CHAPTER V

WHAT THE PICTURE WRITING TOLD

IT was with the utmost eagerness that the two boys studied the strange characters depicted on the strip of bark. The hand that had drawn them there must have been accustomed to the task, and doubtless the story the message was meant to tell could have been easily read by the eyes of any Indian.

Dick and his cousin had seen samples of this queer picture writing before that time, and understood how the Indians depend on the natural sagacity of a woodsman, whether red or white, to decipher the meaning of the various characters. (Note 3.)

"What can it all stand for?" demanded Roger, as he gazed blankly at the several lines of characters. "Perhaps we may have to call on some of the Mandans in the village to explain it to us."

"We will do that in the end, anyway," Dick said, "in order to make certain; but, if we look this over closely, right now, we may get an idea of what Beaver Tail meant by sending it."

"You don't think then, Dick, it was intended just as a greeting to us, so as to let us know the chief has not forgotten his young paleface brothers?"

"No, I feel sure it has a more serious meaning than that," the other declared. "In fact, Roger, something tells me it may be in the nature of a warning."

"A warning, Dick! Do you mean the Sioux chief wants us to tell Captain Lewis it will be all his life is worth to keep heading into the land of the West, now that spring has come?"

"I was thinking only of ourselves when I said that, Roger."

"And that the warning would be for our benefit, you mean? But, Dick! how could Beaver Tail, so far away from here, know of any danger that hung over our heads?"

"Let us examine the bark message, and perhaps we shall learn something that may explain the mystery. The first thing we see is what looks to be a man facing the sun that is half hidden by the horizon."

"Yes, that hedgehog-looking half circle is meant for the sun, I can see that. And, further along, we find it again, only on the left side of the man who is now creeping toward it. What do you make that out to be?"

"It is plain that one represents the rising, and the other the setting sun," Dick explained, with lines of deep thought marked across his forehead. "Now, an Indian always faces the north when he wants to represent the points of the compass, so it is plain that the first sun lies in the east."

"And he wanted us to know that this man was heading into the east first of all; is that what you mean, Dick?"

"Yes, and look closer at the figure, Roger. It is not intended to be an Indian, you can see, for he has a hat on his head. It strikes me we ought to know that hat, cleverly imitated here; what do you say about it?"

"Oh! it must be the odd-looking hat that French trader, François Lascelles, always wore, Dick. He means that it was toward the rising sun François started last fall, just as we know happened. And now here he is, again, the same hat and all, creeping straight toward the _setting_ sun. Does that mean the trader came back again, in spite of the warning Captain Lewis gave him?"

"I am sure it means that, and nothing else," replied the other, calmly. "Stop and think, Roger. Only a little while ago, we were wondering whether such a thing had come about, because we found reason to believe some member of the expedition had been hired to do us an injury. Yes, that bitter Frenchman has dared to return, believing that he can keep out of the reach of our protectors, and manage in some way to get his revenge."

"If that is what Beaver Tail is trying to tell us in this picture writing, Dick, the rest of the screed must simply go on to explain it a little further."

"You notice that the same figure with the hat occurs always," continued Dick, as he examined the message again. "Here is what must stand for a fire, and two persons are sitting beside it, as if cooking. In what seems to be a clump of bushes close by he has drawn that man again, this time lying flat."

"That must mean that François is spying on the pair by the fire," suggested Roger, "and as he has made both of them wear caps with 'coon or squirrel tails dangling down behind, I think they are meant to represent us."

"There can be no question about it," admitted the other, deeply interested. "And, going further, we see the snake in the grass creeping up as if he meant to surprise the two, who are now sleeping, for they lie flat on the ground."

"Yes, even the fire burns low, for there is hardly any blaze," added Roger, "which indicates that the hour is late. Why, Dick, we can read the story as easily as any sign in the woods we ever tackled."

"Then comes another scene," continued Dick, "where the creeper has evidently sprung with uplifted knife, upon his intended prey, taken unawares. After that, we can see him crawling away, and there are two figures lying stretched out on the ground close to the now dead fire. That needs no explanation, Roger; François Lascelles seeks our lives, because we baffled him in his scheme to win a fortune at the expense of our folks at home!"

The two boys looked at each other. Their eyes may have seemed troubled, but there was no sign of flinching about them. The lads had met too many perils in times past to shrink, now that they were face to face with another source of danger.

"Shall we keep on now for the camp, and show this message on the bark to Captain Lewis?" asked Roger.

"It would be the best thing to do, for he can advise us," his companion admitted. "Besides, he will surely order every one in the camp to keep an eye out for François Lascelles."

"We ought to take this brave with us, Dick, because he has come a long way, and is hardly fit to return without rest and food."

