A MYSTERIOUS LIGHT
As soon as they had finished eating and the girls had stacked the dishes
and carried them to the kitchen, Jo Ann turned to Florence. “Now get out
of here, young lady. I told you I was going to wash the dishes. You go
and write that letter to your father.”
She caught Florence by the shoulders and playfully pushed her out of the
kitchen and across the yard.
“Peg, I might let you wipe the dishes if you’ll promise to be good,” she
told her as she returned to the kitchen.
“That’s really quite considerate of you, my dear,” smilingly retorted
Peggy. “I appreciate the honor very much.”
Gay chatter accompanied the rattle and clatter of dishes as the two girls
made quick work of their dishwashing. As they worked, their conversation
drifted back to the subject of the bear and the pigs.
“I can’t imagine living out in a wild, lonesome place like this and not
owning a gun, can you, Peg?” asked Jo Ann. Without waiting for an answer
she went on: “It’d be a shame to let that old bear come back and get the
rest of those pigs when we have a gun and know how to shoot it. I’m going
down there this afternoon and look the place over. If I can find a ledge
or some place where I can be practically out of danger, I’m going to give
Mr. Bear a warmer reception than he’s looking for.”
“I’m not very keen about a bear hunt myself, but if you go, I’m going
with you. I have my doubts about Mrs. Blackwell’s letting us go, though.”
Jo Ann let her hands lie idly in the soapy dishwater while she pondered
over how to meet Mrs. Blackwell’s objections. “I wonder,” she said
finally, “if she would be willing to let us go if we get María’s
husband—Juan—to go with us. I believe she would. I heard her say that she
thought Juan was one of the most dependable, trustworthy peons she ever
knew. We’d be safe enough if he’d go with us, because he’d have his
dagger—stiletto, I believe it’s called. The Mexicans’re mighty keen and
quick about using them, I’ve heard. Of course, no one’s planning to get
at such close quarters with a bear, but if worst came to worst——”
“Don’t mention such a thing,” protested Peggy. “It scares me just to
think about it. I’d run for the nearest tree.”
“You would! Don’t you know that’s the worst thing you could do? Never
turn your back on a bear. He’s not likely to attack you, if you hold your
ground.”
“Well, if you think I’m going to stand perfectly still and let Mr. Bear
look me over and decide whether he likes nice juicy white meat as his
diet, you’re mistaken. Nothing doing, Jo.”
“Don’t be silly. I’d shoot him before he got near you, anyway.”
“But suppose you missed him?”
“Quit talking such foolishness and wipe the rest of those dishes. Let’s
hurry and finish in a jiffy and go on down to the enclosure where they
have the pigs and look about for the safest spot in which to wait for Mr.
Bear.”
“Well, I s’pose it won’t do any harm to go down and look, but I believe
Mrs. Blackwell won’t let——”
“Don’t be a wet blanket, Peg. I’m going to ask her right now, and you’ll
soon see that she will.” Jo Ann hastily took her hands out of the
dishwater, dried them, and then went over to the door of the bedroom. In
another moment she came back. “Mrs. Blackwell’s asleep, so I’ll have to
wait to ask her. Florence is sound asleep too. I’m sure Mrs. Blackwell
wouldn’t object to our going down now just to look at the enclosure.”
“Do you know where it is?”
“Not exactly, but I think I can find it. We’ll follow the path down
toward the goat ranch.”
They finished the dishes and put the kitchen in order, then slipped
quietly around to the back of the house.
“Here’s the path, Peg. Follow me.” Jo Ann led the way down the path she
and Florence had taken the afternoon before.
As they neared the goat ranch Jo Ann began looking for some sign which
might lead them to the enclosure.
“It’s bound to be up this way somewhere,” Jo Ann said finally. “Let’s
follow this ravine a little ways.”
“But suppose we get lost.”
“We can turn around and go back, can’t we?”
They followed a narrow path leading into the cool, shady depths of a deep
ravine, a rugged, precipitous wall towering on their right.
“What a beau-ti-ful place,” breathed Peggy, a few minutes later, as they
stopped to rest and cool off.
“Listen! Doesn’t that sound to you like the roar of water?” asked Jo Ann.
“The river must not be far away.”
Both girls listened a moment. “It surely does,” agreed Peggy, “but how
could that be?”
“We must’ve gone around in a circle and’ll come out not far from our
spring. Come on, let’s see.”
They started eagerly up the steep narrow path. A moment later they were
startled by the sound of a shrill squeal above the roar of the river.
