There was nothing to tempt a stay where they were, so taking advantage
of their being once more alone, a fresh start was made along the most
open course that presented itself, and some miles were placed between
them and the last camp before a halt was made for the night.
"We shan't do no good, Master Bart," said Joses, as they two kept watch
for the first part of the night. "The master thinks we shall, but I
don't, and Juan don't, and Sam and Harry don't."
"But why not?"
"Why not, Master Bart? How can you 'spect it, when you've got a young
woman and a waggon and a tent along with you. Them's all three things
as stop you from getting over the ground. I don't call this an
exploring party; I call it just a-going out a-pleasuring when it's all
pain."
"You always would grumble, Joses; no matter where we were, or what we
were doing, you would have your grumble. I suppose it does you good."
"Why, of course it does," said Joses, with a low chuckling laugh. "If I
wasn't to grumble, that would all be in my mind making me sour, so I
gets rid of it as soon as I can."
That night passed without adventure, and, starting at daybreak the next
morning, they found a fine open stretch of plain before them, beyond
which, blue and purple in the distance, rose the mountains, and these
were looked upon as their temporary destination, for Dr Lascelles was
of opinion that here he might discover something to reward his toils.
The day was so hot and the journey so arduous, that upon getting to the
farther side of the plain, with the ground growing terribly broken and
rugged as they approached the mountain slopes, a suitable spot was
selected, and the country being apparently quite free from danger, the
tent was set up, and the quarters made snug for two or three days' rest,
so that the Doctor might make a good search about the mountain chasms
and ravines, and see if there were any prospect of success.
The place reached was very rugged, but it had an indescribable charm
from the varied tints of the rocks and the clumps of bushes, with here
and there a low scrubby tree, some of which proved to be laden with wild
plums.
"Why, those are wild grapes too, are they not?" said Bart, pointing to
some clustering vines which hung over the rocks laden with purpling
berries.
"That they be," said Joses; "and as sour as sour, I'll bet. But I say,
Master Bart, hear that?"
"What! that piping noise?" replied Bart. "I was wondering what it could
be."
"I'll tell you, lad," said Joses, chuckling. "That's young wild turkeys
calling to one another, and if we don't have a few to roast it shan't be
our fault."
The Doctor was told of the find, and after all had been made snug, it
was resolved to take guns and rifles, and search for something likely to
prove an agreeable change.
"For we may as well enjoy ourselves, Bart, and supply Madam Maude here
with a few good things for our pic-nic pot."
The heat of the evening and the exertion of the long day's journey made
the party rather reluctant to stir after their meal, but at last guns
were taken, and in the hope of securing a few of the wild turkeys, a
start was made; but after a stroll in different directions, Joses began
to shake his head, and to say that it would be no use till daybreak, for
the turkeys had gone to roost.
Walking, too, was difficult, and there were so many thorns, that, out of
kindness to his child, the Doctor proposed that they should return to
the tent; signals were made to the men at a distance, and thoroughly
enjoying the cool, delicious air of approaching eve, they had nearly
reached the tent, when about a hundred yards of the roughest ground had
to be traversed--a part that seemed as if giants had been hurling down
huge masses of the mountain to form a new chaos, among whose mighty
boulders, awkward thorns, huge prickly cacti, and wild plums, grew in
profusion.
"What a place to turn into a wild garden, Bart!" said the Doctor,
suddenly.
"I had been thinking so," cried Maude, eagerly. "What a place to build
a house!"
"And feed cattle, eh?" said the Doctor. "Very pretty to look at, my
child, but I'm afraid that unless we could live by our guns, we should
starve."
"Hough--hough--hough!" came from beyond a rugged piece of rock.
"O father!" cried Maude, clinging to his arm.
"Don't hold me, child," he said fiercely, "leave my arm free;" and
starting forward, gun in hand, he made for the place from whence the
hideous half-roaring, half-grunting noise had came.
Before he had gone a dozen steps the sound was repeated, but away to
their right. Then came the sharp reports of two guns, and, evidently
seeing something hidden from her father and Bart, Maude sprang forward
while they followed.
