CHAPTER XXVIII.
VANISHING OF LITTLE FAY.
For some moments after the strange man had disappeared the guide, theprofessor, and the boys sat staring into the darkness in the directionhe had taken.
"Wa-al, dog my cats!"
The exclamation came from Old Rocks, who had ceased to pull at the blackpipe for the time being.
"Thot bates th' band!"
Barney Mulloy could not express the astonishment he felt.
"What can that mean?"
Professor Scotch rose from the hammock, asking the question in abewildered manner.
"I can tell you what it means," said Frank, also rising to his feet. "Itseems to me there is but one explanation. Fay told me her father was notwith her mother, that she had not seen him for a long time, and that hermamma cried when he went away. I believe there was some kind of troublebetween the child's parents, and that the one who is known as thehermit, who calls himself 'the man without a name or a home,' is thefather of that child."
"Wa-al," drawled Old Rocks, "you may be a tenderfoot an' a kid, but yerhas a little hawse sense. Ef you ain't right, I'll chaw my boots ferterbacker!"
"It certainly seems that you are right, Frank," nodded the littleprofessor. "The man was drawn into the camp by your songs, he wasfascinated when he saw the sleeping child, and he fled, with a cry ofpain, when she murmured 'papa.' Yes, it seems quite certain that thehermit is the child's father."
"Ef thet is right, things is comin' round sing'ler," said the guide. "Efyou kids hedn't seen ther Injuns crawlin' up on ther bufferler youwouldn't got inter ther scrape ye did; ef ye hedn't got inter thetscrape ye wouldn't found ther babby; if yer hedn't found ther babby it'slikely she might hev starved ur bin eaten by wild critters; ef Frankhedn't sung them songs ther hermit w'u'dn't come inter camp; ef hehedn't come inter camp he w'u'dn't seen ther leetle gal; an' ef hehedn't seen ther leetle gal we'd never suspected he wuz her father."
This was an unusually long speech for Old Rocks, who was given to short,crusty sentences.
"Do you know where this man lives?" asked Scotch.
"Wa-al, I dunno prezactly, but I reckon I kin find him ag'in."
"That is important; he must be found. The mother of this child must betaken to him. In that way a reunion may be brought about. Probably theunfortunate woman is quite distracted to-night. In the morning we willlose no time in finding her and restoring the child to her arms."
For some time they sat about the fire, discussing the strange events ofthe day. Finally, all became sleepy, and it was decided that they hadbetter "turn in."
As Old Rocks seemed to sleep "with one eye open," they had not found itnecessary to have any one stand guard since he had been with them. Nowild animal could come prowling about the camp without arousing the oldfellow in a moment.
The fire was replenished, the flap of the tent left open, so the warmthmight enter, as the nights were rather cool, and the party retired.
In a short time all were sleeping soundly.
Frank's slumber was dreamless, but he was finally aroused by beingshaken fiercely.
"Git up hyar!" commanded a snarling voice.
In the twinkling of an eye he was wide awake and sitting up.
"What is the matter?" was the question that came from his lips, as, bythe dim light that came from the dying fire, he recognized Old Rocksbending over him.
"Ther dickens is ter pay!" grated the guide. "She's gone!"
"She? Who?"
"Ther leetle gal."
"Fay?"
"Yep."
"Gone?"
Frank was dazed. He looked around and saw Barney and the professorsitting up near at hand, but, sure enough, he could see nothing of thechild.
"Yep," nodded Old Rocks. "She ain't in this yar tent."
"But--but how----"
"Dunno how she done it 'thout wakin' me, but she's gone."
"It must be that the Hermit crept in here and kidnaped her."
"Begorro!" cried Barney; "Oi belave thot is roight!"
"It seems reasonable," said the professor.
"Whut d'yer think!" snarled Old Rocks; "fancy I'd snooze right along an'let anything like thet happen? Wa-al, I guess not! Dog my cats ef I knowhow it kem about, but there gal jest vanished."
"She appeared like a fairy, and like a fairy she has disappeared," saidFrank. "But she may be near the camp. We must lose no time in making asearch for her."
"Right ye are!" cried Old Rocks, as he led the way from the tent.
