CHAPTER XII
THE END OF THE CRUISE
"Christ could forgive the unforgivable, but the Colorado in the Canyonis like the voice of God, inevitable, inexorable."--_Enoch's Diary_.
Jonas stood on a projecting rock peering anxiously down the river.Enoch, staggering wearily into the firelight, called to him cheerfully:
"Ship ahoy, Jonas!"
"My Gawd, boss!" exclaimed Jonas, running up to take the gunny sack andthe gun. "Don't you never go off like that alone again. How come youstayed so late?"
"Now the Na-che's gone I suppose I'll have a few attentions again!"said Enoch. "How are you, Milton?"
He turned toward the stalwart figure that lay on the shadowy rockbeyond the fire.
"Better than I deserve, Judge," replied Milton.
"What luck, Judge?" cried Harden, who had been watching a game of pokerbetween Agnew and Forrester.
"My Lawdy Lawd!" shouted Jonas, emptying the gunny sack on the rockwhich served as table.
There was a chorus of surprise.
"What happened, Judge! Did you eat the rest raw?"
"A goat, by Jove! Where on earth did it come from?"
"What difference does that make? Get it into the pot, Jonas, for thelove of heaven!"
"As a family provider, Judge, you are to be highly recommended."
Enoch squatted against Milton's rock and complacently lighted his pipe,then told his story.
"There are goats still here, then! I wish we'd see some," said Milton,when Enoch had finished.
"But what would they live on?" asked Enoch.
"That's easy," replied Milton. "There are hidden canyons and gulchesin this Colorado country that are veritable little paradises, with allthe verdure any one could ask for."
"Wish we could locate one," sighed Forrester.
"That wouldn't help me much," grunted Milton.
"What luck with the Ida?" Enoch turned to Agnew who, next to Jonas,took the greatest interest in ship repair and building.
"The forward compartment was pretty well smashed, but another hour'swork in the morning will make the old girl as good as ever."
"She'll never be the boat the Na-che was," groaned Jonas mournfullyfrom his fire. "What are we all going to do now, with just one boat?"
For a moment no one spoke, then Enoch said drily, "Well, Jonas, seeingthat you and I don't really belong to the expedition anyhow and that weinvited ourselves, I think it's up to us to walk."
There was a chorus of protests at this. But Enoch silenced the othersby saying with great earnestness:
"Milton, you know I'm right, don't you?"
Milton, who had been saying nothing, now raised himself on his elbow.
"Two of you fellows will have to walk it; which two we'd better decideby lot. We're up against a rotten situation. It would be bad, even ifI weren't hurt. But with a cripple on your hands, well--it's awful foryou chaps! Simply awful!"
"With good luck, and no Survey work, how many days are we from theFerry?" asked Enoch.
"Between four and five, is what Milton and I calculated thisafternoon," replied Harden.
"What's the nearest help by way of land?"
"There's a ranch, about eighty miles south of here. I guess thetraveling would be about as bad as anybody would hope for. The fellowsthat go out have got to be used to desert work, like me." Hardenscratched a match and by its unsteady light scrutinized the detail mapspread open on his knee.
"Isn't Miss Allen working nearer than eighty miles from here?" askedAgnew.
"She's in the Hopi country, whatever distance that may be," repliedEnoch. "I should suppose it would be rather risky trying to catch someone who is moving about, as she is."
"I guess maybe she's on her way to the Ferry now." Jonas straightenedup from his stew pot. "Leastways, Na-che kind of promised to kind ofsee if maybe they couldn't reach there about the time we did."
The other men laughed. "I guess we won't gamble too heavily on thewomen folks," exclaimed Forrester.
"I guess Miss Allen's the kind you don't connect gambling with,"retorted Agnew.
Enoch cut in hastily. "Then two of us are to go out. What about thosewho stay?"
"Well, you have to get my helpless carcass aboard the Ida and we'llmake our way to the Ferry, as rapidly as we can. The food problem isserious, but we won't starve in four days. We won't attempt any morehunting expeditions but we may pot something as we go along. It's thefellows who go out who'll have the worst of it."
Enoch had been eying Milton closely. "Look here, Milton, I believeyou're running a good deal of temperature. Why don't you lie down andrest both mind and body until supper's ready? After you've eaten,we'll make the final decisions."
"I don't want any food," replied Milton, dropping back on his blankets,nevertheless.
