UP AGAINST A SILVER-TIP
There was some difficulty when it came to selecting such things as might
prove most handy in their difficult task. Several had to be laid aside
as being too bulky and cumbersome; for weight would count heavily
against them in forcing a passage through the thick growth in the
ravine; as well as later when they struck the mighty upheaval of rocks
on the side of the mountain, below the natural pass into the
Hole-in-the-Wall valley.
Those things they had selected were divided up, and made into two
packages of about equal weight. When Jack did not happen to be looking
Perk managed to slip several articles into his pack, evidently
begrudging their lack; which he considered only right and proper, since
his shoulders and back must stand for the extra strain.
"An' if we do need 'em, which is like enough," he told himself, as if in
apology for his deceit; "they might jest prove _life-savers_--yeou never
kin tell haow the cat's agoin' to jump; an' they do say as a stitch in
time saves yeour whole bacon."
Having attached these bundles securely to their backs the pair were
ready to start forth on their perilous errand--matching their wits and
courage against the lawless spirits who had defied the power of Uncle
Sam, believing it would take the whole U. S. army to dislodge them from
such an isolated and natural fortress.
"First thing we've got to remember, partner," said Jack, softly, as they
began to plunge into the wild growth that filled the deep ravine from
one side to the other, "is to get our bearings as we advance."
"Gosh amighty! Jack, is that a go, when all we got to 'member is haow we
kept aheadin' 'long this ere coulie. I doant see haow anybody could go
astray in sech a canyon as this same."
"To be sure," Jack assured him, "that's true as long as this is the only
old waterbed we'll have to follow; which it isn't, if you remember those
directions Simeon sent in. Once we became a bit rattled as to which
channel to follow, and it'd ruin all our calculations--the element of
uncertainty has wrecked more clever plans than anything agoing. More
than that, we must turn around and stare at the way things look from the
other direction; because we'll be heading back to our camp when we need
to follow our trail. You know lots of landmarks may seem okay in going,
which you'd never recognize when coming from the opposite quarter."
"Yeah! I knowed that too, buddy," affirmed Perk, with a grin; "read
'baout the same lots o' times as a kid, when I used to soak in stories
o' them old days in Kentucky, that they called the Dark an' Bloody
Ground----Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton, Harrod an' them forest rangers
picked that trick up from the Shawnee Injuns they used to fight. We'll
face the other way heaps o' times, an' make picters o' the scenery on
aour minds; that's okay with me, Jack."
For some little time they had all they could do to push their way along,
so matted were the vines and the underbrush, so extremely rough the
footing.
Twice Perk had stumbled, and come near having an ugly fall; he even
managed to skin his right knee painfully by coming in contact with a
rock; but never a grunt did he emit, accustomed as he was to taking such
things as part of the game.
"Mebbe naow this is what I get fur loadin' me daown so heavy," he told
himself, under his breath; "but jest the same I aint ameanin' to throw a
single thing away; 'cause that'd sure turn aout to be jest what we
needed most to save our skins."
Later on, as they stood still and rested a bit, Perk again confided in
his companion; he always did seem to suck more or less consolation out
of these frequent "chinnings," as they afforded him opportunities to see
things through Jack's eyes, an advantage Perk greatly appreciated.
"More I get thinkin' 'baout the slick way that same Simeon took a
carrier pigeon 'long with him, so he could be sure o' gettin' valuable
information into the hands o' his boss, the more I admire the ole gink.
I knowed as haow the French used them birds over across the water, when
we was afightin' the Heinies; but say, tryin' sech a game aout in the
Secret Service was a new dodge on me."
"Both clever, and original, Perk," assented the other, fastening on his
pack once more; "but then, as I remember Simeon Balderson he was always
different from the common truck of the Force. I'll be right sorry if
anything has happened to him--wiped out by these devils up here, just
because they naturally hate all Service men."
Thus they continued to stumble along, sometimes one in the lead, and
then later on the other would forge ahead, just as circumstances brought
things about.
There was no attempt to make any kind of speed, since time did not count
in what they were trying to accomplish--far better to spend a week, even
two, than to ruin everything by some incautious move.
From time to time sounds would come to their ears, mostly ahead; but in
every case these could be set down as proceeding from birds, or small
animals that may have discovered their approach, and were showing signs
of restlessness.
Once, however, a faint report drifted to their ears through some slant
in the breeze, being possibly a mile or more distant, which both
recognized as a gunshot--the only evidence of human beings that thus far
they had discovered.
