Chapter XIII: A Dubious Prospect

The curiosity of the camp was now turned toward the piece of cooked scamperer. It must be remembered that eating and drinking, to an uncivilized people, is a matter of the first interest, and it is so the more that the getting of food of any kind is often a business of great labor and trouble.

They crowded around the whitened and (to them) strange-looking piece of flesh, and begged the chief for some trial morsels. He gave each a small piece, and tried one himself.

“I like it,” immediately declared one young man.

“I call it rather flat,” said an older one.

The veteran Stone-arm ate his piece in silence.

“What do you think of it?” the chief asked him.

“Not very bad as to the taste, but I am not so sure about it on some other accounts,” he answered. “If we were to eat it right along we might grow delicate, and perhaps lose our strength and vigor. I think it would be safer to go on in the old way, and not risk experiments.”

This opinion was indorsed by several others, all, however, middle-aged or oldish people. Some of the younger ones thought the cooking an improvement, and were for treating more meat in the same way. They had meanwhile put a little salt on one piece, and those who tried it declared that it tasted much better than the raw meat. They also told Stone-arm that he was prejudiced, and had no reason to give for his fears.

This was pretty evidently true; even if he were right he could not at this time know that he was, for he had not yet had the experience. Nevertheless, the old man would not take back anything, or say that he might not be right, but instead (there was a little of our common human nature here) he maintained his idea with the more positiveness. In fact, he had not been really positive at first, but now he seemed to be. His main argument was that cooked meat was not natural meat, and that any departure from nature was dangerous. To this, again, the others answered that they already bruised and water-soaked some of the roots they ate, and that some had also found it agreeable and resulting in no harm to bury a piece of very bloody meat for a while in hot sand.

Finding himself worsted, the old man began to lose his temper, and was starting to retort with true savage bluntness and directness, when the chief broke in.

“We have got more important things to do,” he said, “than to wrangle. We should be planning the work for the morrow. Stone-arm, I want your advice about extending the covered way.”

This broke up the discussion which, indeed, might have led to something unpleasant, if not serious, and the principal warriors went aside with Big-axe, and joined in considering the plans for the future work.

But it was soon clear that even some of the older fighting men were beginning to think that perhaps the chief was overcautious. As time went by it looked less and less likely that the Fishers would trouble them, and it really did seem as if they might dispense with a part of the hard labor. They were already in a good state of defence, they thought.

Big-axe soon discovered the feeling, and this time he determined to answer them with something more than mere belief and opinion. He decided to send out a scouting party. “Yes, to the very neighborhood of the Fisher village, if that should be necessary,” he wound up by saying.

There was no “red tape,” like that of modern times, to bother him, and it took not over twenty minutes to complete the arrangement, and pick out the men. The party was to start at daylight next morning.

As there might be discovery and pursuit, only the fastest runners were chosen. Wing-foot was the speediest of them all, the others being three of the younger warriors. Wing-foot, who was cunning and prudent, as well as fleet, was to command. At first Sure-dart thought he was to be one, but for some reason--certainly not one that was uncomplimentary to him--he was passed over.

It was between sixty and seventy miles to the village, and if the scouts went as far as that they could not be expected to return before the noon of the second day. In fact, it might easily take them well into the day after that. But of course this was on the theory that the party might be obliged to go the whole distance. It was likely--or so, at least, Big-axe thought--that they would not need to go so far. He reasoned that the Fishers, if they meant to strike at all, would be at it soon, before the Rock-people could thoroughly entrench themselves, and so they might have a war-party already on the way.

As in many cases before, his judgment proved sound. The scouts got away at daybreak, but it was hardly an hour past noon when they broke out of the woods again, significantly waving their arms. Their story was short. The Fishers were not two hours behind them.

Then was commotion, and a swift turning to Big-axe as the one man for the hour. Those who had fussed and fretted, and some who had thought him overcautious, joined now with the most timid in ignoring all but him, and crowding up for orders.

He, in turn, was ready. He found no fault, and reproached nobody, and he set every man, woman, and large child to work. Some brought up water, and put it in the hollowed stones; others distributed food at convenient places along the covered way; and still others worked like giants in finishing the blocking up of the path. Some of the largest stones, for convenience, had not been pushed quite into their places. These were now handled, and shoved squarely across the path. The farther side was made as steep as possible, but on the inside they left places where they could climb up and use their darts and spears. The whole barricade was now fully ten feet high.

The plan of widening the covered way by building along the outside edge of the path a low wall, and then roofing it with trees, they had not been able to carry out. There had not been time. However, Big-axe and a few others had personally lugged up several small trees, and started one stretch of the outside wall; this extra bit of covered way the chief and his son, putting out their great strength, were now able to finish. It was not more than ten feet long, by about six feet wide, but it was likely to prove of great use. The tops of the trees were set in little notches in the cliff, and the big ends were jammed into spaces in the wall. The trees, being green, and of tough kinds of wood, must present a considerable resistance, even to large falling stones, and they would do so the more that they were untrimmed. The branches on some of them were half as big as the trees themselves.

After an hour or so the men on the wall began to look for the enemy, for of course there was no knowing just when they would come. They might be going faster or slower than when the scouts saw them, according to whether they were planning a swift and headlong attack, or a crafty delay. It might easily be, for that matter, that they would put off the assault till dark. Big-axe was rather of the opinion that the cautious and crafty Long-spear would do so, not knowing, as it might be supposed, that the little garrison was using the time to such good advantage.

It turned out somewhat in this way, but not exactly. There was no alarm for nearly four hours, but then some bushes on an easterly knoll seemed to sway more than the wind would account for, and a second later a shaggy human head poked out. It was drawn rather leisurely back again, but only to be followed, an instant later, by a half-naked body, and Long-spear himself straightened up and looked that way.