"The beans is done but you only get a handful of them in the stew,to-night," said Jonas, firmly. "I'm cooking all the meat, 'cause itwon't keep, but you only get half of that now."
Agnew groaned. "Well, there doesn't seem much to look forward to.Let's finish that game of poker, Forr. Take a hand, Judge and Hard?"
"No, thanks," replied Enoch. "I'll just rest my old bones right here."
"I'll help you out, if Forr won't pick on me." Harden glanced atMilton, but the freckled face gave no sign that Harden's remark hadbeen heeded.
Enoch quietly took the injured man's pulse. It was rapid and weak.Enoch shook his head, laid the sturdy hand down and gave his attentionto his pipe and the card game. It was not long before an altercationbetween Forrester and Harden began. Several times Agnew interfered butfinally Forrester sprang to his feet with an oath.
"No man on earth can call me that!" shouted Harden, "Take it back andapologize, you rotter!"
"A rotter, am I?" sneered Forrester. "And what are you? You come of afamily of rotters. I know your sister's history! I know--"
Enoch laid a hand on Agnew's arm. "Don't interfere! Nothing but bloodwill wipe that out."
But Milton roared suddenly, "Stop that fight! Stop it! Judge! Agnew!I'm still head of this expedition!"
Reluctantly the two moved toward the swaying figures. It was not aneasy matter to stop the battle. Forrester and Harden were clinched butEnoch and Agnew were larger than either of the combatants and at a wordfrom Enoch, Jonas seized Forrester, with Agnew. After a scuffle,Harden stood silent and scowling beside Enoch, while Forrester pantedbetween Agnew and Jonas.
"I'm ashamed of you fellows," shouted Milton. "Ashamed! You know thechief's due in the morning." He stopped abruptly. "I'm ashamed ofyou. You know what I mean. The chief--God, fellows, I'm a sick man!"He fell back heavily on his blankets.
Enoch and Harden hurried to his side. "Quit your fighting, Judge!Quit your fighting!" muttered Milton. "Here! I'll make you stop!" Hetried to rise and Jonas rushed to hold the injured leg while Harden andEnoch pressed the broad shoulders back against the flinty bed. It wasseveral moments before he ceased to struggle and dropped into a dullstate of coma.
"It doesn't seem as if a broken leg ought to do all that to a man ashusky as Milt!" said Agnew, who had joined them with a proffer of water.
"I'm afraid he was sickening with something before the accident," Enochshook his head. "Those dizzy spells were all wrong, you know."
"We'd better get this boy to a doctor as soon as we can," said Agnew."Poor old Milton! I swear it's a shame! His whole heart was set onputting this trip through."
"He'll do it yet," Enoch patted the sick man's arm.
"Yes, but he'll be laid up for months and his whole idea was to put itthrough without a break. The Department never condones accidents, youknow."
"I guess I can give you all some supper now," said Jonas. "Better getit while he's laying quiet."
"Where's Forrester?" asked Enoch as they gathered round the stew pot.
"He mumbled something about going outside to cool down," replied Agnew."Better let him alone for a while."
&nbs
p; "Too bad you couldn't have kept the peace, under the circumstances,Harden," said Enoch.
"You heard what he said to me?" demanded Harden fiercely.
"Yes, I did and I heard you deliberately tease him into a fury. Ofcourse, after what he finally said there was nothing left to do but tosmash him," said Enoch.
"I don't see why," Agnew spoke in his calm way. "I never couldunderstand why a bloody nose wiped out an insult. A thing that's saidis said. Shooting a man even doesn't unsay a dirty speech. It's notcommon sense. Why ruin your own life in the effort to punish a man forsomething that's better forgotten?"
"So you would swallow an insult and smile?" sneered Harden.
"Not at all! I wouldn't hear the alleged insult, in most cases. Butif the thing was so raw that the man had to be punished, I'd reallyhurt him."
"How?" asked Enoch.
"I'd do him a favor."
"Slush!" grunted Harden.
Agnew shrugged his shoulders and the scanty meal was finished insilence. When Jonas had collected the pie tins and cups, Enoch said,
"While you're outside with those, Jonas, you'd better persuadeForrester to come in to supper. Tell him no one will bother him.Boys, I think we ought to sit up with Milton for a while. I'll takethe first watch, if you'll take the second, Harden."
Harden nodded. "I'll get to bed at once. Call me when you want me."
