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The Silver Canyon: A Tale of the Western Plains, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 8. Rough Customers |
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_ CHAPTER EIGHT. ROUGH CUSTOMERS There was nothing to tempt a stay where they were, so taking advantage of their being once more alone, a fresh start was made along the most open course that presented itself, and some miles were placed between them and the last camp before a halt was made for the night. "We shan't do no good, Master Bart," said Joses, as they two kept watch for the first part of the night. "The master thinks we shall, but I don't, and Juan don't, and Sam and Harry don't." "But why not?" "Why not, Master Bart? How can you 'spect it, when you've got a young woman and a waggon and a tent along with you. Them's all three things as stop you from getting over the ground. I don't call this an exploring party; I call it just a-going out a-pleasuring when it's all pain." "You always would grumble, Joses; no matter where we were, or what we were doing, you would have your grumble. I suppose it does you good." "Why, of course it does," said Joses, with a low chuckling laugh. "If I wasn't to grumble, that would all be in my mind making me sour, so I gets rid of it as soon as I can." That night passed without adventure, and, starting at daybreak the next morning, they found a fine open stretch of plain before them, beyond which, blue and purple in the distance, rose the mountains, and these were looked upon as their temporary destination, for Dr Lascelles was of opinion that here he might discover something to reward his toils. The day was so hot and the journey so arduous, that upon getting to the farther side of the plain, with the ground growing terribly broken and rugged as they approached the mountain slopes, a suitable spot was selected, and the country being apparently quite free from danger, the tent was set up, and the quarters made snug for two or three days' rest, so that the Doctor might make a good search about the mountain chasms and ravines, and see if there were any prospect of success. The place reached was very rugged, but it had an indescribable charm from the varied tints of the rocks and the clumps of bushes, with here and there a low scrubby tree, some of which proved to be laden with wild plums. "Why, those are wild grapes too, are they not?" said Bart, pointing to some clustering vines which hung over the rocks laden with purpling berries. "That they be," said Joses; "and as sour as sour, I'll bet. But I say, Master Bart, hear that?" "What! that piping noise?" replied Bart. "I was wondering what it could be." "I'll tell you, lad," said Joses, chuckling. "That's young wild turkeys calling to one another, and if we don't have a few to roast it shan't be our fault." The Doctor was told of the find, and after all had been made snug, it was resolved to take guns and rifles, and search for something likely to prove an agreeable change. "For we may as well enjoy ourselves, Bart, and supply Madam Maude here with a few good things for our pic-nic pot." The heat of the evening and the exertion of the long day's journey made the party rather reluctant to stir after their meal, but at last guns were taken, and in the hope of securing a few of the wild turkeys, a start was made; but after a stroll in different directions, Joses began to shake his head, and to say that it would be no use till daybreak, for the turkeys had gone to roost. Walking, too, was difficult, and there were so many thorns, that, out of kindness to his child, the Doctor proposed that they should return to the tent; signals were made to the men at a distance, and thoroughly enjoying the cool, delicious air of approaching eve, they had nearly reached the tent, when about a hundred yards of the roughest ground had to be traversed--a part that seemed as if giants had been hurling down huge masses of the mountain to form a new chaos, among whose mighty boulders, awkward thorns, huge prickly cacti, and wild plums, grew in profusion. "What a place to turn into a wild garden, Bart!" said the Doctor, suddenly. "I had been thinking so," cried Maude, eagerly. "What a place to build a house!" "And feed cattle, eh?" said the Doctor. "Very pretty to look at, my child, but I'm afraid that unless we could live by our guns, we should starve." "Hough--hough--hough!" came from beyond a rugged piece of rock. "O father!" cried Maude, clinging to his arm. "Don't hold me, child," he said fiercely, "leave my arm free;" and starting forward, gun in hand, he made for the place from whence the hideous half-roaring, half-grunting noise had came. Before he had gone a dozen steps the sound was repeated, but away to their right. Then came the sharp reports of two guns, and, evidently seeing