Hastening outside, they called to the child, but received no answer.
"Wait a little," advised the guide, as he replenished the fire. "Don'tgo ter trompin' round yar too much. I wants ter look fer sign."
In this emergency they knew it was best to rely on his judgment, and sothey remained quiet, watching his movements.
Having started up the fire, the guide began looking for "sign." His eyeswere keen, and it did not take him long to find what he sought.
"Hyar's whar she left ther tent," he declared.
The others looked, but the ground told them nothing.
"That's foolishness," said Professor Scotch, sharply. "You don't mean tosay you can see anything here?"
"Wa-al, thet's whut I mean. You're a tenderfut, an' so yer can't seeanything. She wuzn't carried off."
"It is not likely she went away alone."
"Likely or not, thet's whut she done."
Bending low, Old Rocks followed the trail as far as the light of thefire reached.
"I reckon I kin torch her," he muttered.
"What do you mean by torching her?" asked Scotch.
Old Rocks made no answer, but returned to the little pile of fuel he hadaccumulated. This he quickly pulled over, selecting several sticks. Hethrust the end of one into the flames, and, in a few moments, had alighted torch.
"Git yer guns," he directed, "an' come erlong with me."
They did so, with the exception of the professor, who never touched aweapon if he could avoid it. However, he followed the others, and OldRocks quickly took up the trail once more.
Frank was filled with anxiety for the safety of little Fay. He wonderedgreatly that the child should arise and creep from the tent withoutdisturbing any one, and then flee into the darkness, but he did notdoubt that Rocks had read the sign correctly.
It almost seemed that the guide was able to follow the trail by scent,for he moved swiftly, bending low, and holding the torch close to theground.
In vain Frank looked for a footprint. The ground did not seem softenough to yield such a mark, and still Old Rocks seldom hesitated amoment.
Along the valley they went, stringing out one after the other, theirhearts throbbing with anxiety.
In this manner they proceeded at least half a mile, and then they cameto a stretch of timber. The trail led straight into the woods.
Old Rocks growled and shook his head, and it was plain that he was quiteas anxious as any of them.
For a moment they paused on the border of the strip of woods, while theguide got down on his hands and knees and closely inspected the trail.
"Was she alone when she reached this spot?" asked Frank.
Old Rocks nodded.
"It's ther dernedest thing I ever heerd of!" he grumbled. "How a littlebabby like thet should git up o' her own accord and go prowlin' offinter ther night gits me."
"It is ridiculous," said Professor Scotch. "Such a thing never happenedbefore, and I can't believe it happened on this occasion. Why, she wouldhave been frightened out of her senses. Somebody must have lured heraway. That man you call the Hermit must have done it, and I will wagersomething she joined him as soon as she left the tent."
The guide gave a snort.
"Thet's enough to say I'm a derned fool! Ef ther babby left a trail, youwill allow ther man must hev done ther same."
"Of course he did."
"Wa-al, looker yere. Hyar's a bit o' soft ground, an' you kin see wharshe crossed over, but I'll be derned ef you ki
n see any track but therones she made."
He held the torch for them to examine the ground, and the tracks left bythe child were plainly visible. It was true that she had passed into thetimber alone.
"There's a mystery about this that I cannot understand," murmured Frank.
"It looks loike she wur a sure enough fairy," said Barney. "Av not thot,thin this is th' Ould Nick's oun worruk!"
At this moment all were startled by a cry that came from the timber--thecry of a child, broken and smothered.
Old Rocks straightened up, and the light of the torch fell on four pale,startled faces.
"Something has happened to her!" panted Frank. "Forward, man, forward!She may have been attacked by a wild beast!"
In another instant the guide was striding swiftly along the trail,making it necessary for the others to run in order to keep up with him.
They penetrated the timber for a considerable distance, and then, of asudden, Old Rocks stopped short, stooping low to stare at the ground,grinding an exclamation of dismay through his teeth.
"What is it?" demanded Frank fearing the worst.
After a hasty survey of the ground, the guide replied:
"Injuns! Ther leetle gal has been ketched by ther p'izen varmints, sureas shootin'!"