The Wolf Hunters: A Story of the Buffalo PlainsPeck, Robert Morris
General
The Wolf Hunters: A Story of the Buffalo Plains
Peck, Robert Morris
Frontier and pioneer life -- Kansas; Hunting -- Kansas
"He say, 'Maybe so you lie,'" said Joe, making the sign of the forked
tongue; then continued, "Any mans in casa--house?" nodding toward the
dugout.
"Yes," I replied.
Apparently wishing to see the inside of our house--or to get the drop
on me in some way--after a few more words between them, Joe said:
"He say: 'White man come to Kiowa's camp Kiowa feed him. Satank he
hungry. Want to go in casa, eat with white man--be good amigos.'"
I replied:
"Food all gone. Pardners gone with wagon to bring some buffalo meat.
Tell him to come again when pardners get back. I'll give him plenty to
eat."
Of course, Satank did not believe this, and I did not care. I wished
to stand him off, for I was determined that he should get no closer
inspection of our situation than he already had. I felt sure that he
had a party of his warriors close about--probably in hiding in the
timber--and that he had come on a spying tour.
Satank evidently recognized me as one of the actors in an episode that
took place at Fort Wise when I was in the service, and asked a number
of questions about it. To all these I replied by denying any knowledge
of the event. The interpreter said, however:
"He say: 'You can't fool him. He know you.'"
I was in dread all the time that they might lift their eyes to the
upland prairie in the direction of Fort Larned, where our white-covered
wagon was still in plain view; but a little swell of the prairie hid it
from them.
After exchanging a few more words in their own language, Joe turned to
me and said:
"Adios, good-by, señor. We go--vamose."
Backing away a few steps, they turned off around the butt of our
haystack, and made for the crossing of the ravine just above our
dugouts. Here they examined the ground closely, evidently looking for
fresh tracks of our wagon and mules to see which way they had gone.
As soon as they crossed the ravine I returned to my station on the
dirt roof of our dugout where I could watch their movements. When they
reached the higher ground and our Fort Larned trail the fresh tracks of
the team gave them their clew. Pointing to the fresh signs, Satank's
eyes followed the course of the trail until he caught sight of the
wagon in the distance, just as it seemed to reach the crest of the high
prairie about three miles away. With an excited exclamation he pointed
out his discovery to his companion, and then mounting rode off at a
lively gait.
I conjectured that Satank would either pursue the wagon or bring his
men to attack my position--probably both. In either case it was of
the utmost importance that I warn my comrades, which now seemed an
impossibility; and while fretting at my helplessness I looked down at
Found, at my feet, and the inspiration came.
"Good!" I shouted, "I'll send the dog!"
Rushing down into the cabin I seized a piece of paper and hastily wrote
on it:
_Look out for Satank and his gang! They are after you! I am O. K.,
so far._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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