While he was still doing this, and by his slow and deliberate manner seeming to mock and sneer at them, other bushes swayed and gave way, and a whole long line of the wolfish figures spread out in the open.

Big-axe was standing on one of the highest rocks of the path barricade, and carefully counted the bounding figures, as one after another broke into sight and joined the line. Anxious as he was, he seemed every whit as cool as Long-spear himself.

There were now forty men in the straggling line, and it seemed that this must be just about the whole possible number. Behind Big-axe, as he stood on the rock, were drawn up just twenty-nine men and boys. Only seventeen were really full-grown warriors, and of the boys several were not yet in their teens. Of these was Hop-foot, who was at last, in this extremity, permitted to fight. Moreover, three or four of the men were a little stiff and sore with old wounds, though perhaps they would forget this as the stress of battle came on. Finally, some of the women could be counted on for a kind of weak reserve. If it came to a close fight at the barricade, for instance, they might be of use. Their desperate hands could fling down a heavy stone, or thrust with a spear at a reckless climber.

About this time Long-spear seemed to recognize Big-axe, for he stepped a little forward, and in a mock salute flourished his spear. Big-axe only set his lips a little tighter, and did not seem to heed him. He would not give back insult for insult, but when the time came Long-spear would find him ready with another and more practical answer. Meanwhile, Big-axe looked in other directions, trying to make sure that this was the whole force of the enemy. There were certainly no others in sight, and he was confirmed in his previous belief that Long-spear had few or no more. Even this number seemed to account for about the whole of the chief’s fighting force. The village would appear to have been left to the protection of the old men, women, and children.

Big-axe now left the rock and went about giving a few final orders, by his steadiness and a cheerful word or two also trying to hearten his little army.

But for some reason or other the storm did not immediately break. After a few minutes Long-spear turned, and evidently jabbered something, for the whole wolf pack broke from the line, and scattered in a random way about, some straggling off among the trees, and several sprawling out in the first convenient shade. The sun was still warm, notwithstanding the late time of day.

“What do you think they mean?” Bull-head in perplexity asked his father. Several others were also ready with the same question.

“Perhaps waiting for darkness,” answered Big-axe, speaking, however, with a little hesitation. “They may have heard that we were getting ready for them,” he went on as with a bit more certainty, “and thought they would do what they could to check it. By showing themselves, they would cut us off from fetching more food or water.”

This did seem, on the whole, rather a likely explanation, and Bull-head and the others let it go as the right one. At least, nobody could think of a better.

Dusk soon began to come on; the figures under the trees and sprawled about elsewhere lost distinctness, and where the shade was deep were not easy to make out at all. Still they kept their lazy and unhurried air, and had every appearance of men comfortably and confidently waiting. To a degree this was more wearing and harder mentally to brace up against than an immediate and headlong assault. That would at least stir the blood, and take the whole attention, whereas this eventless delay fretted, and seemed by degrees to wear down the courage.

Suddenly the men placed as sentries at the barricade jumped up, and broke out in dismayed exclamations.

There was a rush that way, eager questions, and Big-axe and the other leaders looked for themselves from the top of the barricade.

It was all grimly plain and simple enough. Without fuss or noise, at least forty more fighting men had come down a little hill-slope just to the north, and had joined Long-spear’s band.

There was no puzzle as to the mere fact of this; to the question that naturally followed--Where did the new men come from?--nobody in the fort had at first any sort of answer. One looked at another, and the steadiest seemed for the moment dazed.

Big-axe was the first to rouse himself, and to try both to understand and to face the situation. Without at the moment speaking, he stooped and jumped lightly off the wall, walked a few steps to where the range around was wider, and took a long and careful look.

The swarm on the barricade and at the foot of it meanwhile broke out in talk and apprehensive mumblings, the shock of the surprise having passed to that extent, and a few of the women groaned, and in a restrained fashion wailed.

But in the midst of these noises Big-axe appeared again on the barricade. He had finished his observations, and Bull-head and Stone-arm had flung him down a rope and steadied him up.

The sight of his great massive figure, and still more of his seemingly calm face, checked the noise, and when he jumped down among them and began to speak there was well-nigh dead silence.

“These new men are from the far islands,” he said. “I can tell by their skewered hair, which they fasten on top of their heads. I have never seen any of them before, but I have heard of them, and I am sure I am right. Other than this they are hardly to be told from the Fishers, though their shields seem to be shorter and broader.”

He stopped, and with care tightened his belt.

“But the danger? What shall we do?” cried several in a breath. Again some wailed and groaned.

“Why,” he said without change of countenance, “I take it there is only one thing to do. It is what we have been making ready for, and of course it is to fight. I am sure nobody desires to be roasted and eaten.”

He waved one drop-jawed fellow aside, and went to where his spear stood.

“What we have before us,” he said as he picked it up, “is in one way very simple: we have only to fight till we are all dead, or till the Fishers and their friends have had enough of it. If we all do the best we can, I think they will have a fit of homesickness.”

“I, for one, will try to bring that about,” with a cold, fighting grin spoke up Stone-arm.

Bull-head, though slower to speak, proved equally ready, and after he had spoken several more joined in. Sure-dart and little Hop-foot were among these, the lame boy adding a thump of his spear against his shield. The tide of despair now seemed to have turned, and though more than one, looking through the growing obscurity at the swarm of dusky shapes, fetched a sharp breath, or mumbled to himself, still, there was a general brightening, and those who were to fight stood up straighter, and moved their weapons about with steadier hands.

And yet, Big-axe himself, being for a moment alone, set his lips together till they made only a thin line, and the light went out of his face, leaving it like the face of a sick man.

He knew what the end was altogether likely to be!