CHAPTER XVIII
A BIG BLACK BEAR
Roger said nothing to the folks at the house of what he had observed. Hehad a plan, partly worked out in his mind, and he wanted to see whetheror not he could accomplish anything before he told his uncle or cousin.He resolved to wait until after the next day and observe what happenedwhen he and Adrian went to guide Mr. Dudley and Mr. Ranquist over thehills, for Roger shrewdly suspected that the men required no piloting tofind what they sought. However, he thought it was not necessary tomention that to any one.
At the time appointed he and Adrian presented themselves at the PineTree Inn and asked for the two engineers. Mr. Ranquist came down.
"Ah," he said, looking at his watch and smiling, "you are prompt, I see.Mr. Dudley and I will be with you in a few minutes."
In a little while the two men appeared, both dressed in rough clothessuitable for a tramp through the woods.
"Well, boys," began Mr. Ranquist, pleasantly, "my friend and I are veryanxious to take a little trip about the valley, and we would likeparticularly to visit the place where the Cardiff giant was found. Canyou show that spot to us?"
"Of course I can," said Adrian. "It's right over there," and he pointedto a broad stretch of meadows across the valley flats about three milesoff.
"Over there, eh?" remarked Mr. Ranquist, "I had an idea it was back upthis way," and he pointed in the opposite direction. "However, as longas it is not where I thought it was, we will defer our trip to see theresting-place of the big stone man until some other time. Mr. Dudley andI would like to get the lay of the land on this side of the hills thatslope down into this part of the country," and he waved his hands towardthe place where Roger had seen the two engineers at their mysteriousoperations. "Is there a good path up along there, and could you show usthe way? We don't mind roughing it, but we dislike getting lost,"finished Mr. Ranquist.
"I guess we can show you all right," said Adrian. "Do you want to startnow?"
"I think so," Mr. Ranquist answered, so all four began their walk.Instead of going down the road toward the sulphur spring, which was theway the two engineers had taken first, Adrian suggested a shorter path.This, he said, would be to go up the Lafayette hill about a mile andthen bear off to the right, where he knew of a fairly good trail. So itwas decided to take this route. During the climb up the hill Rogerrecalled the thrilling ride down it a few months before. The boys keptslightly in advance of the men, who walked more slowly than theiryounger companions, for the lads, in the excess of their muscularenergy, wandered from side to side in the road, going over about twiceas much ground as was really necessary. But they never noticed such alittle thing as that.
Roger glanced back to see if the men were within earshot, and when hefound they were not, he spoke to Adrian in a low voice.
"Say, Adrian, is there any way of getting near the spring on yourfather's place from the path we are to take?" he asked.
"Yes, but what do you want to do that for?"
"Why, if these men are looking for a location for a railroad it mightnot be a bad plan to show 'em some of your father's land. They mightwant a bit of it, and if they gave him a good price, as I've heardrailroads do, he could pay off that mortgage. No harm in trying."
"Say! That's a good idea," exclaimed Adrian. "I'll do it."
"Don't say anything," cautioned Roger. "Just kind of edge off in theright direction, and when we get to a certain place, I'll say something.You leave it to me."
"But what's up? What do you mean?" asked Adrian, with sudden interest.
"Oh, nothing in particular," answered Roger. "Look at that fox!" heshouted, quickly, as he picked up a stone and threw it at the animal.
"Where? Where is it?" yelled Adrian, all excitement.
"He's gone now," said Roger, "but he was right there by that oldstump."
"We'll have to come up here with a trap and a gun if there's foxes,"decided Adrian. "Their skins bring good money."
The boys kept on up the hill and soon came to the place where they wereto leave the main road and strike into the woods. They waited a fewminutes for their older companions to catch up, and then took up thelead again. All four kept closely together now, so there was littlechance for the boys to converse without being overheard. Accordinglythey confined their talk to comment on what they saw along the path.Both listened intently to what the two men were saying, but Mr. Dudleyand Mr. Ranquist were apparently exchanging opinions on pastoccurrences.
They talked of something which had taken place in New York. Not once didthey refer to a railroad or anything like it. They seemed content totramp along, paying no attention to the beauties of nature on every sideof them. The trees, that bore more than half their summer suits ofgreen, the soft moss under foot, the flitting of the birds from branchto branch--all these had no attractions for them. But to Roger suchsights were a constant enjoyment, and he took in deep breaths of thebalmy air, laden, as it was, with health.
They had gone about a mile along the path on the side of the hill,during which time the men had seemed content to follow the boys' lead.At length Adrian nudged Roger and pointed to a path that branched offfrom the main one.
"That will take you to our spring," he said, in a low tone.
"Go ahead down it then," replied Roger. "Maybe you'll see somethinghappen soon."
Wondering what his cousin could mean, Adrian advanced, and Rogerglancing back noticed with satisfaction that the two men had followedthem without question.
