Dan Carter and the Great Carved Face Part 28

The three Cubs tried to tell Miquel of their intention. It was obvious, however, that he did not comprehend.

They were ready to leave when Dan's keen ears detected an unusual sound in the cavern.

"Listen!" he whispered.

Brad and Red already were aware of the sound at the entranceway to the cavern. They distinctly could hear splas.h.i.+ng as if more than one person were wading along the pa.s.sageway.

"Someone's coming!" Dan warned.

"Those Indians probably," Brad whispered back. "They've found the entranceway! Now we're in for it."

Old Miquel also had heard the sound, for he listened attentively, though without undue interest. After a moment, he went on eating his meal with complete unconcern.

"The goof doesn't even know he may be in danger," Red muttered. "What are we going to do? Those guys may prove nasty."

Brad was worried. Plainly the men were moving closer, for the splas.h.i.+ng noises now could be heard distinctly. They knew one of the men had stumbled over a rock, for they heard him grunt as he picked himself up from the water.

The boys looked about for a hiding place.

Their only chance of avoiding detection was to step far back against the cave wall, away from the glare of the firelight.

"Quick!" Brad warned.

To try to take Old Miquel with them was out of the question. Retreating, the three Cubs sought the innermost recess of the cave. Flattening themselves against the moist wall, they breathlessly waited.

CHAPTER 17 RED'S MISTAKE

Scarcely had Brad, Dan and Red taken refuge than two shadowy figures emerged through the tunnel.

Watching tensely from a niche in the limestone shelf, they saw Eagle Feather climb nimbly from the floor of the underground stream to the rim of the circular chamber.

He stood there silhouetted in the opening, the firelight flickering upon his fierce features. In his hand was a drawn knife.

Seeing the weapon, Red clutched Dan's hand in a tight grip. He held his breath, fearful lest he draw attention to himself or his mates.

The Cubs were more afraid for Miquel than for themselves. But the old Indian medicine man remained undisturbed.

Observing White Nose and Eagle Feather on the ledge above him, he murmured, "Ah-hah-lah-nih," in affectionate greeting.

White Nose and Eagle Feather leaped down in front of the old Indian, their att.i.tude hostile. They spoke rapidly, fiercely in their own tongue.

Brad, Dan and Red could not understand what was being said, though they caught one word "turquoise."

They guessed, however, that the two Indians were accusing the old medicine man of having stolen the turquoise toad from the tribe.

Old Miquel began shaking his head in a bewildered way. Abandoning the fire, he backed away from his accusers.

Step by step, White Nose and Eagle Feather pursued him.

Old Miquel backed nearer and nearer the edge of the ledge.

To the horror of the Cubs, he suddenly toppled backwards into the deep pool. He struggled briefly and went down.

Before Brad and Dan could make a move, White Nose leaped into the water.

He submerged, and seemingly could not find Old Miquel's body. In a moment though, he was back on the surface, holding Old Miquel by a lock of his long, black hair.

Eagle Feather helped to haul the old man out on the ledge.

"He's done for," he said, speaking in English. "His head was gashed on a rock."

"The G.o.ds have spoken," muttered White Nose. "Vengeance is not to be ours. They have punished him for robbing his people of the Turquoise Toad."

"Let us go," replied Eagle Feather.

To the horror of the watching Cubs, the two Indians made no attempt to revive the old man. Taking it for granted that he already was beyond help, they quitted the cavern.

Brad, Dan and Red waited only until they were certain that the two Indians did not intend to return.

Then, they went quickly to the old man who lay motionless on the ledge.

Brad stripped off his jacket and placed it over the wet body. The old fellow did not stir.

"He wasn't under water long enough to have taken much into his lungs,"

the boy declared, feeling of the Indian's pulse. "Got a handkerchief?"

Dan produced one which the older boy used to staunch the flow of blood at Old Miquel's temple.

"He must have hit his head on a rock all right," he declared. "But the cut isn't deep. It's mostly a flesh wound."

"How's his pulse?" Red inquired anxiously. "Is he still alive?"

"I think so. The pulse is so weak though that I hardly can catch it.

White Nose and Eagle Feather evidently thought he was dead or they wouldn't have gone off."

"What'll we do?" Dan asked. "Go for help?"

"He needs a doctor right away. But I'm afraid to leave him here alone."

"If he revives, he might roll off into the pool," Dan agreed. "Then he'd sure drown."

The three Cubs huddled about the p.r.o.ne figure, uncertain what to do.

Aside from their fears for Old Miquel they knew that their own long absence from the Cub camp might have occasioned considerable alarm.

By now they had lost all track of time, but they were certain more than two hours had elapsed since they had left Webster City. Soon it would be time for the Pack pow-pow to start. With three Cubs absent, the Den 1 boys would be frantic.

Dan searched in the darkness until he found the Navajo blanket which belonged to Professor Sarazen. This he used as an additional covering over the old Indian.