California Joe, the Mysterious Plainsman | Page 5

you that your train is in danger," abruptly said the youth, and he continued: "My name, as I told you, is Joe, and I wander about the prairies, and that is all you need know about me; but I now that old Bad Blood and two hundred warriors are laying for your train. "If you go on to-morrow, you run right into their ambush, but if you stay here, they will come to-morrow night and attack you." "How do you know this, my young friend Joe?" "I know Injuns' ways, and Bad Blood is on the war-path. "If you went right on he would wait for you, but it you did not, he'd think you stopped for rest and attack you." "And what would you advise?" "My advice would be to lay a trap for Bad Blood." "But how, Joe?" "A mile further on is a stream with the prairie on one side and a bluff on the other. "On the bluff is a thicket, and the hills rise beyond. "You can camp on the prairie, making a corral of your wagons, make dummies about the fires, and put all the women and children in a dugout you an make, while you and your men can take the bluff and shoot down every Indian that comes into camp."
"Well, Joe, you advise like a general and we will follow your advice. "When would you say move?" "Now, and I will guide you to the spot, and then when the Injuns attack you, I'll be around somewhere," was the very significant reply of the strange youth..

CHAPTER IV.
PREPARING FOR THE WORST.
SOMEHOW, all in the emigrant train, once they looked into the honest face of the mysterious youth who answered only to the appellation of Joe, trusted him.. The grumblers became silent, and the entire train was anxious to follow his advice. He sat upon his horse watching the emigrants get ready for the march, and then rode on ahead as they pulled out of camp. Captain Reynolds rode forward with him, and more and more interested in the strange youth, tried to draw him out to speak more of himself; but in vain, for Joe was reticent in a wonderful degree about himself, and made no account of why he was there in that wild region, the reason for his coming or whom he had come with. In referring to the graves in the forest, by which he had been seen seated on his horse, when first discovered by the hunters, he made no reply. "Whose graves are they, Joe?" asked Captain Reynolds, kindly. Joe made no response. "Poor boy, I fear those you loved are in them, and that they were victims of some massacre," said Captain Reynolds. How many fighting men have you got, cap'n?" asked Joe, as though he had not heard the foregoing remarks of his companion. "Twenty-seven, men and boys that can handle a rifle well." "Couldn't you drum up a few more?" "There are several more boys that might be made useful." "Boys are as good as men often, I guess," was the laconic response, and looking at Joe, Captain Reynolds felt that be at least he was. "Well, then, I can make the force thirty-one." "No women what know how to shoot a rifle?" asked Joe, with utter disregard for the proprieties of the Queen's English. "Yes, but I wouldn't have them risk danger." "Better risk it than make it certain." "How do you mean Joe?" "That if you got any women-folks that can shoot, take 'em on the bluff with you, and pour in a heavy fire the first time. "Then if you've got any extra rifles and shot-guns, load 'em and lay 'em by the men to use, and the women can reload the other weapons. "I tell you, cap'n, that Bad Blood is an old soldier for fighting, and he has got two hundred braves. "But if you can knock about fifty under the first two volleys, and then pour the music in pretty lively, you'll see those Injuns dig out in style." "You seem to be an old soldier, too, Joe, for your advice is good and I will follow it." "I've seen some fighting," was the cool reply, and then Joe rode up to the stream and said: "Now here is camp, and you can't find a better place." So it seemed, for the stream made a bend just there, and the point ran in toward the bluff which formed the other bank. This presented a space of about an acre for a camp, and the wagons were stationed right across from the stream on one side to the other forming thereby a breastwork. The cattle were corraled in a circle formed by the vehicles, and the camp-fires were built near