“It’s the old ram4,” he muttered.
“Yes, yes, the old ram,” repeated Phil in a dazed way.
Frank laughed hysterically5.
“What’s the matter?” continued the Englishman. “Aren’t you goin’ to bag him?”
“Yes,” mumbled6 Phil, “ain’t we goin’ to bag him?”
Then, to the surprise of his companions, Phil dropped down on a rock and buried his face in his hands. That broke Frank’s spell.
“What’s the matter here? Wake up!” he cried grasping Phil by the shoulder. “It’s ‘Old Baldy’ alive. Maybe not kickin’, but alive.”
[264]
“‘Old Baldy!’” shouted Phil springing to his feet. “What was I doin’?”
“You were having the rattles,” laughed Frank nervously7. “And so was I. I certainly never expected to really see him.”
So far as could be seen not an animal had moved. The flock, as if panic-stricken, stood huddled8 at the bottom of the big ram’s shelf. The strangely marked leader still lay with his head erect9 and alert. Phil, not yet wholly himself, drew a long breath.
“He’s alive, I reckon, but he looks like a ghost,” said Phil. “And by cracky, he is a ghost to me.”
“He ain’t a ghost,” exclaimed Frank, moistening his lips, “and I wouldn’t make him one for all the ram’s horns in the Rockies.”
“That would be potting, I fancy,” commented Lord Pelton. “I rather believe your ‘Old Baldy’ is on his last legs.”
“It’s just like a king’s throne,” suggested Phil, “that cave o’ his with the flock crowdin’ round about it.”
“I couldn’t shoot him,” exclaimed Frank. “I’d feel like an assassin.”
[265]
“Old Baldy”
[266-
267]
“Do you happen to notice,” broke in the Englishman, “that all the sheep are ewes and lambs?”
“That settles it,” exclaimed Frank. “I vote to spare the ‘Monarch of the Mountains.’ ‘Old Baldy’ must be Husha the Black Ram. And to me, he’s kind o’ like a religion.”
“He’s a part of history at least,” added Lord Pelton.
“It seems tough to lose him,” said Phil, “but I think you’re both right. Let’s take a snap shot of him and call it off.”
This suggestion meeting approval, Phil got the camera. He made a picture of the enclosure and its contents which, when printed in a prominent sporting magazine, created a sensation. It was then decided10 to get a picture of “Old Baldy,” or “Husha.”
“Let ’em go,” exclaimed Frank when the ewes and kids suddenly fled to the left around the shelf as the picture makers11 advanced on the right side. “We don’t want ’em.”
As panic seized the flock and it retreated, the big ram on the shelf drew himself on his haunches.
[268]
“Why don’t he follow them?” asked Lord Pelton.
“He can’t,” answered Frank. “He’s too old.”
But, as Phil trained his camera on the quarter century chief of the sheep, “Old Baldy” faced the intruders with lowered head and eyes that shot forth12 the fire of youth and rage. Twice he struggled to get on his feet and each time he failed.
“You’re right,” said the Englishman, “it’s the old ram’s last stand. But don’t get too close; he may have one more charge in him.”
Phil was too absorbed to give heed13 to this advice. A snap shot of such a beast would be an achievement indeed. Therefore, he crept closer to the shelf and the unmoving ram. Frank and Lord Pelton saw the fire in “Old Baldy’s” eyes; then at last they saw him with a supreme14 effort gather his legs beneath him.
“Look out!” shouted Frank.
“He’s coming,” cried the Englishman.
Before Phil, his eyes on the camera “finder,” could retreat there was a snort and the ram[269] threw himself from the shelf. He fell short on his charge but, with another cry, sprang to his feet again. This time “Old Baldy” expanded himself once more into the majestic15 creature he had once been and again charged the boy. But once more he fell short, as Phil sprang backwards16.
