CHAPTER XVI

THE ESCAPE

THE two prisoners had been made to sit down, and were under constant surveillance. It would not have been possible for them to make any move looking to escape without being immediately detected. Dick realized the foolishness of such an attempt, and made no effort for the time being.

Those eyes of his noted everything that was going on around him, for he knew the time was approaching when utter darkness would come, and, if they expected to make a move, memory must take the place of sight.

Just as Roger had been hoping, the Indians cooked some of the venison, though in a primitive fashion. Numerous pieces, as they were sliced from the haunch, were impaled on the ends of long slivers of wood, and the latter thrust into the earth in such fashion that the meat received the full heat of the little fire.

Of course, when cooked it was also partly burned, but this made no difference to any one who was really hungry. The two boys were glad to receive their share of the venison, and devoured it eagerly.

"Of course they'll tie us up, as Indians always do their prisoners, Dick?" suggested Roger, while they were still munching at the food provided by their captors.

"There's no doubt about that," the other told him. "Already I have noticed one of the warriors looking over some long deerskin thongs, and then glancing in our direction. I think they are only waiting until we get through eating."

"Then for one I mean to keep at it as long as I can," affirmed Roger; "because I never did like the idea of being tied to a tree. I suppose that is what they mean to do with us, Dick."

"We'll soon know, Roger, and, now that I have the chance, I want to tell you about the little scheme I have in my mind."

"I wish you would!" hastily exclaimed the other; "and I hope it will turn out to be a success."

"You may remember," began Dick, "that I have hands that somehow I can double up into a very small compass. Many a time you've tried to fasten my wrists together to see if I could get my hands free, and in nearly every case I did the trick by stretching the thongs a little, and then slipping a hand out."

"Oh! now I begin to see what you hope to do, Dick; and, let me tell you, the skies look brighter already. I'm sure you can set your hands free, if only it doesn't stop at that."

"One step at a time, Roger; we mustn't expect to run before we can walk. Once my hands are loose, it will be a queer thing if in some way I fail to set both of us free. But here comes several of the Indians this way, as though they mean to trice us up. Better hurry and eat that last bit of meat, if you wouldn't lose it."

"I suppose I'd better," grumbled Roger, "but I don't see why they want to be in such a dreadful hurry about tying us up. Ugh! a whole night of standing against a tree is something I don't like at all."

It turned out just as Dick had said, for the Indians indicated by signs that they wished the two boys to stand up and back against a couple of trees that happened to grow close together.

From the way in which the deerskin thongs were used to tie the captives to the trees it was evident that the braves had had long practice at this art. When they had used up all the hide rope, Dick and Roger were indeed in a helpless position, being bound hand and foot.

"This is about as hard as anything we ever went through, Dick," remarked Roger, after the Indians had finished their task and left them there.

"Yes, that is very true, Roger, but I want to tell you that I can move one of my hands, and I'm starting to stretch this buckskin thong. After a short time I believe I can get my hands free."

"That's good news; and what next, Dick?"

"If only that brave doesn't happen to remember that he stuck his knife into my tree right here, and return to possess himself of it, why, don't you see how fortunate that is going to turn out for us?"

"A knife so close to your hands once you get them free--that would be simply glorious, Dick. And I'm going to keep hoping that warrior has no need for his blade during the whole night."

"I believe I can reach it," continued Dick, twisting his head around to take another look at the coveted weapon; "and if I do, one slash will cut this buckskin rope. After that, you can depend on me to jump over to your side. But keep on working your hands all you can, Roger, for the looser your bonds are the better in the end."

The night was by now closing in around them.

Some time before the fire had been carefully extinguished, water being thrown on the burning embers to hasten its end. Dick, still watching the actions of the Indians, soon saw they were taking extra precautions against a surprise. From all of the signs the boys concluded that these Dacotahs had good reason to fear the coming of the hostile war party.

"I've got an idea," he told Roger in following out this train of thought, "that not so very long back the Dacotahs must have made a raid on the lodges of the Shoshone tribe, and done more or less damage. Somehow they act to me as if guilty."

"And, Dick, if ever the two parties do clash, there will be a lively time of it, we can be sure," Roger in turn remarked. "These braves seem to be a picked lot, as far as I can tell, and ought to put up a good fight, even if outnumbered."

"While I've never watched a real battle between two war parties of Indians," observed Dick, "I must say I'm not dying with curiosity to see one. I only hope we have a chance to get away from here before it happens. And, Roger, another thing--I'm keeping an eye on that fellow who is carrying my gun. He has placed it, together with the powder-horn and bullet-pouch, on that log yonder, you notice."

