Bounding out into the more open grove at the edge of the stream, Totantora uttered another savage yell. Ruth heard, too, the _put, put, put_, of a motor-boat. When she reached the water the boat she had previously observed was some few yards from the bank. There were two men in it now, and Ruth saw at first glance that Wonota, likewise bound and gagged, lay propped up against the small over-decked part of the launch.

The Indian chief halted not even to kick off his moccasins. He ran to the edge of the bank and, the water being deep, dived on a long slant into the river. He rose almost instantly to the surface, and with a long, swift side-stroke followed after the motor craft, which was now gaining speed.

CHAPTER VII

EXPEDIENCY

Up in the Big North Woods Ruth Fielding had seen loons dive and swim (and of all the feathered tribe, loons are the master divers) and she had wondered at the birds' mastery of the water. But no loon ever seemed more at home in that element than did the Indian chief.

Totantora tore through the water after the escaping motor-boat as though he, too, were propelled by a motor. And his motor was more powerful, in a short race at least, than that driving the launch in which Wonota was held prisoner.

Before the men who had abducted the Osage maiden could get their boat out of the little cove, Totantora reached the stern of it. He rose breast high in the water and clutched the gunwale with one hand. One of the men swung at him with a boathook; but the other picked up his canvas coat and managed to smother the chief's head and face in it for a minute.

Totantora flung himself backward and dragged the canvas coat out of the man's hand. Indeed, he came near to dragging the man himself into the water.

The coat did not r.e.t.a.r.d the Indian much. He grabbed it with both hands, spread it abroad, and then plunged with it under the stern of the motor-boat. At once the propeller ceased turning and the boat lost headway. Totantora had fouled the propeller blades with the canvas jacket, and the abductors could not get away.

The Indian lunged for the gunwale of the boat again. One of the men was now attending to the mechanism. The other beat at Totantora's hands with the boathook.

In a flash the chief let go of the rail with one hand and seized the staff of the implement. One powerful jerk, and he wrenched the boathook from the white man's grasp. The latter fell sprawling into the bottom of the boat. With a display of muscle-power at which Ruth could not but marvel, Totantora raised himself over the gunwale of the boat and scrambled into it.

The second white man turned on him, but the Indian met him stooping, seized him around the waist, and tossed him, seemingly with scarcely an effort, into the water. The other abductor scrambled forward to get out of his reach. The chief bent for a minute over his daughter, and then Ruth saw that the girl was free and that she stood up, unhurt. It was all over so quickly that it left Ruth breathless.

"Miss Ruth! Miss Ruth!" cried the Indian girl. "I am all right. My father, Chief Totantora, would not let these bad white men carry me away a captive."

Ruth waved her hand to the younger girl. But she watched the white man who was swimming for the sh.o.r.e. She was not afraid of him--any more than the Indian chief was fearful of the other white man perched in the bow of the motor-boat.

The swimmer reached the bank, caught hold of an overhanging bush, and dragged himself out of the river. He was a hang-dog looking sort of fellow, anyway; and in his saturated condition his appearance was not improved. He lay panting for a minute like an expiring fish, and Ruth looked down at him perhaps more contemptuously than she realized.

"Well, who you looking at?" he growled at length.

"I suppose I am looking at one of Mr. Horatio Bilby's choice a.s.sistants,"

Ruth returned scornfully.

"Huh? What do you know about Bilby?" demanded the fellow, evidently much surprised.

"I know nothing very good of him, I am sure," the girl of the Red Mill replied coolly. "And I am quite confident that you are a fit companion for him."

The fellow sat up and leered at her.

"I ain't such a mighty fine sight just now, I guess," he said. "But there are worse than me. I didn't know there were any white folks interested in this business."

"You make a perfectly proper distinction," Ruth told him. "Bilby is not a white man--not in his business ethics I am sure. I want to warn you that those Indians have powerful friends and you would do well to have nothing more to do with them."

"I get you," growled the fellow. "But take it from me; that Injun don't need no friends. He can take care of himself. He's as strong as a bull."

"And with a temper you would best not ruffle. I do not know what Bilby's scheme was, or how he got you into it. But take my advice and keep out of any further a.s.sociation with Bilby in this matter."

"You don't have to warn me and my partner," said the fellow. "We got enough right now. Is he coming ash.o.r.e?"

He turned to look at the boat, and then leaped to his feet in some fear.

Totantora, by leaning well over the stern of the boat, had dragged the torn coat out of the propeller, and now he was coolly examining the mechanism with the evident idea of starting the boat. The Indian seemed familiar with the driving power of such a craft.

"I think he will bring his daughter ash.o.r.e," Ruth said composedly. "If I were you I would not cross him further."

"I ain't going to, Miss," said the fellow, now on his feet. "I see Jim is keeping as far away from him as he can. Jim can't swim."

"Go aside somewhere. When they reach the bank I will try to take Totantora and the girl away with me. Do nothing to cross him, for the temper of an Indian is not easily quelled. It just simmers and may break out again at any time."

"Believe me," said the fellow, starting off through the bushes, "I ain't aiming to have another run-in with him. Not with my bare hands. I hope he don't smash the boat, that's all."

"I will do all I can to pacify Totantora," said Ruth, and she really was somewhat anxious on this point, for the grim countenance of the Indian chief threatened further reprisal.

He was busy with the engine for a time; but by and by the regular popping of the exhaust revealed the fact that everything was all right with it.

The boat described a circle and came back into the cove and to the place where Ruth stood on the bank.

The second white man, who was younger and looked less like a drowned rat, remained in the bow, staring back in apprehension at the Indian. The moment he could do so, this man leaped ash.o.r.e.

"Say nothing to him," advised Ruth. "I will try to take them both away.

And, as I have warned your companion, have nothing more to do with Bilby or his schemes. These Indians are my friends, and they have other friends who are much more powerful than I am, I can a.s.sure you."

"Yes, Miss," said the man, politely enough. "I don't want to mix in with that redskin. I guess not!"

Wonota stepped ash.o.r.e and Ruth gave her the shoe she had lost. Her father followed her. He turned as though to set the boat adrift, but Ruth laid her hand upon his wet sleeve.

"Let it alone, Totantora. I hope you will be advised by me. We will go right away from here. Instead of waiting until to-morrow, let us leave here to-night and start for the North."

Wonota said something to her father in their own tongue, and he looked at Ruth more peacefully.

"White lady is always my friend, I know; and Wonota's friend," he observed. "But these bad men tried to steal Wonota."

"Tell me how it happened," Ruth put in, hoping to change his trend of thought and determination.

"I will tell you, my friend," said the Indian girl. "A little fat man came in a car when Chief Totantora and I were walking in the road. He got us to sit down yonder and talk to him. He is one of those who have tried to get Chief Totantora and me to go away from you to make pictures. He offers much money. And while we talked, those other two men crept up behind us and they all seized Chief Totantora and me. We were bound and our mouths closed before we knew how many, or how few, our enemies were.

Then my father was left in the wood and I was carried to the boat. I do not know what became of the little fat man."

"I saw him drive away," Ruth said. "It made me suspicious. I had already seen and talked with the fat man, whose name is Bilby. Don't forget that name, Wonota."

"I will remember," said the Indian girl, composedly.

"He may make some other attempt to get possession of you. Some attempt by aid of the courts."

"The white man's law is very strange," muttered Totantora.

"But we will get ahead of Bilby before he can do anything else," Ruth went on. "Miss Cameron's car is outside in the road. Go to the hotel and change your clothes, Totantora, and I will take both you and Wonota back to the Red Mill. Until we get away for the North I shall not want you out of my sight."