Wild Western Scenes Part 12

"True, I forgot that. Take your musket and shoot it," said Glenn, turning away, not wis.h.i.+ng to witness the death of the deer.

"I'd rather take him prisoner," said Joe, lowering his musket after taking a long aim. "I can drag it on the sled myself."

"Then go for it," said Glenn; "and you may bring the hounds along; I will exercise them a little after that fox which keeps such a chattering in the next grove. But first let us secure the deer."

Joe charged upon the doe once more, and when it aimed another blow at him, he threw himself under its body, and the animal falling over on its side, the combined efforts of the men sufficed to bind its feet.

Joe then went to the house for the hounds and the sled, and Glenn leant against the oak, awaiting his return. It was not long before the hounds arrived, which was soon succeeded by the approach of Joe with the sled. Ringwood and Jowler evinced palpable signs of delight on beholding the bound captive, but their training was so perfect that they showed no disposition to molest it without the orders of their master. One word from Glenn, and the deer would have been instantly torn in pieces; but it was exempt from danger as long as that word was withheld.

Joe soon came up, and in a very few minutes the doe was laid upon the sled. When he was in the act of starting homewards with his novel burden, the hounds, contrary to their usual practice, refused to accompany Glenn to the thicket north of their position, where the fox was still heard, and strangely seemed inclined to run in a contrary direction. And what was equally remarkable, while snuffing the air towards the south, they gave utterance to repeated fierce growls. Joe was utterly astonished, and Glenn was fast losing the equanimity of his temper.

"There's something more than common down there; see how Ringwood bristles up on the back," said Joe.

"Run there with the hounds, and see what it is," said Glenn.

"And I'll take my musket, too," said Joe, striding in the direction indicated, with the hounds at his heels and his musket on his shoulder.

When he reached a narrow rivulet about one hundred paces distant, that gradually widened and deepened until it formed the valley in which the ferry-house was situated a half mile below, he paused and suffered the hounds to lead the way. They ran a short distance up the ravine and halted at the edge of a small thicket, and commenced barking very fiercely as they scented the air under the bushes.

"I'll bet it's another bear," said Joe, putting a fresh priming in the pan of his musket, and proceeding after the hounds. "If it is a bear, ought I to fool with him by myself?" said he, pausing at the edge of the thicket. "I might get my other ear boxed," he continued, "and it's not such a pleasant thing to be knocked down by the heavy fist of a big black bear. If I don't trouble him, he'll be sure to let me alone.

What if I call the dogs off, and go back? But what tale can I manufacture to tell Mr. Glenn? Pshaw! What should I fear, with such a musket as this in my hand? I can't help it. I really believe I _am_ a little touched with cowardice! I'm sorry for it, but I can't help it.

It was born with me, and it's not my fault. Confound it! I _will_ screw up courage enough to see what it is, anyhow." Saying this, he strode forward desperately, and urging the hounds onward, followed closely in the rear in a stooping posture, under the hazel bushes.

In a very few moments Joe reached the head of the ravine, but to his astonishment and no little satisfaction, he beheld nothing but a shelving rock, from under which a spring of clear smoking water flowed, and a large bank of snow which had drifted around it, but through which the gurgling stream had forced its way. Yet the mystery was not solved. Ringwood and Jowler continued to growl and yelp still more furiously, running round the embankment of snow repeatedly, and ever and anon snuffing its icy surface.

"Whip me if I can figure out this," said Joe; "what in the world do the dogs keep sticking their noses in that snow for? There can't be a bear in it, surely. I've a notion to shoot into it. No I won't. I'll do this, though," and drawing out his long knife he thrust it up to the handle in the place which seemed the most to attract the hounds.

"Freeze me if it hasn't gone into something besides the snow!"

exclaimed he, conscious that the steel had penetrated some firm substance below the frozen snow-crust. "What the deuce is it?" he continued, pulling out the knife and examining it. "Ha! blood, by jingo!" he cried, springing up; "but it can't be a living bear, or it would have moved; and if it had moved, the stab would have killed it.

