As often happens when an individual is mentioned, the worthy referred to opened the door at that moment and stepped into the room.
Good-een tye, dame, said the stout hunter, doffing his cap, and resting his rifle in a corner, while Dick rose and placed a chair for him.
The same to you, Master Blunt, answered the widow; youve jist comed in good time for a cut o venison.
Thanks, mistress, I spose were beholden to the silver rifle for that.
To the hand that aimed it, rather, suggested the widow.
Nay, then, say raither to the dog that turned it, said Dick Varley. But for Crusoe that buck would ha bin couched in the woods this night.
Oh! if it comes to that, retorted Joe, Id lay it to the door o Fan, for if shed niver bin born nother would Crusoe. But its good an tender meat, whativer ways ye got it. Howsiver, Ive other things to talk about jist now. Them sodgers that are eatin buffalo tongues up at the block-house as if theyd niver ate meat before, and didnt hope to eat agin for a twelve-month
Ay, what o them? interrupted Mrs Varley; Ive bin wonderin what was their errand.
Of coorse ye wos, Dame Varley; and Ive comed here a purpis to tell ye. They want me to go to the Red-skins to make peace between them and us; and theyve brought a lot o goods to make them presents withal,beads, an knives, an lookin-glasses, an vermilion paint, an sich-like, jist as much asll be a light load for one horsefor, ye see, nothin can be done wi the Red-skins without gifts.
Tis a blessed mission, said the widow, I wish it may succeed. Dye think yell go?
Go? ay, that will I.
I only wish theyd made the offer to me, said Dick with a sigh.
An so they do make the offer, lad. Theyve gin me leave to choose the two men Im to take with me, and Ive comed straight to ask you. Ay or no, for we must up an away by break o day to-morrow.
Mrs Varley started. So soon? she said, with a look of anxiety.
Ay; the Pawnees are at the Yellow Creek jist at this time, but Ive heerd theyre bout to break up camp an away west; so well need to use haste.
May I go, mother? asked Dick, with a look of anxiety.
There was evidently a conflict in the widows breast, but it quickly ceased.
Yes, my boy, she said in her own low, quiet voice, an God go with ye. I knew the time must come soon, an I thank Him that your first visit to the Red-skins will be on an errand o peace. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
Dick grasped his mothers hand and pressed it to his cheek in silence. At the same moment Crusoe, seeing that the deeper feelings of his master were touched, and deeming it his duty to sympathise, rose up and thrust his nose against him.
Ah! pup, cried the young man hastily, you must go too. Of course Crusoe goes, Joe Blunt?
Hum! I dont know that. Theres no dependin on a dog to keep his tongue quiet in times o danger.
Believe me, exclaimed Dick, flashing with enthusiasm, Crusoes more trustworthy than I am myself. If ye can trust the master yer safe to trust the pup.
Well, lad, ye may be right. Well take him.
Thanks, Joe. And who else goes with us?
Ive bin castin that in my mind for some time, an Ive fixed to take Henri. Hes not the safest man in the valley, but hes the truest, thats a fact. And now, younker, get yer horse an rifle ready, and come to the block-house at daybreak to-morrow. Good luck to ye, mistress, till we meet agin.
Joe Blunt rose, and taking up his rifle,without which he scarcely ever moved a foot from his own door,left the cottage with rapid strides.
My son, said Mrs Varley, kissing Dicks cheek as he resumed his seat, put this in the little pocket I made for it in your hunting shirt.
She handed him a small pocket Bible.
Dear mother, he said, as he placed the book carefully within the breast of his coat, the Red-skin that takes that from me must take my scalp first. But dont fear for me. Youve often said the Lord would protect me. So He will, mother, for sure its an errand o peace!
Ay, thats it, thats it, murmured the widow in a half-soliloquy.
Dick Varley spent that night in converse with his mother, and next morning at daybreak he was at the place of meeting mounted on his sturdy little horse, with the silver rifle on his shoulder, and Crusoe by his side.
Thats right, lad, thats right. Nothin like keepin yer time, said Joe, as he led out a pack-horse from the gate of the block-house, while his own charger was held ready saddled by a man named Daniel Brand, who had been appointed to the charge of the block-house in his absence.
Wheres Henri?oh! here he comes, exclaimed Dick, as the hunter referred to came thundering up the slope at a charge, on a horse that resembled its rider in size, and not a little in clumsiness of appearance.