He rolled himself in his blanket, Agnew following his example. Amoment or so later Jonas could be heard calling,
"Mr. Forrester! Ohee! Mr. Forrester!" The Canyon echoed the call,but there was no answer, Enoch strolled down to the river's edge whereJonas was standing with his arms full of dishes. "What's up, Jonas?"he asked.
"Boss, I think he's lit out!"
"Lit out? Where, Jonas?"
"Well, there's only one way, like you went this afternoon. But hiscanteen's gone. And he had his shoes drying by the fire. He must havesneaked 'em while we was working over Mr. Milton, because they're gone,and so's his coat that was lying by the Ida, with the rest of theclothes."
Enoch lifted his great voice. "Forrester! Forrester!"
A thousand echoes replied while Agnew joined them and in a moment,Harden. Jonas repeated his story.
"No use yelling!" exclaimed Enoch. "Let's build a fire out here."
"Do you suppose he's had an accident?" Enoch's voice was apprehensive.
"No, I don't," replied Agnew, stoutly. "He's told me two or threetimes that if he had any real trouble with Hard, he'd get out. What afool to start off, this way!"
"You fellows go to bed," Harden spoke abruptly.
"I'll keep a fire going and if Milt needs more than me, I'll call. TheJudge had a heavy afternoon and I was resting. And this row is mineanyhow."
Enoch, who was dropping with fatigue needed no urging. He rolledhimself in his blanket and instantly was deep in the marvelous slumberthat had blessed him since the voyage began.
It was dawn when he woke. He started to his feet, contritely,wondering who of the others had sacrificed sleep for him. But Enochwas the only one awake. Milton was tossing and muttering but his eyeswere closed. Jonas lay with his feet in last night's ashes. Agnew wascurled up at Milton's feet. Harden was not to be seen. Enoch hurriedto the river's edge. A sheet of paper fluttered from the split end ofa stake that had been stuck in a conspicuous spot. It was unaddressedand Enoch opened it.
"I have gone to find Forrester, and help him out. I took one-third ofthe grub and one of the guns and a third of the shells. If we havegood luck, you'll hear of us at the Ferry. I have the detail map ofthis section.
"C. L. HARDEN."
Enoch looked from the note up to the golden pink of the sky. Far abovethe butte an eagle soared. The dawn wind ruffled his hair. He drew adeep breath and turned to wake Jonas and Agnew, and show them the note.
"Did you folks go to sleep when I did?" asked Enoch when they had readthe note in silence.
Jonas and Agnew nodded.
"Then he must have left at once. No fire has been built out in front."
"Well, it's solved the problem of who walks," remarked Agnew, drily.
"How come Mr. Harden to think he could find him?" demanded Jonas,excitedly.
"Well, they both will have had to start where I did, yesterday. Andneither could have gone very far in the dark." Enoch spokethoughtfully. "If they don't kill each other!"
"They won't," interrupted Agnew comfortingly. "Neither of them is thekilling kind."
"Then I suggest," said Enoch, "that with all the dispatch possible weget on our way. You two tackle the Ida and I'll take care of Miltonand the breakfast."
"Aye! Aye, sir!" Agnew turned quickly toward the boat, followedeagerly by Jonas.
Milton opened his eyes when Enoch bent over him. "Let me give you asip of this hot broth, old man," said Enoch. "Come! just to pleaseme!" as Milton shook his head. "You've got to keep your strength and aclear head in order to direct the voyage."
Milton sipped at the warm decoction, and in a moment his eyesbrightened.
"Tastes pretty good. Too bad we haven't several gallons of it. Tellthe bunch to draw lots for who goes out."
Enoch shook his head. "That's all settled!" and he gave Milton thedetails of the trouble of the night before.
"Well, can you beat that?" demanded Milton. "The two fools! Why,there were a hundred things I had to tell the pair who went out.Judge, they'll never make it!"
"They've got as good a fighting chance as we have," insisted Enoch,stoutly. "Quit worrying about them, Milton. You've got your handsfull keeping the rest of us from being too foolish."
But try as he would, Milton could do little in the way of directing hisdepleted crew. His leg and his back pained him excruciatingly, and thevertigo was with him constantly. Enoch after trying several times toget coherent commands from the sufferer finally gave up. As soon asthe scanty breakfast of coffee and a tiny portion of boiled beans wasover, Enoch divided the rations into four portions and stowed away allbut that day's share, in the Ida. Then he discussed with Agnew andJonas the best method of placing Milton on the boat.
