LOST ON THE MOUNTAIN
Up to that time the boys had been as cool, almost, as Jim himself.
But, at the idea that they were to slay the big and fierce creature
standing so majestically before them, they experienced a touch of
what is called "buck fever." Their hands shook so they could not
sight their rifles. Even John, half Indian as he was, showed the
effects of it.
"Steady," whispered Jim. "You're only shooting at a mark!"
At once the nerves of the boys quieted. Their hands became firm, and,
raising their rifles they all took careful aim at the lion. Jim was
watching them.
"Fire!" he suddenly exclaimed in a whisper, and the three rifles
sounded as one.
Following the report, and mingling with it, came a scream so shrill
and full of terror that the boys could not help jumping. Through the
smoke they could see a big, tawny, yellow body leap high into the
air, and then, falling back, begin to claw the earth and stones,
while the screams continued to ring out.
"You nailed her!" cried Jim.
Hardly had he spoken before there was a rattling sound behind them.
All four turned, to see, crouching, not twenty feet away, a big, male
mountain lion, ready to spring. It was the mate of the female the
boys had just mortally wounded, and the big beast's eyes flashed fire
as it saw the death struggles of its den-mate.
For a moment the hunters stood as if paralyzed. The sight of the lion
in their rear had unnerved them. The male must have been stalking
them, just as they had followed the other. As they watched, a sudden
tremor seemed to run through the big brute's body.
"He's going to spring!" said Jim, in a low voice. At the same moment
he brought his gun up, ready to fire.
An instant later the lion launched itself forward, propelled by
muscles like steel springs, straight at the group, anger blazing in
its eyes.
Bang! spoke Jim's rifle, and the big cat seemed to turn completely
over in the air.
But the momentum of the spring was not checked by the bullet which
had struck it in the throat. On it came, and Jim yelled:
"Duck boys!"
He had no time to do so himself, so, before he could throw himself to
one side, the lion was upon him and the cowboy went down in a heap,
the beast, snarling and growling, on top of him. There was a
confusion of man and lion, a vision of flying legs, fast-working
claws and the sight of a yellow body in convulsions.
"Fire at the lion!" yelled Jack.
"Don't! You might shoot Jim!" exclaimed Nat.
"Get your knives out!" cried John, drawing his own blade.
But they were not needed. A moment later the big cat rolled over off
Jim, and, in a few seconds the cowboy rose from the ground, covered
with dirt and blood, but, apparently unhurt.
"Did he bite you?" asked Jack,
"He was dead when he landed on me," said Jim. "It was only the dying
struggle. Might have clawed me up a bit, but not much."
In fact the cowboy had several long and deep scratches on his hands
and legs, where his heavy trousers had been cut through by the
terrible claws. Aside from that he was not hurt.
"Good thing I had a load in my gun," he remarked, as he threw out the
empty shell and fired a bullet through the head of the lion to make
sure it was dead.
"I guess the other one's done for," said Jack, as he looked toward
where the lioness had stood.
"I'd hope so, with three of you firin' at her," spoke Jim as he went
over to a little spring and washed some of the dirt and blood from
him.
"This isn't half bad," spoke Nat. "I wish some of the fellows at
Washington Hall could see us now."
"Maybe they would think we were some pumpkins," put in Jack.
"Oh we'll do better than this," said John. "We want to get one
apiece, instead of a third each."
"That's so," admitted Jack and Nat.
It was decided they had enjoyed sport enough for one day, so they
went back to their little camp and prepared to spend the night. In
the morning they journeyed to the small ranch house and some of the
cowboys went for the dead lions and skinned them. The boys were a
little anxious as to who would have the trophies, but there was no
need of this, as, in the next two days three more of the lions were
slain. Jack and John each bowled over one, not so very large, to be
sure, but enough to make the lads feel several inches taller. Nat had
poor luck, missing two fine chances. However, he was not discouraged.
The boys were congratulated on all sides when they got back to Mr.
Kent's house, even the oldest plainsman admitting they had not done
so bad for tenderfeet.
Aside from long rides, in which they learned to be more proficient on
horses, the boys did little for the week following the hunt. Jack
made anxious inquiries every day after the condition of Peter Lantry,
hoping the aged man might have regained his senses enough to give
directions for finding Mr. Ranger's cabin. But the fever still held
the old miner (for such his delirious talk showed him to have been) a
captive, and locked his brain in an impenetrable mantle.
"It's hard to sit around and do nothing, when you know your father
may need you," Jack said, one day. "I'm going to ask Mr. Kent if I
can't go myself, alone, and find the cabin. I believe I could, from
Mr. Tevis's directions."
"What do you want to go alone for?" asked Nat. "Why can't John and I
go along?"
"I didn't want to take you on a dangerous trip," Jack replied.
"Well, I guess you'd find it hard to leave us behind," John put in.
"Come on, let's ask if we can't go."
At first Mr. Kent would not hear of it. But the boys pleaded so hard,
and Jack seemed to feel so badly at the delay, that Mr. Kent gave in,
He admitted there was no telling when Mr. Lantry would recover enough
to give directions, and it would certainly be a very long time before
he would be able to guide a party to the scene.
So it was arranged that the three boys were to make the hundred mile
trip to Golden Glow. It was not as venturesome as it sounded. They
had come west in safety, and gone through a number of perils with
credit to themselves. Then, too, it was in summer, and camping in the
open was fun, more than anything else. It was true the trail was a
hard one, but, by going a roundabout way, horses could be used for
the greater distance. Mr. Kent wanted to send Rattlesnake Jim with
the boys, but they would not hear of it.
"I guess we can look out for ourselves," said Jack. "If we can't,
it's time we learned."
Three days later saw them on the trail. They had sturdy horses, used
to mountain roads, a camping outfit and provisions that would last
them two weeks, with plenty of ammunition, and each one carried a
fine rifle.
They rode along for four days, camping at night in such sheltered
places as they could find. The morning of the fifth day they awoke to
find the mountain shrouded in fog.
"That shan't delay us," exclaimed Jack, though it was hard to see a
rod ahead of the horse's nose. "We have a compass and we can follow
the general direction Mr. Tevis gave us."
So they traveled on after breakfast, though it was dreary riding.
They plodded on for mile after mile in silence. All at once Jack, who
was ahead exclaimed:
"Doesn't that tree look familiar?"
He pointed to one that had been struck by lightning, and which had a
peculiar spiral white mark running down the trunk. It was close to
the edge of the trail.
"It sure does," admitted John.
"I remember passing that before," Nat said. "What of it?"
"It means that we have wandered around in a circle," Jack answered.
"We are lost on the mountains!"