by a remarkable coincidence dick hamilton trod in the very steps of his brother harvey while groping about the gorge, and went crashing and tumbling to the bottom in the precise fashion of his predecessor.
retaining his grasp on his winchester, he strove desperately to check his descent, but from the causes mentioned failed and landed on his feet, bewildered and unable for the moment to comprehend what had taken place. the racket and his exclamations roused harvey, who was so mystified that he whipped out his revolver and fired a shot in the direction of the noise without being able to discern his target.
“stop that!” shouted the elder; “you may hit me!”
“heavens, dick, is it you?” demanded the younger.
finding himself unharmed, dick’s waggery asserted itself.
“i don’t know who else it is. that’s the way[191] i always come downstairs. what are you doing here?”
“waiting to welcome you.”
“a pretty way to receive a long lost brother by shooting at him.”
“i didn’t harm you, did i?”
“of course not, for you aimed at me.”
“how could i do that when i didn’t see you?”
“all the same in both cases. but i say, harv, what does all this mean? it’s the queerest mix up i ever ran into.”
“the same with me; i tumbled down that bank while picking my way along the edge.”
“you see the effect of a bad example. how long have you been here?”
“it seems about a month, but i guess it is only a few hours.”
“why didn’t you answer my signals?”
“for the same reason that you didn’t answer mine.”
“but i was so near when i last called that you ought to have heard me.”
“so i should if i hadn’t been asleep. you woke me rather suddenly.”
“couldn’t help it; you might have put up a notice warning me to look out. but i say, harv, what sort of a hotel is this?”
[192]“one that i should like very much to leave.”
“why haven’t you done so?”
“couldn’t; i wish you would show me the way out.”
“take the first door you come to.”
“but there isn’t any door; i tried to bid farewell until i had to give it up.”
harvey now told the particulars of his mishap. the gloom was so deep that neither could see even the outlines of the other. but their hands met and both were thankful over their escape, though their situation was anything but enviable. dick drew out his match safe and held the tiny flame above his head. as the reflection lighted each face, they laughed.
“we set out to find bunk,” said the elder, “and now it’s up to him to find us. you say you know of no way of climbing out of this gorge?”
“not unless some one gives us help. i have tried it over and over again, and shouted until i was hoarse, but without any one hearing me.”
“i certainly did not. now instead of one young hamilton in a hole there are two. that makes the situation twice as bad as before. why haven’t you started a fire?”
“the fuel is too green.”
“thereby resembling us. however, we must[193] find some way to leave in the morning. you see, harv, we haven’t our outer coats, nor any food, nor moisture enough to wet our lips. by and by our situation will become a bore.”
“it is pretty near that now.”
since it was certain they would have to spend the night there, they seated themselves where harvey had been resting when awakened with such startling suddenness.
“did you learn anything of bunk?” asked dick.
“i didn’t get the first trace.”
“i knew you wouldn’t when you left me.”
“how did you make out?”
“i found the cave where he was staying and had a talk with him.”
“what!” exclaimed the amazed harvey; “do you tell me that?”
“i suppose it is hardly fair to say i had a talk with him, being that i did all the talking and he hadn’t a word to reply.”
“why not?”
“fact is i didn’t lay eyes on him; he kept out of sight.”
thereupon the elder related his experience after the two had parted company. there was no doubt that he had come upon the temporary[194] dwelling of the missing bohunkus, but the fellow eluded him.
“we’ll have him yet,” added dick, “and if i feel then as i do now, i’ll teach him a lesson he won’t forget if he lives a thousand years.”
“perhaps he deserves it, though i don’t blame him as much as you do.”
“i am speaking for myself, and i’ll drop a hint to you that it won’t be prudent to interfere. i may be in a different mood when i reach him.”
“remember, you haven’t reached him as yet and there’s no saying when you will.”
“i haven’t any doubt that the morning will show us so easy a way of getting out of this hole, that you’ll be disgusted because you didn’t see it at once.”
dick’s optimism cheered harvey. they talked for two hours and then both succumbed to drowsiness. they adjusted their positions so as to bring a part of their bodies in contact, thus gaining a slight degree of mutual warmth. while the night continued cool they did not suffer, and the slumber into which they sank lasted without break until morning.
dick was the first to regain his senses. gently moving so as not to disturb his brother he made a minute inspection of the gorge, passing twice[195] around it, and studying every spot upon which it seemed possible to build hope. he was scrutinizing the inward sloping wall overhead which harvey had tried to climb when the latter, still seated, looked up.
“well, what do you make of it?”
“i must own that it looks dubious. i don’t see any way of getting to the top. i thought of raising you on my shoulders but that wouldn’t amount to anything.”
“it will do no good to whistle or shout, for no one, unless near, can hear us. how long before hunter and wadsworth will suspect something is wrong and set out to hunt you up?”
“they will probably wait for one or two weeks, by which time we should be somewhat hungrier and thirstier than now, though that doesn’t seem possible. then,” grimly added dick, “if they come to this spot they would probably tumble into the gorge the same as we did, and we should all have to die together. i have a plan that may possibly amount to something.”
dick took his winchester from where it leaned against the rocks, and pointing the muzzle toward the sky, discharged each of the ten charges with a few seconds between them. then he refilled the[196] chamber with cartridges and waiting a few minutes, did as before.
