CHAPTER XVII
The day after they abandoned the wagon, and divided the outfit into packs, the young pioneers found themselves on something of a plateau among the Rockies. Each carried a stiff load on his shoulders, and what was left of the outfit was strapped to the back of the mule,—enough to make Darling move along slower than ever.
They had come over a broken trail, where they had often to leap from one rock to the next. More than once one or another of them had fallen, and Si had received a wrench of his left ankle that hurt him considerably.
"This ain't walking over no farm," grumbled Si, as he limped on. "I hope the trail don't get any worse."
"I am afraid it will be worse before we get through the pass," said Mark. "These are not called the Rocky Mountains for nothing."
"Boys, I saw some Indians just now!" cried Maybe Dixon, who was in advance. "About a dozen of them, on ponies."
"Where?" cried the lads, in concert.
"Over yonder." Maybe Dixon pointed with his hand. "They are gone now—behind the spur of rocks."
The boys were curious to see the red men—having met so few on the trail, but when they reached the spur of rocks the Indians were nowhere in sight.
That noon they had to care for Darling's foot again and this took some time. In the meanwhile the Sockets went on, leaving them alone. They were just about to proceed when three Indians rode up. They were a dirty set, with faces sadly in need of washing, and long, talon-like finger nails.
THEY WERE JUST ABOUT TO PROCEED WHEN THREE INDIANS RODE UP.
THEY WERE JUST ABOUT TO PROCEED WHEN THREE INDIANS RODE UP.
THEY WERE JUST ABOUT TO PROCEED WHEN THREE INDIANS RODE UP.
"Ugh! Give Indian tobacco," said one.
"Give Indian sugar," said a second.
"Blue Water cold—give um blanket," came from the third.
"I haven't any tobacco to spare," said Maybe Dixon, who carried only a small pouchful.
"The sugar is about gone," added Si.
"We need our blankets," put in Mark. "Where are your own?"
The Indians looked disappointed and their painted faces grew dark.
"No give poor Indians nothing?" asked the fellow who had first spoken.
"We haven't anything to spare," said Bob. He and the others had already learned that the more the red men got from the white travelers the more they wanted.
The Indians continued to beg for something and at last were given some beans and a small bit of venison. Then they turned their ponies and galloped away over the rocks.
"We are well rid of them," said Mark, with a sigh of relief.
"That is, if they don't come back," returned Maybe Dixon, dryly.
"Do you think they will?" questioned Si. "I shan't give them a thing more."
"I didn't like their looks," remarked Bob. "They seemed a treacherous lot."
They passed on until nightfall. It was very cold and they were glad enough to bring in such firewood as was handy and start a big blaze. Around this they huddled and cooked their supper.
"We'll be up against winter for certain putty soon now," said Maybe Dixon. "Maybe it will catch us afore we know it."
"Oh, I trust we get out of the mountains before it comes," answered Mark.
All were utterly worn out from the day's traveling and glad enough to lie down to rest. They found a little patch of brushwood growing among the rocks, and there proceeded to make themselves as comfortable as circumstances permitted. It was no soft bed, but it was the best to be found, and nobody thought of grumbling.
Mark had been asleep about two hours when he awoke with a sudden start. He had been dreaming of home and of his step-father, and imagined Jadell Powers had him by the foot and was dragging him across the floor of the dingy law office.
He opened his eyes widely and stared around him. All was dark, but in the gloom he discerned several forms moving around. The forms were those of Indians, and the red men were going through the packs which lay beside the mule. To the packs and the mule was attached a light string and the other end of the string was tied to Mark's foot.
"Indians!" he burst out. "Hi! wake up! The Indians are here!"
His cry was so shrill that it awoke everybody in the camp, and all leaped to their feet.
"What's up?"
"Where are the Indians?"
"There they go!" answered Mark. "They were at our packs."
"The old Nick, you say!" burst out Maybe Dixon. He reached for his rifle, which rested under him. "I'll give 'em something to remember us by!"
But before he could take aim the Indians had vanished in the gloom of the night. They heard the footsteps resounding on the rocks, then heard the red men mount their ponies and gallop away.
"They are gone," said Bob. "I say, I don't like this at all!"
