DICK, THE TRAPPER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2768, 3 April 1907, Page 75

DICK, THE TRAPPER.

By E. Hudson.

(Spjcially written for D.L.F.)

—Dick Takes Advice.— When Dick opened his eyes on his nineteenth birthday he was quite sure there could not be a iuore unhappy person in ah America than hmisalf. You nee, he was madly m love ■with Mary Ann: and she had laughed ?t Hm! Called him a boy, and told 1 sijm to go out into the world do some great, wormy deed, and Ihen come back tc her. '"Perhaps tli^n, the siiia. Dick resolved 1 to take aer ad\ics; but he was never to conic back to Mary Ann, -as you shall hoar. For tho next three days he was co b\i=y ■that he had hardly time to remember hew•unhappy ho was. He provided jumsolf with a complete hunting outfit; aid everything had to be rr.osb carefully choeen, especially tho bowie knife and the rifle, for well Dick knew that some day his iifa might depend on the quality of those weapons. At last, his preparaitions all completed, Dick "found himself seated in a. large boat, •with a dozen other men, paddling up the gif-.nd, beautiful river, on their way to the great w'ldernoss. Dick found it pretty haid •work at first, but he soon became used to the life, and it. was glorious. All day the man l»add'.ed, often singing as they worked; th^n a.*-, nightfall they would draw in to the bank, and secure the boat; and while some built a great fire, others would caitch fish, while Boms went into the woods, to return, perhaps, with a fat tn) key. Ttoen the fish world be wrapped in green leaves, and laid on the Hot coais, tho birds spitted before the roaring fire, and the coffee made. And how good those suppers tasted, eaten cut under the stars., by the light of the gie-at camp fire I Attar them, men wrapped themselves in their blankets, and lay smoking end- yarning. Thrilling tales they were, too — of fights with grizzlies, or with the Indians. 3ut one by one the voices ceased, till at last there was nothing to ba heard but the soft lush of the river, or the sighing of the wind through the forest. Dick used to sleep like * top till awakened in the grey dawn. Thjn * plunge in the river, a hasty breakfast, and off they were again, for their hard day's work, full of health and eipints. Yes. it was a g'orious life. Dick, his troubles quite forgotten, enjoyed it thoroughly. All the teat of hi 9 companions were lumbermen, returning lo the lumber camp, far in the heart of the great forest,: but Dick had no intention of taking up that work. Years before, in Quebec, he had niet that famous scout, and Hunter Jim M'Cleary, or "Mack," as everjore called' him. The -old trapper had taken a fancy to the lad. "If ever you want to be a hunter," he had -said, "just come to me • I'll learn you!" And now Dick was taking him at his word. ** For days and weeks the men toiled up toe river, between the dark lines of the unbroken fcrest. Dick was never tired cf gazing at it, for that forest was to be his home , it lieid many a secret which he hoped one day to learn Sometimes they pased a clearing, a little collection of log cabins, with children runnm,; abcut whose voices and the Ting of the woodman's axe ccire to them over 4he wat2r. And once they camped by just such a clearing, but there was no sign of he about the place. The empty, half-burntd cabins told a tern bio tale. "Redskins" said 1 one of the men; ""and a lesson (hey got for it! But it won't stop them for long; they will be up to 'their old tricks again." Didc thrilled. If the Rsdskins were about to break the truce, and gc on the. warpath agpin, there would >v? no lack cf adventure 1 "I'm mighty glad to be hsre!" thought Dick to himself. — Dick Sees a Strange Sight — By :he time Dick had been with old Mack for two yeors, even Maty Ann would not have known him He was a. boy no longer. Six feet two in his stcfkirgs, brown a= ii beriy, lithe and supple as an Indian, not a bit g^od-lookmg, but with brave, honest eyes, and a Vmplc, kmd'y bearing — 3 uch v a3 Dick the Trapper at Iwenty-one. He had learned insny things in th"se two