CHAPTER XXVIII.
TWO FAILURES.
What to do with Jasper Grinder was a problem which none of the boys knewhow to solve. They were exceedingly sorry that he was among them, but asit would be impossible to send him off alone in that deep snow, theyfelt that they would have to make the best of the situation.
"I move we make him stay around the camp," suggested Tom. "He can watchour stores, keep the fire furnished with wood, and do some of thecooking."
"He may kick at playing servant girl," said Sam.
"If he kicks, let him clear out."
"I think Tom is right," put in Dick. "We don't want him along while weare trying to locate the treasure."
"He may slip away with our things--if he finds any trace of Baxter'sparty," went on Sam. "And we can't afford to lose anything more. Onesled-load is enough. We'll be wanting some of those other things beforelong."
"I don't believe that other party is around here," said John Barrow."We had better leave the man at the fire. We can keep our eyes open forthe enemy--as you call 'em."
So it was arranged, and Dick told the former teacher. Jasper Grindersaid but little in return, but asked about the possibility of any morewild beasts turning up.
"I don't want to be left alone to face another couple of bears," hesaid. "They would do their best to chew me up!"
"We will leave a gun in camp," said Dick. "If you see a bear coming, youcan climb a tree and keep him off with the gun. If we hear a shot, we'llcome back just as quickly as we can. But, Grinder, I want you tounderstand that you aren't to play us false," went on the eldest Rover."If you do we'll have no mercy on you, remember that!"
Half an hour later the boys and their guide set off on their first huntfor the treasure. With great care John Barrow led the way over the rocksand other rough places. He carried a long pole, which he plunged in thesnow before him whenever he was afraid there was a hollow ahead. Soonthey gained the spot where Dick thought the blasted tree might belocated.
The snow was scraped away, first in one direction and then another,until a spot several yards in diameter was cleared. No tree-stump wasbrought to light, although they found a slight hollow in which wereseveral big roots.
"This might have been the tree once," said John Barrow meditatively."Years make great changes, you know. The trees fall, rocks and dirtslide down hill, and that makes a big difference in the looks o'things."
"All we can do is to follow the directions on the map," said Dick. "Ithink we'll be bound to strike the right clew, sooner or later. Let usfollow this one and see where it leads to."
"What's the next directions?" questioned Tom.
"'Go due southwest from the pine tree sixty-two paces,'" answered Dick,reading from the translation given him. "Which is southwest, Mr.Barrow?"
"Soon tell ye that," answered the guide, and brought forth his pocketcompass. "That way." And he pointed with his arm.
With the compass to guide them they set off, the guide in the lead oncemore, and Dick counting off the sixty-two paces with great care. The waywas up a hillside and over half a dozen rough rocks, and then into ahollow where the snow was up to their waists.
"No use of talking, this is treasure-hunting under difficulties," wasSam's comment. "Perhaps we would have done better had we left the hunttill summer time."
"And let Baxter get ahead of us?" put in Tom. "Not much!" He turned toDick. "What's the next directions on the paper?"
"There ought to be a flat rock here, backed up by a sharp-pointed one,"answered the eldest Rover. "I don't see anything of a sharp-pointedrock, do you? The flat rock may be under us."
"No sharp-pointed rock within a hundred feet of here," answered Sam,gazing around. He began scraping away the snow. "Dirt under us, too."
"That settles it, then. Trial No. 1 is a failure. Mr. Barrow, we'll haveto try the next stream."
"So it would seem, Dick. Well, you boys mustn't expect too easy work o'it. A big treasure aint picked up every day."
"The trouble of it is, we don't know how much of a treasure it is," saidTom. "For all we know, it may be but a few hundred dollars--not enoughto pay us, really, for our trouble."
"Well, even a few hundred dollars aint to be sneezed at."
"We did much better out West, when we located our mining claim," saidDick. "But then we came up here for fun as much as for treasure."
