"Well?" said the major.
"Well, I got on to my horse and lit out. That"s the way I brought them up here."
"And that"s all you know about them?"
"Yes, everything. I didn"t know the Cheyennes had broken out before."
The major released the boy"s hand and walked back to his seat at the table. The expression on his face showed that he was disappointed.
"That aint all I have to tell, major," said Elam quickly. "When I got back to my shanty after taking in my traps, I found that two men had been there stealing my spelter that I have worked hard for."
The major, who probably knew what was coming next, turned away his head and waved his hand up and down in the air to indicate that he did not care to hear any more of the story; but Elam, having an object to accomplish, went on with dogged perseverance:
"Now, major, those two fellows are coming to this fort, calculating to sell them furs,--my furs, mind you,--and I came here to ask you not to let them do it."
"I can"t interfere in any private quarrels," said the officer. "I have something else to think of."
"But, major, it is mine and not theirs," persisted Elam.
"I don"t care whose it is," was the impatient reply. "I shan"t have anything to do with it."
"Won"t you keep them from selling it?"
"No, I won"t. I shan"t bother my head about it. I have enough on my mind already, and I can"t neglect important government matters for the sake of attending to private affairs. Did you say those men were afoot when they came to your shanty? Probably the Cheyennes have got them before this time. Orderly!"
The door opened, and when the soldier who had shown Elam into the room made his appearance, the major commanded him to show the visitor out.
"Now, just one word, major----" began Elam.
"Show him out!" repeated the commandant.
The orderly laid hold of the young hunter"s arm and tried to pull him toward the door, but couldn"t budge him an inch. Elam stood as firmly as one of the pickets that composed the stockade.
"Just one word, major, and then I"ll leave off and quit a-pestering you," he exclaimed. "If you won"t make them two fellows give back the plunder they have stolen from me, you won"t raise any row if I go to work and get it back in my own way, will you?"
"No, I don"t care how you get it, or whether you get it at all or not,"
the major almost shouted.
"Oh, I"ll get it, you can bet your bottom dollar on it. And if you hear of somebody getting hurt while I am getting of it, you mustn"t blame me."
"Put him out!" roared the major.
The orderly laid hold of Elam"s arm with both hands and finally succeeded in forcing him into the hall and closing the door after him, but the closing of the door did not shut out the sound of his voice.
Elam had set out to relieve his mind, and he did it; and as there was no one else to talk to, he addressed his remarks to the orderly.
"The major needn"t blame me if some of them fellows gets hurt," said he.
"I tried to set the law to going and couldn"t do it. I"ll never ask a soldier to do anything for me again. I can take care of myself. I don"t see what you fellows come out here for anyway, except it is to wear out good clothes and keep grub from spoiling. That"s all the use you be."
"Well, go on now, and don"t bother any more," said the orderly good-naturedly. "The old man said he didn"t care how you got the things back, and what more do you want?"
"I wanted him to set the law a-going, but he won"t do it," said Elam.
"I"ll just set it to going myself."
The young hunter walked off and directed his course toward the sutler"s store. He knew it was the sutler"s store, for when he was loitering about the fort he had seen the sutler come in from the stockade with a rifle in his hands, and sell a plug of tobacco to one of the teamsters.
He found the store empty and the sutler leaning against the counter with his arms folded. The latter recognized Elam at once, for he had seen him come in on that wounded horse.
"Halloa," he exclaimed. "You have got your wound fixed all right. Did you have a long race with them?"
Elam in a few words described his adventures, running his eye over the goods the sutler had to sell, and wound up by telling of the furs he had lost.
"I have got a good many skins," said he, "and I see some things here that I should like to have, but I aint got them now."
"How is that? I don"t understand you."
"Well, you see, I have done right smart of trapping and shooting since I have been out, but while I was gathering up my traps some fellows came to my shanty and stole everything I had," said Elam.
"That"s bad," said the sutler; and he really thought it was, for no doubt he had lost an opportunity to make some good bargains.
"Yes, and they are coming to this post now, those two fellows are, to sell those furs," continued Elam earnestly.
"Ah!" exclaimed the sutler, in a very different tone of voice.
If that was the case, perhaps he could make something out of the boy"s work after all.
CHAPTER XIV.
ELAM UNDER FIRE.
"Yes, that"s bad business," the sutler continued. "They steal furs and pa.s.s them off as their own. I couldn"t do that."
"But this is the fourth time they have robbed me," Elam went on. "You have handled skins that they took from me last winter. They"ll try to sell them at this store, most likely. There aint no traders here, are they? I aint seen any of them hanging around."
"No; they have been scarce of late," answered the sutler, who would have been glad to know that none of the fraternity would ever show their faces in that country again. He wanted to do all the trading that was done at that post himself.
"Then they will be sure to sell them to you, if they sell them to anybody; but I don"t want you to buy them," said Elam. "They belong to me, and I"ve worked hard for them."
The sutler leaned his elbows on the counter, placed his chin on his hands, and looked out at the door, whistling softly to himself. Elam waited for him to say something, but as he did not, the boy continued:
"I don"t want you to buy them skins. You heard what I said to you, I reckon?"
"Oh, yes, I heard you," said the sutler, straightening up and jingling a bunch of keys in his pocket; "but I don"t see how I can help you. When hunters come here with furs to sell, I never ask where they got them, for it is none of my business. Besides, I don"t know these men who you say robbed you."
"I will be here to point them out to you," said Elam quickly. "I would know them anywhere."
"But I couldn"t take your unsupported word against the word of two men,"