Once again did Dick endeavor to make the Sioux warrior comprehend what he wished him to do. He urged him to get upon his feet, then thrust an arm through that of the brave, after which he nodded his head, pointed to the north, made gestures as though feeding himself, and then started to walk away, still holding on to the other.

Of course it was easy for the Indian to understand that they wished him to accompany them to their camp, where he would receive food and attention. He simply gave a guttural grunt, nodded his head, and fell in behind Dick, after the customary Indian method of traveling in single file. Then they moved along, Roger bringing up the rear.

Little was said while they tramped onward, heading for the camp. Dick occupied himself with making sure that he held to the right direction. He also found much food for thought in the startling information that Beaver Tail had taken the pains to send all these miles to his young friends.

In due time they came in sight of the camp where the expedition had passed the preceding winter. Rude cabins had sheltered them from the cold and the snow, both of which had been quite severe in this northern latitude. Some distance beyond lay the Mandan village, always a source of deepest interest to the two boys. It contained so many strange things, and the lads had never become weary of trying to understand the ways of these "White Indians." (Note 4.)

Upon seeing the boys come in with a strange Indian in their company, many curious glances were cast in their direction. Going straight to the cabin where the two leaders of the expedition lived, the boys were fortunate enough to find Captain Lewis busily engaged in making up his log for the preceding day, though of course there was little that was new to record.

To the surprise of the boys the Sioux Indian produced another bark scroll from his ditty bag, which he handed to Captain Lewis. This fact convinced Dick that the brave must have been with the party in the fall, for he seemed to know that the white man he faced was the "big chief."

"What does all this mean, my boys?" asked the captain, looking puzzled.

"We met with an accident in the rapids, and had to swim out," replied Dick. "Then, on the way back to camp, we came upon this Sioux brave in a tree with a dozen hungry wolves jumping up at him. We chased the wolves off, and looked after his wounds, when to our surprise he handed us this message from his chief, Beaver Tail."

The captain examined the picture writing with considerable interest. He had been taking considerable pains since mingling with the Mandans to understand their ways, and this crude but effective method of communication had aroused his curiosity on numerous occasions.

"Read it to me, if you managed to make it out, Dick," he told the boy, who only too willingly complied.

The captain frowned upon learning that, despite his solemn warning, the French trader had returned to the neighborhood. That look boded ill for François Lascelles, should he ever have the hard luck to be caught in the vicinity of the camp.

The captain's own communication from the Sioux chief was merely meant for an expression of goodwill. Two figures, one plainly a Sioux chieftain, and the other a soldier, were seen to be grasping hands as though in greeting. Beaver Tail by this crude method of picture writing evidently intended to convey the meaning that he had not forgotten his friend, the white chief, and, also, that he had kept his word that the Sioux should remain on peaceful terms with the travelers.

"But you spoke of meeting with an accident in the rapids," Captain Lewis presently remarked. "That is something strange for clever boys like you to experience. Did you miscalculate the danger, or was it something that could not be helped?"

"We closely examined our buffalo hide canoe yesterday, and it was in perfect condition, Captain," said Dick. "Yet, with only a slight blow against a perfectly smooth rock, it split open, and we had to jump overboard. We managed to get through the rough water safely, and drew the damaged boat ashore. Imagine our surprise and consternation, sir, when we found that a sharp-pointed knife blade had been run along the bottom of the canoe, making a deep cut that had easily given way when we struck the rock."

"You startle me when you say that, Dick," remarked the captain, looking uneasy, though almost immediately afterward his jaws became set in a determined fashion, while his eyes gleamed angrily. "It must mean that we have a traitor in the camp; some one who has been bought by the gold of François Lascelles."

"That was what we began to fear, Captain," Dick continued, "and we believed it only right to let you know what happened to us. We hope you will send some of the Indians, and one of our men, for the canoe. It could be brought secretly to the camp and examined, without the guilty one knowing about it."

"A good idea, my boy, and one I shall act upon at once. Say nothing to a single soul concerning this outrage. If we expect to catch the traitor napping, he must not be put on his guard. But none of us could feel safe, knowing we had a snake in our midst. Depend upon it, the truth is bound to come out, and, when once we learn his identity, the traitor will be kicked out of the camp, if nothing worse happens to him."

With this assurance the two boys rested content. They knew Captain Lewis was a man of his word, and felt sure that the man who had sold his loyalty for a sum of money offered by the French trader would before long rue the evil day he allowed himself to be thus tempted.

Soon afterward they saw Captain Clark and his companion officer in conference, after which the former went over to the Mandan village, and, later on, vanished in the dense forest accompanied by two stalwart braves. They had gone, the boys knew to secure the hide canoe that told the story of treachery in the camp.