Ah! mes boy. Him is a goot one to go, cried Henri, remarking Dicks smile as he pulled up. No hoss on de plain can beat dis one, surement.
Now then, Henri, lend a hand to fix this pack, weve no time to palaver.
By this time they were joined by several of the soldiers and a few hunters who had come to see them start.
Remember, Joe, cried one, if you dont come back in three months well all come out in a band to seek you.
If we dont come back in less than that time, whats left o us wont be worth seekin for, said Joe, tightening the girth of his saddle.
Put a bit in yer own mouth, Henri, cried another, as the Canadian arranged his steeds bridle; yell need it more than yer horse when ye git mong the red reptiles.
Vraiment, if mon mout needs one bit yours will need one padlock.
Now, lads, mount! cried Joe Blunt as he vaulted into the saddle.
Dick Varley sprang lightly on his horse, and Henri made a rush at his steed and hurled his huge frame across its back with a violence that ought to have brought it to the ground; but the tall, raw-boned, broad-chested roan was accustomed to the eccentricities of its master, and stood the shock bravely. Being appointed to lead the pack-horse, Henri seized its halter; then the three cavaliers shook their reins, and, waving their hands to their comrades, they sprang into the woods at full gallop, and laid their course for the far west.
For some time they galloped side by side in silence, each occupied with his own thoughts, Crusoe keeping close beside his masters horse. The two elder hunters evidently ruminated on the object of their mission and the prospects of success, for their countenances were grave and their eyes cast on the ground. Dick Varley, too, thought upon the Red-men, but his musings were deeply tinged with the bright hues of a first adventure. The mountains, the plains, the Indians, the bears, the buffaloes, and a thousand other objects, danced wildly before his minds eye, and his blood careered through his veins and flushed his forehead as he thought of what he should see and do, and felt the elastic vigour of youth respond in sympathy to the light spring of his active little steed. He was a lover of nature, too, and his flashing eyes glanced observantly from side to side as they swept along,sometimes through glades of forest trees; sometimes through belts of more open ground and shrubbery; anon by the margin of a stream, or along the shores of a little lake, and often over short stretches of flowering prairie-land,while the firm, elastic turf sent up a muffled sound from the tramp of their mettlesome chargers. It was a scene of wild, luxuriant beauty, that might almost (one could fancy) have drawn involuntary homage to its bountiful Creator from the lips even of an infidel.
After a time Joe Blunt reined up, and they proceeded at an easy ambling pace. Joe and his friend Henri were so used to these beautiful scenes that they had long ceased to be enthusiastically affected by them, though they never ceased to delight in them.
I hope, said Joe, that them sodgers ll go their ways soon. Ive no notion o them chaps when theyre left at a place wi nothin to do but whittle sticks.
Why, Joe! exclaimed Dick Varley in a tone of surprise, I thought you were admirin the beautiful face o nature all this time, and yer only thinkin about the sodgers. Now, thats strange!
Not so strange after all, lad, answered Joe. When a mans used to a thing he gits to admire an enjoy it without speakin much about it. But it is true, boy, that mankind gits in coorse o time to think little o the blissins hes used to.
Oui, cest vrai! murmured Henri emphatically.
Well, Joe Blunt, it may be so; but Im thankful Im not used to this sort o thing yet, exclaimed Varley. Lets have another gallopso ho! come along, Crusoe! shouted the youth, as he shook his reins, and flew over a long stretch of prairie on which at that moment they entered.
Joe smiled as he followed his enthusiastic companion, but after a short run he pulled up.
Hold on, youngster, he cried, ye must larn to do as yer bid, lad; its trouble enough to be among wild Injuns and wild buffaloes, as I hope soon to be, without havin wild comrades to look after.
Dick laughed and reined in his panting horse. Ill be as obedient as Crusoe, he said, and no one can beat him.
Besides, continued Joe, the horses wont travel far if we begin by runnin all the wind out o them.
Wah! exclaimed Henri, as the led horse became restive; I think we must give to him de pack-hoss for to lead, eh!
Not a bad notion, Henri. Well make that the penalty of runnin off again; so look out, Master Dick.
Im down, replied Dick with a modest air, obedient as a baby, and wont run off againtillthe next time. By the way, Joe, how many days provisions did ye bring?
Two. Thats nough to carry us to the Great Prairie, which is three weeks distant from this; our own good rifles must make up the difference, and keep us when we git there.
