Frank on the Prairie

  CHAPTER XII.

  A Night among the Wolves.

  It would be impossible to describe Frank's feelings, as he stoodthere, holding his panting, reeking horse, and listening to thatrumbling sound, which grew fainter and fainter, as the buffaloesdashed on their way. Now that the danger of being trampled to deathwas passed, he did not stop to think of what was still before him. Hecared not that he was forty miles from the old bear's hole, and that,in three hours, the sun would be down, and he compelled to pass thenight alone on the prairie. All thoughts of what he knew he mustendure before he reached the camp were swallowed up in thankfulnessthat he had been able to bring himself safely out of the mostdangerous position in which he had ever been placed.

  In a few moments the last of the buffaloes had passed out of hearing,and Frank then turned his attention to his horse.

  Pete looked very unlike the sleek, spirited animal of which he hadbeen so proud. He was reeking with sweat, panting loudly, and wasevidently very nearly exhausted. Had he been obliged to carry hisrider a few miles further, Frank might have been compelled to find hisway back to camp on foot. Pete was also very much in need of water;and now that the danger was over, Frank found that he, too, was verythirsty. During his excitement and alarm he had not thought of it; butnow that he was able to think calmly, he decided that his first careshould be to find a stream of water, where he might quench his thirst.

  After reloading his rifle and revolvers, he again took Pete by thebridle and led him in the direction of the mountains, which, as nearas he could judge, were twenty miles distant. Although he was mostanxious to reach them before night, in hopes that he might find thetrapper, (for he knew that Dick would not rest easy until he had foundhim,) he could not bear the thought of riding his horse while he wasin such distress.

  At length he reached the top of a swell, when he paused to look abouthim. On his right hand, about a mile distant, as he judged, he saw along line of willows, which (so the trappers had told him) were a suresign of water. Toward the willows, then, he directed his course, inhopes that his horse, when he had quenched his thirst and eaten a fewmouthfuls of grass, would be in a condition to travel. But he soonfound that it was more than a mile to the willows--it was five timesthat distance--and it was about an hour before sunset when Frankreached the stream, and, kneeling down on the bank, took a long,refreshing drink. Here he had a most lively battle with Pete. Thehorse was stubborn, and when he had determined upon a course, itrequired considerable persuasion to induce him to abandon it. Hewanted to drink his fill of the water at once, to which Frankobjected; and it was not until Pete had received several severe blowsfrom a branch that his master cut from one of the willows, that heallowed himself to be led out of the stream. Frank then tied him to atree, removed the saddle, and threw himself on the ground to determineupon his future movements. He was tired and hungry; he did not likethe idea of camping on the prairie alone, but he could see no way toavoid it. Then he thought of the trapper, and walked out on theprairie to look for him. But Dick was nowhere to be seen. Had Frankremained where he had escaped from the buffaloes, he would then havebeen in the company of his friend, for the trapper was at that momentstanding on the top of the very swell, where Frank had stood when hefirst discovered the willows. Useless sat by his side, looking up intohis master's face, and whining as if he, too, wondered what had becomeof the object of their search. Seeing no signs of Frank, Dickconcluded that he was still among the buffaloes, so he kept on afterthem, now and then shaking his head and muttering--"The keerlessfeller. It beats all natur' how that hoss of his'n traveled." ButFrank did not know that Dick was so near him, and, after waitingnearly an hour for him to make his appearance, he returned to thewillows, and sat about making his preparations for the night. He firstselected a suitable spot for a camp, and, after gathering a few drybranches and lighting a fire with a flint and steel he found inArchie's haversack, he took his rifle and walked along the bank ofthe creek to find something for his supper. He generally took greatpleasure in a hunt, but there was no sport in this one, for he couldnot help thinking of his recent adventure with the grizzly. What if heshould meet one of those animals? He could not hope for assistancefrom the trapper. He had no one to depend upon but himself. He hadalways had great confidence in his skill as a marksman, but he hadnever wished for an opportunity to try it on a grizzly bear. If therewere any of those animals among the willows, he did not encounterthem, and, in fact, the woods did not appear to abound in game of anykind. The only living thing he discovered was a raccoon crossing thecreek on a log just ahead of him.

