CHAPTER XXIII.
THE SOLDIERS AGAIN.
Never was Dick Arbuckle more astonished than when the big bear leaped out from behind the bushes and confronted himself and Nellie Winthrop.
"Oh, Dick! a bear!" screamed the girl, and stood still, too paralyzed with fright to move.
As we know, Dick had just brought down several birds with his pistol—indeed it was this very shot which had clipped the bear—and now the weapon was empty and useless, having had but one chamber loaded.
But as the great beast came forward, Dick knew enough not to stand still. He retreated in double-quick order, and forced Nellie to accompany him. Away they went through the woods with the bear in close pursuit.
At the start of the chase girl and boy were at least forty feet in advance, but despite his bulk the bear made rapid progress, and slowly but surely began to lessen the distance between himself and those he sought to make his victims. Looking over his shoulder, Dick saw him lumbering along, his mouth wide open and his blood-red tongue hanging out as though ready to lick him in.
"I—I—can't run any more," gasped Nellie. Her heart was beating as though ready to break. "Oh, Dick, what shall we do?"
"Here is a tree with low branches—jump for that—I will help you up!" returned the youth, and in a few seconds they were in the tree, a scrub oak, with the big bear underneath, eyeing them angrily, and speculating upon how he could bring them down within reach of his powerful embrace and his hungry maw.
"He is going to climb up," came from Nellie's lips a few seconds later. She was right. Bruin had attacked the tree trunk and now he was coming up slowly, as though afraid of moving into some trap.
Dick did not answer, for talking would have done no good. He was re-loading the pistol with all possible speed.
Crack! Dick had leaned down through the branches of the oak and taken aim at one of those bloodshot eyes. There was a howl and a roar, and the bear fell down with a crash that shook the forest. As to whether the bullet had found that eye or not Dick could not tell, but certain it was that once on the ground the bear picked himself up in short order and started to run away.
"You hit him!" cried Nellie. "Oh, Dick, if only he don't come back!"
"He's not going away—very far," answered the boy. The shot had encouraged him and his blood was up. A moment later Nellie was horrified to behold him drop to the grass and make off after the beast.
"That bear will kill him sure!" she ejaculated. "Oh, Dick, come back! please do!" she screamed.
A shot answered her, a shot which was quickly followed by another. A minute of painful silence; then suddenly the bear staggered into view with Dick at his heels.
"I've nailed him!" shouted the boy, joyfully, and another shot did the work. With a groan the bear keeled over, gave a jerk or two, and died.
Nellie was in such a tremble she could scarcely descend from the tree. When she did come down she found Dick hard at work cutting out a juicy steak from the bear's flank.
"We'll have a breakfast fit for a king now," he said, with a little laugh, to scatter his former nervousness. "Just wait till I light a fire. I must gather the driest available sticks, so as to make as little smoke as possible."
"Yes, we don't want our enemies to locate us," answered the girl, and saw to it that every twig which went on the blaze which was kindled was as dry as a bone.
In less than half an hour the steak had been done to a turn, and they sat down to eat it. It was certainly a most informal meal, without plates or platter, and only Dick's pocket knife to cut the steak with. Yet neither had ever enjoyed a repast more. Having finished, they procured a drink at a flowing stream behind them, and then Dick cut off a chunk of the bear meat, wrapped it in a bit of skin and slung it over his shoulder.
We may want another meal of it before we reach civilization," he explained, "Nothing like preparing one's self, when we have the chance."
"It's a shame to leave such a beautiful bear skin robe behind," answered Nellie. "But I suppose it can not be helped. Oh, if only we were safe once more."
Again they set off on their weary tramp northward, and thus nearly two miles were covered. The sun was now coming out strongly, and Dick saw that his fair companion was beginning to grow tired.
"We will rest a little, Nellie," he said, "I think perhaps we can afford to take it easy now."
"I am so fearful that Indian is following us!" answered the girl with a shudder. "If he should find that bear, and— Oh, Dick, look!"
Nellie leaped to her feet from the seat she had just taken, and pointed behind her. Dick gave one look and his heart sank within him. Yellow Elk was bearing down upon them as swiftly as his long legs would permit!
In his hand the Indian chief carried a gun, and as Nellie arose he caught sight of the pair and pointed the weapon at Dick's head.
"White boy throw down pistol!" he called out, when within speaking distance.
"Let Yellow Elk throw down his gun," answered Dick. His pistol was up and now he shoved Nellie behind him.
"White boy fool—cannot shoot against Yellow Elk," growled the redskin. He had been following their trail since sun-up and was somewhat winded.
"Perhaps I can shoot. Did you see that bear I brought down?" rejoined Dick.
At this the Indian frowned.
"Bear must have been sick—white boy no bring game down like that if well—too powerful."
"I brought him down and I'll bring you down if you don't stop where you are," was the steady answer.