Balked17 of his prey18 the ram fell on his knees and then on his belly19. His head was yet erect; on each side of the cross marking his face his big dull eyes glared wickedly. Then the flash in them suddenly faded to a dull gray like his thin, straggly coat, and the defiant20 head sank slowly down.
“It’s his last fight,” exclaimed Frank.
Once more Phil advanced and “snapped” the prostrate21 “monarch of the mountains.” Then the three approached to within a few feet of the feeble animal. The old leader of the mountain sheep suddenly threw his head up; the gray of his eyes turned to fire and, quivering in every muscle, he rose in the air like a ball. In the same motion the ram threw himself forward again, but the effort was his last. Half-way in the spring the beast dropped to[270] the rocks in collapse22 and, his eyes closed, sank again and rolled on his side.
“Pelton,” said Frank, omitting in his excitement the young Englishman’s title, “we’ve always planned, if we found ‘Old Baldy’ alive, that he was to be yours. His day is over. End his suffering.”
“I don’t like to do it,” said Lord Pelton. “It don’t seem sportsmanlike.”
“You can see he’s dying,” argued Phil. “Isn’t it better that his head and horns be carried away as a trophy23 than that the old sheep be left here to be torn to pieces by eagles?”
Slowly Lord Pelton raised his rifle and, with a bullet in the center of “Old Baldy’s” cross, Husha the Black Earn gave one convulsion and the king was dead.
Before taking time to measure the dead ram, Frank and Phil hurriedly turned for a further examination of old Husha’s home, for such apparently24 the natural rock refuge had been for years. The shelf around the pool was worn smooth by the bodies of its inhabitants. Rock edges were covered with sheep hair and the scattered25 bones strewn about indicated that[271] many animals had died in the enclosure. More especially interested in the old leader’s throne-like shelf the three hunters hurried in that direction.
“Another skeleton,” said Frank as he reached Husha’s bench and half cave.
“But not of a sheep!” exclaimed Lord Pelton breathlessly.
And then, their eyes wide, all saw, plainly enough in the full sunlight, a brown and weather beaten human skull26. It lay in the rear of the big ram’s refuge and with it the half buried ribs27, legs and arm bones of a human skeleton. Speechless, all leaned forward. The rank odor of the half cave was almost overpowering and the ledge28 was covered inches deep with animal refuse. But, in spite of these, Frank and Phil jumped on the bench.
The same thought was in the mind of each. Nervously they began an examination of the bones. Not a vestige29 of clothing was to be found but, behind the disjointed skeleton lay a long, decayed stick.
“An Indian bow,” whispered Frank.
From between the bones of the body Phil[272] drew forth a bit of metal—the silver bowl of a small pipe.
“And an Indian pipe!” he exclaimed.
Kneeling in the dust the boys eyed each other for a second and then Frank turned to their companion.
“Lord Pelton,” he said with suppressed excitement, “you don’t need to have any doubt that our big sheep is Husha the Black Ram. This skeleton is that of the only man who could have followed him here.” Then he held up the dry skull. “This is all that is left of Koos-ha-nax, the mighty31 hunter.”
The discoveries made by the boys had driven all other ideas out of their heads. For many minutes they searched Husha’s ledge and for as many more they stood over the dead sheep. Then Lord Pelton reminded them that “Old Baldy” was not the only ram on the summit and a start was made to capture other trophies32 if possible. Contrary to their expectations many of the sheep had not fled through the cut. From ten o’clock until twelve, Lord Pelton and the boys scoured33 the rocky heights bagging, in all, four magnificent heads.
[273]
They now had luncheon34 and then Phil began a three-hour task of preparing the slain35 animals for curing and mounting. “Old Baldy” himself stood forty-eight inches high; was seventy-six inches long and, it was estimated, weighed four hundred and seventy-five pounds. His heavy, semicircular horns measured forty-nine inches from tip to tip. His pelt3 was in such bad condition that no attempt was made to save it. The next largest specimen36 was a beautiful ram, his horns indicating a growth of thirteen years. This sheep was shot by Phil and it was almost black in color. It was forty-one inches across the shoulders; sixty-nine inches long and weighed about three hundred and fifteen pounds. The others were all smaller. One of the latter, Lord Pelton’s prize, had by far the best formed and most perfect horns.
