tomorrow?”
“It’s not that easy,” Jim said. “It seems there are some Comanche war parties in that area. We want to try and avoid them. Now, if any of you want to go back to San Antonio in the morning, you are free to do so.”
The men laughed.
“Jim,” Turner said. “You just told us there was a mine out there that was going to make us all rich. Now you want to know if we want to leave? I don’t know about the others, but I’m with you.”
The other men nodded their agreement.
“Good.” Jim smiled. “Remember, there are Comanche war parties out there. Don’t go wandering off. Make sure somebody knows where you are all the time. Keep your eyes open. We cannot afford to be caught by surprise. Now let’s get to sleep. We have a long way to go tomorrow.”
The men rolled up in their blankets and were soon asleep. I watched the meat slowly cooking on the fire. The smell of the meat was making me awfully hungry. I walked over and tried to figure out how I could get that meat. Suddenly I had an idea. I jumped over the fire and grabbed the meat in my mouth. I landed on the other side of the fire and the meat fell to the ground. My tail was scorched, but otherwise I was not hurt. I lay next to the meat and waited for it to cool down. Soon I was eating the meat. It tasted as good as it smelled. Soon my stomach was full. I walked over next to Jim, lay down and went to sleep.
The next morning we were up early. We were riding toward San Saba before the sun had risen. The cool morning air felt good as we made our way across the prairie. The miles melted away and we were soon pausing on top of a small hill. Jim and the others looked around carefully, but there was no sign of any Indians. We rode on because Jim wanted to find a river to camp by that night. Late in the afternoon we found a small stream and made camp. The men’s spirits were high as they settled down to sleep.
A few days later, Jim thought we were getting close to San Saba. He called Turner and Rezin up beside him.
“I think we’ll leave the others in the oak grove. I want you to come with me while I check out the area.”
Soon we were riding across the prairie looking for signs of the lost mine. The men were talking and I was trotting ahead of them, sniffing the air and looking for a rabbit to chase. Suddenly I smelled something. I noticed that the horses were acting like they smelled it too. The men looked around, but there was nothing on the prairie except us. We rode on. The smell was becoming stronger. It smelled like horses and paint and sweat. The horses were looking around and trying to turn back. I had an uneasy feeling as we came to the top of a small hill. We stopped and looked down into the small valley.
As we looked into the valley I saw what I had been smelling. There on the valley floor was a large band of Comanche Indians riding their painted, sweating horses. They had been riding hard, tracking us. I looked up at Jim and the others. They were staring down at the Indians. The Indians did not seem to see us. I thought that if we were very quiet, we might be able to get off the hill and get back to the rest of our party. Jim and the others quietly turned their horses around and started down the hill.
I trotted along beside Jim. I thought we had gotten away from the war party when one of the Indians looked up on the hill and saw us. He gave a loud war cry, and I turned to see the Indians riding as fast as they could toward us. I turned and saw Jim and the other two men riding toward the oak grove. I chased after them as fast as I could run. Behind me I could hear the Indian war cries. An arrow stuck in the ground next to me. I ran faster. I looked past Jim. The oak grove looked very far away, and the Indians sounded really close.
Chapter Eleven
“Grampa. Did the Indians get you?” Princess snuggled next to the old dog.
“Course not,” Butch growled at her. “He wouldn’t be here telling the story if they had.”
The old
“It’s not that easy,” Jim said. “It seems there are some Comanche war parties in that area. We want to try and avoid them. Now, if any of you want to go back to San Antonio in the morning, you are free to do so.”
The men laughed.
“Jim,” Turner said. “You just told us there was a mine out there that was going to make us all rich. Now you want to know if we want to leave? I don’t know about the others, but I’m with you.”
The other men nodded their agreement.
“Good.” Jim smiled. “Remember, there are Comanche war parties out there. Don’t go wandering off. Make sure somebody knows where you are all the time. Keep your eyes open. We cannot afford to be caught by surprise. Now let’s get to sleep. We have a long way to go tomorrow.”
The men rolled up in their blankets and were soon asleep. I watched the meat slowly cooking on the fire. The smell of the meat was making me awfully hungry. I walked over and tried to figure out how I could get that meat. Suddenly I had an idea. I jumped over the fire and grabbed the meat in my mouth. I landed on the other side of the fire and the meat fell to the ground. My tail was scorched, but otherwise I was not hurt. I lay next to the meat and waited for it to cool down. Soon I was eating the meat. It tasted as good as it smelled. Soon my stomach was full. I walked over next to Jim, lay down and went to sleep.
The next morning we were up early. We were riding toward San Saba before the sun had risen. The cool morning air felt good as we made our way across the prairie. The miles melted away and we were soon pausing on top of a small hill. Jim and the others looked around carefully, but there was no sign of any Indians. We rode on because Jim wanted to find a river to camp by that night. Late in the afternoon we found a small stream and made camp. The men’s spirits were high as they settled down to sleep.
A few days later, Jim thought we were getting close to San Saba. He called Turner and Rezin up beside him.
“I think we’ll leave the others in the oak grove. I want you to come with me while I check out the area.”
Soon we were riding across the prairie looking for signs of the lost mine. The men were talking and I was trotting ahead of them, sniffing the air and looking for a rabbit to chase. Suddenly I smelled something. I noticed that the horses were acting like they smelled it too. The men looked around, but there was nothing on the prairie except us. We rode on. The smell was becoming stronger. It smelled like horses and paint and sweat. The horses were looking around and trying to turn back. I had an uneasy feeling as we came to the top of a small hill. We stopped and looked down into the small valley.
As we looked into the valley I saw what I had been smelling. There on the valley floor was a large band of Comanche Indians riding their painted, sweating horses. They had been riding hard, tracking us. I looked up at Jim and the others. They were staring down at the Indians. The Indians did not seem to see us. I thought that if we were very quiet, we might be able to get off the hill and get back to the rest of our party. Jim and the others quietly turned their horses around and started down the hill.
I trotted along beside Jim. I thought we had gotten away from the war party when one of the Indians looked up on the hill and saw us. He gave a loud war cry, and I turned to see the Indians riding as fast as they could toward us. I turned and saw Jim and the other two men riding toward the oak grove. I chased after them as fast as I could run. Behind me I could hear the Indian war cries. An arrow stuck in the ground next to me. I ran faster. I looked past Jim. The oak grove looked very far away, and the Indians sounded really close.
Chapter Eleven
“Grampa. Did the Indians get you?” Princess snuggled next to the old dog.
“Course not,” Butch growled at her. “He wouldn’t be here telling the story if they had.”
The old
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