The trail led through the woods, and Mr. Bradford and Uncle Will agreed that in such a region the little party of four should keep together, since the two robbers, if they were concealed4 anywhere in the neighborhood and still had lawless intentions, would hesitate to waylay5 and attack an armed party of twice their numbers. The three packers were also well armed.
The forest was left behind at noon, and they gladly ascended6 to the top of a range of treeless uplands where there was no cover for an enemy. Here a small pack train of oxen and horses, in charge of five or six New Englanders, was met. They had seen no suspicious persons since leaving Pyramid Harbor. When questioned about the fords of the Klaheena and Salmon7[315] rivers, the travellers laughed and pointed8 to one of their number whom they called Mr. Green, as being most likely to have a vivid recollection of his experience.
"Yes," said Mr. Green, good-humoredly, "I shall not soon forget the ford1 of the Klaheena. You see, our pack animals are loaded down with about all they can carry, and I'm no feather-weight. Consequently, instead of mounting one of the already overburdened beasts, I crossed the two fords of the Salmon River by wading9. The water was cold, but I didn't mind the wetting much, and took the precaution to hold fast to the tail of the largest ox. This plan succeeded so well at the first two fords that when we reached the Klaheena I felt no hesitancy about crossing in the same manner. I stripped off most of my clothing, took a firm hold of the tail of the big ox, and we started.
"Well, gentlemen, if you've ever seen a pickerel spoon whirl round and round when it's dragged behind a boat, you will have some idea of the motions I described when I struck that deep and rushing current. I was off my feet in a twinkling and thrashing about in the wildest manner imaginable; and if I hadn't gripped the tail of that ox with the strength of desperation, I shouldn't be here to tell about it. Even the ox was forced down the stream quite a distance, but his heavy load enabled him to keep his feet, and he[316] hauled me out at last on the opposite bank, more scared than hurt. But next time, gentlemen, I'm going to ride."
Mr. Green's droll10 recital11 was listened to with much amusement. He now wiped from his brow the perspiration12 which his exciting reminiscences had induced, and added a last item of advice.
"My friends," said he, with a serio-comic expression on his round face, "don't you try swimming, either. We saw a young fellow do that, and—I swan! if he didn't go down-stream like a chip. He would reach the shore time and again and try to get hold of something, but there was nothing but loose gravel13, and it gave way as soon as he touched it, and away the current would hustle14 him. It kept that fellow moving for a mile, and he might be going yet if he hadn't been washed up on a gravel bar."
These tales of the dread15 Klaheena were anything but reassuring16 to the Bradfords; and in the imagination of the boys that river began to assume the form of a ravening17 monster. What with mountain torrents18 and highwaymen, they felt that they would be the most fortunate of mortals if they reached the coast in safety. They discovered, as many a brave man has done, that the terrors of anticipation19 are often far more unnerving than a real and present danger.
About the middle of the afternoon they crossed two[317] deep ravines, each the bed of a noisy brook20, and soon afterward21 found themselves on the highest ridge22 of the bleak23 uplands. It was not thought necessary here to keep together, and Uncle Will and Roly were fully24 a quarter of a mile in advance of Mr. Bradford and David, who had paused to make pannings at the streams in the ravines.
"Keep a sharp lookout25 for our pack train," cautioned Uncle Will. "I think they've camped somewhere here, and we don't want to miss them."
As he spoke26, he and Roly were approaching the crest27 of a low hill. Suddenly Uncle Will, who was leading, stopped, then threw himself at full length on the ground.
"Down, Roly, quick!" he whispered. "There's a caribou28 coming. Don't make a sound."
Roly dropped instantly, and the two lay there, quiet but excited, gazing at the crest of the hill not more than forty feet ahead, Uncle Will meantime drawing his revolver. Roly had no weapon but his knife, and the only kind of a shot he could take was a snapshot,—for he happened to be carrying David's camera. Even that might not be possible, for the sun was almost in line with the game.
Fortunately the wind was blowing from the caribou's direction, and without scenting29 danger he trotted31 briskly along the trail. After a moment of thrilling[318] suspense32 the two watchers saw first his antlers and then his head and body rise above the sky-line, until the magnificent animal stood full in view. He paused an instant as if to reconnoitre, which gave Uncle Will his opportunity. The report of the revolver rang out sharply.
The caribou started, looked about without seeming to discover the two crouching33 figures, then circled slowly off to the right as if to get the scent30 from the point of danger. Uncle Will fired again and with better effect, for the caribou stopped and wavered. Meanwhile Roly, camera in hand, was man?uvring for a position from which he could take a picture. Before he had succeeded, a third shot brought the caribou to his knees. He rose, struggled forward a step or two, then sank never to rise again. All three bullets had struck him, and it was found that the first, which appeared to have so little effect, had gone clear through his body, from front to rear.
"We've got him!" exclaimed Uncle Will, delightedly, as he ran toward the fallen game. "It's queer for an old hunter like me to have buck34 fever, but I had it that time. Did you see my hand tremble, Roly? Didn't think I could hit the side of a house. Did you get the picture?"
"No," said Roly, "not the one I wanted. The sun was right behind him."
[319]
Shouts were now heard, and three men and a horse were seen approaching, while some distance behind them in a cloud of dust galloped35 a party of mounted men. They all arrived on the scene together. The mounted men proved to be a squad36 of police in charge of a sergeant37 and accompanied by Jack38 Dalton and an Indian, all bound for Pleasant Camp; while the three men on foot were Mr. Bradford, David, and Phil. The new-comers gathered around the caribou and plied39 the successful hunters with questions.
"You went clean by our camp," said Phil. "Didn't you see the horses off to the left of the trail about half a mile back?"
"No," said Uncle Will, "and we looked out for them too."
"I saw you go by," continued Phil, "and shouted, and when you didn't seem to hear I started after you. Then I heard your shots and saw the caribou, and concluded you had gone ahead because you had seen the game, so I went back for a horse."
Uncle Will and Phil set to work to cut up the carcass, first removing the hide, which the former wished to preserve. A generous portion of the meat was given to Dalton and the police, who had always shown unfailing hospitality to the Bradfords; while the Indian received permission to take certain sinews and cords which are utilized40 in the manufacture of the native[320] snow-shoes. The remainder of the dressed carcass was placed upon Phil's horse and taken back to the camp, where the cook took charge of it with much rejoicing.
"Venison!" exclaimed the old man, again and again, as if it were too good to be true. "No more bacon for the rest of this trip! Now we'll live like kings!"
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1
Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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2
clattered
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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3
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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4
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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5
waylay
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| v.埋伏，伏击 | |
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6
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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8
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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9
wading
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 ) | |
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10
droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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13
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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14
hustle
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| v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌) | |
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15
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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16
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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17
ravening
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| a.贪婪而饥饿的 | |
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18
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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19
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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20
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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21
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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23
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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24
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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25
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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26
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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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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28
caribou
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| n.北美驯鹿 | |
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29
scenting
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| vt.闻到（scent的现在分词形式） | |
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30
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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31
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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32
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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33
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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34
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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35
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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36
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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37
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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38
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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39
plied
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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utilized
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| v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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