yeais, i>ot only ■was he already a good hunter, but he cculd g'lde through the forest with the speed ai.d silence of an Indian, needing no compass but the sun or tho shadows to guide hiiti Old Mack had taught him how to use his eyes, co that Dick could read the forest like a book, and find out the things he needed to know Dick could! also imitate iha call of a bird, or the chirp of an insect so perfectly that even an Indian might have been deceived. He loved the wild, free life of the backwoods more and more every day ; but «=o far there had been no fightirg in it "Wait a bit," said Mack grimly; "we are Jiko to have enough fighting before long. I know the warmints ; they are just biding their time. When I was down to the Fort last week I warned the colorel , he laughed ; jsaid they were never so friendly." And the old trapper gave a grunt of contempt. It was very early morning, a lcely autumn dawn, and the two men we're peddling up a bioad stream. A light mist hung rver the •waters, the air was fresh aid dewy The two iiunters had been camping out for a wei'k, attending lo thsir traps, and the canoe curried a heavy load of valuable fi'i3 During jtliis trip Dick had noted many signs of wh^t liq was inclined to think unnecesary caution on tho part of his companion. They h?d net once lit a fire, and the greatest pains wore taken every morning to obliterate every e:gn of their night's caipp "I ain't a coward," growled Mack; "but then, aae.in, I afn't a fool! Them warmints is just fevr&rmins* around us, though we aiu't sec-u one of eta) and I don't believe m giving *u» no chances. No, sir ! " tiick looked round. Tie caaoe wa3 gliding

cicse in unSsr the right bank of the stream ; the sti'i hiid ju<=t risen , everything locked so peaceful It wa, hard to believe that cruel enemies might be lu-kin s among the bushes. Mack pushed the cai. -^~" w-ell vnto a hti'a cieek, almost hidden by escaping willow boughs. Seeming the boat, bc 4 h men stepped cautiously cue. "Wait a bit," said Mack, "till I have a lcok round " Se'eclmg one of the talest trees, he •,-.„■ t up it like a squirrel. Almost immediate]} Dick heard the cry of a whip-poor-will. He kijcw what that meant. "Look out' danger is ne^r'"' I-istantly he ihrew himself flat on the ground, close to a great tre" tit at had hsin upiooted by some tempest, then, t eiy cautiously ia'.sing his head. Dick presently b--held a sight that set his heart baaiirg. Within a few yards of him silent as shadows, glided swiftly through the trees a loag line of Indian bwues in full war paint Their biOßze limbs caught the gleam? of sttnshu.e, their feather hejd ornaments waved in the vin-d ; their painted faces were terrible to behold. Dick gazed 1 spell-bound. So quickly they moved that he could not count them, but there mu3t havo been a hundred warriors, or more. It was some minutes after the l«3l one had vanished before Mack slid noiselessly down from his perch. "My word, what a sight!" exclaimed Dick. "I wouldn't hava missed it for rnything. "No more wouldn't I, ' returned Mack dn'y. "A mighty bad thing 'twould be for the Foit if I had!" "Do you think they are making for the Fort?" 'Sure of it: and we've got fo get .here first. \\e shall have to leave these pelts behind," continued Mack, hauling the bundle out of the canoe. "We'll get along quicker without them. Tli2ir ain't no time to make a cache, so they must stay there," placing them in the fork of a tree. "Oce of us will have to come back for them so take your bearing-s, lac 1 ." Dick looked round him, impres^in^ every feature of -the landscape on his memory, till he was sure he would know the place ag-ain. Then they steppc-d into the canoe and began the long paddle up stream. "It's thiee times as far to the Fort this way." said Dick. "They'll g&fc there first." "Ay, but they won't attack till dark. I know their ways, tho warmints! We can make the Fort by sundown, and we must. After that not much was said. The mpn bent to their work, and kept at it hour after hcur, forget '.mg weariness as thsy thought of all that depended en their