CHAPTER XV
IN THE RAPIDS
"Give him another call, Frank!"
"That fellow beats all creation for lagging! I believe he'd rather snapoff his old camera than eat, any day. If he doesn't look out, thatpanther may get--Glory to goodness! What's that, Reddy?" cried Jerry.
"Sounds like a bit of an avalanche, though this here is a queer time ofyear for that. Generally comes, you know, in snow time, or when therains arrive," was the cowboy's ready answer.
"But--Will--he may have started it, and gone down into one of thesebeastly holes!" observed Bluff uneasily.
"Let's go back, fellows, and make sure," remarked Frank instantly.
They retraced their steps, Reddy leading the way, and every one on thelookout for any signs of an unusual happening.
"There's where it fell, and it looks like quite a lot of stuff had gonedown the slope," said their guide presently.
"Hello, Will! Will!" shouted Frank.
"Well, I'm waiting for you," said a quiet voice close at hand.
"Where in the world are you, pard?" burst out Jerry.
"Oh, here," came the reply.
"Ginger! I believe he's down the bank!" cried Bluff.
"Just what he is! Come here, fellows! Did you ever see anything to beatthat? Talk to me about your lucky dogs! Here's one that takes the cakeevery time!" sang out Jerry, as he thrust his head out beyond the edgeof the platform where the slope began.
"Oh, I don't know. There have been cases where people have been savedfrom all sorts of disasters by the fortunate presence of a rope. Chuckus a loop, Reddy, will you, please?" said Will, and Jerry became as dumbas an oyster.
No wonder Frank laughed, even while he watched the cowboy dropping hislariat down as the other so coolly requested. Will had slid some twentyfeet down the steep bank, along with the loose surface stuff, whichgathered force as it proceeded. Then a projecting stone had caught thebag of his coat, and he was supported in this fashion by the stoutfabric.
"What are you trying to do down there? Expect to cut me out of my job asthe cliff climber of the party?" asked Frank jokingly.
"Not so that you'd notice. Thought I might get a better view down alonghere. But first of all, save my precious camera, before I consent tocome up," answered Will, and he insisted upon fastening the same to thedangling rope.
Bluff saw his chance to get back at his chum for more than one indignityalong the same line that he had suffered in the past, so he called out:
"Here, you! Just hold your horses! I'm going over yonder and strike youoff as you hang there. It will do to amuse the girls when we get home.We don't often have a chance to bring the photographer into thesepictures. Now, here you are. Look pleasant! There! That job's done! Nowyank him up, fellows, and don't be too easy with him. He deserves a gooddigging for scaring us so."
But Will had suffered no material harm from his little slide.
"Glad I stopped part way," he observed, looking down, "for it's quitesome distance to the bottom, and then those rocks would have bruised memore than a little. Yes, I agree with Bluff, there; it's better to beborn lucky than rich."
After that they saw to it that Will did not lag behind. He was not to betrusted any more than could be helped.
Reddy was as good as his word. He eventually brought them within sightof several feeding elk. They carried out his further directions to theletter, and were thus enabled to approach within easy gunshot of theunsuspicious animals.
A program had been arranged, and every one knew just what part in it hewas expected to play. Consequently, there was no confusion. Frank, Jerryand Bluff had their chance to aim. To each was assigned a differentquarry, though after the first shot they were to fire as they pleased.
"Ready?" whispered the master of ceremonies, after Will had performedhis little, necessary operation with his camera that would produce happyresults.
"Yes," said Frank.
"Ditto!" from Jerry.
"Same here," came from Bluff.
"Then go!"
There followed a crash of firearms. Instantly confusion broke out amongthe little herd of feeding elk. One was down, another went limping off,to fall as Frank sent in a second hasty shot; while the balance fairlyflew off in their fright.
"Hurrah!" shouted the hunters, as they saw that they had met withsplendid success, since two of the big animals had fallen to their guns.
Bluff looked grimly disappointed.
"I hit my buck, for I saw him go down on his knees," he assertedmoodily.
