So saying, he slipped down from his saddle, and commenced hitching his bridle to a branch.

"Come, Jim Weatherford," he said, addressing himself to his hunter comrade, "you come along--we'll see whether it be Indyuns or stumps thet's gin these fellows sech a dog-goned scare."

Weatherford, antic.i.p.ating the request, had already dropped to the ground; and the two having secured their horses, rifle in hand, slunk silently off into the bushes.

The rest of the party, gathering still more closely together, remained in their saddles to await the result.

There was but slight trial upon their patience; for the two pioneers were scarce out of sight, when we heard their voices ringing together in loud peals of laughter.

This encouraged us to advance. Where there was so much merriment there could be but little danger; and, without waiting for the return of the scouts, we rode forwards, directing our course by their continued cachinnations.

An opening brought both of them into view; Weatherford was gazing downwards, as if examining some tracks; while Hickman, who saw us coming up, stood with extended arm, pointing toward the straggling woods that lay beyond.

We turned our eyes in the direction indicated. We observed a number of half-wild, horned cattle, that, startled by the trampling of our troops, were scampering off among the trees.

"Now," cried the hunter, triumphantly; "thar's yur Indyuns! Ain't they a savage consarn? Ha! ha! ha!"

Every one joined in the laugh except those who had given the false alarm.

"I know'd thar war no Indyuns," continued the alligator-hunter. "That ain't the way they'll make thar appearance. Yu'll hear 'em afore you sees 'em; an' jest one word o' advice to you greenhorns--as don't know a red Indyun from a red cow--let somebody as diz know, go in the devance, an' the rest o' ye keep well togither; or I'll stake high on't thet some o' yez 'll sleep the night 'ithout har on yur heads."

All acknowledged that Hickman's advice was sage and sound. The hint was taken, and leaving the two old hunters henceforth to lead the pursuit, the rest drew more closely together, and followed them along the trail.

The plan adopted in this instance, was that followed in all well-devised tracking parties when in pursuit of an enemy. It matters not of what elements the body is composed--be it naval, military or civilian--be there present, commodores, generals or governors--all yield the _pas_ to some old hunter or scout, who follows the trail like a sleuth hound, and whose word is supreme law for the nonce.

It was evident the pursued party could not be far in advance of us.

This we knew from the hour at which they had been seen retreating from the settlement. After my arrival on the plantation, no time had been lost--only ten minutes spent in preparation--and altogether there was scarce an hour's difference between the times of our starting. The fresh trail confirmed the fact--they could not be a league ahead of us, unless they had ridden faster than we. This was scarce probable, enc.u.mbered as they were with their black captives, whose larger tracks, here and there distinctly perceptible, showed that they were marching afoot. Of course, the savage hors.e.m.e.n would be detained in getting them forwards; and in this lay our main hope of overtaking them.

There were but few who feared for the result, should we only be able to come up with the enemy. The white men were full of wrath and revenge, and this precluded all thoughts of fear. Besides, we could tell by their trail that the Indians scarce outnumbered us. Not above fifty appeared to const.i.tute the band. No doubt they were able warriors, and our equals man to man; but those who had volunteered to a.s.sist me were also the "true grit"--the best men of the settlement for such a purpose.

No one talked of going back. All declared their readiness to follow the murderers even to the heart of the Indian territory--even into the "Cove" itself.

The devotion of these men cheered me; and I rode forwards with lighter heart--lighter with the prospect of vengeance, which I believed to be near.

CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN.

"A SPLIT TRAIL."

It proved not to be so near us as we had antic.i.p.ated. Pressing forward, as fast as our guides could lift the trail, we followed it for ten miles. We had hoped to find revenge at half the distance.

The Indians either knew that we were after them; or, with their wonted wisdom were marching rapidly under the mere suspicion of a pursuit.

After the committal of such horrid atrocities, it was natural for them to suppose they would be pursued.

Evidently they were progressing as fast as we--but not faster; though the sun was broiling hot, sap still oozed from the boughs they had accidentally broken--the mud turned up by their horses' hoofs, as the guides expressed it, had not yet "crusted over," and the crushed herbage was wet with its own juice and still proc.u.mbent.

To the denizen of the city, accustomed to travel from street to street by the a.s.sistance of sign boards at every corner and numbers on every door, it must appear almost incredible that the wild savage, or untutored hunter, can, without guide or compa.s.s, unerringly follow, day after day, the track of some equally cunning foe. To the pursuing party every leaf, every twig, every blade of gra.s.s is a "sign," and they read them as plainly as if the route were laid down upon a map. While the pursuing party is thus attentive to detect "sign," the escaping one is as vigilant to avoid leaving any--and many are the devices resorted to, to efface the trail.