They finally built a rough but strong framework on the forwardcompartment against which Milton could recline while seated on thedeck, the broken leg supported within the rower's space. They paddedthis crude couch with blankets. This finished, they made a stretcherof the blanket on which Milton lay, by nailing the sides to two smallcedar trunks which they routed out of the drift wood. When they hadlifted him carefully and had placed him in the Ida, stretcher and all,he was far more comfortable, he said, than he had been on his rigid bedof stone.
By eight o'clock, all was ready and they pushed slowly out into thestream. Agnew took the steering oar, Enoch, his usual place, withJonas behind him.
The river was wild and swift here, but, after they had worked carefullyand painfully out of the aftermath of the falls, the current wasunobstructed for several hours. All the morning, Jonas watched eagerlyfor traces of the Na-che but up to noon, none appeared. The sky wascloudy, threatening rain. The walls, now smooth, now broken bypinnacles and shoulders, were sad and gray in color. Milton sometimesslept uneasily, but for the most part he lay with lips compressed, eyeson the gliding cliffs.
About an hour before noon, the familiar warning roar of rapids reachedtheir ears. Rounding a curve, carefully, they snubbed the Ida to arock while Agnew clambered ashore for an observation. Just below thema black wall appeared to cut at right angles across the river bed. Theriver sweeping round the curve which the Ida had just compassed, rushedlike the waters of a mill race against the unexpected obstacle andwaves ten to twenty feet high told of the force of the meeting. Agnewwith great difficulty crawled along the shore until he could look downon this turmoil of waters. Then, with infinite pains, he returned.
"It's impossible to portage," he reported, "but the waves simply fillthe gorge for two hundred feet."
"Tie me in the boat," said Milton. "The rest of you
get out on therocks and let the boat down with ropes."
Agnew looked questioningly at Enoch, who shook his head.
"Agnew," he said, "can you and Jonas manage to let the Ida down, withboth Milton and me aboard?"
"No, sir, we can't!" exclaimed Jonas. "That ain't to be thought of!"
"Right you are, Jonas!" agreed Agnew, while Milton nodded in agreement.
"Then," said Enoch, "let's land Milton and the loose dunnage on thisrock, let the boat down, come back and carry Milton round."
"It's the only way," agreed Agnew, "but I think we can take a hundredfeet off the portage, if you fellows are willing to risk rowing down toa bench of rock below here. You take the steering oar, Judge. I'llstay ashore and catch a rope from you at the bench."
Cautiously, Jonas backing water and Enoch keeping the Ida almostscraping the shore, they made their way to the spot where Agnew caughtthe rope, throwing the whole weight of his body back against the pullof the boat, even then being almost dragged from the ledge. Milton waslifted out as carefully as possible, the loose dunnage was piled besidehim, then the three men, each with a rope attached to the Ida, begantheir difficult climb.
There was nothing that could be called a trail. They made their way byclinging to projecting rocks, or stepping perilously from crack tocrevice, from shelf to hollow. The pull of the helpless Ida wastremendous, and they snubbed her wherever projecting rocks made thispossible. She danced dizzily from crest to crest of waves. She slidhelplessly into whirlpools, she twisted over and under and fought likea wild thing against the straining ropes. But at the end of a halfhour, she was moored in safe water, on a spit of sand on which a cottonwood grew.
"Agnew," said Enoch, "I think we were fools not to have broken a roughtrail before we attempted this. It's obviously impossible to carryMilton over that wall as it is."
"I thought the three of us might make it, taking turns carrying Milt onour backs. It wastes a lot of time making trail and time is a worseenemy to us now than the Colorado."
"That's true," agreed Enoch, "but I'm not willing to risk Milton'svertigo on our backs."
He took a pick-ax out of the rear compartment of the boat, as he spokeand began to break trail. The others followed suit. The rock provedunexpectedly easy to work and in another hour, Enoch announced himselfwilling to risk Milton and the stretcher on the rude path they hadhacked out.
Milton did not speak during his passage. His fortitude and endurancewere very touching to Enoch whose admiration for the young leaderincreased from hour to hour. Jonas boiled the coffee and heated thenoon portions of beans and goat. It was entirely inadequate for theappetites of the hard working crew. Enoch wondered if the others feltas hollow and uncertain-kneed, as he did, but he said nothing nor didthey.
