But they will, when they gits the chance o’ one krippled as he air—durn ’em!”
The hunter had all the talking to himself. Phelim, now overjoyed to know that his master still lived—and furthermore was in no danger of dying—suddenly changed his melancholy whine to a jubilant hullaballoo, and commenced dancing over the ground, all the while snapping his fingers in the most approved Connemara fashion.
His frenzied action provoked the hound to a like pitch of excitement; and the two became engaged in a sort of wild Irish jig.
Zeb took no notice of these grotesque demonstrations; but, once more bending over the prostrate form, proceeded to complete the examination already begun.
Becoming satisfied that there was no serious wound, he rose to his feet, and commenced taking stock of the odd articles around him.
He had already noticed the Panama hat, that still adhered to the head of the mustanger; and a strange thought at seeing it there, had passed through his mind.
Hats of Guayaquil grass—erroneously called Panama—were not uncommon. Scores of Southerners wore them, in Texas as elsewhere.
But he knew that the young Irishman was accustomed to carry a Mexican sombrero—a very different kind of head-gear.
It was possible he might have seen fit to change the fashion.
Still, as Zeb continued to gaze upon it, he fancied he had seen that hat before, and on some other head.
It was not from any suspicion of its being honestly in possession of him now wearing it that the hunter stooped down, and took it off with the design to examine it.
His object was simply to obtain some explanation of the mystery, or series of mysteries, hitherto baffling his brain.
On looking inside the hat he read two names; first, that of a New Orleans hatter, whose card was pasted in the crown; and then, in writing, another well known to him:—
“HENRY POINDEXTER.”
The cloak now came under his notice.
It, too, carried marks, by which he was able to identify it as belonging to the same owner.
“Dog-goned kewrious, all this!” muttered the backwoodsman, as he stood with his eyes turned upon the ground, and apparently buried in a profound reflection.
“Hats, heads, an everythin’. Hats on the wrong head; heads i’ the wrong place!
By the ’tarnal thur’s somethin’ goed astray!
Ef ’twa’nt that I feel a putty consid’able smartin’ whar the young fellur gin me a lick over the left eye, I mout be arter believin’ my own skull-case wa’nt any longer atween my shoulders!”
“It air no use lookin’ to him,” he added, glancing towards Maurice, “for an explanation; leastwise till he’s slep’ off this dullerium thet’s on him.
When that’ll be, ole Nick only knows.
“Wal,” he continued after another interval spent in silent reflection, “It won’t do no good our stayin’ hyur.
We must git him to the shanty, an that kin only be did by toatin’ him.
He sayed on the curd, he cudn’t make neer a track.
It war only the anger kep’ him up a bit.
That leg looks wusser and wusser.
He’s boun to be toated.”
The hunter seemed to cogitate on how he was to effect this purpose.
“’Taint no good expektin’ him to help think it out,” he continued looking at the Galwegian, who was busy talking to Tara. “The dumb brute hev more sense than he.
Neer a mind.
I’d make him take his full share o’ the carryin’ when it kum to thet.
How air it to be done?
We must git him on a streetcher.
That I reck’n we kin make out o’ a kupple o’ poles an the cloak; or wi’ the blanket Pheelum fetch’d from the shanty.
Ye-es! a streetcher.
That’s the eydentikul eyedee.”
The Connemara man was now summoned to lend assistance.
Two saplings of at least ten feet in length were cut from the chapparal, and trimmed clear of twigs. Two shorter ones were also selected, and lashed crosswise over the first; and upon these there spread, first the serape, and afterwards the cloak, to give greater strength.
In this way a rude stretcher was constructed, capable of carrying either an invalid or an inebriate.
In the mode of using it, it more resembled the latter than the former: since he who was to be borne upon it, again deliriously raging, had to be strapped to the trestles!
Unlike the ordinary stretcher, it was not carried between two men; but a man and a mare—the mare at the head, the man bearing behind.
It was he of Connemara who completed the ill-matched team. The old hunter had kept his promise, that Phelim should “take his full share o’ the carryin’, when it kum to thet.”
He was taking it, or rather getting it—Zeb having appointed himself to the easier post of conductor.
The idea was not altogether original.
It was a rude copy from the Mexican litera, which in Southern Texas Zeb may have seen—differing from the latter only in being without screen, and instead of two mules, having for its atelage a mare and a man!
In this improvised palanquin was Maurice Gerald transported to his dwelling.
It was night when the grotesque-looking group arrived at the locale.
In strong but tender arms the wounded man was transferred from the stretcher to the skin couch, on which he had been accustomed to repose.
He was unconscious of where he was, and knew not the friendly faces bending over him.