Winnetou, the Apache Knight, Karl Friedrich May [easy books to read txt] 📗

Hawkins can go through the water like a trout. But you! Consider, my dear young friend, that not only your life but our lives hang on this; if you fail I can never speak another word to you.”

“Don’t worry, my dear Sam; I’ll do what I can. I don’t think for a moment the Indians have any underhand reason for choosing me. I am sure, too, I can save you more easily than you could have saved us.”

“Well, I hope so. And it’s for life or death. You mustn’t spare Intschu-Tschuna; never think of doing that.”

“We’ll see.”

“That’s no answer; there’s nothing to see. If you spare him, you’re lost, and we with you. These redskins can throw a tomahawk a hundred feet away and cut off your fingers. You’ll get it in the back or head before you can get over, no matter how well you swim.”

“I know, my dear Sam, and I know, too, that a thimbleful of wit is worth more than a barrelful of mere strength.”

“Wit! What good is that against a well-aimed tomahawk?”

“It helps, Sam, it helps; and I have a plan. Remember this: If I drown we are saved.”

I said this hastily, for the three chiefs now came over to us. Intschu-Tschuna said: “We will now free Old Shatterhand, but he need not think he can escape, for more than a hundred will follow him to the water’s edge.”

“It would never occur to me,” I said, “for, if I could get away, it would be disgraceful to desert my comrades.”

I was liberated, and moved my arm to test its powers. Then I said: “It is a great honor for me to contest with the chief of the Apaches, but it is not an honor for him.”

“Why not?”

“Because I am no adversary for him. I have bathed, of course, but I would not dare cross such a broad, deep river as that is.”

“I am sorry to hear it; Winnefou and I are the best swimmers of the tribe, and it is no victory for us to conquer a poor swimmer.”

“And you are armed, while I am not; I go, then, to my death, and my comrades must also die. When will you strike me with the tomahawk?”

“When it pleases me,” he said, with the contemptuous smile of a virtuoso to an amateur.

“It may be done in the water?”

“Yes.”

I tried to appear more envious and cast down than ever.

“And can I kill you? ” I asked meekly.

He gave me a look which said plainly: “Poor worm! there’s no question of that.” But he said: “It is a contest for life or death; you may kill me, but in case such a thing happens you must still reach the cedar.”

“And I shall not be held guilty of your death?”

“No; if I kill you, your comrades must die; but if you kill me and then get to the cedar, you are free. Come!”

He turned away, and I pulled off my coat and vest.

Sam cried out to me in anguish: “If you could see your face and hear the mournful tone of your voice! I am in deadly fear for you and for ourselves.”

I could not answer him, for the three chiefs would have heard me; but I had acted thus to make Intschu-Tschuna feel secure and less on his guard.

“One more question,” I said before I followed him. “In case we are free, shall we get back our property?”

He gave a short, impatient laugh, as if he thought this an insane question. “Yes, you shall have it,” he said.

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

“Even horses and guns?”

He turned on me angrily, saying: “Everything; I have said it. A crow flew beside an eagle in contest of speed, and asked what it should receive if it conquered the king of birds. If you swim as stupidly as you ask questions, I am sorry I did not give you an old squaw for an adversary.”

We passed through the half-circle, which opened to make way for us. As I passed NschoTschi she gave me a glance in which she bade me farewell forever. The Indians followed us, and settled down to watch the interesting spectacle which was about to begin.

CHAPTER XV. A SWIM FOR FREEDOM.

I FULLY realized the extreme danger that I was in. No matter how fast I swam, or what curves I made, the chief’s tomahawk was sure to overtake me. There was but one hope, and that was in swimming under water, and fortunately I was not the bungler I had made Intschu-Tschuna think me. But I could not trust only to swimming under water, for I should have to come up to breathe, and when I did that the tomahawk would crash into my skull. No, I should not dare come to the surface, at least where the Indians could see me. How should I manage? It was with profound gratitude to God, on whom in my heart I was calling, that I saw that the surroundings were favorable to me. We stood on an open, sandy beach; the end where the woods began again was only a little over a hundred feet away from me, and just beyond that the river made a bend which promised well, and the other end of the strip of sand was a good four hundred feet down-stream. If I sprang info the water and did not come up again, they would naturally think I was drowned, and look for my body down the stream, while my plan was to swim under water in the opposite direction. There was one spot, not far up, where the river had cut under the bank, which hung over and made an excellent refuge for a short breathing-spell. Further on the bank was wooded to the edge, and an alluvial growth seemed to meet it, which would serve perfectly for the same purpose. But before the attempt was made cunning deception was necessary. Intschu-Tschuna took off all his clothes except his light Indian breeches, stuck the tomahawk into his belt, and said: “We are ready; jump in.”

