He crouched back among the alders, wondering[209] if Jim was aware of what was going forward outside the blockaded cave. So far the Indians had not seen him, and Ralph was not particularly anxious that they should.
CHAPTER XXII. AN ENCOUNTER WITH BLOODS.”
The Indians appeared to be in no hurry, and from the fact that the carcass of a deer lay across the back of one of their ponies Ralph judged that they were a hunting party. But the appraising glances that they cast at the tethered ponies were by no means reassuring.
They looked about them cautiously for a time, and exchanged some hasty words in their guttural dialect. Then the one who wore the odd-looking frock coat and the eagle feather slipped from his pony and approached those that were tied.
It was high time to interfere apparently; but still Ralph hung back. Unarmed as he was, he was unwilling to show himself until actual necessity called for it. But when the frock-coated[211] Indian deliberately began to unknot the tie ropes of their ponies his intention was only too plain and the boy cast all prudence aside.
Hey, you, let go of that pony!” he exclaimed, coming out from the shelter of the alders.
The Indian started and turned, and his two companions did the same. For a minute they were considerably startled, for red coats” (mounted police) occasionally rode through that part of the country.
But when they saw that it was only a boy who faced them, they quickly recovered their composure.
Hullo, white boy,” said the one that appeared to be the leader, speaking a dialect that cannot be reproduced on paper. Hullo, white boy, what you want, eh?”
I want you to leave those ponies alone,” spoke back Ralph boldly, they belong to me and my partner.”
[212]
That so, eh? Well, we take them ’long small piece, savee?”
The rascal coolly bent over the rope and went on unfastening it. Ralph was, for a minute, at a loss what to do. Then he bethought himself of Jim in the cave.
Jim! oh, Jim!” he cried shrilly.
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