CHAPTER III.
ARCHIE MAKES A TRADE.
The last time we saw the Sportsman’s Club, as we have already said—when we speak of the Club now we include all our friends who left Bellville in the Stranger for a voyage around the world—they were located in their camp a short distance from Fort Bolton, having just been joined by Dick Lewis and old Bob Kelly, the famous trappers, who held so high a place in the estimation and affections of Frank and his cousin Archie. All our friends now, from the old sailor down, had a warm place in their hearts for them, for it was by their assistance that Walter had been rescued from the most dangerous situation in which he had ever been placed.
It was not likely that the Club would ever forget the thrilling adventures through which they had so recently passed. If they desired to bring them more vividly to mind, all they had to do was to go up to the Fort and take a look at the outlaws, who were there confined in irons and under guard, or ride down the gully to Potter’s rancho, where the final scenes in the drama had been enacted.
The Club never grew tired of visiting the rancho. They spent many an hour there, exploring every nook and corner of the building, and more than one article of plunder which had there been secreted, did they find and give into Colonel Gaylord’s possession. Everything that had fallen to the share of Dick Lewis and old Bob had been carefully preserved, and was also given into the charge of the commandant, to be returned to its lawful owners, if they should ever be found. Each boy retained a few things of no particular value, to remind him of the robber band, and Frank kept the horse Potter had presented to him. He told the colonel how he came by him, and the colonel said it was all right. Frank had borne a prominent part in the exciting scenes that had transpired during the last few days, and the colonel probably thought it no more than right that he should be allowed to keep the horse, as a small reward for his services.
This horse was the occasion of a spirited controversy and rivalry, which straightway arose between the cousins, and was similar to that which had taken place when they first came upon the prairie, years ago. Frank thought much of his new acquisition, which was really a magnificent animal, and boasted of his qualities, while Archie made light of them, challenged him to a race, and was badly beaten for his pains. Then Archie borrowed every fast horse about the Fort that he could hear of, and ran him against the black, which left them behind, one and all, so easily that it was really provoking. Even Dick’s fine nag, the one Frank had stolen out from under the rifles of the herders, and which his owner declared could not be beaten by anything that stood on four feet, was distanced, and Archie, Eugene and Featherweight—of course these two sided with Archie in everything—laid their heads together and declared that something must be done. What that something was that ought to be done they could not make up their minds, until one day Eugene, who was strolling about the Fort, examining everything there with as much interest as though he had never seen it before, accidentally overheard a conversation between Frank and Lieutenant Gaylord which suggested something to him. There had been a race that morning between the cousins, Archie being mounted on Dick’s horse, in which Frank as usual came out ahead, and he and the lieutenant, who were fast friends, were having a hearty laugh over it.
“That’s a fine animal of yours, Nelson,” said the young officer, “but there never was a horse yet so swift that some other couldn’t beat him. I know where there are two, and I can put my hand on one of them almost any day, which can take him down in a mile race, as easily as falling off a log.”
“Where are they?” asked Frank.
“One of them belongs to a one-eyed Indian who comes to the Fort occasionally. He is a mouse-colored animal, spotted all over with white, and looks odd enough at a distance; but he is pretty when you get close to him, and is as fleet as an antelope.”
“And the other?”
“He belongs to father; but he doesn’t do him much good, seeing that he has not set eyes on him for three months.”
“Was he stolen?” asked Frank.
“No; he escaped and joined a drove of wild horses.”
“Then there is no danger that Archie will get hold of him.”
“None whatever.”
“And how about this Indian’s horse? Couldn’t he buy him?”
“No. There isn’t an officer about the fort who has not tried to purchase him, but the owner will not sell him. These Indians know a good horse when they see him as well as a white man does. They are like the Arabs. They will sell any of their old hacks, but their best stock they keep for their own use.”
This was all Eugene could catch of the conversation, but it was quite enough to set him to thinking. He hurried back to the camp, to find Fred and Archie, and taking them off on one side, told them what he had heard.
“I only hope that horse will come about while we are here,” said Archie.
“So do I,” replied Eugene. “We’ll try our best to buy him. It is no sign that we should fail because others have done so. We may have something the Indian wants.”
“Look there!” said Bob, suddenly calling to the three friends. “Isn’t that a queer colored blanket that man has spread over his horse?”
The boys looked and saw a horseman riding toward the fort. A closer examination revealed the fact that he was an Indian; and a still closer inspection of the animal he rode satisfied them that what Bob had supposed to be a blanket, was not a blanket after all. It looked more like a leopard skin. Bob was the first to discover his error, or at least to speak of it.
“I declare,” said he, as the Indian drew nearer, “I believe the spots are in the horse!”
“I know they are,” whispered Eugene, excitedly. “Now if the man on his back is a one-eyed Indian, he’s the very fellow we’re looking for. Let’s go and see.”
The boys walked rapidly toward the Fort, but before they reached it the Indian had dismounted at the gate, where he was joined by Frank and Lieutenant Gaylord. The former seemed to be very much interested in the horse. He gave him a good looking over, passed his hands over his sleek skin, felt his legs, examined his mouth, and then put his hands into his pockets and stood off again and looked at him. His actions were enough to satisfy Archie and his two friends that they had not been mistaken in the horse. They slackened their pace and loitered along, to give Frank and the lieutenant time to finish their examination and get out of the way, and when they saw them go into the Fort they ran up and accosted the Indian. He had one eye and consequently, as Eugene declared, must be the man they wanted to see.
