CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
TREACHERY IN THE AIR.
At this time the half-breeds of the colony of Red River formed a smallparty compared with the numbers to which they multiplied in after years,and the band of hunters who annually went to the plains to chase thebuffalo was proportionally small. Nevertheless, they were numerousenough to constitute a formidable band, capable of holding their own,when united, against any band of wandering Indians who might feeldisposed to attack them. They were a brave, hardy race of men, but ofcourse there were some black sheep among them like La Certe.
About sixty or a hundred miles from the Settlement, the party, undercommand of Antoine Dechamp, found the buffalo, and preparations were atonce made to attack them. It was dusk, however, when the herds werediscovered, so that the hunt had to be postponed to the following day.
A small clump of bushes afforded wood enough for camp-fires. The cartswere ranged in a circle with the trains outward. Sentries were posted;the horses were secured; the kettles put on; pipes lighted; and noise,laughter, song and story, mingled with the shrill voices of children,were heard far on into the night.
Among the children, if we may venture so to class them, were Archie andBillie Sinclair--though we suspect that Archie would have claimed, andwith some reason, to be classed with the men. They belonged to thecamp-fire, which formed a centre to the party composed of Dan and Peter,Fergus, Dechamp, and Fred Jenkins the sailor. The latter, who it wasthought had come out to the country by way of a skylark rather than as asettler, had followed the hunters, bent, he said, on firing a broadsideinto a buffalo. He had brought with him a blunderbuss, which he averredhad been used by his great-grandfather at the battle of Culloden. Itwas a formidable old weapon, capable of swallowing, at one gulp, severalof the bullets which fitted the trading guns of the country. Its powersof scattering ordinary shot in large quantity had proved to be veryeffective, and had done such execution among flocks of wild-fowl, thatthe Indians and half-breeds, although at first inclined to laugh at it,were ultimately filled with respect.
"I doubt its capacity for sending ball straight, however," remarked Danto Jenkins, who was carefully cleaning out the piece, "especially ifcharged with more than one ball."
"No fear of it," returned the sailor, with a confident air. "Of courseit scattered the balls about six yards apart the only time I tried itwith a lot of 'em, but that was at fifty yards off, an' they tell methat you a'most ram the muzzle against the brutes' sides when chasin'buffalo. So there's no room to scatter, d'ee see, till they get insidetheir bodies, and when there it don't matter how much they scatter."
"It's well named a young cannon by La Certe," said Peter Davidson, who,like the seaman, was out on his first buffalo-hunt. "I never heard sucha roar as it gave that time you brought down ten out of one flock ofducks on the way up here."
"Ay, Peter, she barked well that time," remarked the sailor, with agrin, "but, then there was a reason. I had double-shotted her bymistake."
"An' ye did it too without an aim, for you had both eyes tight shut atthe time," remarked Fergus. "Iss that the way they teach ye to shoot atsea?"
"In course it is," replied Jenkins, gravely. "That's the beauty o' theblunderbuss. There's no chance o' missin', so what 'ud be the use o'keepin' yer eyes open, excep' to get 'em filled wi' smoke. You've on'ygot to point straight, an' blaze away."
"I did not know that you use the blunderbuss in your ships at all," saidDechamp, with a look of assumed simplicity.
"Ho yes, they do," said Jenkins, squinting down the bell-mouthed barrel,as if to see that the touch-hole was clear. "Aboard o' one man-o'-warthat I sailed in after pirates in the China seas, we had a blunderbusscompany. The first-leftenant, who was thought to be queer in his head,he got it up.
"The first time the company was ranged along the deck he gave the orderto load with ball cartridges. There was twenty-six of us, all told.
"`We've got no cartridges for 'em, sir,' whispered the man nearest him.
"`If you don't obey orders,' growled the leftenant 'tween his teeth,`I'll have ye strung up for mutiny every man Jack of you--_load_!' herepeated in a kind of a yell.
"We had our or'nary belts and pouches on, so we out wi' the or'narycartridges--some three, some four,--an', biting off the ends, poured inthe powder somehow, shoved in the balls anyhow, an' rammed the wholeconsarn down.
"`Present--fire!' roared the leftenant.
"Bang! went the six an' twenty blunderbusses, an' when the smoke clearedaway there was fourteen out o' the twenty-six men flat on their backs.The rest o' us was raither stunned, but hearty.
"`Take these men below,' cried the leftenant, `an' send fourteen strongmen here. We don't want weaklings for _this_ company.'