something hidden from her father and Bart, Maude sprang forward while they followed. "Don't go, Missy, don't go," shouted Juan, and his cry was echoed by Harry; but she did not seem to hear them, and was the first to arrive at where a huge bear lay upon its flank, feebly clawing at the rock with fore and hind paw, it having received a couple of shots in vital parts. "Pray keep back, Maude," cried Bart, running to her side. "I wanted to see it," she said with an eager glance around at her father, who came up rapidly. "What is it?" "It's the cub half grown of a grizzly bear," said Dr Lascelles, speaking excitedly now. "Back, girl, to the tent; the mother must be close at hand." "On, forward; she's gone round to the right," shouted the men behind, who had been trying to get on by another way, but were stopped by the rocks. "Back, girl!" said the Doctor again. "Forward all of you, steadily, and make every shot tell. Where is Joses?" Just then the deep hoarse grunting roar came again from a hollow down beyond them, and directly after, as they all hurried forward, each man ready to fire at the first chance, they heard a shot, and directly after came in sight of Joses, with his double rifle to his shoulder taking aim at a monstrous bear that, apparently half disabled by his last shot, was drawing itself up on a great shelving block of stone, and open mouthed and with blood and slaver running from its glistening ivory fangs, was just turning upon him to make a dash and strike him down. Just then a second shot rang out, and the bear rolled over, but sprang to its feet again with a terrific roar, and dashed at her assailant. It was impossible to fire now, lest Joses should be hit; and though he turned and fled, he was too late, for the bear, in spite of its huge, ox-like size, sprang upon him, striking him down, and stood over him. But now was the time, and the Doctor's and Bart's rifles both rang out, the latter going down on one knee to take careful aim; and as the smoke cleared away the bear was gone. "She's made for those rocks yonder," cried Juan, excitedly. "We'll have her now, master. She didn't seem hurt a bit." "Be careful," cried the Doctor. "Maude, help poor Joses. Go forward, Bart, but mind. She may be fatally wounded now." Bart was for staying to help the man who had so often been his companion, but his orders were to go on; he knew that Joses could not be in better hands; and there was the inducement to slay his slayer to urge him forward as he ran with his rifle at the trail over the rocks, and was guided by the savage growling he could hear amidst some bushes to where the monster was at bay. It was fast approaching the moment when all would be in gloom, and Bart knew that it would be impossible for them to camp where they were with a wounded grizzly anywhere near at hand. Slain the monster must be, and at once; but though the growling was plain enough, the bear was not visible, and ammunition is too costly out in the desert for a single charge to be wasted by a foolish shot. Juan, Harry, and Sam were all in position, ready to fire, but still the animal did not show itself, so they went closer to the thicket, and threw in heavy stones, but without the least effect, till Juan suddenly exclaimed that he would go right in and drive the brute out. Bart forbade this, however, and the man contented himself with going a little closer, and throwing a heavy block in a part where they had not thrown before. A savage grunt was the result, and judging where the grizzly lay, Juan, without waiting for counsel, raised his rifle and fired, dropping his weapon and running for his life the next moment, for the shot was succeeded by a savage yell, and the monster came crashing out in a headlong charge, giving Juan no cause for flight, since his butt made straight for Bart, open mouthed, fiery-eyed, and panting for revenge. Bart's first instinct was to turn and run, his second to stand his ground and fire right at the monster, taking deadly aim. But in moments of peril like his there is little time for the exercise of judgment, and ere he could raise his rifle to his shoulder and take careful aim the bear was upon him, rising up on its hind legs, not to hug him, as is generally supposed to be the habits of these beasts, but to strike at him right and left with its hideously armed paws. Bart did not know how it happened, but as the beast towered up in its huge proportions, he fired rapidly both barrels of his piece, one loaded with heavy shot for the turkeys, the other with ball, right into the monster's chest. As he fired Bart leaped back, and it was well that he did so, for the grizzly fell forward with a heavy thud, almost where he had been standing, clawed at the rocks and stones for a few moments, and then lay perfectly still--dead. _ |
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