It was so dark inside that for a moment he could distinguish nothing.
But his ears were on the alert and he heard the footsteps of Yellow Elk resounding at a distance of fully fifty yards. He could hear nothing of Nellie, and rightfully concluded that the Indian had been compelled to pick her up and carry her.
An instant later he stumbled close to his mare. Bonnie Bird recognized him with a snort of joy.
"Sh-sh!" he said softly, and the gentle animal understood and made no further sound. But she gladly rubbed her soft nose up and down his neck to signify her pleasure.
"Good Bonnie Bird," he whispered. "I"ll be with you soon again," and went on after Yellow Elk.
The Indian had now come to a halt and was striking a match. Soon some dry brush was set on fire and the redskin heaped upon it some stout tree branches, for the air in the cave was chilly.
"Now me and white girl have long talk," said Yellow Elk, as he motioned Nellie to a seat.
"Where is the boomers" camp?" she faltered, hardly knowing how to answer him.
"Camp ten miles from here," came the short reply. "You here all alone with Yellow Elk."
At this the frightened girl gave a scream of terror.
"You base wretch!" she sobbed. "Take me back at once."
"No take back--Yellow Elk no fool. White girl stay here--make Yellow Elk good squaw, maybe," and he grinned into her pretty face.
But now an interruption came which all but stunned Yellow Elk. Leaping from his hiding place, p.a.w.nee Brown pounced upon the redskin, caught him by the throat and hurled him backward and almost into the midst of the fire!
"You miserable dog!" came from the scout"s lips.
"Oh, sir, save me from that Indian!" came from Nellie, as she quickly turned to the man she felt sure would a.s.sist her.
"I will, Miss Winthrop, don"t fear," answered p.a.w.nee Brown. "So, Yellow Elk, we meet again. I reckon you remember the man who kicked you all around the agency two years ago because you tried to steal his new pair of boots?"
"Ugh!" grunted Yellow Elk. He had just managed to scramble out of the fire, and was beating out the flames which had caught on a fringe of his garments. "p.a.w.nee Brown."
He muttered a fierce imprecation in his native tongue. Then, before p.a.w.nee Brown could stop him his pistol flashed in the fire-light. He took aim at the scout"s head and fired.
But though the action of the Indian chief was quick, the movement of the boomer was quicker.
Many times had he been under fire, and he had learned to drop when occasion required as rapidly as it could be done.
With the pressure upon the pistol trigger he went down like a flash and the bullet intended for his head merely grazed the top of his hat and flattened itself upon the cave wall opposite.
"Bah!" hissed Yellow Elk, when he saw how he had missed. He attempted to take him once more, but now p.a.w.nee Brown hurled himself on the redskin, turning the barrel of the weapon aside, and both went to the stone flooring with a crash. Nellie Winthrop let out a shriek of terror.
"Do not let him shoot you! Make him throw the pistol away!" she cried, as she wrung her hands. She would have liked to a.s.sist p.a.w.nee Brown, but could not see how it could just then be done.
CHAPTER XIII.
NELLIE"S FLIGHT.
Over and over on the stone flooring rolled the boomer and his red enemy, now close to the fire and again off to one side, where there was a slight hollow still wet from the recent storm.
p.a.w.nee Brown had Yellow Elk by the throat and across the back, while the Indian held his antagonist by the shoulder with one hand, while trying to beat his brains out with the pistol that was in the other.
Once Yellow Elk succeeded in getting in a glancing blow, which drew blood, but did no great harm. But now p.a.w.nee Brown"s grip was tightening. The redskin was choking. His eyes bulged from their sockets and his tongue hung out several inches.
"Ugh!" gasped the Indian chief. In vain he tried to shake off that grip.
It was like that of a bulldog and could not be loosened. He struck out wildly, but the pistol b.u.t.t only landed upon p.a.w.nee Brown"s shoulder, a shoulder that was as tough as iron and could stand any amount of pounding.
Suddenly the tactics of the Indian changed. Knowing that he was in immediate danger of death by choking, and feeling how unlikely it was that he could throw off his a.s.sailant, he let fall his pistol and caught the boomer around the body. Then he began to roll toward the fire, which was now blazing up more brightly than ever.
The scout saw the redskin"s intention instantly, but before he could stop it both he and his enemy were close to the flames.
"Me die you die too!" hissed Yellow Elk, and gave another roll, which took both himself and p.a.w.nee Brown into the very edge of the blaze.
"Take care! You will be burnt up!" cried Nellie Winthrop, and gave a scream. Rushing forward, she caught p.a.w.nee Brown by the arm and attempted to draw him back.
But of this there was no need, for the great scout had already changed his tactics, feeling convinced that to choke Yellow Elk was now impossible. His hand left the redskin"s throat, to double up and sail forth into a crushing blow, which took the Indian chief beneath the eyes and made him see more stars than were ever beheld in the blue canopy of heaven. As Yellow Elk fell back p.a.w.nee Brown did likewise, but in a different direction.
The Indian was now in the midst of the flames and the cry he let out was truly blood-curdling. Excited as he was, p.a.w.nee Brown did not let the intonation of that cry escape him. Understanding the Indian language well, he knew it was more than a cry of terror or pain, it was a call for help! Other Indians must be somewhere in the vicinity.
"You had better run for it!" he said, turning to Nellie. "Mount my horse--the mare the Indian had--and ride down the ravine."
"Run?" she faltered.
"Yes, and hurry. Hark! As I thought! Other Indians are coming!"
The boomer was right. The footsteps sounded from the opposite end of the cave, which had two entrances, similar to each other.
By this time Yellow Elk had rolled out of the fire and was dancing around like a madman, trying to beat out the flames which had communicated to his clothing.
As Nellie ran off, p.a.w.nee Brown drew his pistol, resolved to not only defend himself but cover the girl"s retreat as well.
Little did he dream of the fresh perils which awaited Nellie. What those perils were the immediate chapters which follow will relate.
As Yellow Elk danced around, p.a.w.nee Brown leveled his revolver at him.
Crack! went the weapon and the Indian chief fell back with a wound through his shoulder. The flickering of the fire-light had saved him from death.
A cry that was little less than a war whoop now sounded out, and with this four other Indians appeared, two whom p.a.w.nee Brown had before seen in Yellow Elk"s company and two who were utter strangers to him.
"Capture the white dog!" howled Yellow Elk, in his native tongue. "Shoot the dog down!"
"p.a.w.nee Brown!" grunted one of the newcomers, and up went several pistols. The scout fired at the same time, and one of the strange Indians threw up his hands and fell lifeless. But the bullet this Indian had sent on its mission struck the boomer across the forehead and sent the scout to the flooring of the cave senseless.
When p.a.w.nee Brown came to a clear mind again he found himself aching in every portion of his body, for in their usual custom the Indians on finding him helpless had each taken their turn at kicking him to suit their pleasure, Yellow Elk especially delighting in this cruel performance.