There was considerable drift wood lodged against the spit of sand andfrom it, Jonas, with a shout that was half a sob, dragged a brokenboard on which appeared in red letters, "-a-che."
"All that's left of the prettiest, spunkiest little boat that everfought a dirty river!" he mourned. "I'm going to put this in mydunnage bag and if we ever do get home, I'll have it framed."
The others smiled in sympathy. "I wonder if Hard has found Forr, yet?"said Milton, uneasily. "I can't keep them off my mind."
"I wouldn't be surprised if they both had run on Curly and Mack'soutfit by this time," Agnew answered cheerfully. "It's funny we didn'tthink of them instead of Diana Allen, last night."
"Not so very funny, either," returned Milton with an attempt at asmile. "I'll bet most of us have thought of Miss Allen forty times toonce of the men, ever since we met her."
"She's the most beautiful woman I ever saw," said Agnew, dreamily.
"Lawdy!" groaned Jonas, suddenly, "if I only had something to fishwith! When we make camp to-night, I'm a-going to try to rig up somekind of a line."
"I'm glad the tobacco supply was in the Ida." Enoch rose with a yawnand knocked the ashes from his pipe. "Well, boys, shall we move?"
Again they embarked. The river behaved in a most friendly manner untilafternoon, when she offered by way of variety a series of sand bars,across which they were obliged to drag the Ida by main strength. Thesecontinued at intervals for several miles. In the midst of them, therain that had been threatening all day began to fall while the windthat never left the Canyon, rose to drive the icy waters morevehemently through their sodden clothing. Milton, snugly covered withblankets, begged them feverishly to go into camp. "I'll have you allsick, to-night!" he insisted. "You can't take the risk of pneumonia onstarvation rations that you did on plenty of grub."
"I'm willing," said Agnew, finally, as he staggered to his feet after aducking under the Ida's side.
"Oh, let's keep going, as long as there's any light to see by," beggedEnoch.
As if to reward his persistence, just as dusk settled fully upon them,a little canyon opened from the main wall at the right, a small stream,tumbling eagerly from it into the Colorado. They turned the Idaquickly into this and managed to push upward on it for several minutes.Then they put ashore under some dim cottonwoods, where grass was ankledeep. The mere feeling of vegetation about them was cheering, and thetrees, with a blanket stretched between made a partial shelter from therain.
"I'll sure cook grass for you all for breakfast!" said Jonas. "Howcome folks not to bile grass for greens, I don't see. Maybe birdshere, too. Whoever's the fancy shot, put the gun close to his hand."
"I've done some fair shooting in my day," said Agnew, "but I neverpotted a goat in an eagle's nest. You'd better give the gun to theJudge." He polished off his pie tin, scraped the last grain of sugarfrom his tin cup and lighted a cigarette.
"I'm trying to bear my blushing honors modestly," grinned Enoch,crowding closer to the great fire. "Milton, I've a bone to pick withyou."
"Where'd you get it?" demanded Agnew.
Enoch smiled but went on. "I accuse you of deliberately starvingyourself for the rest of us. It won't do, sir. I'm going to set yourshare aside and by Jove, if you refuse it, I'll throw it in the river!"
Milton rose indignantly on one elbow. "Judge, I forbid you to doanything of the kind! You fellows have got to have food to work on.All I need is plenty of water."
"Especially as you think the water is making you sick," returned Enochdrily. "You can't get away with it, Milton. Am I not right, Agnew andJonas?"
"Absolutely!" Agnew exclaimed, while Jonas nodded, vigorously.
"So, beginning to-morrow morning, you're to do your share of eating,"Enoch concluded, cheerfully.
But in spite of all efforts to keep a stiff upper lip, the night waswretched. The rain fell in torrents. The only way to keep the firealight was by keeping it under the blanket shelter, and Milton was halfsmothered with smoke. He insisted on the others going to sleep, but inspite of their utter weariness, the men would not do this. Hunger madethem restless and the rain crept through their blankets. Enoch finallygave up the attempt to sleep. He crouched by Milton, feeding the fireand trying as best he could to ease the patient's misery of mind andbody.
It was long after midnight when Milton said, "Judge, I've been thinkingit over and I've come to a conclusion. I want you folks to go on forhelp and leave me here."
