CHAPTER XL.
THE END OF THE SEARCH.
About a hundred and fifty feet above them, almost perpendicularlyupward, stood an antelope, its small neck outstretched, and its dark,beautiful eyes fixed upon them with a wondering expression. It was onthe very edge of a projecting rock where one step more would bring itover.
"It is jist the jintleman we wants," whispered Tim, fearful that hewould alarm the timid animal. "We've ate but once in twenty-four hours,and I've jist learned from me stomach that it would have no objection tobreaking the same fast; so do yez jist kape still till I pops him over."
"Can you hit him?" asked Howard, scarcely less excited than hiscompanion.
"Be aisy now till ye see the scientific manner I takes to doot."
"Well, be quick, for he is likely to vanish any moment."
Tim O'Rooney carefully sighted his rifle, took a quick, steady aim, andpulled the trigger. Howard, who was keenly watching the antelope, saw itspring up, and as it came down it missed the cliff and fell almost attheir very feet with a violence and crash which must have broken halfthe bones in its body.
"Arrah now, an' wasn't that done nicely?" exclaimed Tim, in greatexultation, as he ran up to the animal with his knife.
"Are you going to dress it?"
"Yis; an' do yez gather what sticks an' stuff ye can, an' we'll have himcooked in a jiffy."
Howard set about it, for he understood the wisdom of providingthemselves with food in the prosecution of this hunt, which in allprobability would employ them for some time to come.
"Now, I will give the signal," said he, when his work was completed. "Ifhe is within hearing he will answer it."
"Yis; do your bist, while I pays my respects to this gintleman, an' doye do the listenin' while ye are about it, for I'm so taken up with thisjob that I haven't the time to attend to that aither."
Howard strained his cheeks nearly to bursting, and completely exhaustedhimself in giving forth those ringing screeches which seem to comenatural to all school-boys, and are made by uniting the ends of twofingers, inserting them between the lips, and blowing with all themight.
He listened--listened--listened--and then repeated the signal with adesperate fierceness that left him no strength at all; but all invain--the echoes died away among the rocks and hills, but no answer cameback.
"It's no use," remarked Tim O'Rooney, who despite what he had said waslistening as earnestly as his young friend.
"The youngster don't hear us. We've got to make a hunt through this oldplace, and afore we begins it we'll take something for the stomach'ssake."
The fire was kindled in the usual manner, and the dinner was notunskillfully prepared by the Irishman. They ate all they could hold. Thedog did the same. Tim lit his pipe, and then declared that he was readyfor any duty that might be required of him.
As they rose to their feet they were somewhat alarmed at the appearanceof the sky. It was overspread with dark, threatening clouds, from whichissued rumbling peals of thunder and arrowy lines of lightning. Theybecame darker and more tumultuous each moment, until semi-darknessshrouded them.
"We are going to have a storm," remarked Howard.
"Yis; and a good-sized one, too."
"We shall have to find shelter for ourselves. If much rain falls, thisgorge looks to me as if it will be filled with water."
"Worrah, now, but yez are a smart child!" exclaimed Tim O'Rooney,looking admiringly at the boy. "Scarcely mesilf would have thought ofthe same, and what a credit, therefore, that it should have come intoyour own."
"I see nothing so wonderful about that. Almost any one would see thedanger we are in if we remain here when there is much rain falling. Itis just the place for a stream of water."
"So it is--so it is; and yez can saa that there has wather been runningover the stones upon which we are standing."
The storm which was so near at hand admonished them to lose no time inseeking shelter. This was a matter of small difficulty, as in such awild, rugged place there were any number of retreats. They clambered upthe path and over the rocks until they reached a point higher yet thanwhere the antelope had stood when pierced by the bullet that had tumbledhim over the cliff. They had brought a goodly portion of his meat withthem, for there was no telling when they would dare fire a gun again.
A gaping, overhanging ledge, which fortunately was turned from thedirection of the storm, was selected as their house, and here they andthe dog nestled and waited for the storm to burst. A few large dropsthat cracked smartly upon the rocks and stones, was the herald of thecoming deluge; and then, at the same moment, with a terrific flash andreport, came the rain in torrents.
They stood and watched the storm as it raged, and when there was amomentary cessation Howard threw his blanket over his head and said:
"I will run out to the edge of that rock and see whether there is anywater in the place where we took our dinner."
"Be careful yez don't tumble over," admonished Tim, feeling it his dutyto say something.
"Never fear."
Howard stepped hastily to the spot and looked carefully over. A tinystream was just beginning to run through the path they had occupied,which was increasing each moment, and would speedily reach theproportions of a torrent. But, although he saw this, there was somethingwhich interested him still more, and that was a party of five Indiansattentively examining the remains of the antelope, and the signs aroundit, as if they were seeking their explanation. They looked down to theground, and two of them pointed precisely in the direction which Tim andHoward had taken in leaving the place.
The rain began falling again more copiously than ever, but Howard wouldnot have heeded it had he not been shrouded in the water-proof blanket.Those Indians had found their camp-fire and were at that momentdiscussing the best method of capturing him and Tim; but the rain camedown so furiously that they finally darted away to seek shelter, andHoward thereupon hurried back to his friend and told him all that he hadseen.
"That settles the matter," he added. "Elwood is in their hands, and ifwe aint careful we shall be with him, for they are searching for us."
"But they can't find us--that they can't."
"Why not?"
"This rain will wipe out our tracks as aisy as if yees had taken a clothand done it yourself."
"That is true."
Howard was greatly relieved when he reflected that this was true, andthat he and Tim were in no danger of capture from being pursued.
The storm lasted several hours, and when it was finished they camecautiously forth and made their way stealthily back to where they hadleft the canoe. They had deliberated long and earnestly regarding ElwoodBrandon, and neither of them had any doubt but what he was in the handsof Indians. They had little fear of his being put to death, but believedhe would be held a prisoner until either rescued by Shasta, or a partycould be sent from the nearest post to ransom him. They had concluded tomake all haste homeward and adopt this method of rescue.
And now, as they had given him up for a while, it is high time we tookhim in hand.