AN UNCEREMONIOUS ARRIVAL.
By a remarkable coincidence Dick Hamilton trod in the very steps of his
brother Harvey while groping about the gorge, and went crashing and
tumbling to the bottom in the precise fashion of his predecessor.
Retaining his grasp on his Winchester, he strove desperately to check
his descent, but from the causes mentioned failed and landed on his
feet, bewildered and unable for the moment to comprehend what had
taken place. The racket and his exclamations roused Harvey, who was
so mystified that he whipped out his revolver and fired a shot in the
direction of the noise without being able to discern his target.
“Stop that!” shouted the elder; “you may hit me!”
“Heavens, Dick, is it you?” demanded the younger.
Finding himself unharmed, Dick’s waggery asserted itself.
“I don’t know who else it is. That’s the way I always come downstairs.
What are you doing here?”
“Waiting to welcome you.”
“A pretty way to receive a long lost brother by shooting at him.”
“I didn’t harm you, did I?”
“Of course not, for you aimed at me.”
“How could I do that when I didn’t see you?”
“All the same in both cases. But I say, Harv, what does all this mean?
It’s the queerest mix up I ever ran into.”
“The same with me; I tumbled down that bank while picking my way along
the edge.”
“You see the effect of a bad example. How long have you been here?”
“It seems about a month, but I guess it is only a few hours.”
“Why didn’t you answer my signals?”
“For the same reason that you didn’t answer mine.”
“But I was so near when I last called that you ought to have heard me.”
“So I should if I hadn’t been asleep. You woke me rather suddenly.”
“Couldn’t help it; you might have put up a notice warning me to look
out. But I say, Harv, what sort of a hotel is this?”
“One that I should like very much to leave.”
“Why haven’t you done so?”
“Couldn’t; I wish you would show me the way out.”
“Take the first door you come to.”
“But there isn’t any door; I tried to bid farewell until I had to give
it up.”
Harvey now told the particulars of his mishap. The gloom was so deep
that neither could see even the outlines of the other. But their hands
met and both were thankful over their escape, though their situation
was anything but enviable. Dick drew out his match safe and held the
tiny flame above his head. As the reflection lighted each face, they
laughed.
“We set out to find Bunk,” said the elder, “and now it’s up to him to
find us. You say you know of no way of climbing out of this gorge?”
“Not unless some one gives us help. I have tried it over and over
again, and shouted until I was hoarse, but without any one hearing me.”
“I certainly did not. Now instead of one young Hamilton in a hole there
are two. That makes the situation twice as bad as before. Why haven’t
you started a fire?”
“The fuel is too green.”
“Thereby resembling us. However, we must find some way to leave in the
morning. You see, Harv, we haven’t our outer coats, nor any food, nor
moisture enough to wet our lips. By and by our situation will become a
bore.”
“It is pretty near that now.”
Since it was certain they would have to spend the night there, they
seated themselves where Harvey had been resting when awakened with such
startling suddenness.
“Did you learn anything of Bunk?” asked Dick.
“I didn’t get the first trace.”
“I knew you wouldn’t when you left me.”
“How did you make out?”
“I found the cave where he was staying and had a talk with him.”
“What!” exclaimed the amazed Harvey; “do you tell me that?”
“I suppose it is hardly fair to say I had a talk with him, being that I
did all the talking and he hadn’t a word to reply.”
“Why not?”
“Fact is I didn’t lay eyes on him; he kept out of sight.”
Thereupon the elder related his experience after the two had parted
company. There was no doubt that he had come upon the temporary
dwelling of the missing Bohunkus, but the fellow eluded him.
“We’ll have him yet,” added Dick, “and if I feel then as I do now, I’ll
teach him a lesson he won’t forget if he lives a thousand years.”
“Perhaps he deserves it, though I don’t blame him as much as you do.”
“I am speaking for myself, and I’ll drop a hint to you that it won’t be
prudent to interfere. I may be in a different mood when I reach him.”
“Remember, you haven’t reached him as yet and there’s no saying when
you will.”
“I haven’t any doubt that the morning will show us so easy a way of
getting out of this hole, that you’ll be disgusted because you didn’t
see it at once.”
Dick’s optimism cheered Harvey. They talked for two hours and then both
succumbed to drowsiness. They adjusted their positions so as to bring a
part of their bodies in contact, thus gaining a slight degree of mutual
warmth. While the night continued cool they did not suffer, and the
slumber into which they sank lasted without break until morning.
Dick was the first to regain his senses. Gently moving so as not to
disturb his brother he made a minute inspection of the gorge, passing
twice around it, and studying every spot upon which it seemed possible
to build hope. He was scrutinizing the inward sloping wall overhead
which Harvey had tried to climb when the latter, still seated, looked
up.
“Well, what do you make of it?”
“I must own that it looks dubious. I don’t see any way of getting to
the top. I thought of raising you on my shoulders but that wouldn’t
amount to anything.”
“It will do no good to whistle or shout, for no one, unless near, can
hear us. How long before Hunter and Wadsworth will suspect something is
wrong and set out to hunt you up?”
“They will probably wait for one or two weeks, by which time we should
be somewhat hungrier and thirstier than now, though that doesn’t seem
possible. Then,” grimly added Dick, “if they come to this spot they
would probably tumble into the gorge the same as we did, and we should
all have to die together. I have a plan that may possibly amount to
something.”