leaching the Fort in t'me. Suddenly Dick exclaimed: "What about Sm'thvii.'e?" "Biest if I hadn't forgotten that plao," said Mack. "We can t paes it ; think of all the vomen and childien. You'd beet drop me there. You cau do the last two mile 3 yourself."' Mack nf-ddtd. Smithvills was a little clearing two miles this j-ide of the Fort, just about 20 log cabins, mostly, within sight of each other. The Indians would be sure not to pass the place by. About i o'clock they reached it. Dick sprang ashore, and the canoe shot off again. — Dick and Nellie Play a Queer Game. — Dick stood for a few minutes looking after the canoe. His long legs were cramped, his arms aching; it was good to ba able to stretch himself. "Hello, Dick! What's the news? Mack seems in a bit of a. hurry." Dick turned. It waa Pat Ryan, one of the settlers. Dick told his news. Pat groaned. "Bad cess to them, the murdering villains! An' me with me crops just ready to get in. Hard work it's been for all irv the settlement these two years, but we were pulling ahead; and now — well, we'll cheat 'em of our scalps, anyhow! I'll pass the word round" "And I'll go to the manse. Mack said not to move till dork, and to leave all lights burning. Will there be boats enough?"' "Guess we'll make 'em -enough,' said Pafc as he turned off to give the alarm. Dick strolled leisurely up to the manse. No unseen watching enemy could have guessed, from his manner, at tile tidings he bore. The manse was just a log cabin like all the rest , no larger nor better in any respect. And yet it looked different, because of a gay little strip of garden, and a Virginia creeper trained over the porch. Dick was a favourite at the manse, and received a cordial welcome fiom Mr and Mrs Marshall. They were just sitting dovm to supper, and a chair was at once paced for the newcomer. Dick was ra\enously hungry, and, leflecting that hi 3 ill news would keep a while longer, he gladly accepted the invitation. The Mar=halls had two children — a fine baby boy and a little girl of four, with a gloiy of fluffy ieddi=>h curs, and the sweetest little face She and Dick were old fiiends. and as he drew up his chair he said : "Well, Nellie; how goe.s it'" Nellie beamed at him "This is mine buffday, and mine drarma sencied me this doihe from ev£r n' ever i»o far See, Dick, if jon pull this tring once it says 'Ma' , if ycu pull it twice it pays 'Pa' , and if you pull it fr^e tinges it 6a3 f s 'Oh, my 1 ' You pull, Dick" Dick obediently complied ; but, nob being gifted with Nellie's iinng'.nation, only elicited three unmeaning squeaks Super being over, the minister and his gues+ went out on the porch, and then Dick told his errand Mr Marshall listened with a grave, sad face. He had beer ;rying fcr months to make peace between the >-ed man and the white, and this w\ts the end! He stepped back into the sitting room, wheie his wife sat. ju=t beginning to undress tho baby Her husband stooped and kissed her. " Not to-niglit, Kittie. We "have eet our n.;rchmg ordcis — it is to the Fort as scon ac darkness set-s in " Mis Maishall 'oohed up with etart'od inquiry "Ye-," said her husband; "it is what we hpve been fearing. Dick has just brougin the news " "And the people °" "Pat Ryan is passing the woid round It will be eaoh family for »t&elf, but we shall all be delivered, please God Here, give me the boy, ar.d do you yet together a few things — as few as possible, for the beat will be wel' laden " | Mrs Marshall was a true pioneer's wife. There wag ko fu3S or outcry. She shut hei- ! self in Ler own room for a few minutes, to come fioth calm and strong, a help to everyone. I hope none of you who read this will over have to go through such a time f j dreadful suspense the poor folks of SmithviL'e endured that evening Dick leaned over a fence, smoking his pipe, and sending a keen glance towards the d'^rk hue of forest, hardly mora than a quarter of a mile oC Horse and cattle weie feeding among the i stumps of the clearing, but every now and I then th.-y lifted tbtir b<*ad«, sniffed uneasily. ! a:.d edged nearer tho settlea»ant Dick diiecljd Mr Maishall's attention to 0u« "The dumb amu.als know there is danger as well as we do." he said Almost before it was prudent to do so, the Marshals stole fioin their cabin, end Mm Marshall was i.ot the oa'y woman m Smnhville tiiat right whose heart «.ched as she turned from her little home, leaving it to the