“those reports will carry farther than our whistling or shouting, but not as far as i should like. it depends upon whether anyone is in the neighborhood.”
the experiment proved delightfully successful. dick hamilton was preparing to fire a third series, when they were thrilled by a shout:
“hello, down there! what the blazes is the matter?”
the hail came from a point behind them. on the edge of the gorge and close to where the brothers had fallen one after the other, stood a middle-aged man in rough clothing and a slouch hat, carrying a rifle. his face was smooth-shaven, and the expression kindly.
“look out!” harvey shouted, “or you’ll fall into the gorge.”
“i reckon i ain’t fool enough to do that,” was his grinning reply; “is that the way you managed it?”
“that’s what we did,” said dick; “be good enough not to laugh too hard, for we feel bad enough as it is, without your rubbing it in.”
“you do seem to be in a fix, but we can soon get you out.”
[197]“you have no surer way of earning our undying gratitude,” said dick.
“wait where you be till i come back.”
“there’s no fear of not waiting, but please don’t forget to return.”
“don’t be afraid.”
with which the man drew back and disappeared. he was not gone long when he reappeared with a long, slim sapling, which he had trimmed of its nubs and excrescences except at the top. bracing himself firmly on another part of the edge of the gorge, which was the lowest and gave firm footing, he grasped the larger end of the pole and carefully thrust the smaller part down into the opening.
“can you make it?” he called, peering over.
by standing on tiptoe dick could grasp the bushy end. he suggested that harvey should go first, but there was really no choice, and the younger replied by telling his brother not to wait.
“are you ready?” asked the man above.
“hold fast and i’ll climb up. you needn’t lift me.”
it was easy for the elder, even with his rifle in one hand, to ascend the pole monkey fashion, and a minute later he stood on the upper ground beside his friend. then he helped to hold the larger end and harvey climbed up with the same facility.[198] the rescue was effected so readily that it was almost ridiculous. the two warmly thanked the stranger. harvey offered a money reward, but the man shook his head.
“i’m jim haley, one of the game protectors for this part of the country. i heard your gun and wondered what it meant. we have to keep sharp watch of them as are inclined to forget this is the close season. why have you brought your winchester with you?” asked the official, with a suspicious look at dick.
“i generally carry it in the woods so as to be ready for danger. i met a big buck yesterday; fact is, i’ve seen him several times and he was mighty tempting, but i haven’t any wish to get into trouble with the courts.”
“don’t forget that, young man, for if you do it’ll go hard with you.”
“i’ll remember,” meekly replied dick, who almost trembled to recall how near he had come to violating the game laws; “a couple of friends and myself have a tent on the other side of the lake. if you will go there with us i can promise you a good breakfast and a smoke.”
haley thanked them but declined the invitation, and bidding them good day strode off. his manner showed that he was still a little distrustful[199] of the intentions of the young man, who, it need hardly be said, gave him and his brother officials no further cause to suspect him.
“the next thing to be done,” said dick, “is to get back to camp for breakfast. on the way we’ll stop long enough to lower the lake six inches in slaking our thirst.”
“what about bunk?” asked harvey.
“on his account, i shall give him no attention till after i have had a full meal. if i should run across him before, nothing can prevent me from murdering him.”
“we have a fine mess of fish awaiting us at the canoe.”
“but nothing else; we need seasoning, coffee, biscuit and lots of other things that can’t be had short of camp. i’ll run you a race.”
“not if i know myself.”
so it came about that bohunkus johnson was dismissed from their thoughts for the time, and all their energies were given to making the trip as quickly as possible. dick plied the paddle with skill and vigor. they found their friends awaiting them and the meal which followed was all that two hungry youths could ask.
while it was under way, hunter and wadsworth having concluded theirs, the hamiltons told their[200] story. the morning was now well advanced and professor morgan and his monoplane might appear at any moment. the couple, who were making ready for a tramp in the woods to the eastward, volunteered to go with dick and harvey, but it was feared that their presence might prove an obstacle to success.
“we are starting for that sable gentleman in earnest this time,” said the elder, “and what’s more, we’re going to get him. you can bet your last dollar on that. i’ve got a hunch to that effect.”
“you are likely to run into a row with the professor,” said hunter.
“nothing would suit me better; i have had so much experience while in camp in dealing with cranks that i understand ’em.”
with good wishes the parties separated as on the day before, and once more dick hamilton sent the canoe skimming toward the extremity of the lake he would not permit harvey to take the paddle, for he was less skillful. the minutes were important.
“keep watch for that lunatic, harv, and leave the rest to me.”
the younger not only scanned the sky to the south, but studied the mountainous country ahead.[201] the greater part of the distance had been passed when he uttered an excited exclamation.
“what is it?” asked dick, holding his paddle suspended and glancing over his shoulder.
“take a look at that pile of rocks where you went yesterday and let me know what you see.”
dick laid down the paddle and leveled the instrument. a moment later he called out:
“i’ll be hanged! it’s bunk and no mistake!”