"After that we loaded in moderation, an' got on better."
"And the pirates--what did _they_ think o' the new weapon?" asked PeterDavidson, with an amused expression.
"O! they couldn't stand it at all," answered the sailor, looking up fromhis work, with a solemnity that was quite impressive. "They stood fireonly once. After that they sheered off like wild-cats. I say, MistressLa Certe, how long is that lobscouse--or whatever you call it,--goin' tobe in cookin'?" Slowfoot gave vent to a sweet, low giggle, as shelifted the kettle off the hook, and thus gave a practical answer to thequestion. She placed before him the robbiboo, or pemmican, soup, whichthe seaman had so grievously misnamed.
During the time that the hunters were appeasing their appetites, it wasobserved that Antoine Dechamp, the leader of the expedition, wasunusually silent and thoughtful, and that he betrayed a slight look ofanxiety. It therefore did not surprise Dan Davidson, when the supperwas nearly ended, that Dechamp should rise and leave the fire aftergiving him a look which was a silent but obvious invitation to follow.
Dan obeyed at once, and his leader, conducting him between the variouscamp-fires, led him outside the circle of carts.
A clear moon lit up the prairie all round, so that they could see itsundulating sweep in every direction.
"Anything wrong, Antoine?" asked Dan in a low voice, when they were outof earshot of the camp.
"Nothing wrong, Dan."
"Surely," continued the other, while Dechamp paused as if in perplexity,"surely there can be no chance of Red-skins troubling us on a clearnight like this. I can distinguish every bush for miles around."
"There is no fear o' Red-skins. No, I am not troubled about them. Itis matters concerning yourself that trouble me."
"How's that? What do you mean, Antoine?"
"Is your brother-in-law-to-be, Duncan McKay, coming to join us thisspring?" asked Dechamp.
"I believe he is--after he has helped his father a bit longer wi' thefarm. Why do you ask?"
"Well, to say truth, I can't give you a very good reason for my bein'anxious. Only I can't help havin' my ears open, and I've heard sometalk among the lads that makes me fear for the young man. They say, orhint, that he knows more about the murder o' poor Perrin than he choosesto tell. I've not been quite able to find out what makes them suspecthim, but they do suspect him, an' it would be well to warn him not tocome here, for you know there are many opportunities to commit murder ona buffalo-hunt!"
The incident of the knife, and of Duncan McKay's significant glance, atonce flashed across Davidson's mind, and he felt a terrible sinking ofthe heart when the suspicion, once before roused within him, seemed nowto be confirmed. He resolved, however, to reveal his thoughts to noone--specially not to Elspie.
"I think it a shame," he said, "that men should allow such rumours tocirculate, when nothing certain has arisen to rouse suspicion. Thataffair of the knife was clearly explained when young McKay declared thatit was not his, though it looked like it. If he knew anything about themurder, would he not have been certain to have told us long ago? And,surely, you cannot suppose that Duncan killed Perrin with his own hand?Speak, Dechamp! Why do you shake your head?"
"I know nothing," returned the leader. "What right h
ave I to supposeanything? I only know that men's deeds are often mysterious andunaccountable, and that our men have strong suspicion. For myself, Ihave no opinion. Duncan McKay is probably innocent, for he and Perrinwere not enemies. I hope he is so, but I advise you to stop his comingto the camp just now if you can. His life may depend on it."
"I cannot stop him," returned Dan, with a perplexed look. "He isheadstrong, as you know, and if he has made up his mind to come, nothingwill stop him."
"Perhaps if he knew his life would be in danger--that might stop him."
"I doubt it; but I will give him the chance. I will ride back to RedRiver without delay, and warn him."
"Good. When will you start?"
"To-night. The moon is clear and will not set till morning. I shall bewell on my way by that time."
"Will you ride alone?"
"No, there may be bad Indians about. I will ask Okematan or FergusMcKay to ride with me. Why did you not speak to Fergus instead of tome?"
"Because he has not been spoken to by any one," answered Dechamp; "and Iwould not be the first to put suspicion into his head about his ownbrother. Besides, your head is clearer; and your interest in Duncan,for Elspie's sake, is greater than his, no doubt."
"Well, you may be right, Antoine. At all events if I take Fergus withme I shall send him back before reaching the Settlement, and say nothingwhatever about my reason for going there. `Pressing business,' youknow, will be sufficient."
"I'm not so sure of that," returned Dechamp with a laugh. "Men are aptto want to know the nature of `pressing business.' However, it may beas well to take Fergus. At any rate you cannot have Okematan, for he isnot in camp, he left soon after we pitched, and I know has not yetreturned."
