“That’s a motor what motes,” he announced. Soon they took off and they looked most war-like with the sheriff’s artillery1 added to their equipment. Through the minds of the Sky Buddies2 raced a varied3 assortment4 of possibilities regarding what they would find when they came down on the Gordon ranch5. Jim rather wished that Bob was not along for if either young Arthur or any of his former associates were there no one would anticipate how much trouble awaited them. Although there was only a few months difference in their ages, Austin felt years older and was anxious that the younger boy be kept out of danger. He recalled the scheme the two Gordons had concocted50 and nearly brought to perfection at Don Haurea’s ranch a few months ago. While Caldwell had not been hurt physically6 the horror of what he had witnessed had almost taken the fun out of him.
In the back seat Bob too was thinking of that day. Through his brain flashed the vision of his step-brother lying wounded and bleeding on the steps of the Bar-Z ranch house. It wasn’t a picture a fellow could shake off easily and he was wishing that Jim was not going to be in this, whatever was ahead of them. To be sure, under the splendid care of the medical men and surgeons of the Don’s people, his Buddy7 had healed and recovered with remarkable8 speed, but just the same being a target was a hazardous9 business and one couldn’t expect to get off so easily very often. He whistled softly and determined10 that he would keep his eyes open and if possible shove Austin into the background. The plan looked good to the boy, and then he thought of something which seemed even better. When they came down he’d suggest that his step-brother fly on home and explain the matter to his father who could get a number of the51 men on the K-A together and join the deputies at the lower ranch. That was a great idea, and an even better one was to propose that Jim get in touch with Don Haurea. From this highly capable man’s laboratories something very effective could be accomplished11. Bob had no thought of what the Box-Z owner would do, but since the difficulties of the summer he too had paid a visit to the subterranean12 department and had seen the workings of the super-television-radio. It was an awe-inspiring place and the young fellow knew that the proposal of getting in touch with its head would appeal strongly to his step-brother.
By this time the rugged13 peaks of lower Cap Rock were rolling swiftly toward them, and presently the buddies from their separate points of observation were examining the ranch through the glasses. Finally Jim located Carl Summers sitting on a projecting ledge14 from which he could keep a watchful15 eye on his territory. It struck the boy that the young deputy appeared very unconcerned. He had expected to discover Carl crouched16 in some out-of-the-way corner where he could not be taken by surprise, and52 surrounded with a battery of artillery. Touching17 Kramer on the shoulder, Jim pointed18 out the ledge where he had landed with Her Highness the day Lilly Boome and Ollie had inveigled19 him to give them a lift from Laville. Three minutes later the Pitcairn lighted perfectly20 on the strip of table rock, and Bob, eager to put his plan into operation, called:
“I say, Jim, I’ve got an idea!”
“Take off your hat and let your head cool,” Jim advised. The younger boy got out of the cock-pit with all possible speed and was standing21 by the forward door before it could be opened. Austin grinned at him cheerfully.
“I don’t need to, you nut. Listen, Old Timer, you fly on to the K-A and tell Dad what’s doing, then telephone Don Haurea. I bet a thin dime22 against the State of Texas that he’ll be able to do something worth while from his place—”
“But your brother can’t fly well enough yet!” Kramer interrupted.
“Say, you sent that wire to your firm, didn’t you, that you are going to stay here?” Bob demanded.
“Yes, but what’s that got to do with it?”
53 “Nothing much, old man, but the Buddy and I know a lot more than you would suspect about airplanes. We’ll give you a demonstration23 when we’re not too busy. It’s this way, we thought you looked like a deserving lad, and we were sorry for anyone who never got real close to a good horse, so, when you said that your firm would give you permission to stay a while, we wanted to help you—we’re a pair of regular little helpfuls—ask our folks.”
“I’ll tell the world you are. Think I’m going to hang around here to teach you something you know? I’m not lying to my firm—”
“Gosh,” Bob’s face flushed. “That’s right, I didn’t think of it—you couldn’t do that—” then he grinned—“but, look here, if you do like Texas and horses and dogs—and us—I’ll bet you could sell a couple of planes to some of the ranchers. We’ll introduce you around—”
“I’ll bet the sheriff would buy one,” Jim added. Then the frown disappeared from Kramer’s face and he too grinned.
“Now you are talking. I’ll get in touch with the firm and see what my boss thinks. Much obliged, Buddy, for the tip, and much54 obliged too for the desire to give me a good time.” He held out his hand and Caldwell gripped it firmly in his own.
