Scouting with Kit Carson

by Everett T. Tomlinson

They were moving cautiously, too, an act which Reuben did not understand. His confusion, however, was soon gone when, after a walk of a half-hour, he was conducted to a camp in which fifteen Indians were seated around a fire over which they were roasting pieces of meat that he strongly suspected had been cut from the cattle stolen from the mission.

As the young prisoner was ignorant alike of the language spoken by the Indians and of the few words of Spanish which one of them was able to speak, he was at a complete loss to understand not only who they were and what their plans might be, but also what was likely to be his fate. His hands had been freed after he had been brought to the camp, but he was not permitted to leave the enclosure. When night came he was conducted to a cave among the nearby rocks and there by signs was informed that he was to remain throughout the night.

Several Indians seated themselves before the mouth of the cave, and Reuben was convinced that escape for the present at least was impossible.

Three days slowly passed. Not once was he permitted to leave his prison, although he was not treated unkindly. Food was given him every morning and night, and a gourd of water every morning was placed at his disposal.

“Several Indians seated themselves before the mouth of the cave”

As the afternoon of the third day wore on, Reuben became aware of a partly suppressed but increasing excitement among his captors. At first he was hopeful that the place was about to be attacked by some of his friends, in which event he might hope for release. It was impossible for him, however, to obtain any information from the Indians, and indeed few of them now even glanced at him as they apparently prepared to depart.

Reuben was disappointed when he learned that only half of the Indians were to leave the place. The excitement among the others, however, did not die away, and they frequently talked with one another in low voices and pointed anxiously in the direction in which their friends had gone. When darkness fell Reuben stretched himself upon the hard floor of the cave, and although he was aware of the excitement which still possessed his captors, he was convinced that he would be unable to learn the cause of it, and soon was sleeping soundly.

The first faint streaks of daylight were seen when Reuben was awakened by the return of the men who had departed the preceding night. Instantly it was plain to him what the purpose of their journey had been. With them now were at least threescore horses, and as he looked keenly at the animals Reuben recognized some of them. They had belonged to the men whom Kit Carson had been leading. Had their owners perished? Had there been a night attack by the redmen and had Kit Carson’s band been destroyed? Excited as Reuben was he was not able to find any answer to his questions, though he eagerly interrogated several of the redmen with signs. Not one of them, however, gave any heed to their prisoner and his demonstrations. All about the camp the redmen were in action, and it was plain to the boy that they were planning to depart quickly.