Bill Biddon, Trapper Part 6

I chose the latter expedient. It was quite dark, yet I had noticed our situation well enough, I judged, not to lose it. So grasping my blanket in my hand, I started on a rapid run directly over the prairie. I continued a long distance, until pretty well exhausted. I turned to retrace my steps. My blood was warming with the exercise, and I hurried forward, counting upon sound sleep for the remainder of the night.

I continued my run for a full half hour, and then stopped in amazement, as I saw no signs of my companions. Thinking I must have pa.s.sed the spot where they were lying, I carefully walked back again, but still without discovering the men. I had lost them in the darkness, and it was useless to hunt them at night. So I concluded to wait till morning, feeling sure that they could be at no great distance. I now commenced searching for a suitable place for myself, and at last hit upon a small depression in the prairie. There was a large stone imbedded in the earth on one side, which served to protect me from the chilling wind. As I nestled down, beside this, such a feeling of warmth and comfort came over me that I congratulated myself upon what at first seemed a misfortune.

Lying thus, just on the verge of sleep, my nerves painfully alive to the slightest sound, I suddenly felt a trembling of the ground. At first it seemed a dream; but, as I became fully awake, I started in terror and listened. I raised my head, but heard no sound, and still in the most perplexing wonder sank down again, hoping it would shortly cease. But there was a steady, regular increase, and presently I distinguished millions of faint tremblings, like the distant mutterings of thunder. Gradually these grew plainer and more distinct, and finally I could distinguish sounds like the tread of innumerable feet upon the prairie. Still at a loss to account for this strange occurrence, I listened, every nerve in my body strung to its highest tension. Still louder and louder grew the approaching thunder, and every second the jar of the earth became more perceptible. Suddenly the truth flashed upon me--_a herd of buffaloes were approaching_.

Terror for an instant held me dumb when I realized this awful danger.

My first resolve was to rush forth and warn Nat and Biddon; but I reflected that they must have been awakened, ere this, and that I could do nothing to ward off the peril which threatened all alike.

Springing to my feet, I paused a second to collect my tumultuous thoughts. Could I reach the timber, I could ascend a tree and be beyond danger; but I knew not what direction to take, and there was no time to spare. To remain still was to be trampled to death; to rush away could save me but a few moments longer. G.o.d of heaven! what a death!

Louder and louder grew the thundering tread of the animals, and I stood like a madman, the cold sweat pouring off me, tormented by a thousand agonizing thoughts, and expecting death each moment! Nearer and nearer came the rattle of the clamping hoofs, and I stood rooted to the spot!

Sinking on my knees, I implored mercy of the One who could give it in this moment of dire necessity; and while on my knees the means of preservation presented itself.

"Strange!" I exclaimed, breathing deeply, "that I did not think of it before."

I have said that I was in a sort of depression or hollow in the earth, and that a large stone was imbedded on one side. Now a safer and more secure shelter could not have been found in this emergency. I wrapped my blanket around me, and crept as far beneath it as I could, and I was saved!

A few minutes later, and a dark body plunged headlong over me with the rapidity of lightning, followed instantly by another and another, and I knew the herd were thundering past. For a long time I lay there, beneath these thousands of feet, one of which would have been sufficient to kill me. The incessant crackling of their hoofs, and rattling of their horns, sounded like the discharge of musketry. Once a ponderous body tumbled over the rock which sheltered me, and I caught sight of a dark, writhing, bellowing ma.s.s, and the next instant it regained its feet and disappeared.

It must have been an hour that I lay here, ere the last animal leaped over me. Then I looked up and saw the stars s.h.i.+ning overhead. My joy at the sight of those glittering orbs cannot be expressed. I arose to my feet, and looked about me. It was too dark to discern objects, yet I could hear the rapidly retreating footfalls of the herd in the distance, and I knew I had been saved from a frightful death. Sinking to the earth I offered a sincere prayer of grat.i.tude to the Almighty for his miraculous preservation of my life!

CHAPTER IV.

THE TRAPPING GROUNDS.

I was agreeably surprised upon waking to see Nat standing within a few feet, holding two horses by the bridle.

"Which one will you choose?" he asked with a broad smile.

"How did you come by them?" asked I.

"I s'pose it must have been about the time you left us last night, that Biddon woke me up, and told me to follow him, as there was a _powerful_ chance to get a couple of hosses for you and me. I asked him where you could be, and he said he s'posed you'd gone further up-stream to sleep by yourself, though he hadn't seen you go.

Howsumever, we wasn't worried, as we thought you were old enough to take care of yourself, so we started down the bed of the stream. We went about half a mile, when Biddon showed me a small camp-fire, burned down to a few coals and ashes; but there was enough light to show us two hosses picketed a few yards away, and we seen the feet of a couple of redskins turned toward the fire. Biddon said as how they was a couple of hunters, sound asleep, and we might _borrow_ their horses, if I didn't make too much noise. He told me to stand still, and keep my gun pointed at them, and the minute one stirred to shoot him, and then rush in, and dispatch the other. I promised to do so, and he stole around to the hosses on his hands and knees. He had cut both the lariats and was leading them away, when one of the Indians raised his head and looked around, and as soon as he seen the hosses moving off, give a grunt and jumped up and ran toward them. I remembered it was my duty to shoot, and as the Indian was running purty fast, I aimed about ten feet ahead of him, supposing, of course, the villain would git there as soon as the bullet did; but, I'll be hanged if he wasn't mean enough to stop, and let the bullet be wasted.

