The Peril Finders Part 53

"Yes, when the sun's up, sir."

"But what shall we do now?"

"Well," said the American, as coolly as could be, "seems to me that this is just a nice suitable time to sit round the lanthorn and tell bear stories."

"What!" cried the doctor.

"Tell bear stories, sir. Young Chris here might begin by telling his experience over again with all the flourishes, crosses, and dots that he left out. He didn't half tell it, I think."

"Oh, that's absurd," said Wilton. "By the way, though, I didn't hear a sound till Chris fired."

"Hadn't dropped asleep, had you?" said Griggs banteringly.

"No, certainly not," said Wilton, angrily.

"Here, every one look to his rifle," said the doctor, "and we'll sit together and watch and listen. The brute may come back."

This was done in silence for some time, when their patience getting exhausted, remarks were made about the ponies and mules, and wonder was expressed about their not having stampeded.

"Say," said Griggs suddenly, "I forgot all about them. Where are they?"

"Feeding about somewhere, quietly," said the doctor.

"I don't know so much about that," cried Griggs. "P'r'aps one of you will come with me and the lanthorn, and we'll see. I can't hear any of them gra.s.s-chopping. Will you come with me, Chris, or have you been too much shook up?"

"Oh, I'll come," said Chris quietly. "I don't think I've been too much 'shook up.'"

In a few minutes the lanthorn was seen lighting up the rocks and trees in the direction of the best pasturage, where the cattle had been left; and those left in camp watched till it disappeared, waiting anxiously till the light was in sight again, and finally came up to where the glowing embers kept on brightening and dying out again as the soft breeze blew down the gully from time to time.

"Can't see or hear anything of the animals," said Griggs, at last, as he strode up with the light. "Ain't heard any more of Mr B'ar, have you?"

"No," was the reply.

"They were scared off by the shooting, I expect, or else by getting a sniff of the b'ar's wound."

"Would they go far?" asked the doctor.

"Can't say, sir, but not so far that we can't follow them by their trail."

"It's a great nuisance, just when we had decided to make an early start in the morning. Now everything depends upon our finding the animals and bringing them back."

There was of course no more sleep that night, neither, much as it was expected, was there any return of the visitor of the night during the long hours of the watch.

But the morning broke at last, and as soon as it was light enough the party began to follow the trail of the bear, starting from the spot where Bourne had his alarming adventure, the traces of which were plain enough, the earth and growth being torn up by the brute's claws. From there the spots of blood which had fallen from the bear's wound were plain enough at intervals, and they were followed for about a quarter of a mile, where the animal had plunged into the dense forest, where the trees and undergrowth presented a front that could not be penetrated by a human being, though comparatively easy for a quadruped.

Further pursuit was given up, and the party returned to follow up the trail of the ponies and mules.

This was found at once, the animals, obeying their gregarious instinct, having, after being alarmed, closed in together for mutual protection and made off down the gully to the open country and the plains.

Griggs took the lead from old experience of such accidents, and pointed out how the frightened beasts had galloped frantically for miles, then, pretty well exhausted, subsided to a trot, which had been kept up for several more before their progress became a walk, with halts here and there for grazing. In fact, it was several hours before the poor brutes were sighted right out on the salt plain, and when overtaken and headed off on the return journey, not even a single mule seemed to make the slightest objection, for they all closed up into a drove and walked steadily back, every animal with roughened coat stiffened by dust and ready to hang its head with the look of one which had done enough work for one day.

It was not until the afternoon that the dreary tramp back brought the party in sight of their last night's camp, and that was not reached until close upon sundown, a long halt having been necessary to water the weary beasts and let them graze.

"I don't think we're going to make much of a start to-day, Griggs," said Chris, with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I know I'm not, squire," said the American. "It seems a shame to neglect human beings for the sake of horses, but it has to be done.

Here, I meant to have a few birds for a roast this evening, and now it's only tea and fried bacon. But it might be worse, eh?"

"Ever so much," replied Chris. "But I am hungry."

"I say," said Ned, laughingly, "oughtn't some of us to go again and try to find the bear, while the others light the fire and boil the kettle?"

"No," said Chris. "We had enough bear last night."

"Yes," said Ned, "but that was live bear; I meant slices of him to frizzle in the pan. Griggs says bear's ham is good."

"So it is, squire, and if we had a haunch of the brute I'd set you an example to eat it."

"What does it taste like?" said Chris.

"Well, it's rather hard to say. A good fat bear's ham looks rather like a bit of a pig salted and dried; but it doesn't taste like it a bit."

"Like what, then?" cried Chris.

"Something like a mutton ham that has been trying to make-believe that it had grown on a pig's hind-quarters. 'Tain't bad, but don't you two get letting your mouths water, because you'll get none to-night. It's tea and cake and a bit o' bacon. That's our tackle this time, and very glad I shall be to get even that."

In another hour they were quietly enjoying the simple meal, during which the doctor said--

"An early start in the morning, boys. You'll be able to sleep to-night, Chris, without dreaming about porcupines and skunks, which were all consequences of indigestion and the later supper."

"But the bear wasn't, father," said Chris quickly.

"Well, no," said the doctor dryly; "we'll leave out the bear."

"You ought to include it in your lesson on indigestion, though," said Bourne, giving himself a rub. "I didn't eat too heartily last night, but I suffered horribly from bear lying heavily upon my chest."

"My watch to-night," said the doctor; and soon after the camp was once more in a state of repose, but Chris Lee had chosen a different position for his bed.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

THINKING OF SUPPER.

The party was astir soon after daybreak, nothing having interfered with the night's repose, and the first thing seen to, was the state of the horses and baggage animals.

They too were all the better for the rest, but the result of the examination was a discussion between the doctor and Griggs over the injuries the animals had received.