tales of trail and town-第43节

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〃B'ar！〃　shouted　the　three　voices　together。　　A　huge　bear；　followed

by　its　cubs；　was　seen　stumbling　awkwardly　away　to　the　right；　making

for　the　timber　below。　　In　an　instant　the　boys　had　hurried　into

their　jackets　again；　and　the　glory　of　fight　was　forgotten　in　the

fever　of　the　chase。　　Why　should　they　pound　each　other　when　there

was　something　to　really　KILL？　　They　started　in　instant　pursuit；

Julian　leading。



But　the　wind　was　now　keen　and　bitter　in　their　faces；　and　that

peculiar　thickening　of　the　air　which　they　had　noticed　had　become

first　a　dark　blue　and　then　a　whitening　pall；　in　which　the　bear　was

lost。　　They　still　kept　on。　　Suddenly　Julian　felt　himself　struck

between　the　eyes　by　what　seemed　a　snowball；　and　his　companions　were

as　quickly　spattered　by　gouts　of　monstrous　clinging　snowflakes。

Others　as　quickly　followedit　was　not　snowing；　it　was　snowballing。

They　at　first　laughed；　affecting　to　retaliate　with　these　whirling；

flying　masses　shaken　like　clinging　feathers　from　a　pillow；　but　in　a

few　seconds　they　were　covered　from　head　to　foot　by　snow；　their

limbs　impeded　or　pinioned　against　them　by　its　weight；　their　breath

gone。　　They　stopped　blindly；　breathlessly。　　Then；　with　a　common

instinct；　they　turned　back。　　But　the　next　moment　they　heard　Julian

cry；　〃Look　out！〃　　Coming　towards　them　out　of　the　storm　was　the

bear；　who　had　evidently　turned　back　by　the　same　instinct。　　An

ungovernable　instinct　seized　the　younger　boys；　and　they　fled。　　But

Julian　stopped　with　leveled　rifle。　　The　bear　stopped　too；　with

sullen；　staring　eyes。　　But　the　eyes　that　glanced　along　the　rifle

were　young；　true；　and　steady。　　Julian　fired。　　The　hot　smoke　was

swept　back　by　the　gale　into　his　face；　but　the　bear　turned　and

disappeared　in　the　storm　again。　　Julian　ran　on　to　where　his

companions　had　halted　at　the　report；　a　little　ashamed　of　their

cowardice。　　〃Keep　on　that　way！〃　he　shouted　hoarsely。　　〃No　use

tryin'　to　go　where　the　b'ar　couldn't。　　Keep　on！〃



〃Keep　onwhar？　　There　ain't　no　trailno　nuthin'！〃　said　Jackson

querulously；　to　hold　down　a　rising　fear。　　It　was　true。　　The　trail

had　long　since　disappeared；　even　their　footprints　of　a　moment

before　were　filled　up　by　the　piling　snow；　they　were　isolated　in

this　stony　upland；　high　in　air；　without　a　rock　or　tree　to　guide

them　across　its　vast　white　level。　　They　were　bitterly　cold　and

benumbed。　　The　stimulus　of　the　storm　and　chase　had　passed；　but

Julian　kept　driving　them　before　him；　himself　driven　along　by　the

furious　blast；　yet　trying　to　keep　some　vague　course　along　the

waste。　　So　an　hour　passed。　　Then　the　wind　seemed　to　have　changed；

or　else　they　had　traveled　in　a　circlethey　knew　not　which；　but　the

snow　was　in　their　faces　now。　　But；　worst　of　all；　the　snow　had

changed　too；　it　no　longer　fell　in　huge　blue　flakes；　but　in　millions

of　stinging　gray　granules。　　Julian's　face　grew　hard　and　his　eyes

bright。　　He　knew　it　was　no　longer　a　snow…squall；　but　a　lasting

storm。　　He　stopped；　the　boys　tumbled　against　him。　　He　looked　at

them　with　a　strange　smile。



〃Hev　you　two　made　up？〃　he　said。



〃Noo！〃



〃Make　up；　then。〃



〃What？〃



〃Shake　hands。〃



They　clasped　each　other's　red；　benumbed　fingers　and　laughed；　albeit

a　little　frightened　at　Julian。　　〃Go　on！〃　he　said；　curtly。



They　went　on　dazedly；　stupidly；　for　another　hour。



Suddenly　Provy　Smith's　keen　eyes　sparkled。　　He　pointed　to　a

singular　irregular　mound　of　snow　before　them；　plainly　seen　above

the　dreary　level。　　Julian　ran　to　it　with　a　cry；　and　began　wildly

digging。　　〃I　knew　I　hit　him；〃　he　cried；　as　he　brushed　the　snow　from

a　huge　and　hairy　leg。　　It　was　the　beardead；　but　not　yet　cold。　　He

had　succumbed　with　his　huge　back　to　the　blast；　the　snow　piling　a

bulwark　behind　him；　where　it　had　slowly　roofed　him　in。　　The　half…

frozen　lads　threw　themselves　fearlessly　against　his　furry　coat　and

crept　between　his　legs；　nestling　themselves　beneath　his　still　warm

body　with　screams　of　joy。　　The　snow　they　had　thrown　back　increased

the　bulwark；　and　drifting　over　it；　in　a　few　moments　inclosed　them

in　a　thin　shell　of　snow。　　Thoroughly　exhausted；　after　a　few　grunts

of　satisfaction；　a　deep　sleep　fell　upon　them；　from　which　they　were

awakened　only　by　the　pangs　of　hunger。　　Alas！　their　dinnersthe

school　dinnershad　been　left　on　the　inglorious　battlefield。

Nevertheless；　they　talked　of　eating　the　bear　if　it　came　to　the

worst。　　They　would　have　tried　it　even　then；　but　they　were　far　above