My gun kicked like blazes, and the Ingins I s'pose thought a whole tribe was upon them; for setting up a great howl, they _skooted_ off in the darkness, leaving us alone with the animals. Running back, I overtook Biddon, who was riding along as though nothing had happened.

He asked me to ride and of course I jumped on, and here I am. But which hoss do you want?"

"I do not see as there is much room for choice," I replied; "both are splendid animals, and a most opportune blessing."

"If it's all the same to you, this gentleman is mine;" and handing the bridle to me, he vaulted upon the other. The latter was a magnificent Indian pony, of a deep bay color, probably captured when very young, and high spirited and fiery. Both manifested considerable uneasiness, knowing they were in the hands of strangers, and Nat's made one or two efforts to dislodge him; but he was a good horseman, and maintained his place with apparent ease despite the struggles, which were frantic and desperate at first. Mine was somewhat larger, of a coal-black color, and with as much spirit and fire as the other, but in a few moments we had them both under perfect control.

Besides these two animals, we gained two fine Indian saddles, and were now as well mounted as we could wish. Nat remarked, that when the buffaloes thundered by he felt some apprehension for me, but the trapper expressed none, saying that I would be found all right in the morning. As soon as there was light, Nat commenced searching the bed of the stream for me, and failing in this, he climbed a tree and took a survey of the prairie on both sides. From his elevation he discovered what he believed to be my dead body; and, accompanied by Biddon and the horses, hastened toward me. Upon reaching me, they understood instantly the whole matter, and it was their loud laughter that had aroused me.

We were now pretty far to the northwest of Nebraska Territory. The face of the country was materially different, and I began to notice a change of temperature. The summer had just closed, and the early autumn was like the approach of winter. The nights were cool and chilling, and the days generally mild at noon, but often keen and exhilarating. The prairie was mostly of the rolling kind, but the belts of timber were more common, and the vegetation richer and more exuberant. It was plain, too, that we were journeying into a section where the foot of civilization had not been. The vast, undulating swell of the prairie, the mighty fields of verdure, and the broad rivers and streams, bore only the marks of the red man and wild beast.

Toward noon, Nat descried a solitary antelope far ahead. It was near a grove of timber, from which it had just wandered, and stood gazing wonderingly at our approach. We rode on in silence for some time, when Biddon raised his hand for us to halt.

"What do you intend doing?" I asked.

"Jes' hold on and see," he replied, as he dismounted.

He made a circuit, skirting the prairie, so as to reach the grove mentioned upon the opposite side from the antelope. I still was at a loss to understand his intention, as the animal was too distant from the timber to be brought down with a rifle-shot from that point.

"What under the sun does he intend doing?" I asked, turning to Nat.

"Guess he's getting off there to shoot us."

On the outer edge of the grove, next to the antelope, I saw him emerge, holding a stick over his head, to which was affixed a handkerchief or rag. He walked a short distance, and then lay down flat upon the prairie, perfectly concealed in the gra.s.s. The rag was visible, fluttering above him. I now watched the motions of the antelope. He stood gazing at us, until the trapper came into view, when, with a startled glance at him, he wheeled and ran. In a moment, however, he paused and turned quickly around. His looks were now fixed upon the fluttering signal. He stood motionless a moment, and then cautiously lifting his foot, made a step toward it. Thus he continued to approach, step by step, with apparent fear, and yet evidently impelled by an ungovernable curiosity, until he was scarce a hundred yards distant from the prostrate form of the trapper. Still he was moving stealthily onward, when suddenly a red tongue of fire spouted from the gra.s.s, and, as the sharp crack of Biddon's rifle reached us, we saw the antelope give a wild leap into the air, and, bounding a short distance, fall to the ground. The trapper immediately sprang to his feet and hastened to the fallen animal.

"Let us ride to him," said I, walking my horse onward.

We had ridden a short distance when Nat halted and asked:

"What's got into Biddon? Just look at him!"

I did look up, and for a moment believed the man had turned crazy. He had seen us approaching, and was now making furious gesticulations toward us. I watched him a moment, and then remarked:

"He is either signaling for us to come on or to stop."

"He means us to wait, I guess, and we had better pause until he returns."

We reined in our horses and watched him. He was apparently satisfied with our stopping, and stooped and commenced working at the animal. In a few moments he arose, and slinging a huge piece on his shoulder, made his way into the grove. From this he emerged in due time, and made his way toward us, motioning, meanwhile, for us to remain in our places.

"Why didn't you wish us to approach?" I asked, as soon as he came within speaking distance.

He made no answer, but throwing his meat upon the ground, hastily mounted his horse. Then he spoke in a deep whisper:

"Boys, did you 'spose there's over twenty redskins among them trees?"

"Heavens! it isn't possible?" I exclaimed, catching my breath.

"It's so; I seed 'em, and thar eyes are on us this minute. They're waitin' for us to go on, an' they'll give us thunder and lightnin'."

"What's to be done?" queried Nat.

"Jes' keep still, an' don't kick up, or they'll see it. We've got to make a run for it. Keep close to me, and when I start, let your horses went."

"But the meat?" I hurriedly asked.

"Can't take it. We have a long run, an' our horses won't want to carry no extra load. I didn't see thar animals, but I guess they ain't mounted. Ready!"

With this, Biddon wheeled his horse quickly around, and vanished from his place with the speed of lightning, while ours almost simultaneously shot ahead like an arrow. An instant after, I heard the faint discharge of guns, and, looking back, saw a host of savage forms pouring hastily from the timber.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Looking back saw a host of savage forms."]

"No need of hurrying. They are not mounted," I called out to Nat, who has hurrying his horse to the utmost.