Ben Ch 9

SEVERAL days after that first buffalo hunt, Captain Curtis halted his train for the night near the Platte. Very soon another covered wagon caravan drove up and made camp not far away. As Ben and Joe were helping drive their tired oxen down to the river, they met two boys who looked familiar.

"Why hello!" exclaimed Joe. "It's Fred and Will!"

"Well, here we are again," returned Fred, "watering our cattle the way we did in the old Mississippi."

"And crossing the plains together," added Ben. "Had any buffalo hunts?" asked Joe.

"Yes -- a few days ago our men killed six," said Fred. "Have you?"

"We got five 'bout the same time," said Ben.

"Seen any Injuns yet?" asked Will.

"No; have you?"

"Not one; but Father says we might see some any day now. I'm glad I didn't run into any the other night, when I was bringing lazy old Spot there into camp."

"What happened?" asked Joe.

"Oh, the trifling old ox just hid from us," said Fred. "Will was left behind to find and fetch him along."

"Tell us 'bout it, Will," urged Ben.

"Well, all day I noticed he was shirking in my team, not pulling as he should. I felt sure he was up to some trick. When I told the night herders to keep close watch on him they said they would; but they didn't.

"Next morning Spot was missing. Father wanted one of the herders to hunt him; but Captain said I'd better do it. So Mother put up a lunch for me, and I took the herder's saddle pony to find the lost ox.

" 'He's probably somewhere on that island in the Platte,' said the herder; 'That's where we grazed the cattle last night.'

"I crossed a shallow part of the river and began to ride slowly round the island. It was covered with tall grass and willows, with some trees. For all I knew there might have been Injuns, too," said Will.

"Weren't you seared?" asked Joe.

"'Course I was; but I was thinking about Spot. We needed him.

"Noon came and no ox. I ate my lunch and gave the pony a chance to graze.

"Then I started to hunt again, going round and round the island in smaller and smaller circles. At last, just before sundown, up came old Spot out of some tall grass and willows."

"I'll bet you were glad " said Joe.

"Yes - glad and mad," returned Will. "I got to him quick as I could and started the old truant across the river. When we got on the wagon trail again, I kept prodding him fast as he would go along; but it took nearly all night to catch up with the train."

"You must'a been nervous 'bout Injuns, in the dark," said Ben.

"Yes - and wolves. When they howled, it didn't sound good."

"Did you have a gun?"

"No, just my blackwhip. I had to keep using that on old Spot to keep him moving."

"He deserved a whipping all right for trying to trick you," added Joe.

What about your folks?"

"Mother worried herself ill. Father and the Captain were on their horses before daylight starting to find me. Then, over the hill I came with old Spot."

"What did they say?"

"Oh, the Captain praised me for staying with it. Father just said, 'I'd rather you had left the old ox to the wolves, my boy, than take that risk.'

"'But we need Spot, Father', I said. "It was surely good luck no Injuns were prowling round that time," added Ben.

Indians did appear - a good many of them - as the pioneer caravans rolled on up the North Platte. None of the redmen molested the travelers, however, so long as they were given no cause. Occasionally a few of the Indians came to the white folks' camp to "swap" buck-skins, moccasins or other articles for flour, knives, kettles, or whatever else the pioneers might have to spare.

"Be careful," cautioned Captain Curtis. "Treat them fairly. And, parents keep close watch over your children. Let them do no trading."

This good advice, for the most part, was heeded. One failure to follow it, however, brought on some serious difficulty, almost a tragedy.

Just for smartness, a certain boy of the train, called Dick, tried a silly trick. Pointing to his pretty ten-year old sister Rachel, he said to an Indian, "How much you give?"

"Ponies," said the Indian, holding up an outspread hand. This meant five.

"No," said Dick, "too little."

The Indian held up both hands outspread.

"Ten ponies - all right," said Dick laughing.

With that the redman rode away.

"That silly stuff might bring trouble," said Ben's father. "Injuns don't understand our jokes."

Next morning the Indian and several companions, all armed, came with the ten ponies to trade. Excitement swept over the camp. Frightened little Rachel was quickly hidden in one of the wagons. Dick was seared white at the serious turn of his folly.

Captain Curtis quietly took command of the situation. He told women and children to keep within the wagons, parked in a circle for protection. Word was passed for the men to have their guns ready. Then calmly the pioneer leader began to talk with the Indians through an interpreter.

"The boy was foolish," said the Captain; "he had no right to trade way his sister. Her parents would not give her for a hundred ponies."

Anger was in the faces of the Indians. They came to trade. "White men double tongues," said the owner of the ponies.

To settle the matter, Captain Curtis finally told him he would make them some presents. This promise brought friendlier looks from the redmen. Gifts were brought from the various wagons. Then Dick, pale and trembling, was made to pass the kettles, knives and other articles to each of the Indians. This was to help cure him of smartness.

After that the Captain shook hands with them; and with some friendly "how-bows" they rode away along the trail. It was with real relief that the pioneers drove on that morning.