“Well, I don’t know that I’d mind seeing even a Blood Indian now,” said Ralph, “in spite of their ugly name. Maybe they could help us or at any rate ride for help.”
“Son, a Blood would just as soon shove you off a cliff if he saw you standing on the edge of one, as he would tell you you were in danger of a tumble. But say, get me a drink of water, will you? I’m as dry as an old crust after shoving at this bloomin’ rock.”
Ralph went toward the ponies, where the canteens hung to the saddle horns. But both were almost empty and as the creek was raging and roaring not far below him, he determined to go down to it and refill their water containers.
He found the creek much swollen by the rain, and racing and tumbling on its boulderous bed like a miniature torrent. But the water was clear and cold, and he took a long drink before refilling the canteens. This done, he pushed his way among the alders back toward the blocked-up cave.
All at once, off to the right, he heard the sound of hoofs and voices.
“Good enough,” thought the lad to himself, “here’s some one who can give us a hand to get out of this precious fix we’re in.”
He hurried forward, but the alders were thick and his hands were occupied so that his progress was slow. From time to time a whipping-back branch would slap him a stinging blow across the face, making it smart painfully.
So it was that he did not emerge into the clearing until the voices he had heard had grown quite close. In fact, the appearance of the boy with the canteens and the emergence of three horsemen into the clearing were simultaneous. But as Ralph beheld those horsemen his heart gave a quick, alarmed bound, and then sank into his boots.
They were Indians! Evidently they had just seen the tethered ponies of the white men and were discussing them with animation.
All three were mounted on wiry ponies. Two wore blankets and soft hats, with much patched trousers poking from under the folds of their gaudy wrappings. The third, who appeared to be some sort of a superior being, was garbed in an old frock coat, several sizes too large for him, and in his soft hat was stuck a long eagle feather, as if to symbolize his rank.