I _won't_ be afraid!" said he, again plunging his knife into it, "It don't move yet--it must be dead--why, it's frozen. Pshaw! any thing would freeze here, in less than an hour. I'll soon see what it is."

Saying this, he knelt down on the embankment, and commenced digging the snow away with all his might. The dogs crouched down beside him, growling and whining alternately, and otherwise exhibiting symptoms of restlessness and distress.

"Be still, poor Ringwood, I'm coming to him; I see something dark, but there's no hair on it. Ugh! hallo! Oh goodness! St. Peter! Ugh! ugh!

ugh!" cried he, springing up, his face as pale as the snow, his hair standing upright, his chin fallen, and his eyes almost straining out of their sockets. Without taking his gun, or putting on his hat, he ran through the bushes like a frightened antelope, leaping over ditches like a fox-chaser, tearing through opposing grape vines, and not pausing until his course was suddenly arrested by Glenn, who seized him by the skirt of the coat, and hurled him on his back beside the sled on which the deer was bound.

"What is the matter?" demanded Glenn.

Joe panted painfully, and was unable to answer.

"What ails you, I say?" repeated Glenn in a loud voice.

"Peter"--panted Joe.

"Do you mean the pony?"

"St. Peter!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Joe.

"Well, what of St. Peter?"

"Oh, let me be off!" cried he, endeavouring to scramble to his feet.

But he was most effectually prevented. For no sooner had he turned over on his hands and knees, than Glenn leaped astride of him.

"Now, if you _will_ go, you shall carry me on your back, and I will pelt the secret out of you with my heels, as we travel!"

"Just let me get in the house and fasten the door, and I will tell you every word," said Joe imploringly.

"Tell me now, or you shall remain in the snow all day long!" said Glenn, with a hand grasping each side of Joe's neck.

"Oh, what shall I do? I can't speak!" yelled Joe, trying outright, the large tear-drops falling from his nose and chin.

"You have not lost your voice, I should say, at all events," implied Glenn, somewhat touched with pity at his man's unequivocal distress, though he could scarce restrain his laughter when he viewed his grotesque posture. "What has become of your musket and hat?" he added.

"I left them both there," said Joe, gradually becoming composed under the weight of his master.

"Where?" asked Glenn.

"At the cave-spring."

"Well, what made you leave them there?"

"Just get off my back and I'll tell you. I'm getting over it now; I'm going to be mad instead of frightened," said Joe, with real composure.

"Get up, then; but I won't trust you yet. You must still suffer me to hold your collar," said Glenn.

"If you go to the cave-spring you will see a sight!"

"What kind of a sight?"

"Such a sight as I never dreamed of before!"

"Then it has been nothing but a dream _this time_, after all your foolery?"

"No, I'll be shot if there was any dreaming about it," replied Joe; and he related every thing up to the horrid discovery which caused him to retreat so precipitately, and then paused, as if dreading to revert to the subject.

"What did you find there? Was it any thing that could injure you?"

"No," said Joe, shaking his head solemnly.

"Why did you run, then?" demanded Glenn, impatiently.

"The truth is, I don't know myself, now I reflect about it. But I'd rather not tell what I saw just yet. I was pretty considerably alarmed, wasn't I?"

"Ridiculous! I will not be trifled with in this manner Tell me instantly what you saw!" said Glenn, his vexation and anger overcoming his usual indulgent nature.

"I'll tell you now--it was a--Didn't you see them bushes move?" asked Joe, staring wildly at a clump of sumach bushes a few paces distant.

"What was it you saw at the cave-spring!" shouted Glenn, his face turning red.

"I--I"--responded Joe, his eyes still fixed on the bushes. "It was a--Ugh!"--cried he, starting, as he beheld the little thicket open, and a tall man rise up, holding in his hand a bunch of dead muskrats.