"Jest helf a hour ahead," remarked old Hickman, as he rose erect after examining the tracks for the twentieth time--"jest helf a hour, dog-darn 'em! I never knowed red skins to travel so fast afore. Thar a streakin' it like a gang o' scared bucks, an' jest 'bout now thar breech clouts are in a purty considerable sweat, an' some o' thar duds is stannin at an angle o' forty-five, I reckon."

A peal of laughter was the reply to this sally of the guide.

"Not so loud, fellars! not so loud," said he, interrupting the laughter by an earnest wave of his hand. "By jeroozalim! tha'll hear ye; an if they do, tha'll be some o' us 'ithout scalps afore sundown. For yer lives, boys, keep still as mice--not a word, or we'll be heern--tha'r as sharp eared as thar own dogs, and, darn me, if I believe thar more'n helf a mile ahead o' us."

The guide once more bent himself over the trail, and after a short reconnoissance of the tracks, repeated his last words with more emphasis.

"No, by --! not more'n half a mile--Hush, boys, keep as quiet as possums, an' I promise ye we'll tree the varmints in less'n a hour.

Hush!"

Obedient to the injunctions, we rode forwards, as silently as it was possible for us to proceed on horseback.

We strove to guide our horses along the softer borders of the path to prevent the thumping of their hoofs. No one spoke above a whisper; and even then there was but little conversation, as each was earnestly gazing forwards, expecting every moment to see the bronzed savages moving before us.

In this way we proceeded for another half mile, without seeing aught of the enemy except their tracks.

A new object, however, now came in view--the clear sky shining through the trunks of the trees. We were all woodsmen enough to know that this indicated an "opening" in the forest.

Most of my companions expressed pleasure at the sight. We had now been riding a long way through the sombre woods--our path often obstructed by slimy and fallen logs, so that a slow pace had been unavoidable. They believed that in the open ground we should move faster; and have a better chance of sighting the pursued.

Some of the older heads, and especially the two guides, were affected differently by the new appearance. Hickman at once gave expression to his chagrin.

"Cuss the clarin," he exclaimed; "it are a savanner, an' a big 'un, too--dog-gone the thing--it'll spoil all."

"How?" I inquired.

"Ye see, Geordy, if thar a'ready across it, they'll leave some on t'other side to watch--they'll be sarten to do that, whether they know we're arter 'em or not. Wall, what follers? _We_ kin no more cross 'ithout bein' seen, than a carryvan o' kaymils. An' what follers that?

Once they've sighted us, in coorse they'll know how to git out o' our way; judjin' from the time we've been a travellin'--hey! it's darned near sundown!--I reckon we must be clost to thar big swamp. If they spy us a-comin' arter, they'll make strait custrut for thar, and then I know what they'll do."

"What?"

"They'll scatter thar; and ef they do, we might as well go sarchin' for bird's-nests in snow time."

"What should we do?"

"It are best for the hul o' ye to stop here a bit. Me and Jim Weatherford'll steal forbad to the edge of the timmer, an' see if they're got acrosst the savanner. Ef they are, then we must make roun'

it the best way we kin, an' take up thar trail on the tother aide.

Thar's no other chance. If we're seen crossin' the open ground, we may jest as well turn tail to 'em, and take the back-track home agin."

To the counsel of the alligator-hunter there was no dissenting voice.

All acknowledged its wisdom, and he was left to carry out the design without opposition.

He and his companion once more dismounted from their horses, and, leaving us standing among the trees, advanced stealthily towards the edge of the opening.

It was a considerable time before they came back; and the other men were growing impatient. Many believed we were only losing time by this tardy reconnoissance, and the Indians would be getting further away. Sonde advised that the pursuit should be continued at once, and that, seen or not, we ought to ride directly onwards.

However consonant with my own feelings--burning as I was for a conflict with the murderers--I knew it would not be a prudent course. The guides were in the right.

These returned at length, and delivered their report. There _was_ a savanna, and the Indians had crossed it. They had got into the timber on its opposite side, and neither man nor horse was to be seen. They could scarcely have been out of sight, before Hickman and Weatherford arrived upon its nearer edge, and the former averred that he had seen the tail of one of their horses, disappearing among the bushes.