"Oh, that ain't anything. An elk often runs off with several bad wounds.I only hope he don't die in the woods somewhere," said Reddy, examiningthe tracks of those that had escaped.
"Will it pay us to follow them up and see if Bluff's buck fell?" askedFrank, more to please his chum than because they needed the game.
"Nope. The buck runs like he wasn't even hurt much. No ketchin' up withthem fellers after that riot call. We'd best pay attention to what we'vegot, and return to camp," replied the guide; and Bluff shrugged hisshoulders, saying:
"But I hit him, anyhow, I'll tell you that, fellows."
Frank found that all Reddy meant to do was to hang the two elk up, afterthey had cut some choice portions for immediate use. The other cowboyswould come with the horses, on their way down the river, on the morrow,and secure the game.
"We got fooled out of elk steaks once and don't mean to again, I tellyou," said Jerry, as he shouldered his portion of the load.
So they returned to camp.
"What's this?" said Mr. Mabie as they came filing in. "Back already, andonly out two hours? Got some meat, too, I see. That's good. Suchappetites as you boys are developing threaten to eat us out of house andhome soon, unless we eke out with game. Who cut up the elk?"
"The boys all took a hand. They wanted to learn," smiled Reddy.
"I kind of thought they had," nodded the stockman, who could easily seethat it was not the work of an experienced hand.
Bluff failed to catch the twinkle of humor in the other's eyes.
"Yes, and I could have made even a better job if I'd had the knife alongI foolishly went and left at home," he remarked disconsolately, whereatJerry, Will and Frank exchanged looks, and shrugged their shoulders, butsaid nothing; for in a case of that kind words are useless.
They were all very enthusiastic that night over the feast. The cook haddutifully pounded the steaks before placing the same on the fire, sothat if they seemed tough it was not his fault.
The meat, however, was sweet and tasty; and besides, with hunger servingas the best-known sauce, who could complain?
Bluff kept on the lookout for the mate of his panther, but if the oldfellow was prowling around he had more discretion than to show himselfwhile these hunters were near by.
With the morning the camp was to be abandoned. Tents came down whilethey were eating breakfast, and everything was packed away in as small acompass as possible, for carrying on the backs of the pack horses, whichwere brought in from the pen, or corral, where they had been kept allthis while, in charge of a guard.
The three bullboats awaited the adventurous ones. These were of the typemuch used in this far region of the Northwest, being fashioned of toughhides of bulls, and impervious to water.
Besides their guns, which were strapped to their backs, the voyagerscarried little or nothing. In case of an upset they did not stand toworry over anything except saving their own lives.
So they quitted the camp under the cataract, where they had spentseveral very enjoyable days.
IMMEDIATELY THE TWO ADVENTUROUS CRUISERS WERE IN THE RAPIDS.--_Page 141_. _The Outdoor Chums After Big Game_.]
Swiftly they descended the stream for several miles. Then, according toagreement, they hauled in at the head of the rapids for a little restand consultation before making the riffle.
Will had declared his intention of going down the shore and taking uphis position about midway of the drop, so as to snap off the twodescending bullboats as the
y came flying along in the midst of thechurning water. Afterward he and Mr. Mabie would enter the last boat andmake the plunge.
When he was ready, with his camera focused, he waved his arm as asignal. Immediately one of the boats started forth, containing Bluff andReddy. When they got fully into the swirl the second craft appeared insight.
Jerry sat in the bow of this, and Frank in the stern, the moreresponsible position. Immediately the two adventurous cruisers were inthe rapids, and shooting down with incredible swiftness.
The leading boat managed to pull through all right, for Reddy knew theroute; but disaster awaited that containing the two chums. Whether theystruck a half-submerged rock, and were capsized, or made amiscalculation, and found themselves seized by the cross-current, no oneever knew.
"Look out!" shouted Jerry, and the next instant both he and Frank wereoverboard, and trying to keep away from the threatening snags while theywent whirling down the rapids.