About a hundred and fifty feet above them, almost perpendicularly1 upward, stood an antelope2, its small neck outstretched, and its dark, beautiful eyes fixed3 upon them with a wondering expression. It was on the very edge of a projecting rock where one step more would bring it over.
"It is jist the jintleman we wants," whispered Tim, fearful that he would alarm the timid animal. "We've ate but once in twenty-four hours, and I've jist learned from me stomach that it would have no objection to breaking the same fast; so do yez jist kape still till I pops him over."
"Can you hit him?" asked Howard, scarcely less excited than his companion.
"Be aisy now till ye see the scientific manner I takes to doot."
"Well, be quick, for he is likely to vanish any moment."
Tim O'Rooney carefully sighted his rifle, took a quick, steady aim, and pulled the trigger. Howard, who was keenly watching the antelope, saw it spring up, and as it came down it missed the cliff and fell almost at their very feet with a violence and crash which must have broken half the bones in its body.
"Arrah now, an' wasn't that done nicely?" exclaimed Tim, in great exultation4, as he ran up to the animal with his knife.
"Are you going to dress it?"
"Yis; an' do yez gather what sticks an' stuff ye can, an' we'll have him cooked in a jiffy."
Howard set about it, for he understood the wisdom of providing themselves with food in the prosecution5 of this hunt, which in all probability would employ them for some time to come.
"Now, I will give the signal," said he, when his work was completed. "If he is within hearing he will answer it."
"Yis; do your bist, while I pays my respects to this gintleman, an' do ye do the listenin' while ye are about it, for I'm so taken up with this job that I haven't the time to attend to that aither."
Howard strained his cheeks nearly to bursting, and completely exhausted6 himself in giving forth7 those ringing screeches8 which seem to come natural to all school-boys, and are made by uniting the ends of two fingers, inserting them between the lips, and blowing with all the might.
He listened—listened—listened—and then repeated the signal with a desperate fierceness that left him no strength at all; but all in vain—the echoes died away among the rocks and hills, but no answer came back.
"It's no use," remarked Tim O'Rooney, who despite what he had said was listening as earnestly as his young friend.
"The youngster don't hear us. We've got to make a hunt through this old place, and afore we begins it we'll take something for the stomach's sake."
The fire was kindled9 in the usual manner, and the dinner was not unskillfully prepared by the Irishman. They ate all they could hold. The dog did the same. Tim lit his pipe, and then declared that he was ready for any duty that might be required of him.
As they rose to their feet they were somewhat alarmed at the appearance of the sky. It was overspread with dark, threatening clouds, from which issued rumbling10 peals11 of thunder and arrowy lines of lightning. They became darker and more tumultuous each moment, until semi-darkness shrouded12 them.
"We are going to have a storm," remarked Howard.
"Yis; and a good-sized one, too."
"We shall have to find shelter for ourselves. If much rain falls, this gorge13 looks to me as if it will be filled with water."
"Worrah, now, but yez are a smart child!" exclaimed Tim O'Rooney, looking admiringly at the boy. "Scarcely mesilf would have thought of the same, and what a credit, therefore, that it should have come into your own."
"I see nothing so wonderful about that. Almost any one would see the danger we are in if we remain here when there is much rain falling. It is just the place for a stream of water."
"So it is—so it is; and yez can saa that there has wather been running over the stones upon which we are standing14."
The storm which was so near at hand admonished15 them to lose no time in seeking shelter. This was a matter of small difficulty, as in such a wild, rugged16 place there were any number of retreats. They clambered up the path and over the rocks until they reached a point higher yet than where the antelope had stood when pierced by the bullet that had tumbled him over the cliff. They had brought a goodly portion of his meat with them, for there was no telling when they would dare fire a gun again.
A gaping17, overhanging ledge18, which fortunately was turned from the direction of the storm, was selected as their house, and here they and the dog nestled and waited for the storm to burst. A few large drops that cracked smartly upon the rocks and stones, was the herald19 of the coming deluge20; and then, at the same moment, with a terrific flash and report, came the rain in torrents21.
They stood and watched the storm as it raged, and when there was a momentary23 cessation Howard threw his blanket over his head and said:
"I will run out to the edge of that rock and see whether there is any water in the place where we took our dinner."
"Be careful yez don't tumble over," admonished Tim, feeling it his duty to say something.
"Never fear."
Howard stepped hastily to the spot and looked carefully over. A tiny stream was just beginning to run through the path they had occupied, which was increasing each moment, and would speedily reach the proportions of a torrent22. But, although he saw this, there was something which interested him still more, and that was a party of five Indians attentively24 examining the remains25 of the antelope, and the signs around it, as if they were seeking their explanation. They looked down to the ground, and two of them pointed26 precisely27 in the direction which Tim and Howard had taken in leaving the place.
The rain began falling again more copiously28 than ever, but Howard would not have heeded29 it had he not been shrouded in the water-proof blanket. Those Indians had found their camp-fire and were at that moment discussing the best method of capturing him and Tim; but the rain came down so furiously that they finally darted30 away to seek shelter, and Howard thereupon hurried back to his friend and told him all that he had seen.
"That settles the matter," he added. "Elwood is in their hands, and if we aint careful we shall be with him, for they are searching for us."
"But they can't find us—that they can't."
"Why not?"
"This rain will wipe out our tracks as aisy as if yees had taken a cloth and done it yourself."
"That is true."
Howard was greatly relieved when he reflected that this was true, and that he and Tim were in no danger of capture from being pursued.
The storm lasted several hours, and when it was finished they came cautiously forth and made their way stealthily back to where they had left the canoe. They had deliberated long and earnestly regarding Elwood Brandon, and neither of them had any doubt but what he was in the hands of Indians. They had little fear of his being put to death, but believed he would be held a prisoner until either rescued by Shasta, or a party could be sent from the nearest post to ransom31 him. They had concluded to make all haste homeward and adopt this method of rescue.
And now, as they had given him up for a while, it is high time we took him in hand.
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收听单词发音
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1
perpendicularly
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| adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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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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4
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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7
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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8
screeches
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| n.尖锐的声音( screech的名词复数 )v.发出尖叫声( screech的第三人称单数 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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10
rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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peals
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| n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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12
shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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13
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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14
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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15
admonished
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| v.劝告( admonish的过去式和过去分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责 | |
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16
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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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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herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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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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23
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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24
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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25
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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26
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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27
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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copiously
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| adv.丰富地，充裕地 | |
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29
heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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