"I don't like to hear you talk suicide, Milton." Enoch shook his head."As far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't consider such a suggestion for aminute."
"But don't you see," insisted Milton, "I'm imperilling all your lives.Without me, you could have made twice the distance you did to-day."
"That's probably true," agreed Enoch. "What of it? Would you leave mein your fix, thinking you might bring help back?"
"That's different! You're a tenderfoot and I'm not. Moreover, greatercare on my part would probably have prevented this whole series ofaccidents."
"Now you are talking nonsense!" Enoch threw another log on the fire."Your illness is undermining your common sense, Milton. We've got atough few days ahead of us but we'll tackle it together. If we
fail wefail together. But I can see no reason why if we run as few risks aswe did to-day, we should get into serious trouble. We're going to losestrength for lack of food, so we've got to move more and more slowlyand carefully, and we'll be feeling weak and done up when we reach theFerry. But I anticipate nothing worse than that."
Milton sighed and was silent, for a time. Then he said, "I could havemanaged Forr and Harden better, if I'd been willing to believe theywere the pair of kids they proved to be. As it is--"
"As it is," interrupted Enoch, firmly, "both chaps are learning alesson that will probably cure them for all time of their foolishness."
Milton looked long at Enoch's tired face; then he lifted himself on oneelbow.
"All right, Judge, I'm through belly-aching! We'll put it throughsomehow and if I have decent luck, early Spring will see me right here,beginning where I left off. After all, Powell had to take two trialsat it."
"That's more like you, Milton! Is that dawn breaking yonder?"
"Yes," replied Milton. "Keep your ear and eye out for any sort ofcritters in this little spot, Judge."
But, though Enoch, and the others, when he had roused them, beat thetiny blind alley thoroughly, not so much as a cottontail reward theirefforts.
"Curious!" grumbled Enoch, "up at Mack's camp where we really needednothing, I found all the game in the world. The perversity of natureis incomprehensible. Even the fish have left this part of the river,"as Jonas with a sigh of discouragement tossed his improvised fishingtackle into the fire.
Agnew pulled his belt a notch tighter. His brown face was beginning tolook sagged and lined. "Well," cheerfully, "there are some advantagesin being fat. I've still several days to go before I reach your's andJonas' state of slats, Judge."
"Don't get sot up about it, Ag," returned Enoch. "You look a good deallike a collapsed balloon, you know! Shall we launch the good ship Ida,fellows?"
"She ain't anything to what the Na-che was," sighed Jonas, "but she'spretty good at that. If I ain't too tired, to-night, I may clean herup a little."
Even Milton joined in the laughter at this and the day's journey wasbegun with great good humor.
It was the easiest day's course that had been experienced since Enochhad joined the expedition. There were three rapids during the day butthey rode these with no difficulties. Enoch and Jonas rowed fairlysteadily in the morning, but in the afternoon, they spelled each other.The light rations were making themselves felt. The going was so smooththat dusk was upon them before they made camp. Milton had beenwretchedly sick, all day, but he made no complaint and forced down thehandful of boiled beans and the tin cup of pale coffee that was hisshare of each meal.
They made camp languidly. Enoch found the task of piling fire woodarduous and as the camp was in dry sand and the blankets had dried outduring the day, they did not attempt the usual great blaze. Jonasinsisted on acting as night nurse for Milton, and Enoch was asleepbefore he had more then swallowed his supper. He had bad dreams andwoke with a dull headache, and wondered if Jonas and Agnew felt as weakand light-headed as he did. But although both the men moved aboutslowly and Jonas made no attempt to clean up the Ida, they uttered nocomplaints. Milton was feeling a little better. Before the day'sjourney was begun, he and Agnew plotted their position on the map.
"Well, does to-morrow see us at the Ferry?" asked Enoch, cheerfully,when Agnew put up his pencil with an abstracted air.
"No, Judge," sighed Milton, "that rotten first day after the wreck,cost us a good many miles. I thought we'd make up for it, yesterday.But we're a full day behind."
"That is," exclaimed Enoch, "we must take that grub pile and redivideit, stretching it over three days instead of two!"
"Yes," replied Milton, grimly.
"Jove, Agnew, you're going to be positively fairy like, before we'rethrough with this," said Enoch. "Jonas, get out the grub supply, willyou?"