And spose we neither find deer nor buffalo, suggested Dick.
I spose well have to starve.
Dat is cumferable to tink upon, remarked Henri.
More comfortable to think o than to undergo, said Dick, but I spose theres little chance o that.
Well, not much, replied Joe Blunt, patting his horses neck; but dye see, lad, ye niver can count for sartin on anythin. The deer and buffalo ought to be thick in them plains at this timeand when the buffalo are thick they covers the plains till ye can hardly see the end o them; but, ye see, sometimes the rascally Red-skins takes it into their heads to burn the prairies, and sometimes ye find the place that should ha bin black wi buffalo, black as a coal wi fire for miles an miles on end. At other times the Red-skins go huntin in ticlar places, and sweeps them clean o every hoof that dont git away. Sometimes, too, the animals seems to take a scunner at a place and keeps out o the way. But one way or another men ginrally manage to scramble through.
Look yonder, Joe, exclaimed Dick, pointing to the summit of a distant ridge, where a small black object was seen moving against the sky, thats a deer, aint it?
Joe shaded his eyes with his hand and gazed earnestly at the object in question. Yer right, boy; and by good luck weve got the wind of him. Cut in an take your chance now. Theres a long strip o wood asll let ye git close to him.
Before the sentence was well finished, Dick and Crusoe were off at full gallop. For a few hundred yards they coursed along the bottom of a hollow; then turning to the right they entered the strip of wood, and in a few minutes gained the edge of it. Here Dick dismounted.
You cant help me here, Crusoe. Stay where you are, pup, and hold my horse.
Crusoe seized the end of the line, which was fastened to the horses nose, in his mouth, and lay down on a hillock of moss, submissively placing his chin on his fore-paws, and watching his master as he stepped noiselessly through the wood. In a few minutes Dick emerged from among the trees, and, creeping from bush to bush, succeeded in getting to within six hundred yards of the deer, which was a beautiful little antelope. Beyond the bush behind which he now crouched all was bare open ground, without a shrub or hillock large enough to conceal the hunter. There was a slight undulation in the ground, however, which enabled him to advance about fifty yards further, by means of lying down quite flat and working himself forward like a serpent. Further than this he could not move without being seen by the antelope, which browsed on the ridge before him in fancied security. The distance was too great even for a long shot, but Dick knew of a weak point in this little creatures nature which enabled him to accomplish his purposea weak point which it shares in common with animals of a higher order,namely, curiosity.
The little antelope of the North American prairies is intensely curious about everything that it does not quite understand, and will not rest satisfied until it has endeavoured to clear up the mystery. Availing himself of this propensity, Dick did what both Indians and hunters are accustomed to do on these occasions,he put a piece of rag on the end of his ramrod, and, keeping his person concealed and perfectly still, waved this miniature flag in the air. The antelope noticed it at once, and, pricking up its ears, began to advance, timidly and slowly, step by step, to see what remarkable phenomenon it could be. In a few seconds the flag was lowered, a sharp crack followed, and the antelope fell dead upon the plain.
Ha, boy! thats a good supper, anyhow, cried Joe, as he galloped up and dismounted.
Goot! dat is better nor dried meat, added Henri. Give him to me; I will put him on my hoss, vich is strongar dan yourn. But ver is your hoss?
Hell be here in a minute, replied Dick, putting his fingers to his mouth and giving forth a shrill whistle.
The instant Crusoe heard the sound he made a savage and apparently uncalled-for dash at the horses heels. This wild act, so contrary to the dogs gentle nature, was a mere piece of acting. He knew that the horse would not advance without getting a fright, so he gave him one in this way which sent him off at a gallop. Crusoe followed close at his heels, so as to bring the line alongside of the nags body, and thereby prevent its getting entangled; but despite his best efforts the horse got on one side of a tree and he on the other, so he wisely let go his hold of the line, and waited till more open ground enabled him to catch it again. Then he hung heavily back, gradually checked the horses speed, and finally trotted him up to his masters side.
Tis a cliver cur, good sooth, exclaimed Joe Blunt in surprise.
Ah, Joe! you havent seen much of Crusoe yet. Hes as good as a man any day. Ive done little else but train him for two years gone by, and he can do most anything but shoothe cant handle the rifle nohow.
Ha! then, I tink perhaps hims could if he wos try, said Henri, plunging on to his horse with a laugh, and arranging the carcase of the antelope across the pommel of his saddle.