By four o’clock Frank had made temporary repairs on the landing wheel and with the Englishman had cleared a stretch of summit of all fragments. Frank also made another round of the summit snapping pictures and then the souvenirs of the expedition were put aboard the Loon37; the skeleton of Koos-ha-nax, as the boys[274] firmly believed; the six heads and horns; the five pelts38 and the fragments of the Indian’s bow and pipe bowl.
The ascent39 that followed was the quickest and most successful that the Loon made on its western trip. The rock floor was smooth and amply long for the preliminary run. At six o’clock the monoplane was again at Smith’s ranch40.
“And so far as I am concerned,” exclaimed Frank, “I don’t care whether we turn another trick. All I want is to see Skinner and Hosmer and show ’em these heads.”
“And Koos-ha-nax’s skull, pipe and bow,” added Lord Pelton.
“O, no!” said Phil, “these are for Captain Ludington. They’ll prove to him that the Kootenais knew what they were talking about.”
By the light of the lanterns that night Phil sweat over the specimens41, in anticipation42 of which work the camp was liberally supplied with arsenical soap, burnt alum and saltpeter. As the preparation of the heads and skins was not completed that night it was agreed the next day that Phil should remain in camp while Frank and Lord Pelton made an attempt to join Mr. Mackworth’s party.
[275]
They made a beautiful flight along the course of tortuous43 Goat Creek44 and reached Goat Pass in less than an hour. So far there was no sign of the mountain party but—as the members of it were to turn south into the Herchmer range, at the headwaters of the creek—Frank laid a course along the ridge45 of these unmistakable heights. The entire country was either abrupt46 mountain slopes or heavy, abutting47 pine forests.
Following a saw-tooth course to keep an eye on both sides of the range, the Loon had advanced along the Herchmers only a few miles when Mr. Mackworth’s camp was suddenly made out far down the western mountain side in the timber. Several hundred feet above it Mr. Mackworth, Captain Ludington, Jake Green and the two guides were seen standing48 on the barren slope violently waving their arms.
“There’s no white flag,” said Frank. “That means no landing. We’re to go back. But I wish we could talk to ’em. Say,” he exclaimed. “Write ’em a note. Tell ’em where we’ve been and what we did.”
[276]
Lord Pelton grasped the opportunity and, while Frank began circling about the upgazing persons, the Englishman filled a page of his memorandum49 book with an account of the trip to “Baldy’s Bench.” Finding no small weight in the cabin Lord Pelton tied the note and a silver dollar in his handkerchief and, the next time the Loon passed over the group, dropped the message.
Anxious to see the effect of the note, Frank continued the eaglelike swoops50 of the monoplane while his English companion lay on the floor with his head in the open port. Before the message had been read the latter reported that Skinner was on a run to the camp below. Then Frank could see the old hunter returning with a package. Mr. Mackworth read Lord Pelton’s few words and immediately threw his hat in the air. “Grizzly51” Hosmer expressed his feelings by rapidly discharging his rifle. Then Mr. Mackworth was seen to grasp Skinner’s package and, in a few seconds, its contents had turned into a long, jointed30 trout52 rod. He waved it in the air.
“He means for us to return to the ranch and go fishing,” called out the Englishman.
[277]
“I think not,” answered Frank. “He has an idea. Look!”
Captain Ludington with a bit of paper on his knee was writing something.
“It’s an answer,” exclaimed Frank. “They’re going to put it on the pole. They want us to catch it. Can you do it?”
As the operator swung around again in a wide spiral this was seen to be true, for the men below all seemed working to attach the paper to the top of the pole. Two sweeping53 circles and the Loon was near the rocks. Their friends were shouting but, owing to the noise of the propellers54, not a word could be distinguished55.
