Once across this level we encountered a steeper ascent2 than any I had yet climbed. Here the character of the forest began to change. There were other trees than pines, and particularly one kind, cone-shaped, symmetrical, and bright, which Dick called a silver spruce. I was glad it belonged to the conifers, or pine-tree family, because it was the most beautiful tree I had ever seen. We climbed ridges3 and threaded through aspen thickets5 in hollows till near sunset. Then Stockton ordered a halt for camp.
It came none too soon for me, and I was so exhausted6 that I had to be helped off my mustang. Stockton arranged my blankets, fed me, and bathed the bruise7 on my head, but I was too weary and sick to be grateful or to care about anything except sleep. Even the fact that my hands were uncomfortably bound did not keep me awake.
When some one called me next morning my eyes did not want to stay open. I had a lazy feeling and a dull ache in my bones, but the pain had gone from my head. That made everything else seem all right.
Soon we were climbing again, and my interest in my surroundings grew as we went up. For a while we brushed through thickets of scrub oak. The whole slope of the mountain was ridged and hollowed, so that we were always going down and climbing up. The pines and spruces grew smaller, and were more rugged8 and gnarled.
“Hyar's the canyon9!” sang out Bill, presently.
We came out on the edge of a deep hollow. It was half a mile wide. I looked down a long incline of sharp tree-tips. The roar of water rose from below, and in places a white rushing torrent10 showed. Above loomed11 the snow-clad peak, glistening12 in the morning sun. How wonderfully far off and high it still was!
To my regret it was shut off from my sight as we descended13 into the canyon. However, I soon forgot that. I saw a troop of coyotes, and many black and white squirrels. From time to time huge birds, almost as big as turkeys, crashed out of the thickets and whirred away. They flew swift as pheasants, and I asked Dick what they were.
“Blue grouse,” he replied. “Look sharp now, Ken14, there are deer ahead of us. See the tracks?”
Looking down I saw little, sharp-pointed15, oval tracks. Presently two foxes crossed an open patch not fifty yards from us, but I did not get a glimpse of the deer. Soon we reached the bottom of the canyon, and struck into another trail. The air was full of the low roar of tumbling water. This mountain-torrent was about twenty feet wide, but its swiftness and foam16 made it impossible to tell its depth. The trail led up-stream, and turned so constantly that half the time Bill, the leader, was not in sight. Once the sharp crack of his rifle halted the train. I heard crashings in the thicket4. Dick yelled for me to look up the slope, and there I saw three gray deer with white tails raised. I heard a strange, whistling sound.
On going forward we found that Bill had killed a deer and was roping it on his pack-horse. As we proceeded up the canyon it grew narrower, and soon we entered a veritable gorge18. It was short, but the floor was exceedingly rough, and made hard going for the horses. Suddenly I was amazed to see the gorge open out into a kind of amphitheatre several hundred feet across. The walls were steep, and one side shelved out, making a long, shallow cave, In the center of this amphitheatre was a deep hole from which the mountain stream boiled and bubbled.
“Hyar we are,” said Bill, and swung out of his saddle. The other men followed suit, and helped Dick and me down. Stockton untied19 our hands, saying he reckoned we would be more comfortable that way. Indeed we were. My wrists were swollen20 and blistered21. Stockton detailed22 the Mexican to keep guard over us.
“Ken, I've heard of this place,” said Dick. “How's that for a spring? Twenty yards wide, and no telling how deep! This is snow-water straight from the peaks. We're not a thousand feet below the snow-line.”
“I can tell that. Look at those Jwari pines,” I replied, pointing up over the wall. A rugged slope rose above our camp-site, and it was covered with a tangled23 mass of stunted24 pines. Many of them were twisted and misshapen; some were half dead and bleached25 white at the tops. “It's my first sight of such trees,” I went on, “but I've studied about them. Up here it's not lack of moisture that stunts26 and retards27 their growth. It's fighting the elements—cold, storm-winds, snowslides. I suppose not one in a thousand seedlings28 takes root and survives. But the forest fights hard to live.”
“Well, Ken, we may as well sit back now and talk forestry29 till Buell skins all he wants of Penetier,” said Dick. “It's really a fine camping-spot. Plenty of deer up here and bear, too.”
“Dick, couldn't we escape?” I whispered.
“We're not likely to have a chance. But I say, Ken, how did you happen to turn up? I thought you were going to hop30 on the first train for home.”
“Dick, you had another think coming. I couldn't go home. I'll have a great time yet—I'm having it now.”
“Yes, that lump on your head looks like it,” replied Dick, with a laugh. “If Bud hadn't put you out we'd have come closer to licking this bunch. Ken, keep your eye on Greaser. He's treacherous31. His arm's lame32 yet.”
“We've had two run-ins already,” I said. “The third time is the worst, they say. I hope it won't come.... But, Dick, I'm as big—I'm bigger than he is.”
“Hear the kid talk! I certainly ought to have put you on that train—”
“What train?” asked Stockton, sharply, from our rear. He took us in with suspicious eyes.