For ten minutes the boys led the way with never a word of protest fromMr. Dudley or Mr. Ranquist, who did not seem to notice they were goingin a different direction from that which they desired. Suddenly a bigrabbit darted across the path, almost at Mr. Dudley's feet. He started,looked at the animal, as if wondering how it came there, and then heglanced up, seeming to realize that he was at a spot he had not intendedto reach.
"Why! Why! Boys!" he exclaimed, turning to the younger engineer.
"What is it?" broke in Mr. Ranquist.
"What are we coming this way for?" asked Mr. Dudley. "I thought we weregoing straight along the side of the hill. Instead, we are going down."
At this Mr. Ranquist looked alarmed as he glanced at the two boys.
"Well," said Roger, coming forward a few steps, "you see this path goesto a spring down in a little glade. We thought you might like to see it.If you're going to build a railroad the spring would furnish water forthe locomotives. There's a good place for a depot down in the littleglade, too."
"Why, why--," stammered Mr. Dudley.
"It looks as if there was coal there, too,--coal or--or something," hefinished, looking narrowly at the men, "and coal and water might be goodthings for a railroad, it seems to me."
For a brief instant there came a dangerous look into Mr. Ranquist'seyes. His face grew pale, and he seemed to control himself with a greateffort. Mr. Dudley also appeared very much surprised. Mr. Ranquistforced himself to burst into a laugh that had no mirth in it.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" he shouted. "Not bad, eh, Mr. Dudley? Water for theengine. Well! Well! Well!"
He laughed again.
"Coal upon this hill! Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Well, my boy," he went on,clapping Roger on the back good-naturedly, "it's very nice of you tothink of these things for our railroad, but, bless you, we wouldn't wantto stop in a place like this for coal or water. If the line goes throughhere," with a significant look at Mr. Dudley, "it will make only flyingstops. I suppose this land, where the coal and water is, belongs to somefriend of yours, eh?" and he looked at the boys narrowly.
"It's my father's," broke in Adrian. "But I never knew there was coal onit. There's a spring, and a good one, but nobody ever thought of lookingfor coal. I wish there was some."
"Why?" from Mr. Dudley, suddenly.
"Because," answered Adrian, "my father might get a good enough price forit, so's he could sell some and pay off the mortgage on the rest."
"Oh, then the farm is mortgaged?"
"Yes." And then the boy s
eemed to realize that he was talking too freelyto strangers, and he stopped.
"Well," went on Mr. Dudley, "I'm sorry to say as far as I can seethere's not the least chance of any coal ever being found in thissection of the country. It is not the kind of land where coal islocated."
Adrian looked the disappointment he felt. He had really hoped theremight be coal on his father's farm.
"Do you want to go down by the spring?" persisted Roger, starting off inthat direction.
"Um, ah--yes. I think we might as well as not," said Mr. Ranquist, inspite of the obvious efforts Mr. Dudley made to have him say somethingdifferent.
All four started off, but at that instant there came a sudden sound tothe left. It was a crashing of the under-brush and bushes, as if someheavy, lumbering body was being forced through them. Then a black shapeburst into view, and the next second a big, ungainly animal, tall andcovered with dark fur, thrust itself into the open, while thewide-stretched mouth showed the lolling red tongue and glistening whitefangs of an immense black bear.
For a moment neither men nor boys knew which way to turn. The beast,however, was not at all undecided in his movements. With a savage growlhe came lurching clumsily forward, and the sight of his fierce angerfilled the members of the little party with terror. Adrian was the firstto appreciate the danger.
"Every one to a tree!" he shouted, "and take the smallest and thinestthat will hold you, or he'll climb up after!"
He made for a slender sapling and scrambled quickly up it, while theothers lost no time in following his example. Mr. Dudley, in spite ofhis years, sprinted like a college chap getting down on a kick in thefootball field when he wants to nail the other man in his tracks. Butthough the engineer was quick, the brute was almost as nimble.
Just as Mr. Dudley got safely above the ground, in a tree thatfortunately was directly in his path and not far away, the bear made adangerous lunge for him with its front paws. The sharp claws caught thecloth of the man's trousers and held on for an instant. The bear pulledsavagely, but, with a rip, the garments gave way and the claws slippedfrom the rent, leaving Mr. Dudley free.
The men and boys were now secure in trees above the ground, while belowthem, going from one sapling to another, the bear growled and foamed inhis rage at seeing his enemies escape him. After making a tour of theplace, and trying in vain to climb the tree where Mr. Dudley wasperched, the beast squatted down on his haunches, in the centre of thegroup, and sat thus, awaiting developments.
"Well," remarked Mr. Ranquist, after a pause, "this is a pretty kettleof fish, I must admit."
"I would say it was four kettles," said Mr. Dudley, with an attempt atcheerfulness.