* mercy cf savages. But the brave lrtile woman made no rnozn. "I wili carry bsby," she w-hispered. "2 must, or he will cry. Yon lcok after ' They stepped down to the landing, taknig oil the cover possible There wa« some little delay about the boat. Just as they were abcut to st?rt Dick heard an sgonised whis- ' per. I "Nellie! "Where is Xelhe?" Dick pushed the boat out. "Go on," he said; 'there isn't a mcraent to I will look after Nellie."' Ke fc_ :aiig back up the bank, and, dodging frou. c.. q, c'limp of bushes to andber, had jvrt ica i t el a great she-cak, half w?y to -he manse, v.ho i he ~.,w a little ftgme aporc-ach-mg through tLe di. i, Dick droppc-d on his ki-f.es. i "Nellie," he whispcied , "Xelhe." She came to him jl once "I forgotlcd mine doljv ' C L;> explained in her shiUi little vc.ee. i "S-s-sh!" whispered Dick. "V\ r e ,ire goi.ig to pay a new game, Neuie. You and mr< We'll play being bads i«p m thi3 tico, ci:y you mustn't talk — birds ncvei do. Get on my hozk." Wiih a gurgle of delight Nellie threw her fat little arms round his neck. Rising, Dick swung him=e!f cautiously into the tree, lie v as desperately afraid she would f-al!, for the do!l had still to be clutched 1 in cue hand. but theio was noth'ng else for it, and no time ! to lois. With his feei, oa a broad branch ' and his back p gainst the trunk, Dick managed ;to g?t the child into his arms. Then he ' wailed, feeling fiat the Indians weie near, but unable to hear oi sc-e any sign. Ah, yes! A dark form flitted acic o s the 'ighted window of the jntt'ise. The next moment a frightful v.-ar-cry rent the air. Nellie started, and began to cry ; it was all Dick could do to silence her The Indians must have bs^n puzzled. Not a door opened, not a shot was fued. Another war-whoop; and then a cry of rage a<? they discovered horv they had bean j tucked. They rushed to the landing, some . of tliem passing close beneath Dick's hiding- ' piace "What will they do next?" thought Le. "If they fire the cabins it is all up with us. they will spot us right away. But, no; they won't do that, for it would alarm the Fort." Dick was right. He stood in his cramped position for quite an hcur. Nellie fast asleep, j and no light weight; but not another sound | cculd he hear. At last he ventured to slip from his perch, and very cautiously made his way to the river. As he landed that afternoon j Dick had noticed a -tiny birch bark oance moored near the landing-place. It was sucn a small, frail craft that he fervently hoped it had bean deemed u&eless, and left behind. I-aying the sleeping child gently on the ground, Dick began to grope for the mooring rope. It was one of those really pitch-dark nights when you cannot see your hand if you hold it before your eyes. Dick's fcot slipped, and the next instant he was in the rner. However, as he came up his hand! j touched tha canoe, and — oh, joy! — there was a p-addle iv it. Nolke was soon stowed s*feiy in the bottom, and Dick was out on the river, paddling with all his might to reach the opposite shore. That done, he worked up stream more leisurely till abreast of the Fort. Lights • were twinkling, and now and then a shot was fired, but Dick judged that the main i fighting was over. He drew his little craft | cic<3e in to the bank to wait for daylight. Suddenly he held his breath. There was a plunge. Some of the Indians were evidently swimming across to him. What if Nellie should awake and cry? What if they came straight for the canoe? But Nellie slept on, and' the. Redskins, ;passing almost within touch, scrambled up the bank and were gone. As soon as daylight appeared Dick put across the rivor, ard, taking Nellie in his arms, climbed the steep path to the Fort. He waa glad the child still slept, foi