“I was telling Ken I ought to have put him on a train for home,” answered Dick.
Stockton let the remark pass without further comment; still, he appeared to be doing some hard thinking. He put Dick at one end of the long cave, me at the other. Our bedding was unpacked33 and placed at our disposal. We made our beds. After that I kept my eyes open and did not miss anything.
“Leslie, I'm going to treat you and Ward17 white,” said Stockton. “You'll have good grub. Herky-Jerky's the best cook this side of Holston, and you'll be left untied in the daytime. But if either of you attempts to get away it means a leg shot off. Do you get that?”
“All right, Stockton; that's pretty square of you, considering,” replied Dick. “You're a decent sort of chap to be mixed up with a thief like Buell. I'm sorry.”
Stockton turned away at this rather abruptly34. Then Bill appeared on the wall above, and began to throw down firewood. Bud returned from the canyon, where he had driven the horses. Greaser sat on a stone puffing35 a cigarette. It was the first time I had taken a good look at him. He was smaller than I had fancied; his feet and hands and features resembled those of a woman, but his eyes were live coals of black fire. In the daylight I was not in the least afraid of him.
Herky-Jerky was the most interesting one of our captors. He had a short, stocky figure, and was the most bow-legged man I ever saw. Never on earth could he have stopped a pig in a lane. A stubby beard covered the lower half of his brick-red face. The most striking thing about Herky-Jerky, however, was his perpetual grin. He looked very jolly, yet every time he opened his mouth it was to utter bad language. He cursed the fire, the pans, the coffee, the biscuits, all of which he handled most skillfully. It was disgusting, and yet aside from this I rather liked him.
It grew dark very quickly while we were eating, and the wind that dipped down into the gorge was cold. I kept edging closer and closer to the blazing campfire. I had never tasted venison before, and rather disliked it at first. But I soon cultivated a liking36 for it.
That night Stockton tied me securely, but in a way which made it easy for me to turn. I slept soundly and awoke late. When I sat up Stockton stood by his saddled horse, and was giving orders to the men. He spoke37 sharply. He made it clear that they were not to be lax in their vigilance. Then, without a word to Dick or me, he rode down the gorge and disappeared behind a corner of yellow wall.
Bill untied the rope that held Dick's arms, but left his feet bound. I was freed entirely38, and it felt so good to have the use of all my limbs once more that I pranced39 round in a rather lively way. Either my antics annoyed Herky-Jerky or he thought it a good opportunity to show his skill with a lasso, for he shot the loop over me so hard that it stung my back.
“I'm all there as a roper!” he said, pulling the lasso tight round my middle. The men all laughed as I tumbled over in the gravel40.
“Better keep a half-hitch on the colt,” remarked Bud.
So they left the lasso fast about my waist, and it trailed after me as I walked. Herky-Jerky put me to carrying Dick's breakfast from the campfire up into the cave. This I did with alacrity41. Dick and I exchanged commonplace remarks aloud, but we had several little whispers.
“Ken, we may get the drop on them or give them the slip yet,” whispered Dick, in one of these interludes.
This put ideas into my head. There might be a chance for me to escape, if not for Dick. I made up my mind to try if a good chance offered, but I did not want to go alone down that canyon without a gun. Stockton had taken my revolver and hunting-knife, but I still had the little leather case which Hal and I had used so often back on the Susquehanna. Besides a pen-knife this case contained salt and pepper, fishing hooks and lines, matches—a host of little things that a boy who had never been lost might imagine he would need in an emergency. While thinking and planning I sat on the edge of the great hole where the spring was. Suddenly I saw a swirl42 in the water, and then a splendid spotted43 fish. It broke water twice. It was two feet long.
“Dick, there's fish in this hole!” I yelled, eagerly.
“Shouldn't wonder,” replied he. “Sure, kid, thet hole's full of trout44—speckled trout,” said Herky-Jerky. “But they can't be ketched.”
“Why not?” I demanded. I had not caught little trout in the Pennsylvania hills for nothing. “They eat, don't they? That fish I saw was a whale, and he broke water for a bug45. Get me a pole and some bugs46 or worms!”
When I took out my little case and showed the fishing-line, Herky-Jerky said he would find me some bait.
While he was absent I studied that spring with new and awakened47 eyes. It was round and very deep, and the water bulged48 up in great greenish swirls49. The outlet50 was a narrow little cleft51 through which the water flowed slowly, as though it did not want to take its freedom. The rush and roar came from the gorge below.
Herky-Jerky returned with a long, slender pole. It was as pliant52 as a buggy-whip, and once trimmed and rigged it was far from being a poor tackle. Herky-Jerky watched me with extreme attention, all the time grinning. Then he held out a handful of grubs.
“If you ketch a trout on thet I'll swaller the pole!” he exclaimed.
I stooped low and approached the spring, being careful to keep out of sight.
“You forgot to spit on yer bait, kid,” said Bill.
They all laughed in a way to rouse my ire. But despite it I flipped53 the bait into the water with the same old thrilling expectancy54.
