CHAPTER XV
OUT FOR A GRIZZLY
After all, the storm did not last more than a few hours. As Tom haddeclared, no one could ever predict what a snow storm was going toamount to. The boys, however, were just as well pleased that theymanaged to get safely housed before the coming of another night. And asthey sat by their fire, when supper had been disposed of, Felixmentioned the fact that he could imagine how it must feel to be snowbound in a dreary place like that elevated plateau, with the prospectahead of perhaps a week of fighting the cold wind to keep from freezing.
He was busily engaged in working upon the bighorn trophy. And it gavehim more satisfaction than he could tell, just to know that he hadsecured such a magnificent trophy unaided. Every time he glanced up atit, when upon the wall at home, he would doubtless remember thatmountain climb, and the camp under the ledge of rock.
"I've got something to tell you," remarked Tom, with a smile; "onlybefore I open up I want you to promise not to try and hurry me; because,you see, I've got a lot of traps out, and they have to be attended toproperly, or else I quit the business."
"Oh!" replied Felix, "I give you my promise, all right. Now, what areyou going to tell me? Haven't found a wolf's den, have you, with somecubs in it? Perhaps, now, you've sighted one of those rare black foxes,that they say are worth all the way from seven hundred up to severalthousand dollars a pelt! That would be fine news, wouldn't it, now?"
"Yes, if we needed the money, which I take it we neither of us do,"replied Tom. "But this doesn't concern either a wolf's den, or thetrading place of a silver fox. Can't you think of something else thathas been on your mind more or less for a long time back?"
"Looky here, Tom, do you mean a grizzly?" demanded Felix, his facelighting up with eagerness and expectation.
The other just nodded his head.
"Then you've found out where he lives, when he's at home?" Felix wenton.
"I think I have, anyhow, Felix."
"But you haven't said a word to me about it; how long have you known?"demanded the other, reproachfully.
"Let's see; we've been home here just ten hours, haven't we; well, callit about eleven, then; that would cover it," said Tom, with a chuckle.
"Oh! then you made the discovery while we were coming down the mountain;is that it, Tom?" Felix asked.
"Just what it is," replied his chum.
"Go on, and tell me about it; what did you see, the marks of his claws;or had he thrown a lot of bones out of his old den, to make room? Whichwas it, Tom?"
"Neither one, it happens," was the reply Tom made to this. "I justchanced to look up, when we were crawling along on our hands and kneesin a particularly dangerous place, and saw something sticking out from aledge above us, that I quickly recognized as the head of a grizzly!Perhaps the old fellow heard us passing, and came to his front door tosee what the strangers looked like."
"And why didn't you tell me about it, so I could look up too?" askedFelix.
"Well, I had several reasons," answered the other, readily enough. "Inthe first place, I didn't dare sing out because, if you slipped justthen, you stood a pretty good chance of being killed. And by the time weboth got to where the climbing was safer, he had pulled his nose in outof sight. So I just marked that place, and thought I'd keep the newsuntil tonight."
"All right; and when you're good and ready, not before, Tom, why, we'llpay our respects to Mr. Grizzly Bear."
"H'm! how about the day after tomorrow?" asked Tom.
"Suits me fine; do you really mean it?" asked his chum, eagerly.
"Wind and weather permitting, I think we might chance it, Felix. AndI'll try and not let him know we're coming. Sort of a surprise party,you understand. I only hope the old chap's at home when we knock."
Felix came over, and clapped a hand affectionately on the shoulder ofhis cousin.
"You're the finest chum a fellow ever could have, and that goes," hesaid; "always thinking of doing something to make things move along forme. Once I get my grizzly, and after that I'm going to turn around, soas to try and fix things for your liking, see if I don't."
"Just as if you ain't always picking out the best flapjack in the lotfor me; the juiciest piece of meat; the clearest cup of coffee. I guesswhen they started to making chums, they lost the pattern after they hadyou built up, Felix. And it makes me sick to think what a gap there'llbe in my life after you go back East again."
"But you promised to make me a good long visit soon; and I'm going tohold you to your word. After this we've just got to see more or less ofeach other right along. I'm coming out here again, make your mind easyto that. Perhaps I'll take a notion to invest in a ranch near you,because, you know, my mother left me some money, more than I'll everknow what to do with."
"That would be the greatest thing I know of!" cried Tom; "and I'll seethat you have chances enough, mark me."
And so they chatted on, as each carried his chosen work along; for Tomwas busy with some of his best pelts, which did not quite look wellenough to suit his eye, and he thought needed a little furthermanipulation before being tied up.