gruesome- evidences of the fi^ht were to be seen on every hand. As for the welcome Dick Teceived at the FoTt, especially from Mr and Mrs Marshall, I loave you to imagine it. | "And, oh, mother," said Nellie, "Dick and me played such a nice game last night. We played we was buds up in a Kg tree. It was awful funny!" — Ted's Adventure — . "I am going after those pelts," said Dick a few days later. "It's too re&ky," returned Mack. "The Rftdskms is like a nest of hornets stirred up. Pity the cne that falls into their hands." "Well, I don't propose to be that one,'* said Dick. "I wish you could go with me. "I wish I cou'd," groaned the old! trapper. He had been wounded the night of .he fight — not dangerously, but enough to keep him at the Fort for tie next Uw weeks. • "This is my plan," said Dick. ' I propose to take along Ted Ryan " "Ted ain't got ai,y moie sense than he ree-ls," growled tho old man. Dick laughed. "He can obey orders, and he kseps a cool head m a fix We'll' take | food for three or four days, so as not to have j to light a fiia, pidd'e at, night, and he- low in the daytime. I don't see much risk jn that." "Wei', if ycu get them pelts, mind they ore all ycurn. I'll have no share in them. 'Twill be a nest-egg for jou against you tet up house-keeping." "What next 1 " protested Dick, his brown cheek taking a redder tinge. Since t^e days j of Mary Ann ho had 1 never seen the girl he wanted — wes, indeed, sure he never should fee her, wiiich only showed that Dick, like ihe rest of us, little foresaw all tht> good that was yet in storo for hirr. He and Ted cet off at dusk that evening. Paddling devn atrearn was capy work enough, indeed, th°y went =o =wi?tly ibit nb'n the gTc-j dav-n 1 ;oke Dick found they mu-t hate overshot tho ri^ht spot, by ?e\era! miles. Theie was nl-o no good hidipg-puoe. the banks being bare ar>d sle?p , co they pu', the canoe aboit and ps-ddled back Dick keeping a keen lookout the while. They were juct about to round a bluff when, with a sign to Ted, Dick shot the canoe close to the bank, well under the drooping boughs of a- gieat willow. Not a ( mement too soon either, for the next instant 1 two large cinoos full of Indian braves a-p-j-sared lound the point They paddled past apparently noticing nothing, andi presently ' dispppeared. Dick was uneapy; he could not 1o sure the Indi.uis had seen nothing btispicious. "What could they see?" objected Ted. "Well, there would be 60ine swirl on the ■water, and you notice how stall Ihe air is; we must have shaken the branches as we pushed in. Well, we must n=k it— it wouldn't do to go on, and perhaps lun full tilt into another company of them ' So the two men made- a r ;ood meal of bisftutt. and pemmican, and then Ted composed I lmnseli to sleep, while Dick kept watch. About noon he awoke. "Your turn, old man; seen anything 9" "Not a sigr-. But I tell you v-hat, Ted; I am almost sure we left the pelts just on the other side of this point I'm goir? to recor.citre. There's plerty of -cover We can t go gropn.g after them in the dark. I'l be ! back in half an hour." | When Dick reached the top cf the hill lie j siacd dose agamst a tree, mi tocied keenly I

T down the other side. Yes, he was r'gh* ; he c.r.ia even ie;cgmse tlie tree in wlucji Alack had placed the L>uud:e. If it was stili there it would be an eiuy matter to pick it up vhen du e k caive. 'Ihe expedition .uu taken. Lack longer tlian he expscted. It »vas ncaily an hcur before he {,ot, back io the canoe, or, rather to where the ChJ.oe haJ been, for it was gone! I'ci- an aiiitant Dick thought he mu*-t have mistaken thj place, bat, "io, there was the te-.eicd mooting line fctill la=lenecl io a branch. Dick sprang baclc ap the br.nk, and stood, locking and u&ieninz as keenly as any Indian, his rilia at lull ccok. But net a s.gnt, net a sound. His isjvs seaichcd the giound. Ah! he could discern sigi^s ot a itru^gie here. And what was -that? i Trie mciesi =crap of paper, a message le 1 * by Ted Dick tmderstojJ it all! The pariy wt Indians that moiiuug, thcugh not cue ot them had turned his head