"Now it is queer that I hadn't noticed such a thing, Dick!"

"Simply because you waste so much time bothering about our hard luck, when you might just as well be using eyes and ears to learn something worth while," the other boy told him. "Now, if only I can manage to snatch up my gun and other fixings when we leave here, it will make me happy, I can tell you."

The minutes dragged along slowly to the two boys. When an hour, and then two, had passed, Roger was beginning to complain again, for it was weary work being forced to stand in this way upon their feet.

By this time the Indians had ceased their low droning talk. Only one of them was still sitting there cross-legged, smoking his red clay pipe. Dick did not doubt that somewhere in the gloom one or two sentries, or videttes, had been posted, in order to guard against a surprise in every way possible, though of course he could not see the first sign of their presence.

Only the customary sounds of a summer night in the wilderness came to the ears of the captive pioneer boys. Most of these were very familiar to them, on account of their habit for years of spending nights out of doors.

Still, somehow, things did not seem quite the same as usual. It was different listening to the hoot of the owl, the croak of the night heron, the complaint of the tree-frog calling for more rain, or even the barking of a red fox somewhere in the forest, when tied up in this way, and facing such a gloomy outlook.

"Dick," whispered Roger, "isn't it nearly time?"

"Not yet," replied the other in the same cautious manner, "hold your horses, and have patience, Roger. Another hour or two must go by before I dare start in."

Poor impatient Roger groaned, and relapsed into silence again. Oh! how time did drag along. It seemed to the boy he would go fairly wild, waiting for something to break that terrible monotony.

There were no stars overhead by means of which they could tell how the night was wearing on. Dick had to resort to other means by which to mark the passage of time; still he knew fairly well when the hour of midnight approached.

Meanwhile Roger had finally fallen asleep, uncomfortable as his position was. Dick could just manage to see, by straining his eyes, that his chum's head had fallen forward upon his chest, as though tired Nature had overcome him.

Dick concluded that there was no use waiting any longer to put his plan into operation. Everything about the camp seemed silent, and, although he took a desperate chance, the boy believed he would gain nothing by further delay.

His initial act was to draw first one hand and then the other from the stretched buckskin thongs. Then turning as best he could he reached out toward the knife the Indian who had helped tie them to the tree had left sticking there, even with the boy's head.

What a thrill passed through Dick's whole frame as his eager hand touched that welcome blade. Its buckhorn handle, too, felt very familiar, and he was almost sure it would turn out to be the hunting-knife Roger valued so highly because of the associations connected with it.

As it possessed a keen edge, he found no difficulty in bending down and severing his bonds. After that he stopped and listened, but there was nothing to indicate that his actions had been discovered. The owl had commenced his mournful hooting again; and the tree-frog piped up louder than ever, Dick noticed with considerable satisfaction, for he hoped the sounds would muffle any slight noise he would chance to make.

Now he turned to set Roger free. He hoped in his heart that, upon being aroused, Roger would not utter an exclamation. With this possibility in mind Dick very cautiously crept over to the other tree.

He could hear Roger's heavy breathing, showing that the boy still slept. With great care Dick raised himself until he could put his lips close to the other's ear, when he whispered:

"Roger, wake up, but keep very still! I am going to cut your bonds now!"

The boy gave a great start, but fortunately he did not attempt to answer. He comprehended instantly what the situation was, and knew the necessity for silence.

Already Dick's hands were seeking for the deerskin thongs that bound the wrists of his comrade to the tree. As soon as he had made certain, the pressure of the sharp blade instantly severed the restraining cords and set Roger's hands free.

All that remained now was to do the same service with regard to the hide rope that went around Roger's waist, and then around his ankles further down. After that they could listen for a minute, to make sure they had not been heard, and then depart from the hostile camp on hands and knees, creeping stealthily along like a couple of snakes.

So far Dick's cleverly arranged plan had worked admirably. If the rest proved to be as easy of accomplishment they could congratulate themselves on having done a big thing, with credit to their education in the line of border cunning.

Dick had just finished severing the last of the bonds, and Roger was in the act of stepping forward, when something suddenly occurred that thrilled both boys to the heart, as well as put a different aspect on their method of hasty departure.

From some place back in the woods a little way a loud and singular whoop rang forth. Dick believed that it must be intended as a signal announcing an attack; for, hardly had it ceased to ring through the aisles of the forest, than a deafening chorus of wild yells rang forth, together with the rush of many bodies crashing through the underwood and advancing from every direction toward the camp of the Dacotahs.