“Will you let me first try how deep it is? ” I asked.

A contemptuous smile passed over his face as he called for a spear. It was brought to me, and I stuck it down in the water. To my unspeakable delight it did not touch bottom; but I acted more woe-begone and scared than before, cowering down over the water, and dabbling my foot in it like one who fears a shock if the water should touch him suddenly. I heard a contemptuous murmur behind me, and Sam’s voice cried out: “For the love of Heaven, come back! I can’t look on at this. Let them torture us; it’s better than seeing such a figure of wretchedness before a man’s eyes.”

I could not help wondering what NschoTschi must think of me. I straightened myself and looked around. Tangua’s face was the incarnation of scorn; Winnetou’s upper lip had curled till one could see his teeth - he was disgusted that he had taken my part; and his sister kept her eyes down and would no longer look at me.

“I am ready; what are you waiting for now? In with you.”

“Must it really be!” I stammered. “Is there no other way? “

A shout of laughter arose, above which I heard Tangua’s voice crying: “Let the frog go; give him his life. No warrior can lay his hand on such a coward.”

And with a low growl like an angry tiger, Intschu-Tschuna said:” In with you, or I’ll split your head with my tomahawk!”

I shrank away, sat down on the river brink, put first a foot and then a leg in the water, and acted as though I was going to slide in.

“In with you!” cried Intschu-Tschuna again, and upset me by a kick in the back. I threw up my arms as if I were helpless, uttered a shriek of terror,and splashed into the water. The next moment this humbug was over. I struck bottom, held my head down, and swam up-stream as fast as I could. I heard a splash behind me: Intschu-Tschuna had jumped in. I learned afterward that he had intended to let me have some headway, and throw his tomahawk when I had almost reached the other shore. But since I had shown such cowardice he abandoned this plan, and sprang in after me quickly, intending to strike me as soon as I came up; such an idiot was to be disposed of in short order.

I reached the spot where the bank hung over the stream, and let my mouth come to the surface. No one could see me except the chief, because I was under water, and to my grateful delight he kept his eyes down-stream. I drew quick, deep breaths, and sank again to continue my way. Next I came to the alluvial woods, under which I rose again to breathe. My head was so well concealed that I ventured to remain longer at the surface, and I saw the chief lying on the water like a wild beast ready any instant to pounce on ist prey.

Now the last and longest stretch lay before me to the beginning of the woods, where shrubs and undergrowth hung over the bank. This I accomplished happily, and won the bank completely covered with twigs. Now to reach the bend of the river already mentioned, go around it, and swim to the opposite bank; and this must be done most quickly of all, for there was no place after this where I could come up to breathe. “Now St. Christopher, brave ferryman, help me!” I thought. But before I started I peered out through the bushes at those whom I had fooled. They stood shouting and questioning on the bank, while the chief still swam back and forth waiting for me, although I could not possibly have remained so long under water. I wondered whether Sam Hawkins remembered that I had said that if I were drowned we were saved.

I ran through the woods till I had left the bend of the river behind me, took to the water again, and crossed safely, thanks to being considered such a bad swimmer and afraid of the water. Yet it was a clumsy trick by which they had been fooled, for they had known enough of me before to be sure I was no coward.

I followed the woods down-stream to their end. Here, looking through the bushes, I saw to my amusement that several Indians had jumped into the stream and were poking about with their spears to find Old Shatterhand’s body. I could easily have walked over to the cedar, but I did not wish to owe my victory to craft alone, but to give Intschu-Tschuna a little lesson, and make him grateful to me. He still swam around the same spot, for it never occurred to him to look over to the other bank. I slipped into the water again, lay on my back, so that my mouth and nose were above water, and slowly propelled myself downward, paddling with my hands. No one noticed me. When I got level with them I stood up, treading water, and shouted: “Sam Hawkins, Sam Hawkins, we have won, we have won!” The Indians heard me, looked over, and what a howl arose! No one who has ever heard such a sound will forget it to the last day of his life. As soon as Intschu-Tschuna espied me he swam towards me with long, bold strokes, or rather darted towards me. I dared not wait too long, but retreated to the bank, which I climbed, and remained standing there.

“Quick! get to the cedar, quick!” shouted Sam Hawkins.

There was