“Now that’s settled,” Jim put in—“the sheriff said that Summers has an instrument here and he has tapped the telephone wires. Your idea of getting in touch with Dad and the Don is great, I’ll do it by phone.”
“Oh—yes, sure you can do that.” Bob’s face fell and he sighed as he saw how quickly his perfectly good plan to get Austin away from the danger zone vanished into thin air. “Sure, you can do that and it will save time, too.”
“Hello there!” Carl Summers, who was a stocky little Texan, came swinging carelessly up the winding24 trail, his face wreathed in smiles.
“Hello yourself. We were at Crofton and the sheriff asked us to drop in and see how things are,” Jim explained.
“That’s fine. For a couple of days I sure have been doing some tall figuring without getting an answer. Guess I was sort of hipped25 with the snow and the emptiness of this place, but I wasn’t all goofy,” he said.
55 “Did you find anything?” Jim asked. He and Kramer were out of the cock-pit ready to listen to the story, whatever it was.
“Yes, a spell ago. I’ve been feeling that I wasn’t alone on this ranch and it got me worried, not because I was afraid, but because I couldn’t come up with anyone. The first time was at night, I was asleep in a bunk26 I fixed27 myself in the old root house, that dugout, and I awoke thinking I heard prowlers. I couldn’t find anything, but dozens of times since then I was sure I was being trailed; then I found those bear tracks and I know bears are enjoying a siesta28 this time of year, but they were tracks and they went around in a circle. It didn’t make me feel too good trying to figure what made ’em.”
“It must have made you anxious,” Kramer remarked.
“Surely did, brother. I reported to the sheriff and he promised to get someone here as fast as he could, and he told me to keep watch. Now, you two know bear tracks, just for fun come and look at this set and see if you can tell what made them and where the animal came from or went,” he proposed.
56 “Lead on, McDuff,” Kramer invited.
“You got my name wrong, buddy, it’s Summers—”
“I know, but that’s just a quotation,” Kramer hastened to explain.
“He wants you to show us,” Bob added.
“Oh, I see, he’s from Missouri. Well, come along.”
“Do we need the battery?” Kramer asked. He didn’t like toting a gun and seeing the two in the boys’ belts made him feel uncomfortable.
“We’ve got them on, and we might as well keep them,” Jim answered cautiously.
“Bring it with you, it will make you feel more as if you are in the woolly west,” Bob put in quickly. Both he and Jim were sure that leaving them behind would be foolish, and although all thought of danger had been effectively dispelled29 by Summers, they were not taking needless chances, at least until the ranch guardian30 had absolutely convinced them.
Carl made his way back down the slippery trail while the three followed single file. The descent was about a hundred feet and at the bottom they started to walk easily57 on the thick crust across a couple of acres of open space, then they reached the back of a row of sheds which had been used for machinery31, tools, and also a smithy and general catch-all. Summers removed a loose board so they went through, and then proceeded by a winding way past the numerous ranch buildings until they came to the further end where the deserted32 home had been erected33. There were a few scrub trees around it, their branches poking34 up through the snow, and here and there were layers of soft snow that had not frozen because it had been jarred from the branches or blown from near-by roofs.
“Here you are.” Summers stopped at the edge of a clear spot on the far side of the house, which was less exposed than the front, and protected from the colder winds by the elbow of the cliff. The three looked down quickly, and sure enough, they saw a set of tracks that must have been made by some large animal. It looked as if the beast had made the circuit twice, for most of the imprints35 were irregular, but many of them were distinct enough to show their form.
“I pass, what’s the joke?” Kramer asked.
58 “They do look a little like a bear,” Bob hesitated, and a moment later Jim turned to their guide.
“Is it someone who has his feet wound up?” he asked.
“You go to the head, that’s it,” Carl grinned. “Reckon if I hadn’t been so blamed scary I’d a thought of it myself.”
“Whose tracks are they?” Bob demanded.
“And why do they go around in a circle?” inquired Jim.
“Come along and see the rest of the exhibit,” Carl invited.
