A VIEW OF GOLDEN GLOW
For a moment Jack's words struck a chill to the hearts of his
companions. The fog seemed to wrap around them like an impenetrable
blanket, from which they sought in vain to escape. A little breeze
stirred the wreaths of vapor, but did not disperse them.
"Lost!" repeated Nat, as if he could not believe it.
"I guess you're right," admitted John. "Now wait a minute. Where's
the compass?"
"Here," spoke Jack, feeling in his pocket for it. A blank look came
over his face. He hurriedly looked through several pockets. "I've
lost it!" he exclaimed.
"Well, never mind," John went on calmly. He seemed to rise to the
emergency, and become collected in the face of the danger that
confronted them. "I guess I haven't got Indian blood in me for
nothing. I can tell which way is north, anyhow."
"You can?" asked Nat. "How, in all this fog?"
"There's more moss on the north side of a tree than on any other,"
John replied. "We were going in a northerly direction so, all we have
to do is to keep on, stopping once in a while to see how the moss
is."
It sounded like good advice, and Nat and Jack felt better after
hearing it. They started off again, more hopeful, and went slowly for
a while, stopping now and then, to see about the moss, or "nature's
compass," as Jack called it.
They must have traveled a number of miles, when they decided it was
time to camp and eat something. They looked around for some dry wood
for a fire, seeking for it under overhanging rocks as Jim had showed
them how to do. They managed to start a blaze, and John was frying
some bacon, incidentally trying to keep the smoke from his eyes, when
Nat, who had gone a short distance off the trail, exclaimed:
"Say fellows; look here!"
"See a bear?" asked Jack.
"No, but here's our old friend, the queer tree!" he called. "We're
back in the same place."
Jack and John ran to where Nat stood. There was the lightning-scarred
trunk. Once more they had traveled in a circle. They had not read the
moss signs aright.
It was such a shock that, for a few moments, the boys did not know
what to say. They had been so sure they were journeying in the right
direction, that, to find they had merely gone back on their own
trail, was more than discouraging.
"Thought you said you knew how to read signs, and where north was,"
spoke Jack, looking at John.
"Well, I thought I did," the Indian replied. "I'm sure I am right,
only I think we must have made a mistake in our directions."
"Well, we're here, and what are we going to do?" asked Nat.
About them the fog swirled, lazily moving this way and that, in
response to gentle puffs of wind, but never lifting enough to enable
them to get a glimpse of the sun, to determine where they were, or in
which direction to travel.
"Let's eat, anyhow," suggested Jack. "We'll feel better after that."
It was no very cheerful meal, and they were three very much worried
boys. They said little while partaking of the bacon, bread and
coffee, the horses cropping the sparse grass near by. But, in a
little while, Jack laughed.
"What's the use of feeling blue?" he asked. "We're lost, that's sure
enough, but we're in a civilized country, and we'll get home, or
somewhere, sooner or later. Come on, let's have another try."
"Then you can lead the way, I'll not," spoke John a little sharply.
"I'm not going to be blamed again."
"Oh, come now!" exclaimed Jack. "Don't mind what we said. Of course
it wasn't your fault. It would happen to any one!"
All that afternoon they traveled, until it was hard work to urge the
horses on, as they were becoming tired. The boys spoke but seldom,
and John seemed more glum than ever. Once or twice Jack tried to joke
with him, but it was a failure. The half Indian lad was exhibiting
some of the traits of his ancestors.
Gradually it grew darker, until, with the thick fog, and the
overhanging trees, it was almost like twilight.
"How much further?" asked Nat.
"I guess we can camp any time you want to," Jack said.
"Do you think we are any further along the trail, or have we just
traveled in a bigger circle?" Nat inquired.
"Hard to say," replied Jack. "At any rate I don't see our old friend
the queer tree. We must have ascended some for it's been up hill the
last two hours."
They found a well sheltered place, underneath a big clump of trees,
that would serve as a canopy for themselves and the horses. The
animals were tethered, after being allowed to feed on a patch of
grass, and then they had supper. After the meal John seemed to be in
better spirits, and took a more cheerful view of things.
"I guess the fog will lift by morning," he said.
But it did not, and, when the boys arose to prepare breakfast, after
an uncomfortable night, the white curtain was thicker than ever.
They traveled all that day, but, whether they made any real progress,
or whether they went back or around in a circle, they could only
surmise. They tried to keep ascending the mountain, and this was the
only means they had of telling which way to go.
"If we could only see something," said Nat, "it wouldn't be so
lonesome. A fox, or a rabbit, or even a mountain lion. I don't
believe I'd shoot one, I'd want his company."
"I'm sorry I got you fellows into this scrape," Jack put in. "I'd go
back with you, and begin over again, all alone, only I guess it would
be just as bad to go back as it is to go ahead, so we might as well
keep on."
"Well, I reckon you'll not go on alone," said Nat, decidedly, and
John, who had recovered his former good-natured, nodded in assent.
As their horses stumbled on, once more the curtain of night began to
descend, hastened by the thick fog. Would it never rise? How long
were they to be hidden under the white vail?
Suddenly, as they urged on their tired animals, a spear of light
seemed to pierce the gathering gloom ahead of them. At the sight of
it the horses threw up their heads and put forward their ears. The
spear grew brighter. Then it pierced the mist. All at once a puff of
wind brushed aside the white clinging wreaths of vapor that had so
long enshrouded them. The fog rolled away, and there, in front of
them was the setting sun, in a halo of glory. As it shone the beams
were caught and reflected from a distant peak.
"Golden Glow! Golden Glow!" cried Jack. "There is the mountain we
have been searching for! Now to find my father!"