The tramp to where the next stream leading from Bear Pond was locatedwas by no means easy. They had to crawl around a tangled mass ofbrushwood and over more rough rocks, until they gained the bosom of thepond itself. Then they skirted the shore for several hundred yards.
"Hold on!" cried Dick suddenly. "Rabbits!" And up came his gun, and heblazed away. Sam also fired, and between them they brought down fourrabbits, which had just run out of a hollow log a short distance ahead.
"Good shots!" cried the guide enthusiastically. "Couldn't have beenbetter. I see you are used to hunting. Many a city chap would havemissed 'em entirely. I had one feller up here year before last wanted tobring down big game, but when he saw a deer he got the shakes and didn'tthink of shootin' till the game was out o' sight."
The four rabbits were plump and heavy, and the boys shouldered them withmuch satisfaction. Then the onward course was resumed, until Dick againcalled a halt.
"Here is where we'll make trial No. 2," he said. "Now see if any of youcan locate the blasted tree in this neighborhood."
All began to search around in various directions, and presently Sam letout a call.
"Here's a fallen tree!"
"Struck by lightning?" queried Dick.
"I don't know about that. Perhaps Mr. Barrow can tell us."
The others walked over, and the guide cleared the snow from the upperend of the fallen timber.
"Not much signs of being struck by anything but the wind," he announced."Still, I aint sure."
"We'll try from this point, anyway," said Tom. "No use of missing anychance, however small." And on this the others agreed.
Once again they began to pace off the ground as before. Here the taskwas as difficult as ever, as they had to pass through some timberthickly intergrown with brush.
"I suppose in Goupert's time this timber was small," observed the guide.
The tramping around was beginning to tire them, and soon Sam had to stopto rest and get back his wind.
"I feel like a regular snow-plow," he gasped. "Tell you what, it takesthe wind right out of a chap."
"You rest while we go ahead," suggested Tom, but Sam did not wish to dothis.
"Not much! If the treasure is going to be found, I want to be on deck!"he cried.
Presently they we're at it again, Dick pacing off the steps as carefullyas ever. They had still fifteen paces to go when John Barrow came to astop with a sniff of disgust.
"Wrong ag'in!"
"How so?"
"This is leadin' us right out on the pond."
"I declare, so it is!" murmured Dick. "We started due southwest, didn'twe?"
"To a hair, lad. To tell the truth, I didn't take much to this trailfrom the start. To my mind this stream is a new one. I think the nextoutlet is one of the old-timers."
Once more they held a consultation, and Tom asked how far it was to thenext stream.
"Right over yonder rise o' ground," answered the guide. "But hadn't youbetter wait till after dinner before ye tackle it?"
Dick consulted his watch.
"I declare! Quarter to twelve!" he exclaimed. "No wonder I'm feelinghungry."
"I was getting hungry myself," said Tom "But I wasn't going to be thefirst to stop. What shall we do--go back to camp?"
"Yes," said Dick. "I don't like the idea of leaving Jasper Grinder thereall day alone."
"Nor I," came from the other Rovers.
John Barrow was asked to lead them back by the shortest route, and theystarted quarter of an hour later, after all had had a chance to rest andget back their wind.
"I hope we get a chance at some deer while we are up her
e," remarkedDick, as they turned back.
"I'll take you to where there are deer, after this hunt is over,"replied John Barrow. "I know a famous spot, and it's not far, either."
"Hark!" suddenly cried Tom. "What sort of a yelping is that?"
All listened.
"Wolves!" answered John Barrow. "There must be quite a pack of 'em,too."
"I suppose they get pretty hungry when there is such a deep snow," saidTom.
"They do. More'n likely some of 'em have scented our b'ar meat and theywant some."
"If they are heading for camp, they'll give Jasper Grinder trouble," putin Sam.
He had scarcely spoken when they heard the report of a gun, followed bya louder yelping than ever.
"They've attacked him, true enough!" cried John Barrow.
"Come on," said Dick. "The sooner we get back the better. Grinder may behaving a pile of trouble, and the wolves may tear all our things topieces if they get the chance."