Jonas, standing on a rock that projected over the water, did notrespond. He was watching eagerly as his new fishline of ravelled ropepulled taut in the stream. Suddenly he gave a roar and jerked the lineso violently that the fish landed on Milton's blanket.
"Must weigh two pounds!" cried Agnew.
"You start her broiling, Mr. Agnew!" shouted Jonas, "while I keep ona-fishing."
"What changed your luck, Jonas?" asked Enoch. "You're using beans andbent wire, just as you did yesterday."
"Aha! not just as I did yesterday, boss! This time I tied Na-che'scharm just above the hook. No fish could stand that, once they got aneye on it."
But evidently no second fish cast an eye on the irresistible charm, andEnoch was unwilling to wait for further luck longer than was necessaryto cook the fish and eat it. But during the day Jonas trolled wheneverthe water made trolling possible, hopefully spitting on the hook eachtime he cast it over, casting always from the right hand and mutteringFish! Fish! Fish! three times for each venture. Yet no other fishresponded to Na-che's charm that day.
But the river treated them kindly. If their strength had been equal tohard and steady rowing they might have made up for the lost miles. Asit was they knocked off at night with just the number of miles for theday that Milton had planned on in the beginning, and were still a daybehind their schedule. Milton grew no worse, though he was weaker andobviously a very sick man. A light snow fell during the night but thenext morning was clear and invigorating.
They encountered two difficult rapids on the fourth day. The first onethey portaged. The trail was not difficult but in their weakenedcondition the boat and poor Milton were heavy burdens and it took themthree times as long to accomplish the portage as it would have takenhad they been in normal condition. The second rapids, they shot easilyin the afternoon. The waves were high and every one was saturated withthe icy water. Enoch dared not risk Milton's remaining wet and as soonas they found a likely place for the camp they went ashore. The hugepile of drift wood had helped them to decide on this ratherunhospitable ledge for what they hoped would be their last night out.
They kindled a big fire and sat about it, steaming and silent, but withthe feeling that the worst was behind them.
They rose in a cold driving rain the next morning, ate the last of thebeans, drank the last of the coffee, covered Milton as well as could bewith blankets and launched the boat. It was a day of unspeakablemisery. They made one portage, and one let down, and dragged the boatwith almost impossible labor over a long series of shallows. Bymid-afternoon they had made up their minds to another night ofwretchedness and Agnew was beginning to watch for a camping place, whensuddenly he exclaimed,
"Fellows, there's the Ferry!"
"How do you know?" demanded Enoch.
"I've been here before, Judge. Yes, by Jove, there's old Grant'scabin. I wonder if any one's reached here yet!"
"Well, Milton, old man, here's thanks and congratulations," cried Enoch.
"You'd better thank the Almighty," returned Milton. "I certainly hadvery little to do with our getting here."
The rain had prevented Agnew's recognizing their haven until they werefairly upon it. Even now all that Enoch could see was a wide lateralcanyon with a rough unpainted shack above the waterline. A group ofcottonwoods loomed dimly through the mist beside a fence thatsurrounded the house.
Jonas, who had seemed overcome with joy at Agnew's announcement,recovered his power of speech by the time the boat was headed shorewardand he raised a shout that echoed from wall to wall.
"Na-che! Ohee, Na-che! Here we are, Na-che!"
Agnew opened his lips to comment, but before he uttered the firstsyllable there rose a shrill, clear call from the mists.
"Jonas! Ohee, Jonas!"
Enoch's pulse leaped. With sudden strength, he bent to his oars, andthe Ida slid softly upon the sandy shore. As she did so, two figurescame running through the rain.
"Diana!" cried Enoch, making no attempt for a moment to step from theboat.
"Oh, what has happened!" exclaimed Diana,
putting a hand under Milton'shead as he struggled to raise it.
"Just a broken leg, Miss Allen," he said, his parched lips parting in asmile. "Have Forr and Hard turned up?"
"No! And Curly and Mack aren't here, either! O you poor things!Here, let me help! Na-che, take hold of this stretcher, there, on theother side with the Judge and Jonas. Finished short of grub, didn'tyou! Let's bring Mr. Milton right up to the cabin."
The cabin consisted of but one room with an adobe fireplace at one endand bunks on two sides. There was a warm glow of fire and the smell ofmeat cooking. They laid Milton tenderly on a bunk and as they did soJonas gave a great sob:
"Welcome home, I say, boss, welcome home!"