The Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail [120]
slipping through the forest.
"Kananaskis," said Jerry. "Strike trail near Bow Reever."
"Hold up for a moment, Jerry. I want to talk to you," said Cameron.
"No! Mak' speed now. Stop in brush."
"All right," said Cameron, following close upon his heels.
The morning broadened into day, but they made no pause till they had left behind them the open timber and gained the cover of the forest where the underbrush grew thick. Then Jerry, finding a dry and sheltered spot, threw himself down and stretched himself at full length waiting for Cameron's word.
"Tired, Jerry?" said Cameron.
"Non," replied the little man scornfully. "When lie down tak' 'em easy."
"Good! Now listen! Copperhead is on his way to meet the Blackfeet, but I fancy he is going to be disappointed." Then Cameron narrated to Jerry the story of his recent interview with Crowfoot. "So I don't think," he concluded, "any Blackfeet will come. Copperhead and Running Stream are going to be sold this time. Besides that the Police are on their way to Kananaskis following our trail. They will reach Kananaskis to-night and start for Ghost River to-morrow. We ought to get Copperhead between us somewhere on the Ghost River trail and we must get him to-day. Where will he be now?"
Jerry considered the matter, then, pointing straight eastward, he replied:
"On trail Kananaskis not far from Ghost Reever."
"Will he be that far?" inquired Cameron. "He would have to sleep and eat, Jerry."
"Non! No sleep--hit sam' tam' he run."
"Then it is quite possible," said Cameron, "that we may head him off."
"Mebbe--dunno how fas' he go," said Jerry.
"By the way, Jerry, when do we eat?" inquired Cameron.
"Pull belt tight," said Jerry with a grin. "Hit at cache on trail."
"Do you mean to say you had the good sense to cache some grub, Jerry, on your way down?"
"Jerry lak' squirrel," replied the half-breed. "Cache grub many place--sometam come good."
"Great head, Jerry. Now, where is the cache?"
"Halfway Kananaskis to Ghost Reever."
"Then, Jerry, we must make that Ghost River trail and make it quick if we are to intercept Copperhead."
"Bon! We mus' mak' beeg speed for sure." And "make big speed" they did, with the result that by midday they struck the trail not far from Jerry's cache. As they approached the trail they proceeded with extreme caution, for they knew that at any moment they might run upon Copperhead and his band or upon some of their Indian pursuers who would assuredly be following them hard. A careful scrutiny of the trail showed that neither Copperhead nor their pursuers had yet passed by.
"Come now ver' soon," said Jerry, as he left the trail, and, plunging into the brush, led the way with unerring precision to where he had made his cache. Quickly they secured the food and with it made their way back to a position from which they could command a view of the trail.
"Go sleep now," said Jerry, after they had done. "Me watch one hour."
Gladly Cameron availed himself of the opportunity to catch up his sleep, in which he was many hours behind. He stretched himself on the ground and in a moment's time lay as completely unconscious as if dead. But before half of his allotted time was gone he was awakened by Jerry's hand pressing steadily upon his arm.
"Indian come," whispered the half-breed. Instantly Cameron was wide-awake and fully alert.
"How many, Jerry?" he asked, lying with his ear to the ground.
"Dunno. T'ree--four mebbe."
They had not long to wait. Almost as Jerry was speaking the figure of an Indian came into view, running with that tireless trot that can wear out any wild animal that roams the woods.
"Copperhead!" whispered Cameron, tightening his belt and making as if to rise.
"Wait!" replied Jerry. "One more."
Following Copperhead, and running not close upon him but at some distance behind, came another Indian, then another, till three had passed their hiding-place.
"Four against two, Jerry," said Cameron. "That is all right. They have their knives, I
"Kananaskis," said Jerry. "Strike trail near Bow Reever."
"Hold up for a moment, Jerry. I want to talk to you," said Cameron.
"No! Mak' speed now. Stop in brush."
"All right," said Cameron, following close upon his heels.
The morning broadened into day, but they made no pause till they had left behind them the open timber and gained the cover of the forest where the underbrush grew thick. Then Jerry, finding a dry and sheltered spot, threw himself down and stretched himself at full length waiting for Cameron's word.
"Tired, Jerry?" said Cameron.
"Non," replied the little man scornfully. "When lie down tak' 'em easy."
"Good! Now listen! Copperhead is on his way to meet the Blackfeet, but I fancy he is going to be disappointed." Then Cameron narrated to Jerry the story of his recent interview with Crowfoot. "So I don't think," he concluded, "any Blackfeet will come. Copperhead and Running Stream are going to be sold this time. Besides that the Police are on their way to Kananaskis following our trail. They will reach Kananaskis to-night and start for Ghost River to-morrow. We ought to get Copperhead between us somewhere on the Ghost River trail and we must get him to-day. Where will he be now?"
Jerry considered the matter, then, pointing straight eastward, he replied:
"On trail Kananaskis not far from Ghost Reever."
"Will he be that far?" inquired Cameron. "He would have to sleep and eat, Jerry."
"Non! No sleep--hit sam' tam' he run."
"Then it is quite possible," said Cameron, "that we may head him off."
"Mebbe--dunno how fas' he go," said Jerry.
"By the way, Jerry, when do we eat?" inquired Cameron.
"Pull belt tight," said Jerry with a grin. "Hit at cache on trail."
"Do you mean to say you had the good sense to cache some grub, Jerry, on your way down?"
"Jerry lak' squirrel," replied the half-breed. "Cache grub many place--sometam come good."
"Great head, Jerry. Now, where is the cache?"
"Halfway Kananaskis to Ghost Reever."
"Then, Jerry, we must make that Ghost River trail and make it quick if we are to intercept Copperhead."
"Bon! We mus' mak' beeg speed for sure." And "make big speed" they did, with the result that by midday they struck the trail not far from Jerry's cache. As they approached the trail they proceeded with extreme caution, for they knew that at any moment they might run upon Copperhead and his band or upon some of their Indian pursuers who would assuredly be following them hard. A careful scrutiny of the trail showed that neither Copperhead nor their pursuers had yet passed by.
"Come now ver' soon," said Jerry, as he left the trail, and, plunging into the brush, led the way with unerring precision to where he had made his cache. Quickly they secured the food and with it made their way back to a position from which they could command a view of the trail.
"Go sleep now," said Jerry, after they had done. "Me watch one hour."
Gladly Cameron availed himself of the opportunity to catch up his sleep, in which he was many hours behind. He stretched himself on the ground and in a moment's time lay as completely unconscious as if dead. But before half of his allotted time was gone he was awakened by Jerry's hand pressing steadily upon his arm.
"Indian come," whispered the half-breed. Instantly Cameron was wide-awake and fully alert.
"How many, Jerry?" he asked, lying with his ear to the ground.
"Dunno. T'ree--four mebbe."
They had not long to wait. Almost as Jerry was speaking the figure of an Indian came into view, running with that tireless trot that can wear out any wild animal that roams the woods.
"Copperhead!" whispered Cameron, tightening his belt and making as if to rise.
"Wait!" replied Jerry. "One more."
Following Copperhead, and running not close upon him but at some distance behind, came another Indian, then another, till three had passed their hiding-place.
"Four against two, Jerry," said Cameron. "That is all right. They have their knives, I