Part 18 (1/2)
”I left un in th' tilt by th' first lake above th' river Shad were steerin', an' he weren't thinkin' t' use his'n,” Bob explained
”In th' first tilt above th' river?” Ed repeated ”We were in th'
tilt, now, dick, e coh, an' there weren't any rifle there Rope an' tent an' other outfit, but no rifle”
”No, there weren't none there,” corroborated dick and Bill
”Now, 'tis strange,” said Bob ”I left un there, didn't I, Shad?”
”Yes, you certainly left it there, on the rear bunk,” Shad affir, and they were never to learn the truth, for Manikawan, on her return journey for the ropes, had replaced the rifle exactly as she had found it, and none but herself ever knew the part she had played in the river tragedy
While Manikawan rested in the tilt, and Bill Caans for supper, dick Blake and Ed Matheson in Manikawan's canoe, and Bob and Shad in Shad's canoe, left upon a reconnoitering expedition to the tilt fro on the day of the Indian attack
They had no fear now of an Indian surprise, since Ed Matheson had observed the retreat of the savages to the southern shore, and they proceeded boldly to their destination
As anticipated, the tilt had been rifled of its contents, chiefly flour and pork The tilt itself, however, had not been burned, and was otherwise undisturbed
”They was thinkin', now, t' have un an' t' use un theirselves when they comes here t' hunt, th' winter,” declared Ed ”They thinks Bob an' Shad's done for Unless they gets scairt out by th' ha'nts in th'
water--”
”The what?” asked Shad
”Th' ghosts or spirits they thinks is there They's wonderful easy scairt, Injuns is Oh, I knows th' Injuns; I been havin' trouble with un before”
”When was you havin' trouble with Injuns, now?” asked dick sceptically
”More'n once,” said Ed ”There were th' time, now, I comes t' my tilt an' finds a hull passel o' Mountaineers--they wan't friendly in them days, th' Bay Mountaineers wan 't--so many they eats up a hull barrel o' my flour t' one ust, ”you been tellin' that yarn so 'in”
”'Tis gospel truth--” Ed began
”'Tis no kind o' truth”
”Well, an' you don't want t' hear un, I won't tell un,” said Ed, with an air of injured innocence
”'What was it, Ed, that happened you?” asked Shad, laughing, for he had learned to know the peculiarities of these two friends
”dick's not wantin' t' hear un, Shad He gets all ruffled up when I tells o' soer'n any he ever has
I won't tell un noould make he feel bad, an' I don't want t'
nanimity ”But there were another time--I'll tell you o' this, Shad, an' dick don't o ahead an' yarn, if you wants to! But th' Lard'll strike you dead some day, Ed, for lyin';” and dick turned toward the canoes in disgust
”Now dick's et over un”