Here, amidst the uproarious and triumphant shouts of his captors, a stout rope of buffalo-hide was produced, and preparations made for lowering the prisoner to the ledge.
Wild Nat looked on with grim stoicism. Well he knew the uselessness of expecting mercy at their hands. For years he had been a scourge among them, and though several times a prisoner, he had always managed to make his escape. His hatred of the Indians was intense; his vengeance unfailing.
After an uproarious tumult, the Wolf stepped forward and tied the buffalo-skin rope about his own waist. His companions then lowered him to the ledge, where he unfastened the rope, and it was drawn up. The trapper was then taken up, his bonds tightened and the rope tied about him, and, amid a hideous yelling, was swung off the cliff.
He landed at last on the ledge where the Wolf stood waiting. He detached the rope, and once more it was drawn up. The trapper’s weapons were next lowered, and the Wolf placed the tomahawk and knife in the prisoner’s belt and leaned the rifle against the rock, regarding him, meanwhile, with a mocking smile.
“Long-knife has his weapons,” he said; “he can shoot the antelope beneath him.”
“Blast ye, who cares?” retorted Wild Nat. “Think yer’ll tanterlize me, I s’pose, leavin’ ’em here; but yer won’t.”
“The Long-knife has killed his last warrior,” continued the Indian, exultingly. “He will take no more scalps. Long-knife is conquered; his carcass will be food for the vultures, and his bones will bleach in the suns of a hundred years.”
He fastened the rope about his waist, the trapper looking on in silence, and mentally cursing his fate.
“Ef I war only loose, I’d topple ye over,” he muttered. “I’ll bet thar ain’t a bird livin’ thet would dirty his bill with ye, ef ye war dead forty times.”
The Wolf gave the signal, and was slowly drawn up. The Indians then went to the plain below, where, in full view of the trapper, they executed their war-dance, and exulted savagely for the space of an hour, at the end of which time they mounted their horses and rode away.