued to press forward steadily, eventhough slowly, until, when it seemed to him that the night was well-nighspent, he heard a sound as of moaning a short distance in advance.
"I've come at last, daddy. It's been a terrible long while, I know;but it was the best I could"--
He ceased speaking very suddenly as he stood by the side of thesufferer, whom he could dimly see by the faint light of the stars.
From the broken and uprooted sage-brush around him, it was evident thewounded man had, most likely while in a delirium of fever, attemptedto drag himself on in the direction of the camp, and had ceased suchpoor efforts only when completely exhausted.
He was lying on his back, looking straight up at the sky as healternately moaned and talked at random, with now and then a mirthlesslaugh which frightened the boy.
"Don't, daddy, don't!" he begged, as he raised the sufferer's head."See, it's Dick come back; and now you can ride into camp!"
"Mother is dying of thirst, and I'm--see that stream! Come, boys,we'll take a header into it--I'm on fire--fire!"
Frightened though he was, Dick knew water was the one thing his fathermost needed; and laying the poor head gently back on the sand, he tookthe canteen from a bag which had served instead of a saddle.
"Drink this, daddy, and you'll feel better," he said coaxingly, muchas if speaking to a child.
The wounded man seized the tin vessel eagerly, and it required allDick's strength to prevent him from draining it at once.
"I'm afraid to give you more now, my poor old man; but wait, like adear, and I'll let you take it again when you're on the horse."
Not until after a violent struggle, which frightened Dick because itseemed almost as if he was raising his hand against his father, did heregain possession of the canteen, and then a full half of the contentshad been consumed.
When his thirst was in a measure quenched, Mr. Stevens lay quietly onthe sand, save now and then as he moaned in unconscious agony, heedingnot the boy's pleading words.
"Try to help yourself a bit, daddy," he urged. "If you'll stand on onefoot I can manage to lift you onto the horse's back."
Again and again did Dick try by words to persuade his father to do ashe desired, and then he realized how useless were his efforts.
He had heard of this delirium which often follows neglect of gun-shotwounds, but had no idea how he should set about checking it.
After understanding that words were useless, and knowing full well hecould not lift unaided such a weight onto the horse's back, hecrouched by his father's side in helpless grief.
Never before had he known what it was to be afraid, however far he mightbe from others of his kind; but now, as he listened to the meaninglesswords, or the piteous moans, terror took possession of him, and the softsighing of the gentle wind sounded in his ears like a menace.
The horse strayed here and there seeking food, but he gave no heed.
Such garments as his mother had given him, Dick spread over thesufferer; and that done there was nothing for him save to wait.
It seemed to the anxious boy as if the night would never end. Now andthen he rose to his feet, scanning the eastern sky in the hope ofseeing some signs of coming dawn; but the light of the stars had notfaded, and he knew the morning was yet far away.
Finally, when it seemed to him as if he could no longer remain idlelistening to a strong man's childish prattle, the eastern heavens werelighted by a dull glow, which increased steadily until he could seethe horse feeding on the dry bunch-grass an hundred yards away, andhis long vigil was nearly at an end.
His father called for water from time to time, and Dick had given himto drink from the canteen till no more than a cupful remained.
Now he asked again, but in a voice which sounded more familiar; and agreat hope sprang up in the boy's heart as he said,--
"There's only a little left, you poor old man, and we can't get morethis side the camp
. Shall I give it to you now?"
"Let me moisten my lips, Dick dear. They are parched, and my tongue isswollen until it seems ready to burst."
Dick handed him the canteen; and his father drank sparingly, in markedcontrast to his greedy swallowing of a few moments previous.
"It tastes sweet, my boy; and when we are at the camp I'll need onlyto look at the brook in order to get relief. Are you soon going forthe horse?"
"I went, an' have got back, daddy dear. You've been talking mightyqueer--on account of the wound, I suppose."
"How long have you been with me, child?"
"I must have got here before midnight, and the morning is just comingnow."
"You're a good boy, Dick."
"That's what mother said before I left, and between the two of you I'mafraid you'll make me out way beyond what I deserve. We must get backas soon as we can, you poor old man; for she'll be crying her eyessore with thinking we've both knocked under. Will we have a try atgetting on horseback?"
"Yes; and I reckon it can be done. Lead the beast up here, and thenhelp me on my feet--I've grown as weak as a baby, Dick."
