_ CHAPTER FIVE
For many a mile the weary travellers tramped on. In vain they looked out for Greensnake, and had too much reason to fear that he had been entrapped by the Blackfeet, and probably murdered. The country, though often fertile and beautiful, was in some places sandy and barren, and utterly destitute of water. The whole day, their flasks having been emptied, they had not a drop to quench their burning thirst, and when they did at length reach a pool, the liquid in it was so bitter and stagnant that they dared scarcely to taste a drop, even after straining it through a handkerchief. The food they had brought with them was also running short, and they had been unable to shoot any game to supply its place. Two or three buffalo had been seen in the distance, but had made off before they could get within shot; and several deer had passed, but being to leeward, scented them, and scampered away as they approached.
"Though we cannot find large game, we must look out for small," observed Hector. "Perhaps we shall meet with some beavers, musk-rats, or badgers; we must not be particular."
"Not if we are starving," answered Loraine; "but I should prefer a hare or duck, or a prairie-hen."
At length a broad stream appeared before them. They hurried forward to quench their thirst, and then sat down to consider how it was to be crossed. They could both swim, but their packs and Loraine's gun, as well as their clothes, had to be floated across.
There are, fortunately, neither alligators nor voracious fish in the rivers of those latitudes, and so Hector proposed that they should build a raft of rushes and dried branches on which to place their clothes, their packs, and the gun, and tow it over.
It was soon formed, though Loraine feared it was a somewhat frail structure, even for the duty it was intended to perform.
The passage was accomplished with difficulty, and with the loss of Loraine's gun, which slipped off into the deepest water.
They lamented this serious loss, but Loraine having supplied himself with a pointed stick, they set off, endeavouring to keep up each other's spirits as they marched on. They had still their compass to steer by, but their direct progress was on some days very slow, as they had to turn aside to avoid extensive marshes and lakelets. Their food at length came to an end, and, in spite of all Hector's efforts, he was unable to trap any animals. They several times saw beavers, which got away from them, and the ducks and other water-fowls only appeared to fly off with derisive quacks at their impotent attempts to knock them down, so Hector declared.
The dogs were growing thinner and thinner, and at length Buster, who had dropped behind, did not come up to them. In vain they called him, but, unwilling to lose time by returning, they went on, hoping that the dog would overtake them at their camp. He did not appear, however.
"Perhaps he took it into his head that we might eat him," said Hector, looking at poor Muskey, who wagged his tail as he spoke, wondering if he was to have anything for supper.
"Should you mind eating Muskey?" asked Hector.
"I should be very unwilling to kill the poor dog; but if we can find no food to-morrow, it must be done, I fear, to save our lives," answered Loraine.
Although they lighted a fire, they lay down that night supperless. At daybreak they set off, hoping to reach a lakelet in which Hector thought that he might catch some white fish. They were becoming faint, and no water was to be seen. At length they entered a wood, close to which they found an abundance of choke-berries, as well as gooseberries and currants, which served to appease the gnawings of hunger, although the poor dog looked as if he wished that he could have something more substantial; and about mid-day, they each managed, almost at the same moment, to knock over a small bird.
So great was their hunger that they immediately halted, and, lighting a fire, cooked and ate them.
Darkness coming on, all hope of obtaining food that night was given up. Loraine offered to kill Muskey.
"No, no; let him live to-night, and perhaps to-morrow morning he may assist in catching something," answered Hector.
They lay down close to the fire, but neither could for some time sleep. Hector was very feverish, and Loraine himself began to feel ill. He saw that his young companion was very unlikely to be able to proceed, and he determined to set off next morning in search of water. At last he closed his eyes, and, to his surprise, when he awoke he found that the sun had arisen. Hector was still sleeping. The fire had gone out, and Muskey lay with his nose on his paws, watching his masters.
"I must manage to get the dog to remain behind and guard him," he thought; "I will try to find water by myself."
Hector awoke just as he was about to set off, and tried to get up; but his strength failed, and he sank down again on the ground.
"Hold out for a few hours longer, and I trust I shall obtain relief for you," said Loraine. "Get Muskey to stay, and he will assist in defending you should any enemies appear."