"Nor I," came from Si. He gave a shiver. "They might have murdered every one of us while we slept!"
"That is so," said Mark.
"How did you happen to spot them?"
"They must have pulled on the string which was fastened to my foot. I've used the string ever since Sag Ruff ran off with the outfit."
The fire was stirred up and they took a good look around that vicinity. But the Indians were gone, nor did they return that night.
"I suppose it would be best for somebody to remain on guard every night after this," said Mark, after the search had come to an end. "We'd be in a pretty pickle if we lost our outfit."
"We'd starve to death," said Si. "Especially if they happened to steal our guns, too."
"Well, we can divide up each night and each take his turn at watching," said Bob; and so it was arranged.
The next day they overtook the Sockets, who had had a small breakdown. They, too, had met the Indians and had given them a few things.
"I was afraid they'd steal some of the children if we didn't give them something," said Mrs. Socket. "They looked at the girls so suspiciously."
"If they stole me, I'd die, I know I should!" declared Mary Socket. She was a tall, thin girl, but rather good-looking, and with a head of heavy brown hair.
The whole party proceeded together the next day, and that night each of the men and boys took his turn at staying on guard.
"Two hours on duty and eight off isn't so bad," said Mark. "We can stand that easily enough."
"Eight hours of sleep is enough for anybody," returned Bob.
"I like to rest my feet as much as I like to sleep," said Si. The constant walking over the rough rocks hurt his feet not a little. Mark did not mind it so much, being used to the hard city pavements.
The snowstorm that had been promised started in the next day about noon. There was a gentle breeze at the time, blowing from the northward. The snow was not very thick, so they continued to go on until nightfall, when they reached the beginning of the pass proper, at an altitude many hundreds of feet above the level of the sea.
"I wish we were through the pass," said Mark. "I shan't mind the snow so much when we are coming down from the mountains."
"Even then it will be bad enough," said Maybe Dixon. "I'd rather be in camp at the foot of the mountains when real winter hits us."
During the night the storm cleared away, much to their satisfaction. The fall of snow was only a few inches deep and this did not interfere very materially with their progress, although it made the trail rather slippery and treacherous in places.
"Want to be careful where you walk," said Josiah Socket, who was in advance with Maybe Dixon. "It won't pay to git a tumble on sech rocks as these."
Bob and Mark were alongside of the mule. Darling had recovered somewhat from his lameness and was doing remarkably well, much to their satisfaction.
"What's the matter?" called back Bob to Si, who was in the rear.
"Foot's sore again," was the doleful answer.
"Can we do anything for you, Si?" asked Mark, kindly.
"Nary a thing that I know on," grumbled the former farm lad. "I reckon I've got to grin and bear it." And he shut his teeth hard.
"It's a pity Darling is so loaded up. Otherwise you might ride on his back," said Bob.
"And have him pitch me over his head on the rocks? No, thank you. I'll keep on walking and get there somehow," said Si.
The way kept growing worse constantly, until they had to make certain of one step before they ventured the next.
"Thank goodness it isn't snowing," said Mrs. Socket. "If it was, I don't know what we would do."
"They tell me the pass is better a bit further on," said Maybe Dixon. "We'll have just a little more climbing to do, and then the worst of it will be over."
"Well, the journey can't come to an end any too soon for me," said the woman. "Land sakes alive! if I had known what we were to go through with, I'd never 'a' started in the wide world."
"We want to make the most of the clear weather," said Bob. "Unless I miss my guess, it is going to snow again before very long."
"Right you are," answered Josiah Socket. "The hull air is full o' snow."
Half a mile more was covered, and Bob and Mark were still by the side of the mule, when the latter suddenly looked back.
"Where is Si?" he cried.
"Si? Isn't he here?" came from Mark.
"I don't see him."
"Neither do I!"
"What's the matter, boys?" called out Maybe Dixon, turning back.
"We can't see Si," answered the former sailor lad.
"Can't see him? Wasn't he with you?"
"Yes, but he dropped behind, to fix his shoe."
They began to call for the former farm lad, but without avail. Si was neither in sight nor hearing.
"Something has happened to him," groaned Mark. "Perhaps he has fallen over some steep rocks and been killed!"