"No, no!"
"Do that beat him, or do it not, then?"
"It beats him!"
"It does!"
"Far better!"
"Hooray!" vociferated several voices, amidst yells of laughter. No one dissented, as the hunters, pleased with the joke, were anxious to see it carried through.
Rube did not detain them long. Leaving his rifle in the hands of his friend Garey, he led the old mare up towards the spot that had been occupied by the Indian girl. Reaching this, he halted.
We all expected to see him turn the animal with her side towards us, thus leaving her body out of range. It soon became evident that this was not the old fellow"s intention. It would have spoiled the look of the thing, had he done so; and that idea was no doubt running in his mind.
Choosing a place where the ground chanced to be slightly hollowed out, he led the mustang forward, until her fore feet rested in the hollow.
The tail was thus thrown above the body.
Having squared her hips to the camp, he whispered something at her head; and going round to the hind quarters, adjusted the pear upon the highest curve of the stump. He then came walking back.
Would the mare stand? No fear of that. She had been trained to stand in one place for a longer period than was now required of her.
The appearance which the old mare exhibited, nothing visible but her hind legs and b.u.t.tocks, for the mules had stripped her tail of the hair, had by this time wound the spectators up to the risible point, and most of them were yelling.
"Stop yur giggle-goggle, wull yur!" said Rube, clutching his rifle, and taking his stand. The laughter was held in, no one wishing to disturb the shot.
"Now, old Tar-guts, don"t waste your fodder!" muttered the trapper, addressing his gun, which the next moment was raised and levelled.
No one doubted but that Rube would hit the object at which he was aiming. It was a shot frequently made by western riflemen; that is, a mark of the same size at sixty yards. And no doubt Rube would have done it; but just at the moment of his pulling trigger the mare"s back heaved up in one of its periodic jerks, and the pitahaya fell to the ground.
But the ball had sped; and grazing the animal"s shoulder, pa.s.sed through one of her ears!
The direction of the bullet was not known until afterwards, but its effect was visible at once; for the mare, stung in her tenderest part, uttered a sort of human-like scream, and wheeling about, came leaping into camp, kicking over everything that happened to lie in her way.
The yells and loud laughing of the trappers, the odd e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns of the Indians, the "vayas" and "vivas" of the Mexicans, the wild oaths of old Rube himself, all formed a medley of sounds that fell strangely upon the ear, and to give an idea of which is beyond the art of my pen.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
THE PROGRAMME.
Shortly after, I was wandering out to the caballada to look after my horse, when the sound of a bugle fell upon my ear. It was the signal for the men to a.s.semble, and I turned back towards the camp.
As I re-entered it, Seguin was standing near his tent, with the bugle still in his hand. The hunters were gathering around him.
They were soon all a.s.sembled, and stood in groups, waiting for the chief to speak.
"Comrades!" said Seguin, "to-morrow we break up this camp for an expedition against the enemy. I have brought you together that you may know my plans and lend me your advice."
A murmur of applause followed this announcement. The breaking up of a camp is always joyous news to men whose trade is war. It seemed to have a like effect upon this motley group of guerilleros.
The chief continued--
"It is not likely that you will have much fighting. Our dangers will be those of the desert; but we will endeavour to provide against them in the best manner possible.
"I have learned, from a reliable source, that our enemies are at this very time about starting upon a grand expedition to plunder the towns of Sonora and Chihuahua.
"It is their intention, if not met by the Government troops, to extend their foray to Durango itself. Both tribes have combined in this movement; and it is believed that all the warriors will proceed southward, leaving their country unprotected behind them.
"It is my intention then, as soon as I can ascertain that they have gone out, to enter their territory, and pierce to the main town of the Navajoes."
"Bravo!" "Hooray!" "Bueno!" "Tres bien!" "Good as wheat!" and numerous other exclamations, hailed this declaration.
"Some of you know my object in making this expedition. Others do not.
I will declare it to you all. It is, then, to--"
"Git a grist of scalps; what else?" cried a rough, brutal-looking fellow, interrupting the chief.
"No, Kirker!" replied Seguin, bending his eye upon the man, with an expression of anger. "It is not that. We expect to meet only women.
On his peril let no man touch a hair upon the head of an Indian woman.
I shall pay for no scalps of women or children."
"Where, then, will be your profits? We cannot bring them prisoners?
We"ll have enough to do to get back ourselves, I reckon, across them deserts."
These questions seemed to express the feelings of others of the band, who muttered their a.s.sent.
"You shall lose nothing. Whatever prisoners you take shall be counted on the ground, and every man shall be paid according to his number.
When we return I will make that good."
"Oh! that"s fair enough, captain," cried several voices.
"Let it be understood, then, no women nor children. The plunder you shall have, it is yours by our laws, but no blood that can be spared.
There is enough on our hands already. Do you all bind yourselves to this?"
"Yes, yes!" "Si!" "Oui, oui!" "Ya, ya!" "All!" "Todos, todos!"
cried a mult.i.tude of voices, each man answering in his own language.
"Let those who do not agree to it speak."
A profound silence followed this proposal. All had bound themselves to the wishes of their leader.
"I am glad that you are unanimous. I will now state my purpose fully.
It is but just you should know it."
"Ay, let us know that," muttered Kirker, "if tain"t to raise har we"re goin"."