To prevent the dog from following him, Loraine fastened a strap round its neck, and put the end into Hector's hand. The dog, making no resistance, lay down by his side. Loraine set off towards a knoll which he saw at a little distance, hoping from thence to be able to ascertain in what direction water was to be found. He walked as fast as his strength would allow. On reaching the knoll he looked anxiously round on every side. Before long he saw what appeared to be the gleam of water, near a wood of willow and aspen, and tottered forward, every instant expecting to find the water, but it seemed to be further off than he had supposed. At last he saw the grove of willows, and he was sure that the water would be found near it. The grove was reached, but no water could he see. "It must be close at hand," he said aloud; "it would be useless to attempt returning until I have found it." By a strenuous effort he aroused himself, and pushed forward. His strength was failing: he felt as if he were in a dream. In vain he tried to move his feet. At length he sank fainting to the ground, beneath the shade of a tree.
How long he had thus remained, he could not tell, when he heard a human voice. At first he thought it was Hector calling to him for help. He tried to rise, but before he could regain his feet he sank back to his former position.
"This is dreadful," he thought. "I must help that poor lad. His friends at the fort, if we do not reach it, will be surprised by savages and cut off. Those two young girls--what a dreadful fate will be theirs! I must try and recover myself." And once more he endeavoured to get up. Again he heard a voice; it was much nearer; and opening his eyes, he saw a figure standing over him. It was that of Isaac Sass.
"Right glad I am to find you!" exclaimed the old man, stooping down; "but you seem in a sad plight. What has become of your young companion? I trust no harm has befallen him."
"Water, water!" answered Loraine, faintly. "Take water to him; he wants it more than I do."
"You want it bad enough, I guess," said the trapper; and, unslinging his flask, he poured some of the refreshing liquid down Loraine's throat. It quickly revived him.
"Take him water," he said; "he is out there." And he pointed in the direction where he had left Hector.
The old man shouted; and, presently, who should appear but Greensnake, mounted on a horse, accompanied by three others, which he at once secured to some neighbouring trees. Isaac then handed a flask of water to the young Indian, who, receiving some directions which Loraine could not understand, set off at full gallop towards the spot where Hector had been left.
"Will he find him?" asked Loraine, anxiously.
"No fear of that," said Sass. "When you have recovered we will follow. Here, take some food, if you can swallow it."
Loraine was better able to eat than he expected.
"I brought a couple of horses for you and your companion, besides yonder pack animal; for I guessed whereabouts I should find you, though I thought you would have made better progress than you have done, and I did not expect to come upon your trail for another day or two."
Loraine having briefly explained what had happened, inquired how the old trapper had fallen in with Greensnake.
"The lad was carried off by a party of Sircees, who stole your horses; but, believing him to be an idiot, they failed to keep a watch over him, and he easily managed to escape on one of the fleetest of their animals, and made his way towards Fort Edmonton. I, knowing the difficulties you would be in without horses, at once set off to find you, though I little expected that you would have been reduced to this sad plight. And now do you think you could mount, and see how it fares with your friend?"
"I will try, at all events," said Loraine, feeling very anxious about Hector.
With the aid of the old trapper he got into the saddle. When once there he felt capable of going as fast as the horse could gallop.
They set off, the trapper leading the other horse. As they neared the spot, Loraine's mind misgave him. Had Hector survived the hardships he had endured? He himself felt how nearly he had succumbed, and he wished that he had begged the old trapper to go on at once, and left the Indian with him.
"Cheer up, cheer up, friend," said Sass, surmising the thoughts passing through his mind. "Youth is tough, and hunger and thirst don't kill a man for a long time."
At last the spot was reached. Loraine threw himself from his horse, and nearly fell to the ground in doing so, forgetting how weak he was. Greensnake was bending over Hector, supporting his head with one hand, while he was feeding him with the other; Musky, who was looking on, evidently having recognised the Indian as a friend.
Loraine hurried forward.
"All right," exclaimed Sass; "speak to your friend, my boy."
"Yes, yes, thanks to this Indian," answered Hector, faintly.
"I knew it would be so," observed old Sass, addressing Loraine. "We'll camp here, as neither of you are fit for travelling, and while you attend to the lad, Greensnake and I will light a fire and put up a hut for you, and then I'll see about getting some game."
These arrangements were soon made, and old Sass set off with his gun to shoot any creature he might come across fit for the pot.
Hector had so far recovered as to be able to sit up, and to show that he was likely to do justice to the fare the old trapper expected to provide for the party. _