the　belt　of　timber；　they　had　matcheswhat　boy　has　not？but　no

WOOD。　　Still；　they　were　reassured；　and　even　delighted；　with　this

prospect；　and　so　fell　asleep　again；　stewing　with　the　dead　bear　in

the　half…impervious　snow；　and　woke　up　in　the　morning　ravenous；　yet

to　see　the　sun　shining　in　their　faces　through　the　melted　snow；　and

for　Jackson　Tribbs　to　quickly　discover；　four　miles　away　as　the　crow

flies；　the　cabin　of　his　father　among　the　flaming　sumacs。



They　started　up　in　the　glare　of　the　sun；　which　at　first　almost

blinded　them。　　They　then　discovered　that　they　were　in　a　depression

of　the　table…land　that　sloped　before　them　to　a　deep　gully　in　the

mountainside；　which　again　dropped　into　the　canyon　below。　　The　trail

they　had　lost；　they　now　remembered；　must　be　near　this　edge。　　But　it

was　still　hidden；　and　in　seeking　it　there　was　danger　of　some　fatal

misstep　in　the　treacherous　snow。　　Nevertheless；　they　sallied　out

bravely；　although　they　would　fain　have　stopped　to　skin　the　bear；

but　Julian's　mandate　was　peremptory。　　They　spread　themselves　along

the　ridge；　at　times　scraping　the　loose　snow　away　in　their　search

for　the　lost　trail。



Suddenly　they　all　slipped　and　fell；　but　rose　again　quickly；

laughing。　　Then　they　slipped　and　fell　again；　but　this　time　with　the

startling　consciousness　that　it　was　not　THEY　who　had　slipped；　but

THE　SNOW！　　As　they　regained　their　feet　they　could　plainly　see　now

that　a　large　crack　on　the　white　field；　some　twenty　feet　in　width；

extended　between　them　and　the　carcass　of　the　bear；　showing　the

glistening　rock　below。　　Again　they　were　thrown　down　with　a　sharp

shock。　　Jackson　Tribbs；　who　had　been　showing　a　strange　excitement；

suddenly　gave　a　cry　of　warning。　　〃Lie　flat；　fellers！　but　keep　a…

crawlin'　and　jumpin'。　　We're　goin'　down　a　slide！〃　　And　the　next

moment　they　were　sliding　and　tossing；　apparently　with　the　whole

snow…field；　down　towards　the　gullied　precipice。



What　happened　after　this；　and　how　long　it　lasted；　they　never　knew。

For；　hurried　along　with　increasing　momentum；　but　always

mechanically　clutching　at　the　snow；　and　bounding　from　it　as　they

swept　on；　they　sometimes　lost　breath；　and　even　consciousness。　　At

times　they　were　half　suffocated　in　rolling　masses　of　drift；　and

again　free　and　skimming　over　its　arrested　surface；　but　always

falling；　as　it　seemed　to　them；　almost　perpendicularly。　　In　one　of

these　shocks　they　seemed　to　be　going　through　a　thicket　of

underbrush；　but　Provy　Smith　knew　that　they　were　the　tops　of　pine…

trees。　　At　last　there　was　one　shock　longer　and　lasting；　followed　by

a　deepening　thunder　below　them。　　The　avalanche　had　struck　a　ledge

in　the　mountain　side；　and　precipitated　its　lower　part　into　the

valley。



Then　everything　was　still；　until　Provy　heard　Julian's　voice

calling。　　He　answered；　but　there　was　no　response　from　Tribbs。　　Had

he　gone　over　into　the　valley？　　They　set　up　a　despairing　shout！　　A

voicea　smothered　onethat　might　be　his；　came　apparently　from　the

snow　beneath　them。　　They　shouted　again；　the　voice；　vague　and

hollow；　responded；　but　it　was　now　surely　his。



〃Where　are　you？〃　screamed　Provy。



〃Down　the　chimbley。〃



There　was　a　black　square　of　adobe　sticking　out　of　the　snow　near

them。　　They　ran　to　it。　　There　was　a　hole。　　They　peered　down；　but

could　see　nothing　at　first　but　a　faint　glimmer。



〃Come　down；　fellows！　　It　ain't　far！〃　said　Tribbs's　voice。



〃Wot　yer　got　there？〃　asked　Julian　cautiously。



〃Suthin'　to　eat。〃



That　was　enough。　　In　another　instant　Julian　and　Provy　went　down　the

chimney。　　What　was　a　matter　of　fifteen　feet　after　a　thousand？

Tribbs　had　already　lit　a　candle　by　which　they　could　see　that　they

were　in　the　cabin　of　some　tunnel…man　at　work　on　the　ridge。　　He　had

probably　been　in　the　tunnel　when　the　avalanche　fell；　and　escaped；

though　his　cabin　was　buried。　　The　three　discoverers　helped

themselves　to　his　larder。　　They　laughed　and　ate　as　at　a　picnic；

played　cards；　pretended　it　was　a　robber's　cave；　and　finally；

wrapping　themselves　in　the　miner's　blankets；　slept　soundly；　knowing

where　they　were；　and　confident　also　that　they　could　find　the　trail

early　the　next　morning。　　They　did　so；　and　without　going　to　their

homes　came　directly　to　schoolhaving　been　absent　about　fifty

hours。　　They　were　in　high　spirits；　except　for　the　thought　of

approaching　punishment；　never　dreaming　to　evade　it　by　anything

miraculous　in　their　adventures。





Such　was　briefly　their　story。　　Its　truth　was　corroborated　by　the

discovery　of　the　bear's　carcass；　by　the　testimony