"And I don't wonder at it. According to the looks of this sage-brushyou must have lost half of all the blood you had at this timeyesterday."
Now that his father was conscious once more, all Dick's reasonlessterror fled, and again he was the manly fellow he had always shownhimself to be.
The horse was led to Mr. Stevens's side; and Dick raised the nearlypowerless body until, at the expense of most severe pain, but withoutsign of it by even so much as a groan, his father stood on theuninjured limb.
Fortunately the horse was too weary to make much protest at whatfollowed; with a restive steed it would have been impossible for theboy to half lift, half push his father up until he was seated on thebag that served as saddle.
"How is it now, you poor old man? Can you hold on there a couple ofhours?"
"I must, my boy; and if it so be I show signs of losing my reasonagain, you must contrive to lash me here, for unless this wound isattended to in better shape than it is just now, I'll go under."
"For mother's sake you must keep a good grip on yourself. It'll cometough, I know; but once we're in camp you shall live on the fat of theland."
Dick took up his father's rifle,--his own he had left in the wagon whenhe went after the horse,--and, leading the animal by the bridle, marchedon, glancing back every few seconds to learn how the rider was faring.
Although he struggled to repress any evidence of pain, Mr. Stevenscould not prevent the agony from being apparent on his face; and Dick,who had neither eaten nor slept during the past twenty-four hours, didall a boy could have done to cheer the sufferer, without thought ofhis own necessities.
"We'll soon be in camp, daddy, when you're to have everything youneed," he said from time to time; and then, fancying this was notsufficient encouragement, he finally added, "you know I'm going overto Antelope Spring to get some doctor's stuff as soon as I've foundgame enough to keep the camp supplied while I'm away."
"Antelope Spring!" Mr. Stevens cried, aroused from his suffering for aninstant by the bold assertion. "You shall never do it, Dick, not if Ihad twenty wounds! It's as much as a man's life is worth to cross thedesert on foot, and these horses of ours are worse than none at all."
"By the time we've been in camp a couple of weeks where the feed isgood, they'll pick up in great shape, and be fit to haul the old wagonhome. Won't it be prime to see the town once more? And there'll be nomore hunting 'round for a place where we can get a livin' easy, eh,daddy?"
"No, Dickey; once we're there we'll stay, and I'm going to turn over anew leaf if my life is spared. I'll do more work and less loafing. Butyou're not to cross the desert alone, my boy."
"It may be travellers will come our way, an' I can go with them," Dickreplied, taking good care not to make any promises; for he understoodfrom what his mother had said that it would be absolutely necessarythat aid should be had from the nearest settlement.
Fortunately, as it then seemed to the boy, the pain which his fatherwas enduring prevented him from dwelling upon the subject; and as Dicktrudged on, trying to force the horse into a more rapid gait, heturned over in his mind all he had heard regarding such a journey.
There were many times when it seemed certain Mr. Stevens must succumbto the suffering caused by the wound; but he contrived to "keep agood grip" on himself, as Dick had suggested, and after what seemedthe longest and most painful journey the boy had ever experienced, thetwo came upon landmarks which told they were nearing the encampment.
His father was ghastly pale. The big drops of sweat on his foreheadtold of intense pain; and, in order to revive his courage yet a littlelonger, Dick shouted loudly to warn the dear ones who were waiting.
"They'll soon come running to meet us; and you must put on a boldfront, daddy, else mother will think you're near dead. Hold hard alittle while longer, and then we'll have you in the wagon, where allhands of us can doctor you in great shape."
It is more than probable that, had he been alone, with no one to cheerhim, Mr. Stevens might never have been able to endure the agony whichmust have been his. Thanks to Dick's cheering words, however, he notonly kept his seat, but remained conscious until his wife and sonlifted him from the horse to the bed hastily prepared in the vehicle.
Then nature asserted herself; and he speedily sank into unconsciousnessaccompanied by delirium, as when Dick had watched by his side.
"He was just that way all night, and it frightened me, mother. Whatcan we do for him?"
"I don't know, Dick dear; indeed I don't. Unless he can have properattention death must soon come, and I am ignorant of such nursing ashe needs. If we were only where we could call in a doctor!"
"Wouldn't it do almost as well if we had medicine for him?"
"Perhaps so; but if we could get such things it would also be possibleto at least find out what we should do."
"The horses wouldn't pull us across the desert until after they'verested a spell," Dick said half to himself.
"And even if they could, we must have food."