"It matters not. Fergus will do better. He is more companionable."
Returning to camp, Dan Davidson made the proposal to Fergus McKay. Thatworthy was, as he said, ready for anything, and the two were soonmounted. They were also well armed, for the risk of meeting a party ofhostile Indians was not altogether out of the question, thoughimprobable. Each horseman carried his blanket and provision wallet, hisgun, a long knife almost equal to an ancient Roman sword, and a cavalrypistol--revolvers not having been invented at that time: at least theyhad not come into general use. Thus provided for all contingencies,they set forth.
As we have said, the night was clear and fine, so that the plains wereopen to view in all directions, save where a few scattered clumps ofwillows and small trees grew like islets in the ocean.
"It iss this that I like better than farming," said Fergus, as the freshhorses carried them swiftly and lightly over the prairie waves, and downinto the grassy hollows, now swerving to avoid a badger-hole, orclearing a small shrub with a little bound. "I do think that man wassintended to live in the wilderness, an' not to coop himself up in thecities like rabbits in their holes."
"Why, Fergus, you should have been born a savage," said Dan.
"Ay, it iss savitch I am that I wass not born a savitch," returnedFergus with a grim smile. "What in all the world iss the use ofceevilisation if it will not make people happy? A man wants nothingmore than a goot supper an' a goot bed, an' a goot shelter over him, an'it is a not five hunderd pound a year that we will want to buy that--whatever."
"But surely man wants a little more than that, Fergus. He wantsbreakfast and dinner usually, as well as supper, and a few comfortsbesides, such as tea and sugar--at least the women do--besides pipes an'baccy--to say nothing of books."
"Oo ay, I will not be denyin' that. But we've no need for wan half theluxuries o' ceevilisation. An' ye know ferry weel, Tan, that my sisterElspie would be content to live wi' you in a ferry small hoose, and thebare necessaries of life, but here you are forced to put off themerritch because our hooses wass burnt, and you are obleeged to waittill you get a sort o' palace built, I suppose, and a grand farm seta-goin'."
"Indeed, Fergus, you touch me on a sore point there, but with all yourscorn of luxury, I'm sure you'd be the last man to let his sister marrya fellow who could take her only to a hut or a wigwam."
"You are right, Tan. Yet I hev spent many a comfortable night in a hutan' a wigwam since I came to Red River. I wish the place wass morepeaceable."
"It will never be more peaceable as long as there are two rivalcompanies fighting for the furs," said Davidson; "but there's worse thanthat goin' on, for some of the Indians, it seems, are mad at theagreement made between them and Lord Selkirk."
"Wow! that iss a peety. Where heard ye that?"
"I heard it from La Certe, whose wife Slowfoot, you know, is a CreeIndian. It seems that the Crees have always claimed Red River as theirlands; but when Lord Selkirk came to make a treaty with the natives hefound some Saulteaux livin' on the soil, an' his lordship, in ignorance,gave them an interest in the treaty, though they were mere visitors--an'indeed don't even claim to be owners of the soil--their lands lying farto the east of Red River."
"Well," continued Dan, guiding his horse carefully down the next hollow,for the moon had gone behind a cloud just then, "when the Crees foundout what had been done, they were naturally very angry--an' I don'twonder--an' they threaten now to expel the Saulteaux from Red Riveraltogether, an' the white men along wi' them, unless the names of theSaulteaux chiefs are wiped out o' the contract, an' the annual paymentmade to the Crees alone."
"That iss bad, Taniel, ferry bad," said Fergus, as they reached thebottom of the hollow and began to ascend the succeeding undulation, "an'I am all the more sorry to hear it because our goot frund Okematan is aCree."
"Ay, Fergus, he is a great chief of the Crees, and a man of considerableinfluence among his people. I should not like to have him for anenemy."
"Stop!" said Fergus in a whisper at that moment, laying his hand onDavidson's arm.
Dan drew rein at once and looked at his friend, but could not clearlysee his face, for the moon was still behind thick drifting clouds.
They had just risen high enough on the prairie wave, which they had beenascending, to be able to see over it, and Dan could perceive by theoutstretched neck of his companion that he was gazing intently atsomething directly in front.
"What do you see, Fergus?" he asked in a low voice.
"Do you see nothin', Taniel?" was the Highlander's reply.
"Why, yes. I see the plains stretching away to the horizon--an' darkenough they are, too, at this moment. I also see a few small clumpsthat look like bushes here an' there."