On the following day Tom cleaned up all work possible with the traps,visiting every one that was set, and bringing home quite a bundle offresh skins, which he of course immediately stretched after their kind,some cased, and others split open, with the fur side out.
They were accumulating quite a collection of pelts by this time, andsomehow both boys enjoyed the work very much. If they had had to do itfor a living, possibly some of the pleasure would soon evaporate; but aslong as it was just carried on as fun, it did not seem to pall uponthem.
And sitting there by the fire evenings, they had easily settled whatthey meant to do with the main part of the skins. After picking out whatthey wanted to keep as a reminder of their great time in the foothillsof the Rockies, they agreed that the balance should be turned over toMrs. Crow, for the benefit of herself and family. As old friends of SolTen Eyck, they seemed to have first claim on any surplus; and then therewas something so fine about the way the old halfbreed had kept strictlyaway from that part of the region which he looked on as Sol's preserves,that both lads believed he deserved to be rewarded.
"And," Tom Tucker had said, in conclusion, after one of these talks; "asSol will never come up here again, I'm going to make over all he has,except the traps he values, and which we're to take home for him, toCharley Crow. He can call this shack one of his homes, and trap alongthe little stream where we've found the mink so plentiful."
Felix, on his part, had already thought about those Marlin guns he meantto send west as soon as he got home again; and his companion applaudedthe idea when he learned of it.
Tom worked hard that night trying to get everything in shipshape aroundthe shack, so that they could take a day off with clear consciences; andFelix gave him a helping hand in stretching the many pelts; for with twodays catch to be taken care of, and all in the faultless manner thatmarked Tom's work, it took considerable time to clean the slate.
But in due time Tom admitted that he could not think of anything elsethat needed attention; so during the balance of the evening they justrested.
In the morning they made a few simple preparations looking to the greatevent of the day. What one needs most of all, when about to start outafter a grizzly, consists of a cool head, steady nerves, and a gun onwhich he can always depend. The harder this latter shoots the better;and if he can carry sixteen cartridges in the magazine, it will not betoo many, for they are about the toughest beasts to kill on the face ofthe earth, barring none. And there have been hunters willing to declarethat some grizzlies can carry off as much lead, and still live rightalong, as would wind up the earthly career of a dozen lions or tigers.
So about the only thing the boys did was to look their guns overcarefully, and make sure they had an abundance of ammunition along,together with such other things, like matches, hunting knives, and thelike, as they were accustomed to carrying with them.
The day was everything th
ey could wish; indeed, the weather seemed to bedoing its best to behave. Felix used to say that it was trying to coaxhim into making another lone trip, so that it could suddenly veeraround, and show him the other side of the picture. But he was not atall anxious to go wandering off again; and while Tom did not joke himabout the matter, he was of the opinion that the events of that previousexperience had sunk deeply into the mind of his chum.
Having made all preparations, therefore looking to pushing a vigorouscampaign against the grizzly, if they were lucky enough to find himhome, the boys shut the door of the dugout, and departed.
Felix looked back toward the old shack with something like affection.
"We haven't been here very long, Tom," he remarked, "but do you know,I've begun to just love that old place. And when I'm far away, perhapsat home in the East, let me tell you, many a time I'll just shut myeyes, and see it as we do now. Yes, and I'll never hear the crackle of afire but what I'll be sure to picture the two of us sitting there, busyat our work."
Tom looked pleased.
"I'm right glad to hear you talk that way, partner," he remarked,earnestly, as he too glanced fondly back over his shoulder. "She's ahomely little old shack, and sure not much to look at; but somehow orother she seems to suit me O. K. And when you say you'll always rememberour days and nights up here in the Rocky Mountain country, you're justechoing what's in my mind. I never had a chum like you; and I neverexpect to again. It was a bully good idea that brought you out to visitour ranch, the luckiest day in my whole life."
Tom was usually not given very much to sentiment, as his cousin knew;and hence, when he did speak his mind after this fashion, it might beset down that he meant every word of it.
The subject turned to other points of the compass as they walkedsturdily on in the direction of the mountain pass. With such glorioussurroundings there need never be any want of things to talk about. Eventhe grand air that greeted them with the rising of the sun wasinvigorating enough to deserve frequent mention; while the impressivescenery by which they were surrounded was surely of a character to evokeadmiration.
In this manner, then, they presently reached the rougher country thatlay along the foot of the uplifts. Having come this way before, whengoing upon their bighorn hunt, and also returning from the same, it wasin a measure familiar to both boys; still, they saw it now under newconditions, and discovered many features in the landscape that hadeluded them on the previous occasion.
"Here we are at the canyon where we came out," said Felix, as they foundhigh rocky walls beginning to shut them in on both sides.