The bait dropped with a little spat55. An arrowy shadow, black and gold, flashed up. Splash! The line hissed56. Then I jerked hard. The pole bent57 double, wobbled, and swayed this way and that. The fish was a powerful one; his rushes were like those of a heavy bass58. But never had a bass given me such a struggle. Every instant I made sure the tackle would be wrecked59. Then, just at the breaking-point, the fish would turn. At last he began to tire. I felt that he was rising to the surface, and I put on more strain. Soon I saw him; then he turned, flashing like a gold bar. I led my captive to the outlet of the spring, where I reached down and got my fingers in his gills. With that I lifted him. Dick whooped60 when I held up the fish; as for me, I was speechless. The trout was almost two feet long, broad and heavy, with shiny sides flecked with color.
Herky-Jerky celebrated61 my luck with a generous outburst of enthusiasm, whereupon his comrades reminded him of his offer to swallow my fishing pole.
I put on a fresh bait and instantly hooked another fish, a smaller one, which was not so bard62 to land. The spring hole was full of trout. They made the water boil when I cast. Several large ones tore the hook loose; I had never dreamed of such fishing. Really it was a strange situation. Here I was a prisoner, with Greaser or Bud taking turns at holding the other end of the lasso. More than once they tethered me up short for no other reason than to torment63 me. Yet never in my life had I so enjoyed fishing.
By-and-by Bill and Herky-Jerky left the camp. I heard Herky tell Greaser to keep his eye on the stew-pots, and it occurred to me that Greaser had better keep his eye on Ken Ward. When I saw Bud lie down I remembered what Dick had whispered. I pretended to be absorbed in my fishing, but really I was watching Greaser. As usual, he was smoking, and appeared listless, but he still held on to the lasso.
Suddenly I saw a big blue revolver lying on a stone and I could even catch the glint of brass64 shells in the cylinder65. It was not close to Bud nor so very close to Greaser. If he should drop the lasso! A wild idea possessed66 me—held me in its grip. Just then the stew-pot boiled over. There was a sputter67 and a cloud of steam, Greaser lazily swore in Mexican; he got up to move the stew-pot and dropped the lasso.
When he reached the fire I bounded up, jerking the lasso far behind me. I ran and grabbed the revolver. Greaser heard me and wheeled with a yell. Bud sat up quickly. I pointed the revolver at him, then at Greaser, and kept moving it from one side to the other.
“Don't move! I'll shoot!” I cried.
“Good boy!” yelled Dick. “You've got the drop. Keep it, Ken, keep it! Don't lose your nerve. Edge round here and cut me loose.... Bud, if you move I'll make him shoot. Come on, Ken.”
“Greaser, cut him loose!” I commanded the snarling68 Mexican.
I trembled so that the revolver wabbled in my hand. Trying to hold it steadied, I squeezed it hard. Bang! It went off with a bellow69 like a cannon70. The bullet scattered71 the gravel near Greaser. His yellow face turned a dirty white. He jumped straight up in his fright.
“Cut him loose!” I ordered.
Greaser ran toward Dick.
“Look out, Ken! Behind you! Quick!” yelled Dick.
I beard a crunching72 of gravel. Even as I wheeled I felt a tremendous pull on the lasso and I seemed to be sailing in the air. I got a blurred73 glimpse of Herky-Jerky leaning back on the taut74 lasso. Then I plunged75 down, slid over the rocks, and went souse into the spring.
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1
glades
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| n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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thickets
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| n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 )；丛状物 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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bruise
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| n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤 | |
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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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canyon
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| n.峡谷，溪谷 | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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bleached
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| 漂白的，晒白的，颜色变浅的 | |
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stunts
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| n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 )；（广告中）引人注目的花招；愚蠢行为；危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 ) | |
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retards
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| 使减速( retard的第三人称单数 )； 妨碍； 阻止； 推迟 | |
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seedlings
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| n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 ) | |
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forestry
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| n.森林学；林业 | |
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hop
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| n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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unpacked
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| v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的过去式和过去分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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pranced
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| v.（马）腾跃( prance的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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41
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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42
swirl
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| v.(使)打漩，(使)涡卷；n.漩涡，螺旋形 | |
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43
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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45
bug
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| n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器 | |
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46
bugs
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| adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误 | |
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47
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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48
bulged
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| 凸出( bulge的过去式和过去分词 )； 充满； 塞满（某物） | |
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49
swirls
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| n.旋转( swirl的名词复数 )；卷状物；漩涡；尘旋v.旋转，打旋( swirl的第三人称单数 ) | |
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50
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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51
cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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52
pliant
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| adj.顺从的；可弯曲的 | |
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53
flipped
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| 轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥 | |
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54
expectancy
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| n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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58
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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60
whooped
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| 叫喊( whoop的过去式和过去分词 )； 高声说； 唤起 | |
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61
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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62
bard
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| n.吟游诗人 | |
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63
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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64
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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65
cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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66
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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67
sputter
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| n.喷溅声；v.喷溅 | |
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68
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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69
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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70
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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71
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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72
crunching
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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73
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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75
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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