"Don't go, Missy, don't go," shouted Juan, and his cry was echoed by
Harry; but she did not seem to hear them, and was the first to arrive at
where a huge bear lay upon its flank, feebly clawing at the rock with
fore and hind paw, it having received a couple of shots in vital parts.
"Pray keep back, Maude," cried Bart, running to her side.
"I wanted to see it," she said with an eager glance around at her
father, who came up rapidly. "What is it?"
"It's the cub half grown of a grizzly bear," said Dr Lascelles,
speaking excitedly now. "Back, girl, to the tent; the mother must be
close at hand."
"On, forward; she's gone round to the right," shouted the men behind,
who had been trying to get on by another way, but were stopped by the
rocks.
"Back, girl!" said the Doctor again. "Forward all of you, steadily, and
make every shot tell. Where is Joses?"
Just then the deep hoarse grunting roar came again from a hollow down
beyond them, and directly after, as they all hurried forward, each man
ready to fire at the first chance, they heard a shot, and directly after
came in sight of Joses, with his double rifle to his shoulder taking aim
at a monstrous bear that, apparently half disabled by his last shot, was
drawing itself up on a great shelving block of stone, and open mouthed
and with blood and slaver running from its glistening ivory fangs, was
just turning upon him to make a dash and strike him down.
Just then a second shot rang out, and the bear rolled over, but sprang
to its feet again with a terrific roar, and dashed at her assailant.
It was impossible to fire now, lest Joses should be hit; and though he
turned and fled, he was too late, for the bear, in spite of its huge,
ox-like size, sprang upon him, striking him down, and stood over him.
But now was the time, and the Doctor's and Bart's rifles both rang out,
the latter going down on one knee to take careful aim; and as the smoke
cleared away the bear was gone.
"She's made for those rocks yonder," cried Juan, excitedly. "We'll have
her now, master. She didn't seem hurt a bit."
"Be careful," cried the Doctor. "Maude, help poor Joses. Go forward,
Bart, but mind. She may be fatally wounded now."
Bart was for staying to help the man who had so often been his
companion, but his orders were to go on; he knew that Joses could not be
in better hands; and there was the inducement to slay his slayer to urge
him forward as he ran with his rifle at the trail over the rocks, and
was guided by the savage growling he could hear amidst some bushes to
where the monster was at bay.
It was fast approaching the moment when all would be in gloom, and Bart
knew that it would be impossible for them to camp where they were with a
wounded grizzly anywhere near at hand. Slain the monster must be, and
at once; but though the growling was plain enough, the bear was not
visible, and ammunition is too costly out in the desert for a single
charge to be wasted by a foolish shot.
Juan, Harry, and Sam were all in position, ready to fire, but still the
animal did not show itself, so they went closer to the thicket, and
threw in heavy stones, but without the least effect, till Juan suddenly
exclaimed that he would go right in and drive the brute out.
Bart forbade this, however, and the man contented himself with going a
little closer, and throwing a heavy block in a part where they had not
thrown before.
A savage grunt was the result, and judging where the grizzly lay, Juan,
without waiting for counsel, raised his rifle and fired, dropping his
weapon and running for his life the next moment, for the shot was
succeeded by a savage yell, and the monster came crashing out in a
headlong charge, giving Juan no cause for flight, since his butt made
straight for Bart, open mouthed, fiery-eyed, and panting for revenge.
Bart's first instinct was to turn and run, his second to stand his
ground and fire right at the monster, taking deadly aim.
But in moments of peril like his there is little time for the exercise
of judgment, and ere he could raise his rifle to his shoulder and take
careful aim the bear was upon him, rising up on its hind legs, not to
hug him, as is generally supposed to be the habits of these beasts, but
to strike at him right and left with its hideously armed paws.
Bart did not know how it happened, but as the beast towered up in its
huge proportions, he fired rapidly both barrels of his piece, one loaded
with heavy shot for the turkeys, the other with ball, right into the
monster's chest.
As he fired Bart leaped back, and it was well that he did so, for the
grizzly fell forward with a heavy thud, almost where he had been
standing, clawed at the rocks and stones for a few moments, and then lay
perfectly still--dead.