“Head for it—I’ll get it,” announced the Englishman as he thrust his head and arm through the opening and, the monoplane sweeping swiftly forward, Frank felt a light shock.
“Get it?” yelled the aviator56.
“Rod and all,” was the excited answer and Lord Pelton drew into the cabin Mr. Mackworth’s choicest fly rod.
The message read: “Congratulations. No landing in the mountains. Return to ranch; break camp and take wagons57 and outfit59 to[278] Michel. Join you in a week or less. Three good heads. One grizzly skin; ten feet.”
Before noon, the monoplane was again in camp. Plans for carrying out Mr. Mackworth’s instructions were soon made. Early the next morning Hosmer’s horses were to be caught, hitched60 to the two wagons and camp broken. The boys had no fear that they could not find the trail to town, since it followed the Elk61 River, but they preferred not to separate. Therefore, the Loon was dismounted and packed in one wagon58. This consumed nearly all afternoon.
At sundown the next evening the two wagons, one driven by Frank with the Englishman by his side and the other trailing behind with Phil in charge, creaked down the main street of Michel. So far as Frank and Phil were concerned the “Battle with the Bighorn” was at an end.
Five days later the mountain party reached civilization laden62 with the trophies of a successful hunt. Mr. Mackworth and Captain Ludington reached Michel at two o’clock in the afternoon. When the heads, horns, pelts and[279] skins brought in by both parties had been laid in the shade of the car, it was a satisfied group of hunters that sat in the Teton’s easy-chairs to gloat over their treasures.
Nor were they alone in their admiration63. Hosmer, Skinner and experienced big game hunters of Michel pronounced the collection the best that had ever come out of the mountains. “Grizzly” Skinner and Phil worked until dark packing the hides and heads for shipment to Spokane, where experienced taxidermists were to cure and mount them. This over, Nelse and Robert served a celebration dinner. If there had been enthusiasm before, this meal was a riot of jollification.
“And remember,” exclaimed Mr. Mackworth as the feast progressed, “Captain Ludington and I have marvelous heads of both goats and sheep, and Lord Pelton has a prize that will never be duplicated in the head and horns of Husha the Black Ram. But we could not have had these if it had not been for our young friends. Therefore,” he continued enthusiastically, “I propose a toast: Here’s to Frank Graham and Phil Ewing—may they be as successful[280] in life as they have been in ‘Battling the Bighorn!’”
The End
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1
astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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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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pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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5
hysterically
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| ad. 歇斯底里地 | |
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mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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10
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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11
makers
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| n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式） | |
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12
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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14
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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15
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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16
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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balked
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| v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 )；（指马）不肯跑 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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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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22
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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23
trophy
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| n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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27
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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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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vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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jointed
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| 有接缝的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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trophies
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| n.（为竞赛获胜者颁发的）奖品( trophy的名词复数 )；奖杯；（尤指狩猎或战争中获得的）纪念品；（用于比赛或赛跑名称）奖 | |
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33
scoured
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| 走遍（某地）搜寻（人或物）( scour的过去式和过去分词 )； （用力）刷； 擦净； 擦亮 | |
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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35
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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loon
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| n.狂人 | |
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pelts
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| n. 皮毛，投掷, 疾行 vt. 剥去皮毛，（连续）投掷 vi. 猛击，大步走 | |
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39
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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42
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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43
tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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45
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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46
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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47
abutting
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| adj.邻接的v.（与…）邻接( abut的现在分词 )；（与…）毗连；接触；倚靠 | |
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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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memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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50
swoops
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| 猛扑，突然下降( swoop的名词复数 ) | |
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51
grizzly
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| adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊 | |
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52
trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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53
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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54
propellers
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| n.螺旋桨，推进器( propeller的名词复数 ) | |
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55
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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56
aviator
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| n.飞行家，飞行员 | |
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57
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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59
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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60
hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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61
elk
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| n.麋鹿 | |
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62
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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63
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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