in thejr direction, hfd noticed something suspicioas, and had i evidently sent back a party overland to find ' till, led had gone ashore to stretch his legs, and had Lcen surprised and overcome, isui why had tbiy net tomahawked him. out ot , hand ( W ere they caryi"g him off to an c\en worse late — death by slow torture? "They'll have to reckon with ln-e first, ' mutteicci Dick, his face growing drrk and stern. PiX onco he sste t himself to pick up the trail. No one bn T a man with lus training could have done it, »nd even Dick found it difficult work for the Indians hed bsen careful to leave no irace. Once, as Dick stoodi doubtfully wondering which direction to take, he noticed something gleaming in a sun-ray. Di^k bent over it wish a grim =nule— a Krss button, hnother message from Ted. After that he kept on more confidently, and about dark anived at the banks of a broad cieeK V.'hhout hesitation Dick swain this, holding ■ his rifle well out of water. On the opposite 1 side he found several birch-bark canoss. Selectirg 'he most suitable, and seeing that paddles were m it, Dick scuttled the rest, and ■ tL en cautiously drew himself up the steep bank. Here he lay, hidden m the grass, lrokicg with all his eyes. A few hundred yards before him he could see through the gloom an Indian encampment. Not a settlement, with women and children, but just the temporary shelters of a war party. In ; one of those wigwams Ted was imprisoned. But m which? And how to free him? For hour 3 Dick did not dare to move. The night giew darker and darker; the counsel fire died down ; not a sound was to be heard from the encampment. Then Dick, drawing his Bowie knife* (he had left his rifle in the canoe) began to wriggle his way forward. Every few minutes he paused to listen and lcok. As ho drew nearer he made out one wigwam a little apart from the rest, and with r blanketted form lying across the doorway. Dick's heart leaped. "That is where he is! But I must moke sure." Silently as a snake he crept nearer. Then you might have heard the chirp of a grasshopper. A momeni, and I nn answering chirp' cam© from within the wigwam. Then Dick was sure. He moved forward again, his face, if you could have seen it, grim as deatih. It was a horrible thing he had to do. But it must be done ; and done so thoroughly, too, that not a sounds should be heard. Beth their lives depended on that. Clocer and closer ho drew to the sleeping It dian. Then one swift stroke of his knife — , and silence! Dick waited a moment to rej cover himself, then glided into the wigwam, | felt for Ted's prostrate bods', and cut the I thongs that bound him. Not a word was 1 nttcied, but they clasped liands. Then they glided out of the wigwam, and so down to the creek. Arrived there, they had an agonisI ing five minutes before Dick, in the pitch darknes-s, could find the caaoe. But at last they were afloat, and paddling swiftly towards the river. Ted drew a greait breath. "My word, I knew you'd do it, Dick! Bin I was never so thankful in my life as when I heard your chirp. Did you see my tokens?" "Yes," said Dick. "How many Eedskins were there?"' Four. Three marched me off and one tcok the canoe. Lucky for me we wero too many fco go in her, or you would never have founa me." "I would have had a try for it, old man, 6aid Dick grimly. They reached the river, and just at dawn csms opposite where the pelts were hidden. "Oh. let 'em slide!" sam Ted. He had had enough of >t' But that va=n't the way Dick was made. He h?d come on purpose tc soc ire those skins, and have them he would if they were still there. And theie they were 'sure enough, just where Mack had piaced them. They were soon secured, and then the canoe went into hiding for the day. And a long, anxious, hungry day it was. Of course they could have supplied themselves with ?anie easily enough, but a fire wr.a not to bo thought of So they just, tightened their beHs and made the beat of it. At dusk t'-ipy ventured forth agt.in and at lei a hard night's paddling raached the Fc.it \.i'.l.tut .'urther adventures. (To be continued )