“Hallo, uncle,” said Featherweight. “That’s an odd-looking beast you’ve got there.”
“Me chief, no uncle,” said the Indian.
“Ah! all right. You Indians put one in mind of Artemas Ward’s military company, you’re all officers. I’ve never seen one of you yet who did not claim to be a chief. Where did you get him?”
“Injun raise him,” replied the owner of the horse.
“He isn’t good for much, is he? He looks as though he were made up of three or four horses of different colors.”
“He good as three, four, half dozen,” said the Indian. “Keep good.”
“You don’t care about selling him, do you?”
“Well, s’pose Injun sell, what you give?”
“O, I don’t want him,” said Fred. “I’ve got one that just suits me.”
“I have a horse I’ll trade for him,” said Archie. “How much boot will you give me? I know he is good, for I rode him all the way from Salt Lake City.”
“Where he?” asked the Indian, looking around.
“O, he’s down at the camp.”
“S’pose you let Injun see him.”
“All right, I will.”
Archie walked off, whistling as he went, and acting altogether very unconcerned; but he was in reality highly excited. The Indian talked as if he might possibly be induced to trade, and the prospect of owning a horse that could beat his cousin’s, was enough to put Archie in the best of spirits. He caught his nag, which was feeding near the camp, saddled and bridled him, and rode back to the Fort. He found his friends waiting for him on the other side of the stockade, where they had taken the Indian and his horse, so that Frank, if he should happen to come out, should not see what was going on. They intended to make the trade, if they could, and surprise him.
“There’s a horse for you, chief,” said Featherweight, as Archie rode up and dismounted. “If he isn’t a good one I never saw one.”
A grunt was the only reply the Indian made. Whether it was intended to express contempt, or something else, the boys did not know. He gave Archie’s horse a good looking over, while the owner and his companions stood near, calm and indifferent to all outward appearance, but really very anxious, and impatient to hear his decision.
“Well, speak up,” said Eugene, as the Indian, having completed his examination, stepped back to take a general survey of the horse. “Will you trade?”
“You got blanket?” asked the savage.
“O, we’re not going to give you more boot than you can carry away—you may depend on that,” said Featherweight.
“I wouldn’t mind throwing in a pair of blankets,” said Archie.
“Good?” asked the Indian.
“Yes, they’ll be good. Not a hole in them.”
“And to make you feel a little better over it, perhaps we’ll add a pipe or two and some tobacco,” said Eugene.
“Five pounds?”
“Yes; we’ll say five pounds.”
“You got six-shooter short-gun?”
No, Archie was quite sure he had no revolver that he could spare. He had but two, and he might need them before he saw home again. But Eugene suggested that he might purchase a second-hand weapon of the sutler, and after some debate the point was conceded.
The bargaining thus commenced continued for nearly half an hour, the Indian showing himself as smart as any Yankee in a trade, sticking to his points with so much pertinacity that the boys were obliged to yield to every one of them, and finally Archie left his companions in high glee and walked into the Fort. When he came out again, a few minutes afterward, he carried a pair of blankets over his arm, an army revolver in his hand, and his pockets were filled with tobacco, powder, lead, cartridges, pipes and knives. The Indian critically examined every article as it was passed over to him, and then after shifting his saddle to the back of Archie’s horse mounted and rode off, leaving Archie holding fast to his new purchase and looking first at one and then at the other of his companions, who were so highly elated that they could scarcely restrain their glee until the Indian was out of hearing.
“We did it,” said Featherweight, who was the first to speak.
“And so easily, too,” added Eugene. “You got him cheap, Eugene, if he is as good as the lieutenant says he is. Your old horse cost you seventy-five dollars in Salt Lake, and the articles you bought of the sutler, being all second-hand, could not have cost you much more than twenty dollars. Ninety-five dollars is little money for a good horse.”
Archie drew a long breath and looked at his nag with an expression of great satisfaction on his face, which, however, quickly changed to a look of anxiety as a disagreeable thought intruded itself upon him.
“Fellows,” said he, “perhaps this isn’t the horse we want at all. I have my suspicions. That Indian parted with him almost too willingly.”
“Eh?” exclaimed Eugene. “O no, that can’t be. The lieutenant said the horse was mouse-colored and covered all over with white spots, and that his owner was a one-eyed Indian.”
“But if there should happen to be two mouse-colored horses about the Fort and two one-eyed Indians,” said Fred, dolefully, “why then——”
“And another thing,” continued Eugene, when Featherweight paused, “didn’t we see Frank and the lieutenant looking at this very horse while we were on our way from the camp? That meant something, according to my way of thinking.”
“If I have been cheated,” said Archie, “I shall never hear the last of it.”
“But you haven’t been cheated,” said Eugene. “Lend me the horse for about five minutes, and you and Fred stay here till I come back. I’ll soon settle the matter.”
Archie’s saddle and bridle were quickly put upon the mustang, and then Eugene mounted him and rode around an angle of the stockade into the gate.