"See here, mother; you fix up daddy's leg the best you know how, andI'll look around for something that'll fill the pot. There are rabbitshere in plenty, though it's mighty hard luck when you have to waste acartridge on each one. I'll have enough in the way of meat by the timeyou've washed the wound. I've heard the poor old man himself say thatplenty of cool water was needed on a bullet-hole."
Mrs. Stevens could not be hopeful under the circumstances, for she knewbetter than did Dick how slight was the chance that the injured mancould live where it was impossible to care properly for the wound; butshe would not deprive the boy of hope, and turned to do as he suggested.
Although weary and footsore, Dick did not spend many moments in camp.
He waited only long enough to get his rifle and ammunition, and thentrudged off; for meat must be had, even at the expense of cartridges,both for the wounded man and the remainder of the family.
An hour later Dick returned with two rabbits; and when these had beenmade ready for cooking, he clambered into the wagon to see his father.
The invalid looked more comfortable, even though nothing had been donefor his relief save to cleanse the wound, and dress it in such fashionas was possible; but he was still in the delirium, and after kissingthe pale forehead, Dick went to where his mother was making ready forthe long-delayed meal.
"I don't reckon there's a bit of anything to eat, mother?"
"I shall soon have these rabbits cooked."
"But I must be off after larger game, and don't want to wait tilldinner is ready."
"You need the food, Dickey, and there is only a tiny bit of bread."
"Give me that, mother dear. It will stop the hole in my stomach for aspell, and when I come back there'll be plenty of time to eat meat."
Had the circumstances been one whit less grave, Mrs. Stevens would nothave consented to his setting out before having eaten a
hearty meal;but she knew that more meat would soon be needed, since they had noother food, and two rabbits would hardly provide the famishing oneswith enough to stay their hunger for the time being.
The piece of bread, baked the day previous from the last of theirstore of flour, was brought out; and, munching it slowly that it mightseem to be more, Dick started off again.
Not until nearly nightfall did he return; but he had with him suchportion of a deer's carcass as he could drag, and all fear ofstarvation was banished from camp.
The wounded man was resting more comfortably, if such term can beapplied properly when one is suffering severest pain; and afterhanging the meat beneath the wagon, Dick questioned his mother as towhat might be done if they were within reach of a physician.
"If we could see one, Dickey, your father's life might be saved, forsuch a wound should not be exceedingly dangerous. If I knew how totreat it, and had the proper washes, we ought to nurse him back tolife; but as it is, I haven't even that which would check the fever."
"If you could talk to a doctor would it be all right?"
"I believe so, Dickey."
"Would the medecine you want cost very much?"
"It is the same to us whether the price be much or little, since wehaven't the opportunity to get what is needed, nor the money withwhich to pay for it if a shop were near at hand."
Dick ceased his questioning, and set about performing such work aroundthe camp as might well have been left undone until the next day.
A generous supply of broiled venison was made ready, and the boy ateheartily; after which he went into the wagon, telling his mother hewould play the part of nurse until dark, when she could take his place.
Once in the vehicle, partially screened from view, Dick, after muchsearch for the bit of a lead-pencil his father owned, wrote on a pieceof brown paper that had contained the last ten pounds of flour Mr.Stevens had purchased, the following words,--
DEAR MOTHER,--I know you won't let me go to Antelope Spring if I tell you about what I'm minded to do, so I shall slip off the first thing in the morning. I'll take my rifle with me, and by selling it, get what stuff daddy needs. I can talk with a doctor too; and when I come back we'll fix the poor old man up in great shape.
Don't worry about me, for I can get across without any bother. I'm going to take the canteen and some slices of meat, so I sha'n't be hungry or thirsty. I count on being back in three days; but if I'm gone five you mustn't think anything has gone wrong, for it may be a longer trip than I'm reckonin' on.
I love you, and daddy, and Margie mighty well; and this footing it across the desert ain't half as dangerous as you think for.
Your son,
DICKEY.
When this had been done, he kissed his father twice, smoothed the hairback from the pale, damp forehead, and whispered,--
"I'm going so's you'll get well, my poor old man; and you mustn't makeany kick, 'cause it's _got_ to be done."
Then he came out as if tired of playing the nurse, and proposed thathe sleep under the wagon that night.
"With all hands inside, daddy would be crowded; and I'm as well offout-of-doors. Kiss me, mother, for I'm mighty tired."