"Oh, Dick, he'll shoot you," whispered Nellie. She wanted to get before him, but he would not allow it.
By this time Yellow Elk had arrived to within a dozen steps of them. Now he stopped and the frown upon his ugly countenance deepened.
"Did white boy hear what Yellow Elk said?"
"I did."
"Does white boy want to die?"
"Does Yellow Elk want to die? I can shoot as straight as you."
The words had scarcely left Dick's mouth than there came a clear click.
The redskin had fired point-blank at the lad, but the gun had failed to go off, the weapon being an old one the Indian had found at the fort—a gun some soldier had discarded as useless.
Following the click Nellie uttered a scream. Then came a crack as Dick fired, and Yellow Elk uttered a yell of pain, having received a painful wound in the side.
With clubbed gun the Indian now rushed in and a hand-to-hand struggle followed. Dick fought valiantly, but was no match for the tall redskin, and a well-directed blow laid him senseless upon the prairie grass. "You have killed him!" screamed Nellie. She was about to kneel at Dick's side, when Yellow Elk hauled her back.
"White dove come with me—boy no killed—be right by-an-by," said the redskin.
"I will not go with you!" she gasped. "Let me down!" for Yellow Elk had raised her up to his broad shoulder.
The redskin merely smiled grimly and set off on a swift walk, which speedily took both Nellie and him self out of sight of poor Dick.
The girl's heart was almost broken by this swift turn of affairs. She had hoped in a few more hours to be safe among her friends, and here she was once again the captive of the Indian she so much feared.
On and on kept Yellow Elk until the stream was reached upon which was located the log cabin where Nellie had been a prisoner. She wondered if Yellow Elk was going to take her there again, but she asked no questions.
Presently the Indian chief came to a sudden halt and raised his head as if to listen. Nellie listened, too, and at a distance heard the tramp of several men. At once Yellow Elk darted behind a number of bushes.
"White girl make noise Yellow Elk kill!" he hissed into his fair captive's ear, and drew his hunting knife.
The tramp of feet came closer. A detachment of foot soldiers were moving through the woods. Soon they came within sight of the pair.
As they came closer Nellie saw they were Government troops. A prisoner was between them—a man. It was Jack Rasco.
"Uncle Jack!" she moaned, when Yellow Elk clapped his hand over her mouth and pointed the hunting knife at her throat.
"Hush!" he commanded, but this was unnecessary, for the discovery and her great fear had caused Nellie to swoon. She fell back, and for a long while she knew no more.
In the meantime Dick had slowly recovered consciousness. The blow had been a fearful one, and long after he sat up he was unable to rise to his feet, so shaky was he in the legs. Slowly the realization of what had occurred came back to him.
"Gone—poor Nellie!" he gasped, and braced himself as best he could. Gazing around he saw that neither girl nor redskin was in sight. Without delay he started to search for Yellow Elk's trail.
He was loping along over the prairies when a shout from his left struck upon his ears. As he gazed in the direction he beheld a number of soldiers swooping down upon him. These were the men who had Jack Rasco a prisoner, the cavalrymen having turned the man of the plains over to them. In a moment Dick was surrounded.
"Jack!" cried the youth, and rushed up to Rasco. "What does this mean?"
"It means I'm a prisoner," answered Rasco, sadly. "Have you seen anything of Nellie?"
In a moment Dick had told his story, to which the soldiers as well as Rasco listened closely. At once several of the guard were sent off to hunt up the red skin, if it were possible to do so. Rasco wanted to go along, but his request was refused.
"You'll slip us if you get the chance," said the officer in charge. "You'll go to the fort. And I fancy the boy will go, too, since he seems to belong to the boomers."
And against his earnest protestations Dick was made to accompany the soldiers, being bound hand to hand with the man of the plains.
An hour later the soldiers camp was reached, and Rasco and Dick were placed in a temporary guard house. They had been there but a short while when a visitor entered. It was—Louis Vorlange!
"So they have you safe, I see," began Vorlange, when Rasco sprang at him and knocked him down.
"Will you make my niece a prisoner," he cried, wrathfully, for Dick had told him the story. "You dirty spy!"
"Hold up," gasped Vorlange, his face growing white. "Rasco, don't be a fool. I—I—made her a prisoner because I have orders to arrest anybody found roaming around"
"I won't argy the p'int!" roared Rasco. "I know you, Vorlange, and so does Dick here. You robbed and nearly murdered thet boy's father!"
At these words Vorlange staggered back as though struck a blow.
"Who says I—I did that?" he faltered.
"I say so."
"And so do I," put in Dick, boldly. "We'll have a nice story to tell when we are brought out for examination, I'll tell you that."
Vorlange breathed hard and glared from one to the other. Then of a sudden he caught Dick by the arm and turned him to one side.
"Boy, beware how you cross me," he hissed into Dick's ears. "Beware, I say! I have known your father for years, and I have the knowledge in my possession which can send your father to the gallows."