“Oh, do you suppose the bear’s after another pig?” whispered Peggy,
grabbing Jo Ann by the arm. “What’ll we do?”
“I don’t know. I wish I’d brought the gun.”
“Let’s go back,” begged Peggy, but Jo Ann shook her head. “Wait a
minute.”
They listened intently a moment, then, to their relief, the squeals
changed to contented grunts.
Jo Ann laughed. “Juan must be feeding the pigs, but it did frighten me
for a minute.”
A moment later they came in sight of a crude enclosure built against the
overhanging wall of the cliff. Tall poles were lashed together around a
recess in the wall, making a small circular pen. The next moment they
spied Juan working at strengthening a weak place in the wall. It appeared
impenetrable, as it was, to them, and they wondered that any animal, even
one as large as a bear, could break through such a barricade.
Juan turned from his work as he saw the girls approaching. After the
customary salutation he went on in Spanish. “The bear very bad—very
ferocious. He like much the pig.”
Jo Ann nodded her head. “_Sí, sí_—but why can’t we shoot him? I’ll kill
him for you.”
Juan shook his head and looked puzzled, and Jo Ann realized he had not
understood a word she had said.
She racked her brain for a way to make her meaning clear to him. Finally
she picked up a stick and, after pointing to herself, put it to her
shoulder and pretended to pull a trigger. “Pling! See! _El oso muerto_
[The bear dead].”
Juan smiled approval; then, jabbering rapidly, he pointed to himself and
shook his head.
“No—not you,” Jo Ann tried again, motioning to herself. “Me! See—I’ll
shoot him!”
Finally, after several attempts, she succeeded in making him understand.
But Juan shook his head. “The Señora no like,” he said.
“I know,” agreed Jo Ann, “but if you come with Peg and me”—she pointed to
each of them—“I think it’ll be all right.”
For a while Peggy enjoyed watching the pantomime, interrupted now and
then with a few English and Spanish words. Never before had she seen
anyone go to so much trouble to make herself understood. Jo Ann certainly
was a determined person.
After a little, however, Peggy became restless and began gathering some
of the dainty little ferns growing at the base of the cliff. She wandered
over to the bank of the mountain stream and stood for a few moments
watching the water as it rushed and tumbled down the rocky gorge. Then
her thoughts drifted back to the bear. She wondered if he could be hiding
somewhere near, waiting for a chance to steal another pig.
She glanced nervously about, then called over to Jo Ann, “Aren’t you
ready to go? They’ll be wondering what’s become of us.”
“Yes, I’m ready,” Jo Ann called back. “Everything’s all set for the
surprise party tonight. See that ledge up there?” She pointed to a narrow
ledge about fifteen feet straight up the side of the cliff. “That’s where
you and I are going to wait for Mr. Bear. We couldn’t be in any danger
there—unless you got scared and tumbled off.”
“But how’re we going to get up there?” Peggy asked quickly. “I’m not a
bird or a lizard.”
“That’s easy. Juan’s going to cut notches in a pole for us to climb up
on,” explained Jo Ann. “But come on, I’ve got lots to do to get ready for
tonight.”
She turned and called to Juan, “Don’t you forget.”
He nodded his head vigorously to reassure her, and then she and Peggy
started down the path for home.
“Where on earth have you girls been?” Florence called to them.
“Exploring,” Jo Ann called back.
As soon as they reached the porch Jo Ann began talking as rapidly as her
tongue could fly, explaining about Juan’s consent to help them on their
bear hunt, the ledge above the enclosure where they could wait in safety,
and the other details of her plans. She ended with a vigorous appeal to
Mrs. Blackwell: “You’ll let us go, won’t you, now that Juan’s consented
to go with us and that we’ll be in no danger? We’ve got to help Juan kill
that bear before he gets the rest of the pigs.”
Mrs. Blackwell was silent for several moments before answering. After
what seemed to Jo Ann to be an age, she said slowly, “If Juan’ll be with
you—and if you’ll promise not to take any unnecessary risks, I’ll let you
two go.”
“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Blackwell. That’s grand!” cried Jo Ann.
“I’ll see that Jo Ann doesn’t do anything rash,” put in Peggy.
Florence smiled over at Jo Ann. “Maybe you won’t be so enthusiastic by
the time that bear hugs you. I’m glad I’m going to stay here with
Mother.”
Jo Ann merely smiled back at Florence and caught Peggy by the arm. “Come
on, let’s go in and get our things ready for the hunt.”
The two girls went on into the house, and Jo Ann quickly opened her bag
and took out several garments and handed them to Peggy. “We’ll need these
knickers. We can’t be bothered with skirts flapping about our legs
tonight,” she said.