Dick took his Winchester from where it leaned against the rocks, and
pointing the muzzle toward the sky, discharged each of the ten charges
with a few seconds between them. Then he refilled the chamber with
cartridges and waiting a few minutes, did as before.
“Those reports will carry farther than our whistling or shouting, but
not as far as I should like. It depends upon whether anyone is in the
neighborhood.”
The experiment proved delightfully successful. Dick Hamilton was
preparing to fire a third series, when they were thrilled by a shout:
“Hello, down there! What the blazes is the matter?”
The hail came from a point behind them. On the edge of the gorge and
close to where the brothers had fallen one after the other, stood a
middle-aged man in rough clothing and a slouch hat, carrying a rifle.
His face was smooth-shaven, and the expression kindly.
“Look out!” Harvey shouted, “or you’ll fall into the gorge.”
“I reckon I ain’t fool enough to do that,” was his grinning reply; “is
that the way you managed it?”
“That’s what we did,” said Dick; “be good enough not to laugh too hard,
for we feel bad enough as it is, without your rubbing it in.”
“You do seem to be in a fix, but we can soon get you out.”
“You have no surer way of earning our undying gratitude,” said Dick.
“Wait where you be till I come back.”
“There’s no fear of not waiting, but please don’t forget to return.”
“Don’t be afraid.”
With which the man drew back and disappeared. He was not gone long
when he reappeared with a long, slim sapling, which he had trimmed of
its nubs and excrescences except at the top. Bracing himself firmly
on another part of the edge of the gorge, which was the lowest and
gave firm footing, he grasped the larger end of the pole and carefully
thrust the smaller part down into the opening.
“Can you make it?” he called, peering over.
By standing on tiptoe Dick could grasp the bushy end. He suggested that
Harvey should go first, but there was really no choice, and the younger
replied by telling his brother not to wait.
“Are you ready?” asked the man above.
“Hold fast and I’ll climb up. You needn’t lift me.”
It was easy for the elder, even with his rifle in one hand, to ascend
the pole monkey fashion, and a minute later he stood on the upper
ground beside his friend. Then he helped to hold the larger end and
Harvey climbed up with the same facility. The rescue was effected
so readily that it was almost ridiculous. The two warmly thanked the
stranger. Harvey offered a money reward, but the man shook his head.
“I’m Jim Haley, one of the game protectors for this part of the
country. I heard your gun and wondered what it meant. We have to keep
sharp watch of them as are inclined to forget this is the close season.
Why have you brought your Winchester with you?” asked the official,
with a suspicious look at Dick.
“I generally carry it in the woods so as to be ready for danger. I met
a big buck yesterday; fact is, I’ve seen him several times and he was
mighty tempting, but I haven’t any wish to get into trouble with the
courts.”
“Don’t forget that, young man, for if you do it’ll go hard with you.”
“I’ll remember,” meekly replied Dick, who almost trembled to recall how
near he had come to violating the game laws; “a couple of friends and
myself have a tent on the other side of the lake. If you will go there
with us I can promise you a good breakfast and a smoke.”
Haley thanked them but declined the invitation, and bidding them
good day strode off. His manner showed that he was still a little
distrustful of the intentions of the young man, who, it need hardly be
said, gave him and his brother officials no further cause to suspect
him.
“The next thing to be done,” said Dick, “is to get back to camp for
breakfast. On the way we’ll stop long enough to lower the lake six
inches in slaking our thirst.”
“What about Bunk?” asked Harvey.
“On his account, I shall give him no attention till after I have had a
full meal. If I should run across him before, nothing can prevent me
from murdering him.”
“We have a fine mess of fish awaiting us at the canoe.”
“But nothing else; we need seasoning, coffee, biscuit and lots of other
things that can’t be had short of camp. I’ll run you a race.”
“Not if I know myself.”
So it came about that Bohunkus Johnson was dismissed from their
thoughts for the time, and all their energies were given to making
the trip as quickly as possible. Dick plied the paddle with skill
and vigor. They found their friends awaiting them and the meal which
followed was all that two hungry youths could ask.
While it was under way, Hunter and Wadsworth having concluded theirs,
the Hamiltons told their story. The morning was now well advanced and
Professor Morgan and his monoplane might appear at any moment. The
couple, who were making ready for a tramp in the woods to the eastward,
volunteered to go with Dick and Harvey, but it was feared that their
presence might prove an obstacle to success.
“We are starting for that sable gentleman in earnest this time,” said
the elder, “and what’s more, we’re going to get him. You can bet your
last dollar on that. I’ve got a hunch to that effect.”
“You are likely to run into a row with the Professor,” said Hunter.
“Nothing would suit me better; I have had so much experience while in
camp in dealing with cranks that I understand ’em.”
With good wishes the parties separated as on the day before, and once
more Dick Hamilton sent the canoe skimming toward the extremity of the
lake He would not permit Harvey to take the paddle, for he was less
skillful. The minutes were important.
“Keep watch for that lunatic, Harv, and leave the rest to me.”
The younger not only scanned the sky to the south, but studied the
mountainous country ahead. The greater part of the distance had been
passed when he uttered an excited exclamation.
“What is it?” asked Dick, holding his paddle suspended and glancing
over his shoulder.
“Take a look at that pile of rocks where you went yesterday and let me
know what you see.”
Dick laid down the paddle and leveled the instrument. A moment later he
called out:
“I’ll be hanged! It’s Bunk and no mistake!”