The Valiant Runaways [8]
about him the instinctive glance of those in peril. A
huge log was bearing down upon him like a projectile.
In a second his feet were out of his stirrups and he was crouching on
the mustang's back. The log struck the beast full in the side, tossing
Roldan as if he had been a feather. The mustang gave a hoarse neigh,
unheard above the roar of the water.
Roldan, keeping his face from the pounding waves as best he could,
struck out for the bank. But the current was too much for his slender
body, plucky as it was. He made a mighty effort and shouted,--
"Adan!"
The high clear note pierced to his companion's ear. Adan turned his
head, uttered a cry, and pulled his unwilling mustang about. But the
current was carrying the white face on the waves rapidly past.
"Lariat!" Roldan managed to scream.
Adan's faculties had been paralysed for the moment, but they responded
almost automatically to that imperious will. He unwound the lariat
rapidly from the pommel, hastily gathered the loops, then flung it with
sure hand straight at his friend. It fell about Roldan's neck. The boy
jerked it over his shoulders, then signed to Adan to proceed.
Adan once more urged his horse forward, not daring to look behind.
Roldan made no attempt to swim; he merely used his arms to keep his head
above water. There were but a few yards farther. The mustang, despite
his double load, made them, and scrambled up the bank. Adan, realising
for the first time that he was stiff with cold, scrambled off and pulled
in the rope with hands that were aching and almost numb. He heard Roldan
strike the bank, a moment later the snapping of brush. Roldan's head
rose into view, Adan gave a last despairing tug, and a moment later the
two boys lay on their backs, panting for breath.
V
"Do you want any more adventures?" asked Adan feebly, after a time.
"Not at present," said Roldan.
He raised himself stiffly. "Come," he said, "this will never do. We
shall both have rheumatism. We must have a fire at once."
Adan groaned pathetically, but got on his feet. They had found refuge in
the open; but a grove of trees was near, and in a quarter of an hour
they had piled a heap of branches and chaparral as high as an Indian
pyre, hunted up two pieces of flint, and sent sparks flying through the
dry mass.
The boys divested themselves of their dripping clothes and hung them
close to the fire, then raced up and down with what energy was left in
them to scotch the chill night air. Finally they paused breathless
before the pile, which was now roaring merrily.
"I should like to know what we are to have for supper," said Roldan.
"That Mission is twenty miles away, and I for one can't walk to it.
Climb up a tree and see if there is a light anywhere."
"Thanks, senor," said Adan, "when my clothes are dry."
"True, we must keep our skin. I have it!" He sprang on the back of the
mustang, who also had fallen upon reaching the shore but had risen to
nibble for supper, and stood on the tips of his feet. "I can see well,"
he announced. "But all the same I can see nothing. We must stay here."
He dismounted, and relieving the mustang of the heavy saddle, emptied
the bags. "The bread and sweets are soaked," he said, "not fit for a pig
to eat; but we can do something with the meat. Fetch some coals."
Adan with infinite difficulty managed to scrape a few coals apart from
the bonfire, and over this they scorched the meat. As they crouched on
the ground they looked like two little white savages, and they were
neither comfortable nor happy.
"We must keep this fire going all night," said Roldan, "or we shall be
eaten by bears, to say nothing of rattlesnakes--"
"Hist!" whispered Adan. "I hear one." Both boys sprang to their feet.
"Where?"
"Near the horse."
Roldan seized his pistol and ran in the direction indicated, keeping his
eyes on the ground. Suddenly he paused. Something just beyond the light
was growing into a series of graceful loops. A long neck slowly lifted
itself and two baleful eyes
huge log was bearing down upon him like a projectile.
In a second his feet were out of his stirrups and he was crouching on
the mustang's back. The log struck the beast full in the side, tossing
Roldan as if he had been a feather. The mustang gave a hoarse neigh,
unheard above the roar of the water.
Roldan, keeping his face from the pounding waves as best he could,
struck out for the bank. But the current was too much for his slender
body, plucky as it was. He made a mighty effort and shouted,--
"Adan!"
The high clear note pierced to his companion's ear. Adan turned his
head, uttered a cry, and pulled his unwilling mustang about. But the
current was carrying the white face on the waves rapidly past.
"Lariat!" Roldan managed to scream.
Adan's faculties had been paralysed for the moment, but they responded
almost automatically to that imperious will. He unwound the lariat
rapidly from the pommel, hastily gathered the loops, then flung it with
sure hand straight at his friend. It fell about Roldan's neck. The boy
jerked it over his shoulders, then signed to Adan to proceed.
Adan once more urged his horse forward, not daring to look behind.
Roldan made no attempt to swim; he merely used his arms to keep his head
above water. There were but a few yards farther. The mustang, despite
his double load, made them, and scrambled up the bank. Adan, realising
for the first time that he was stiff with cold, scrambled off and pulled
in the rope with hands that were aching and almost numb. He heard Roldan
strike the bank, a moment later the snapping of brush. Roldan's head
rose into view, Adan gave a last despairing tug, and a moment later the
two boys lay on their backs, panting for breath.
V
"Do you want any more adventures?" asked Adan feebly, after a time.
"Not at present," said Roldan.
He raised himself stiffly. "Come," he said, "this will never do. We
shall both have rheumatism. We must have a fire at once."
Adan groaned pathetically, but got on his feet. They had found refuge in
the open; but a grove of trees was near, and in a quarter of an hour
they had piled a heap of branches and chaparral as high as an Indian
pyre, hunted up two pieces of flint, and sent sparks flying through the
dry mass.
The boys divested themselves of their dripping clothes and hung them
close to the fire, then raced up and down with what energy was left in
them to scotch the chill night air. Finally they paused breathless
before the pile, which was now roaring merrily.
"I should like to know what we are to have for supper," said Roldan.
"That Mission is twenty miles away, and I for one can't walk to it.
Climb up a tree and see if there is a light anywhere."
"Thanks, senor," said Adan, "when my clothes are dry."
"True, we must keep our skin. I have it!" He sprang on the back of the
mustang, who also had fallen upon reaching the shore but had risen to
nibble for supper, and stood on the tips of his feet. "I can see well,"
he announced. "But all the same I can see nothing. We must stay here."
He dismounted, and relieving the mustang of the heavy saddle, emptied
the bags. "The bread and sweets are soaked," he said, "not fit for a pig
to eat; but we can do something with the meat. Fetch some coals."
Adan with infinite difficulty managed to scrape a few coals apart from
the bonfire, and over this they scorched the meat. As they crouched on
the ground they looked like two little white savages, and they were
neither comfortable nor happy.
"We must keep this fire going all night," said Roldan, "or we shall be
eaten by bears, to say nothing of rattlesnakes--"
"Hist!" whispered Adan. "I hear one." Both boys sprang to their feet.
"Where?"
"Near the horse."
Roldan seized his pistol and ran in the direction indicated, keeping his
eyes on the ground. Suddenly he paused. Something just beyond the light
was growing into a series of graceful loops. A long neck slowly lifted
itself and two baleful eyes