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To Win or to Die: A Tale of the Klondike Gold Craze, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 36. By The Skin Of His Teeth |
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_ CHAPTER THIRTY SIX. BY THE SKIN OF HIS TEETH Aided by Scruff, a fairly correct line was made for the forsaken sledge, the dog seeming to know exactly what was wanted, and preventing them from over-running the spot where it had been left. This was the only thing they dreaded, for the track was--through not being beaten--almost obliterated again and again by falls of snow; but it was tolerably familiar now, the winding creek and the edge of the scrubby forest forming pretty good guides. It was still very dark when they reached the place, Scruff uttering a low snuffling whine; but it was not easy to find a small object like a briar wood pipe. "Must have been somewhere here I dropped it," said Tregelly. "If it was daylight I should see it directly on the white snow. Better light the lantern, I suppose." "It would be like inviting a shot from Redbeard if he is near." "Think so, my son?" said Tregelly thoughtfully. "He would be almost sure to make for his old lair." "My old lair, you mean, my son." "Well, your old lair, then." "Yes, it do seem likely," said the big fellow, rubbing his ear. "Giving him such a chance to aim at us. Yes, it won't do; but I must find that pipe. Look here, s'pose I go up to my hut and see if he's there." "Do," said Dallas, "and we'll go with you and trap him if he is there." "Hoomph!" grunted Tregelly. "I'm feared there won't be any trapping, my sons. If he's there he won't be took without a hard fight. Hadn't you two better let that be till the other fellows come back? Then we could lay siege to him and finish him off for it must come to that." "We are three to one," said Dallas quietly. "It seems cowardly to wait for more." "Dunno," said their companion. "He don't fight fair, or I'd tackle him myself. You see, he aren't a man; he's a savage beast. Look here, we've got the sledge; let's take it on. I'll go without my pipe." "No; you shall not," said Dallas. "Let's go to the hut. He may not be there. Perhaps fled far enough." "I dunno, my son. He'd run when he was beat for his old shelter, and I don't like making you two run bad risks just because I want a pipe o' bacca." "We do not look at it in that light, Bob," said Dallas firmly. "This man is our mortal enemy, who seems determined to have our lives out of revenge, and it is our duty to save those lives at his expense. After what has passed I look upon him as a sort of human tiger whose claws must be drawn. Let's take this opportunity of capturing the brute. We'll go together and draw his fire; or perhaps we shall be able to see and disable him without his being able to do us any mischief." Tregelly shook his head solemnly. "Chaps like that, with their lives in their hands, are all eyes, and when they aren't all eyes they're all ears. I don't like this business, my sons; but what you say's quite right, and I can't help feeling that we've got a chance at him now, and the dark may help us; while if he's gone back there and roused up the fire I can make sure of him. There, it's got to be done, and if we leave it the job may be worse." "Yes, perhaps much." "That's so, my son. We shall have to go about with the knowledge that that fellow's always close at hand, marking us down for a shot." "Better seize this opportunity," said Abel hoarsely. "I feel as if we may master him now." "What do you say, Mr Dallas?" asked Tregelly. "I say as my cousin does. Let's try." "Good, then, we'll go; on'y mind this, my sons: we're going because it's our dooty." "Of course." "Not because I want a pipe." "No; you have already proved that you do not wish to be selfish," said Dallas, "so come on." "Nay, I'll lead, my sons," cried the big fellow. "It's my shanty, and I know every step of the way. You'd go right up to the door, and he'd have first chance of a shot. That won't do for me. We must get first chance, and make him shoot at random, which means at nothing at all. Now then, follow me. Don't fire unless you get a good chance." "But what is your plan, Bob?" said Dallas eagerly. "Get him to fire, my son, and then go at him before he has time to load again." The lantern was left with the sledge, and with every nerve now upon the strain the two young men followed their sturdy companion, who gave them but few words as to their proceedings. "Don't be in a hurry to fire," he said, "but when you get your chance, let him have it. Now, tread softly, and come on." The distance was comparatively short, and Abel's heart beat fast and loud, as, upon passing through a thick clump of pines, there in front of them shone the light of a wood fire through the open door of Tregelly's hut. The owner stopped short and whispered. "He's there," he said; "the fire has been made up." "But he must have been and gone," said Dallas. "The door is wide open." "His artfulness," said the Cornishman. "It's so as he can hear our coming, and to throw dust in our eyes. He's there, or else outside waiting for us, so look out." They crept cautiously on, abreast now and hand on trigger, ready to fire at a moment's notice, front, right, or