"Don't you see the clump that's nearest to you--right foment your nose?"said the other.
"Of course I do," and he stopped abruptly, for at that moment he saw aspark in the clump referred to--a spark so small that it might have beentaken for a glow-worm, had such a creature existed there.
"Savitches!" whispered the Highlander. "Let's get into the hollow asfast as we can."
This retrograde movement was soon effected, and the friends dismounted.
"Now, Fergus, what's the best thing to be done?"
"I will be leavin' that to you, Taniel, for you've a clearer head thanmine."
"We dare not ride forward," said Dan, as if communing with himself, "an'it would be foolish to make a long detour to escape from something untilwe know there is something worth escaping from. My notion is that wehobble or picket our horses here, and go cautiously forward on foot tosee what it is."
"You'll be doin' what ye think best, Captain Taniel, an' you will findthat private Fergus will back you up--whatever."
This being settled, the two men picketed their steeds in the hollow,fastened their guns to the saddles, as being too cumbrous for a creepingadvance, and, armed only with their long knives and pistols, reascendedthe prairie wave. With feet clothed in soft moccasin, and practised bythat time in the art of stealthy tread, they moved towards the summitnoiseless as ghosts.
On gaining the ridge they sank slowly down into the tall grass anddisappeared.
After a prolonged and somewhat painful creep on hands and knees th
e twomen reached the edge of the clump of bushes already referred to.
Before reaching it they discovered, from the sound of voices, that aparty of some kind was encamped there; but, of course, as they knew notwho, it became needful to proceed with extreme caution. When theygained the edge of the clump, and raised their heads over a lowbush-covered bank, they beheld a sight which was not calculated to cheerthem, for there, in the centre of the bush, encircling a very smallfire, sat a war-party of about fifty painted and befeathered braves ofthe Cree Indians. They were engaged in council at the moment.
A creeping sensation about their scalps was experienced by the twoeavesdroppers on observing that they had passed not a hundred yards froma sentinel who occupied a low knoll on their left.
Neither Dan nor Fergus dared to speak--not even to whisper. Still lessdid they dare to move; for a few moments after they reached the bankjust referred to, the moon came out from behind the clouds and floodedthe whole scene as with the light of day.
There was nothing left for it, therefore, except to lie still andlisten. But this gave them small comfort; for, although quite withinearshot of the war-party, the language spoken was utterly unintelligibleto either of them.
Their eyes, however, were not so useless as their ears, for they couldclearly see each warrior as he rose to harangue his comrades, and, fromthe vindictive expression of their faces as well as their frequentpointing in the direction of the buffalo-hunters it was abundantlyevident that an attack upon them was being discussed.
At last, after many braves had spoken, a chief of tall and noble mienarose. His back was towards the two spies, but the moment they heardhis voice they turned their heads and gazed at each other in speechlessamazement, for the voice was quite familiar.
No word did they dare to utter, but Fergus made formations with his lipsof a most extravagant nature, which, however, clearly spelt "Okematan."When he had finished, he nodded and turned his gaze again on the Crees.
Both men now understood that treachery was in the wind, and that a nightattack was highly probable; and, of course, they felt desperatelyanxious to jump up and fly back to the camp to warn their comrades--fortheir only fear was a surprise. The half-breeds being far more numerousthan the Indians, and well entrenched, there could be no fear for themif prepared.
Just then, as if to favour them, the moon retired behind a huge blackcloud.
Without a moment's hesitation Dan began to creep away back, closelyfollowed by Fergus. They gave a wide berth of course to the sentinel,and soon regained the hollow where the horses had been left. Here theybreathed more freely.
"Who would have thought this of Okematan?" muttered Dan, as he hastilytightened his saddle-girths.
"The _rascal_!" exclaimed Fergus, in deep tones of indignation.
"You must gallop back to camp at once, Fergus," said Dan, as theymounted. "I will go on to Red River alone."
"What! will you not be coming with me?" asked the Highlander, in somesurprise.
"There is no need, for there will be no fighting," returned the other."Our fellows far outnumber the Red-skins, and when the latter find thatwe have been warned, and are on our guard, they won't attack us, dependon it. But you'll have to ride fast, for when such fellows make uptheir minds to strike they don't usually waste time in delivering theblow. My business presses, I _must_ go on."
A minute later, and Dan Davidson was galloping towards the Settlementalone, while Fergus made the best of his way back to the camp of thebuffalo runners.