They followed him to the root cellar, which, as they approached, looked like a long high mound37 of snow. At the further side, they saw the entrance, a short steep incline, with a heavy, old fashioned cellar door that fitted into a frame which was level with the ground. This opening was thrown back, so the three stepped down, Carl pulled another heavy door, and instantly the odor of a miscellaneous collection of vegetables which had been stored there for years, came to their nostrils38. Coming, as they did, from the glaring white of the world outside, everything looked pitch black, but in a moment59 their eyes were adjusted to the change and they saw a long room with a sloping roof. Two lighted lanterns were suspended from the huge beams overhead. A rough attempt had been made at furnishing. There was an army cot in one corner, some bright blankets draped the walls, and the earth floor was almost concealed39 under a collection of dressed hides. A couple of home-made chairs and a table completed the items.
“Some palatial40 house. Where did you get this stuff?” Bob asked.
“Mostly from the bunkhouse,” Carl answered.
“What’s beyond that?” Kramer wanted to know. He nodded toward the further end where he saw a partition of wide planks41.
“Just another hole. I went in to see. These root houses used to be divided off. When I was a kid I played here one day, and explored this place. My dad said that the first hole was small, but every year a new section was added to hold more, and some of them were used in hot weather to keep things cool,” Summers explained.
“Great idea—”
60 “Who’s this?” Kramer asked, as he jumped back quickly.
“Pigeon Jute. You boys know him,” Carl chuckled42. A tall slender Indian, wrapped in a grey blanket, had risen from the cot and stood staring at them gravely.
“Why sure we know him,” Jim laughed. “Haven’t seen you for a long time, Jute. How’re the pigeons?”
“Heap good,” the Indian grunted43.
“When I first knew him he was trying to get a breed of birds that would be world beaters on long distance,” Jim explained.
“How did you make out, Jute?” Bob asked goodnaturedly, but the Indian merely grunted and shrugged44.
“Real loquacious45, isn’t he?” Kramer remarked softly, but he did feel as if he were getting a taste of the ancient west he had read of when he was a youngster.
“He’s all right. When I was a little kid he used to do things for my mother and he made enough bows and arrows to destroy an army,” Bob declared. He was genuinely glad to see his old friend.
“I suppose you made the tracks,” Jim laughed. “You thought you would have some61 fun with Carl so you hopped46 out of a tree, or started them by jumping from where the ice is clean.”
“Jumped!” came the brief explanation.
“So that finishes the mystery,” Bob sighed with relief.
“Surely does. He showed up today and wanted something to eat. I was as glad to see him as if he were a bouquet47 of spring flowers,” Carl assured them.
“I should have wanted to punch his jaw,” Kramer laughed.
“You wouldn’t if you hadn’t seen a human being for two weeks, besides, I’ve got a sense of humor,” Summers answered.
“We’ve brightened your day a lot, old man, but we’ve got to breeze along. Does the sheriff know what the answer is?” Jim asked.
“Yes. I just caught him when he was ready to start up here, so he called off the Reserves and went back to work. Much obliged to you all for dropping in and I hope you do it again.”
“Maybe it’s just as well if we stay on our side of the line a while longer, but you have skis, slide up and pay us a visit when things62 get too dull. You ought to rig up a radio; that would keep you in touch with a lot of fun,” Jim suggested.
“I’ve been building one, want to see it?”
“We’d better not linger any longer, it’s getting late,” Bob urged. Now that the mystery was solved he began to feel that he and Jim couldn’t get away from the place any too quickly, besides the short day was coming to a close and it would soon be dark. The Indian followed them outside, and strolled off unceremoniously.
“He’s got some traps set in the cliffs,” Carl explained. They watched the tall grey figure striding over the snow almost as swiftly as if he were on snowshoes, and soon he was lost from sight. He stepped so lightly that he didn’t leave an imprint36.
“How do you like being a ranch nurse?” Bob asked, just to make conversation as they hurried along.
“It hasn’t been so inter—” He stopped short in his answer, and for an instant the four of them stood in startled silence. To their strained ears came an unmistakable rumble48.
“Is it a plane?” Jim asked softly, but he63 knew it wasn’t. The words were hardly out of his mouth before the rumble grew into a thunderous roar, the earth under their feet rocked as if it had a convulsion; there was a terrific boom, followed in quick succession by three more violent explosions which threw all four of them on their faces. Kramer struck an icy spot and slid twenty feet. The land behind them ripped open, a sheet of flame and smoke belched49 forth50, carrying huge rocks, hunks of earth and ice which flew high, wide and handsome, then began to shower as far as the cliffs.
“Come on,” Bob gasped51. He caught Jim’s collar and the two struggled to their feet. Carl was lying motionless some distance away, and Kramer was rolling as hard as he could roll toward the row of sheds.