It acted as a spur, making them remember what they were up against; but
Perk only smiled, as though he cared very little how soon they ran into
the jaws of trouble, and matched their talents against those they
sought.
Then they had a severe shock--it came almost without the least warning
too, which made it more stunning.
A rustling in the underbrush--what sounded like a snarl or a grunt; and
as they flashed a startled look in that direction, a huge shaggy figure
uprose to betray the presence of a genuine Rocky Mountain grizzly of
un-heard-of proportions, standing erect.
To make the matter all the more serious the frightful beast was almost
directly in their way, blocking any further movement along the ravine.
Besides, while they carried arms, it was highly imprudent on several
accounts for them to dream of using the same.
In the first place their automatics would seem but trivial instruments
when used against such a monster, said to have the nine lives of a cat;
and often known to still be in fighting trim after receiving a volley of
lead from powerful modern sporting rifles.
Then again if they were forced to fire, even though lucky enough to down
their hairy enemy, the sound of the discharges was certain to be heard
by those in hiding, and would serve to turn the entire settlement out
searching for the cause of the rattling sounds.
"Hot-diggetty-dig! did yeou _ever_ see sech a buster o' a bar?" Perk was
gasping, as he stared aghast; "an' the tarnel beast's startin' to move
this way, as sure as shootin', Jack!"
"We've just got to clear out!" came the ultimatum from Jack.
That was easy to say, but what chance would they have against such a
powerful beast, evidently with some reason to hate all two-legged
bipeds, having possibly at some time in the past been severely wounded
by such a creature, and holding a vendetta against all the clan. He
could break through the worst tangle with ease, while they must be held
up, and their progress impeded frightfully.
Jack hit a brilliant idea almost on the instant.
"Follow me, Perk!" he shrilled, tersely; "we've got to climb a tree!
Let's go, partner!"
"Which tree?" Perk demanded, as he kept close at the other's heels.
"Over this way--got limbs low down--silver-tips can't climb a tree, I've
heard. Hurry--hurry!"
There was indeed need of haste, for they could distinctly hear the
smashing advance of the big brute; also catch the growling as he pursued
the fleeing pair who had dared invade his private hunting patch.
Neither of them dared cast a single look back, lest they stumble over an
outcropping rock, or get entangled in some running vine, such as fairly
covered the ground in certain places, to serve as traps to incautious
feet.
Jack managed to arrive at the selected tree ahead of his mate, and
swinging around to the further side, so as to keep out of the other's
way, commenced to lift himself into the lower branches.
This was no slight task, seeing how heavily they were both loaded down
with those bundles fastened to their backs; but it is wonderful what
fright can accomplish under similar conditions; and Perk was already
pawing at the other side of the friendly tree, wild with eagerness to
hoist himself far enough from the ground so as to avoid contact with
those cruel claws of the monster, of which he had doubtless heard
thrilling stories concerning their length, and sharpness.
Nearer came the crashing sounds, and the growls; but by great good luck
the angry beast arrived just too late to attain his end; for while he
reached up all of ten feet Perk believed, he could not more than barely
touch the lower foot of the climber, which was instantly drawn beyond
his reach.
For a full minute, more or less, neither of them could spare the breath
to make any sort of comment over their narrow escape--it was enough for
them to know they had nothing to fear immediately from the irate
silver-tip, still standing erect, and emitting those hoarse growls, as
if to tell them what he would do if only they ventured within his reach.
Then Perk made a slight move, and Jack feared he might be about to kick
at the beast's elevated snout, which would only irritate Bruin a great
deal more.
"Keep quiet, and don't do anything to stir him up more than he is
already," was the way Jack cautioned his running mate, knowing the
impulsive nature of Perk only too well. "He may fade away when he sees
he can't touch us. Just get your breath back, Pal Perk, and wait up."
"Okay, brother," replied the other, as though recognizing the soundness
of his comrade's doctrine.
But somehow or other the big beast showed no signs of intending to break
the siege by "fading out," as Jack had termed it; he continued to move
around the base of the tree, now on all fours, and again raising up to
his full height with ferocious growls if either of them so much as made
a slight move.
"Gee whiz! he sure is some wheeze, I'd say, Jack," Perk remarked, after
some little time had passed, with no change whatever taking place. "What
if the ole geezer takes a notion to tent aout here at aour tree--say,
that'd be the limit, bet yeour boots it would!"
Then he fell silent for a spell, as though mentally calculating the
extent of such a calamity on their fortunes.