left, from wherever the danger appeared; but the icy snow crackled beneath their heavy boots, in spite of every care, and when they were about thirty yards from the open door they stopped short, feeling that the better way would be to step boldly forward, for their approach must have been heard. But still Tregelly hesitated, feeling, as he did, that the peril was very great for them to advance into the light thrown from the open door, when the result would probably be a repetition of his own shot a few hours before. "Open out," he whispered suddenly, "and keep away from the light. I'll take the right side; you two take the left, and when I whistle we'll all rush in together." It was no time for disputation. Tregelly was leader, and Dallas and Abel felt it to be their duty to obey. Striking off, then, to the left into the shadow, which looked intensely black by contrast, they had one glimpse of Tregelly's huge form, and then the broad band of ruddy light from the door cut off everything, while well upon their guard they approached nearer and nearer, feeling that Tregelly must be nearing the building at about the same rate. It was a task which, in spite of the extremely short distance, made Dallas breathe hard, and feel as if he were going through some great exertion, before he was so close that he could nearly touch the rough trunks which formed the wall, the thick thatching of pine-boughs stretching out like the roof of a verandah, so that the darkness seemed more intense where they stood waiting for the signal which seemed as if it would never come. And as Dallas stood in the deep silence the popping and crackling of the burning wood came out of the open doorway sharp and clear, while it seemed to him that Abel's breath sounded as hoarse and loud as that of one in a deep sleep. At last! a clear, sharp, chirruping trill, and Abel and Tregelly darted into the light as if urged forward by the same spring, while Dallas stood for the moment petrified--unable to stir. For from the upright logs close to which he stood a great hand seemed to dart out, holding him fast, while simultaneously another hand struck him a tremendous blow upon the shoulder. He closed with his assailant, but the next moment he was hurled to the ground. As, half-stunned by his fall, Dallas struggled to his feet, there was a heavy trampling heard as of one escaping in the darkness over the snowy ground, and at the same moment Tregelly and Abel appeared at the door in the full light of the fire. "Where are you, lad?" shouted the former. "Here, here!" panted Dallas. "Hah!" cried Tregelly. "Fire, my lad, fire!" Two more shots rang out in the direction of the retiring steps, with the result that there was a sudden cessation of the sounds; but directly after two more shots were fired out of the darkness, and a couple of bullets whistled through the open doorway. In an instant Tregelly and Abel sprang to right and left, and fired again in the direction of the flashes they had seen. "Missed him!" growled Tregelly, as the faint sound of retreating steps was again heard. "He's too many for us. Don't fire, my lads. Waste of powder and shot. How was it, Mr Dallas?" There was no reply, Dallas standing close by breathing hard, with his hand pressed upon his shoulder. "Are you there, Dal?" cried Abel anxiously, for his cousin was invisible in the darkness. "Yes, yes, I'm here," said Dallas, in a strange tone of voice. "What is it, my son?" cried Tregelly anxiously. "I'm afraid I'm hurt," said Dallas, stooping to recover his rifle. "He struck me on the shoulder with his right hand, and the place is numbed. I can feel nothing there but a smarting pain; but it bleeds, and the cloth is cut." Tregelly caught him up in his arms as if he were a child, bore him into the hut, threw him on the bed, and tore off his jacket so as to expose the place to the light. "Yes, he has knifed you, my son," said Tregelly hoarsely; "but it's a mere scratch. He meant it, though, but reached over a bit too far." "You are saying this to calm me," said Dallas excitedly. "He struck me a tremendous blow." "Yes, my son; but it must have been with his wrist. I'm not cheating you. It's the simple truth. It isn't worth tying up." "Thank God!" sighed Dallas. "I suppose I'm a bit of a coward, but the horror of it made me feel sick as a dog." "Such a crack as he must have given you would have made me feel sick, my son. Did it knock you down?" "No; I closed with him, but he tripped and threw me heavily." "Well, that would make you feel sick, my son, without anything else. Here, on with your jacket again, and let's get out into the darkness. It's like asking the beggar to come and pot us, standing here." They hurried out directly after, to stand listening; but all was still. "Now then," said Tregelly, "we'd best get the sledge and make our way home; but what do you think of my gentleman now? Oughtn't we to scrunch him like one would a black beetle?" "Yes," said Abel fiercely, "and the first time we can. But where's the dog? Can that be he in the distance?" A faint baying sound, followed by what sounded like revolver shots, several in succession, was heard. Then once more all was still for a few moments, when the firing began again. _ |
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