“We’ll get Summers,” Jim snapped. Bending low, the Buddies raced to the prostrate52 guardian of the ranch, each grabbed him and then hauled him along with them toward safety. One lump of debris53 struck Bob’s hand a hard crack, forcing him to let go, but Jim dragged harder and after a breathless stampede, the three at last reached the open door of the shed where64 Kramer was picking himself up gingerly.
“Don’t go in there,” Jim shouted. “It may come down.” He thought it was safer to trust themselves to the rain of missiles than to a building which might also be destroyed and crush them under its weight. By that time Carl was gaining consciousness and he jerked himself to his feet.
“What’s the mat—”
“Can you walk, old man? We’ve got to get out of here,” Jim urged.
“Sure.” Carl took a hasty glance over his shoulder and the sight of the yawning root house, to say nothing of the hail of frozen earth that filled the air, fairly put wings to his feet and he ran as fast as they could carry him. The others followed, but keeping their footing was a difficult matter for most of the time they were sliding, and several times Carl sprawled54 in a frantic55 effort to stay upright. Then Bob noticed that the direction they were taking would fetch them up quite a distance beyond the trail they must climb in order to reach the plane on the cliff.
“Buddy, Buddy,” he panted. “We’re out of the course.” Jim heard, dug his heels to act65 as a brake, and skidded56 around. Glancing ahead he realized they could never scale the wall. He made a megaphone of his hands and bellowed57.
“Summers!” But the deputy was going too strong to stop at once, so they panted after him until finally they managed to get him to listen. “We have to get to the trail.”
“Oh, yes, sure!” He seemed too dazed to understand what they really meant, so they each caught him by the arms and struggled to get in the right direction. For a moment they completely lost sight of Kramer, then suddenly they heard him shout.
“Hey—stop—” They heard his gun snap and the crack of a bullet as it struck the rocks. Then sputtered58 a half dozen shots in quick succession, and the three paused uncertainly.
“He’s attacked,” Jim shouted. “Come along.” They ran faster and presently they could see across to the trail. The air man was holding his right arm to one side, but he pointed with the other. The boys’ eyes followed where he indicated, and in a moment they caught a glimpse of a fleeting59 figure leaping up the rocks of the cliff. Once,66 when the fellow came to an open spot, he stopped and leveled his gun, but by that time Summers’ brain began to work. He fired three shots as fast as he could pull the trigger, and they struck dangerously close to the man on the trail. With a curse he leaped back into the shelter of a huge rock.
“Drop,” Bob shouted, but they kept on running and were surprised that the fellow did not fire again. He might have used all his ammunition60 or his gun jammed. Then, suddenly above the commotion61 and confusion, they heard another sound.
“Suffering cats,” Bob gasped.
“Sacred Cod—the plane—” Jim started to race in pursuit, and although he ran as he had never run before, he barely reached the trail before the plane moved. Bob, who could see it best, stopped to stare, and there in the cock-pit sat Arthur Gordon. He waved impudently62 as the machine lifted, and in less than a second he was soaring with a thundering roar of the engine into the sky.
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1
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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buddies
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| n.密友( buddy的名词复数 )；同伴；弟兄；（用于称呼男子，常带怒气）家伙v.（如密友、战友、伙伴、弟兄般）交往( buddy的第三人称单数 )；做朋友；亲近（…）；伴护艾滋病人 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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assortment
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| n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集 | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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buddy
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| n.（美口）密友，伙伴 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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inveigled
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| v.诱骗，引诱( inveigle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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dime
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| n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角 | |
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demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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hipped
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| adj.着迷的，忧郁的 | |
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bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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siesta
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| n.午睡 | |
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dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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33
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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35
imprints
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| n.压印( imprint的名词复数 )；痕迹；持久影响 | |
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imprint
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| n.印痕，痕迹；深刻的印象；vt.压印，牢记 | |
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mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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palatial
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| adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的 | |
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planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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42
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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44
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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loquacious
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| adj.多嘴的，饶舌的 | |
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46
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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48
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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49
belched
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| v.打嗝( belch的过去式和过去分词 )；喷出，吐出；打（嗝）；嗳（气） | |
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50
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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51
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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52
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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53
debris
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| n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片 | |
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sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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55
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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56
skidded
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| v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的过去式和过去分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区 | |
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57
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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58
sputtered
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| v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出 | |
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59
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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60
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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61
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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62
impudently
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