“No, we surely can’t. They’d be a terrible nuisance.”
“Get the flashlight, and I’ll get the gun. This is a peach of a gun,” Jo
Ann added a moment later, running her hand lovingly over the polished
surface of the stock. “I wish it were mine.”
“Why? Is it different from any other gun?” Peggy asked.
“Different! I should say it is. It’s two guns in one, a double-barrel
shotgun and a 30-30 rifle. This little barrel underneath is the rifle
barrel.” She opened a box and held it out to Peggy. “See what
vicious-looking cartridges you shoot in it. They’ll blow a hole clear
through that bear.”
Peggy’s eyes opened wide in surprise. “I’ve never seen a gun like that
before.”
“I never have, either. They’re very expensive. Florence said her father
ordered this one so he wouldn’t have to carry two guns when he went
hunting. You see, in the mountains you never know whether you’ll run into
wild turkeys or mountain lions, and with this gun you’re ready for
anything. I want to get started as early as possible tonight.”
They hurried outdoors, built the fire and began preparations for supper.
Later that evening, after the supper things were cleared away, they sat
out under the stars, watching a full round moon rise from behind the
mountain range across the valley. As it rose higher and higher the
shadows began to disappear, and soon it was almost as light as day.
Jo Ann was very thankful for the bright moonlight. It made their daring
adventure seem a little less dangerous. Now that it was so light she
decided it was time to leave. She sprang up, saying, “I believe it’s
light enough for us to see now, Peg. Come on; let’s change our clothes
and get started.”
In a few more minutes two knicker-clad figures disappeared down the path.
When they neared the deep gorge which had looked so beautiful to them
that afternoon, the girls began to feel a little nervous. They peered at
every shadow, almost expecting it to rush at them. Jo Ann held the gun
ready to throw it into position in a second. She had the safety on, but
the gun was loaded, ready to use. Peggy stayed as close behind her as she
possibly could without getting in her way.
When they saw Juan coming to meet them they breathed a sigh of relief. He
wore the usual white trousers and loose white shirt of the peon, and they
made him look like a ghost walking in the moonlight. But Jo Ann and Peggy
were not afraid of ghosts just now. They were looking for something big
and black and terrifying.
Jo Ann started to speak, but Juan motioned to her to be quiet. He led
them to the base of the cliff, then pointed to the crude notched pole
which he had placed against the ledge.
A few minutes later both girls had climbed up the narrow rocky ledge and
were wriggling about trying to find a comfortable position. Statue-like
Juan took his place just below. Jo Ann held the gun across her lap, ready
to throw it into position in an instant.
The moonlight, filtering through the trees, cast grotesque shadows on the
ground below them. Several times Jo Ann was sure she saw a dark hulk
shambling toward the enclosure, only to discover it was the shadow of a
tree swaying in the night breeze. She strained her eyes till they hurt,
trying to peer into the dark depths of the ravine from which they
expected the bear to appear.
In the excitement of making plans for the bear hunt, Jo Ann had forgotten
about the blue-eyed boy, but now her mind drifted back to him and the
mysterious way in which he and the rest of the family had disappeared. It
was almost as though the earth had opened and swallowed them, she
thought. She went over the events of the last two days in her mind and
tried to plan some course of action. She did not intend to leave one
stone unturned that might help in solving the mystery.
While she sat there dreaming, she was startled by a tiny stone hitting
her on the arm. She glanced around quickly and saw Peggy pointing
questioningly to the high range of mountains on their right. With
difficulty Jo Ann turned partly around on the ledge. A tiny light
flickering against the blackness of the mountains caught and held her
attention. For a moment she thought it was a star falling; then she
noticed that it did not move. What could it be? She looked at Peggy and
shook her head to indicate that she did not know what it was.
For a while they watched the light. There was something mysterious about
the way it flared up brightly then almost flickered out, only to brighten
up again. That could not be a campfire, she decided. Florence had said no
one lived up on the side of that mountain. It was too wild for
habitation. At that distance a tiny campfire could scarcely be seen.
Suddenly a thought flashed through her mind. It was a signal light.
Someone was trying to send a message across the valley. Perhaps the
blue-eyed boy _had_ been kidnaped, after all, and that was why the family
had disappeared so suddenly.
She turned to tell this to Peggy, then realized she must not talk. The
next instant she was half ashamed for being so suspicious. If that boy
had been kidnaped, she felt sure those people had not done it—they were
merely tools in the employ of someone else, she decided.