  Frank, knowing that he was working for his supper, made a good shot,and when he shouldered the 'coon and started for his camp, he feltrelieved to know that he was not compelled to pass the night hungry.He had often heard that the flesh of the 'coon was excellent, and hefound it was so; whether it was because he was hungry, or because themeat was really good, he could not decide; but at any rate, he atenearly half the 'coon, and hung the remainder upon a limb to save itfor his breakfast. Then, after gathering a supply of firewood,sufficient to last all night, he again walked out on the prairie tolook for the trapper. But he was not in sight; and when it began togrow dark, Frank returned to his camp, feeling rather lonesome. Afterhe had hobbled Pete, (which he did by tying one end of his halteraround his neck, and the other to one of his fore legs,) and turnedhim loose to graze, he seated himself by the fire, and heartily wishedit was morning.

  There was nothing pleasant in the thought that he was obliged to passthe night alone. He had often camped out, but he was not accustomed toliving in such a wilderness. Had Dick been with him, he would haveslept as soundly as he ever did at home; but, as it was, there was noprobability of his enjoying a good night's rest. It grew dark rapidly,and the prairie, so deserted and still in the day-time, now seemed tobe crowded with wolves. He had heard them every night since he hadbeen on the plains, but he had never listened to such a chorus assaluted his ears that evening. The fact was, they had been attractedby a buffalo that lay but a short distance from Frank's camp. It hadbeen wounded by the hunters in the morning, and, becoming separatedfrom the herd, had come to the creek for water, and died. Frank knewthat the wolves had found something, for he could hear them growlingand fighting over their meal. Suddenly they all set up a howl, andtook to their heels. They did not go far, however, but appeared to berunning in circles about their prey, as if they had been driven awayby some larger animal. Frank was not pleased with his neighbors, anddid not feel at all inclined to go to sleep. He sat before his fire,with his rifle across his knees, and his revolvers close at hand,sincerely hoping that the wolves would not approach his camp. For twohours he remained in this position, and finally, becoming moreaccustomed to the howls of the wolves, he leaned against a tree, andwas fast losing all consciousness of what was going on around him,when he was aroused by his horse, which came snorting through thewillows, and did not stop until he had placed himself close to hismaster for protection. This alarmed Frank, who, remembering how Petehad acted the day before, was certain that there was a grizzly bearprowling about his camp; and, fearful that his horse, if left tohimself, would run away, he slipped the bridle over his head, andtied him securely to a tree. While thus engaged, he heard a slightnoise in the bushes, as if some heavy animal was endeavoring to passcarefully through them. This continued for half an hour, during whichthe animal, whatever it was, walked entirely around his camp. Thistried Frank's nerves severely. To sit there, in those woods, andlisten to some animal walking about, perhaps watching for anopportunity to spring upon him, was almost as bad as facing a grizzly.Again and again the animal made the circuit of the camp, and presentlyFrank saw a pair of eyes, that looked like two coals of fire, glaringat him through the darkness. Should he fire at the animal? If it was agrizzly, and the wound should not prove fatal, his life would not beworth a moment's purchase. There might be bushes between him and thebeast, that would glance the ball, or his hand might prove unsteady.It was a risk he did not like to take; but he
could try the effect offire on him. So, catching up a brand, he threw it at the eyes, whichinstantly disappeared.

  During the livelong night did Frank sit by the fire, holding his riflein his hands, now and then caressing his horse, which stood closebeside him, trembling with fear; while, at regular intervals, he hearda rustling in the willows, which told him that his enemy was still onthe watch.

  But all things have an end. At length, to Frank's immense relief, daybegan to dawn. As soon as he could distinctly discern the nearestobjects, he again hobbled his horse, and, after turning him loose tograze, began to prepare his breakfast. After he had cooked and eatenthe last vestige of the 'coon, he saddled Pete, and, turning his backupon the place where he had passed a most uncomfortable night, set outtoward the mountains.

  About the same hour, the trapper arose from the prairie, where he hadmade his camp, and where he had slept soundly, in spite of the howlingof the wolves, and, mounting Sleepy Sam, began to follow up the trailof the buffaloes. Each was looking for the other, and both weretraveling in exactly opposite directions.

  Frank had a long ride before him, and it was monotonous and tiresome.Pete appeared to have fully recovered from the effects of his longrun, for he carried his rider at a rapid pace; but, at sunset, Frankhad not reached the mountains. He could not bear the thought ofcamping on that bare prairie, where he could have no fire, and heresolved to ride until he reached the timber at the base of themountains, if it took him until midnight. Darkness settled down overthe prairie, and, a short time afterward, he reached the woods. As herode slowly along, in the hope of discovering some stream, on thebanks of which he could camp, he saw a light shining through thetrees. A second look showed him that it was a camp-fire. No doubt hewould find Dick there. Without hesitating an instant, he put spurs tohis horse, and rode up in full view of the fire, around which he sawfour men lying on their blankets.