CHAPTER XIV
THE LANDSLIDE
ROGER tripped over some obstacle, so that both he and Dick fell flat ontheir faces, though neither had the misfortune to be injured other thanto receive minor bruises.
"Why, what happened then?" gasped Roger, as he sat up and commenced torub one of his elbows.
Mayhew had evidently also leaped hurriedly back, for he was crouchingnear the two boys, staring fixedly at some point just beyond, andlooking not only puzzled but deeply concerned.
"There was some sort of slip in the rock at the edge of that hole,"explained Dick, breathing hard after his sudden exertion. "I was afraidthe whole platform might be about to fall into the abyss, and that waswhy I dragged you back. It was better to be on the safe side, you know."
"What will cross our path next, I wonder?" grumbled Roger. "We seem tobe jumping from the frying pan into the fire. First it is Indians whoare about to wipe us out; then we come near being boiled in a pyramidof steaming water, and, as if that were not enough, here we have anarrow escape from being dropped into a bottomless pit."
"It's nip and tuck which sort of end will get us sooner or later,"remarked Mayhew soberly; almost as though he had made up his mind thatthere was no use of resisting his manifest destiny.
"Let's get away from this horrible place as soon as we can, Dick,"urged Roger. "As to spending the night here, you will have to excuseme! We had better shoulder our packs and--oh! where are they, Dick? Iam sure I laid mine down at the time we stopped to take a look around."
Dick looked deeply worried.
"Yes, the three of us did the same thing. As you say, they havedisappeared, and I fear we have lost our blankets and provisions andextra ammunition."
His words created a panic in the breast of his comrade, for Rogerscrambled to his feet from his knees, clutching the sleeve of Dick'sdeerskin hunting tunic, and crying out:
"Oh! can it be possible that they were carried down with that avalanchewhen the slip occurred? And do you think we can recover them again?"
"I hope so," replied the other lad, soberly, "for it will be a seriousthing for us if we lose all we had in those packs. But we must becareful how we approach the edge, if it crumbles so easily. We wouldnot care to be carried after our blankets, riding an avalanche!"
Cautiously picking their way, they finally managed to creep to wherethey could look down into the yawning abyss. It filled them withawe and despair. So far as they could see the walls were almostperpendicular, and extended far beyond their limited range of vision.
"We could never get down there alive," Roger confessed, as he lookedshudderingly into the chasm that had swallowed up their valuedpossessions. "And I am afraid we have seen the last of those blankets."
"Of course," said the other, consolingly, "once we return to the campwe can obtain warm furs from the Indians, that will take their placefor sleeping purposes."
"But what are we to do now," reasoned Roger, "far away from the Mandanvillage, and so situated that we dare not build a camp fire at night,no matter how bitter cold it turns?"
"That is a hard question for me to answer," Dick admitted, candidly."If it comes to the worst, of course we can turn back, and give overour hunt for Jasper Williams. If he should change his mind and returnto the camp all would be well. On the other hand, if he stayed out themain part of the winter, or the Indians were holding him a prisoner, wewould stand to lose all we had won."
"And our dear parents must see their homes taken away from them by thatrascally Lascelles," groaned Roger, grinding his teeth in his distress."Dick, sooner than allow that, I would try to stay out here all winter,taking my chances with the wolves, the Indians, and these terriblethings that surround us on every side."
"Remember our old motto, Roger, that carried us through so manytroubles in the past--never despair, no matter how black the skieslook. We will come out on top yet,--we _must_!"
"Do you think that awful hole can have any bottom, Dick?"
For answer the other dropped a large bit of rock, being careful to castit far out from the wall underneath them.
It seemed a long time before they believed they caught the faintestkind of sound away down in the black depths.
"Why, it must be nearly half a mile deep!" cried the astonished Roger."We can never hope to see our things again, for a fact."
"I'm afraid that's the truth," admitted Dick. "It is a greatmisfortune, but we must face it bravely. 'There are more ways than oneto skin a cat,' you know Jasper used to say; and, while things lookdark for us just now, we can find a way out, never fear."
They backed away carefully, not wishing to start another slide thatmight carry them down to keep company with the lost outfit. At leastthey had their guns, and a fair stock of ammunition to fall back on.Besides this they were warmly dressed, and able to resist to someextent the attack of the wintry winds.
Dick brought this to the attention of his companions as they trudgedonward. He was always finding some reason for plucking up hope;conditions, according to Dick's healthy mind, were never so had butthat they might be worse.
Some time later they drew up, Mayhew suggesting that they could hardlyfind a better place to spend the night than where they were. A smallstream ran past, and it was cold water, too, as they soon discovered.
"Trout in it!" Mayhew announced, as though he had something on hismind, "and if you say the word, I think I can get a few of them. Theseason is late; but, since winter is still holding off, they may biteat a bait."
"It would be a good idea," returned Dick, "since we have lost all oursupplies we will have to get food by all sorts of means. Our gunsshould bring us in game, if only we dare fire them. Yes, try thefishing, Mayhew, and good luck to you."
The guide had some hooks with him, for he always went prepared toprovide himself with a tasty meal from a convenient stream, being veryfond of fish. He also found some fragments of meat with which to baithis hooks. While the others were making ready to start a small flame ina depression, where it could not betray them to lurking enemies, Mayhewbegan his angling.
Fortunately for the little party the trout were both hungry andguileless. They had never had any acquaintance with such a thing as afish-hook. Perhaps, once in a long time, some passing Indian brave mayhave used his primitive fish spear in order to secure a meal, but thishad failed to educate them in the wiles of the human race.
And so it came about that presently Mayhew proudly exhibited abeautiful trout that, being freshly caught, seemed to glow with all thecolors of the rainbow.
"Two more like it would make us all a fine meal," said Dick, as hesurveyed the prize.
"I can get them, never fear, unless my cunning has deserted me," theguide told him, confidently.
It proved that his boast was good, since a second fish was soon taken,although they had to wait until almost dark before a third came to hook.
Meanwhile Roger had prepared the two already captured, and they wereall soon being held over the red coals lying in the hole that servedas a fireplace. Such experienced woodsmen as the adventurers were knewhow to cook meat and fish without any necessity for a frying-pan. Norwould they miss salt with which to season it. A sharp appetite takesthe place of these things in the woods.
Perhaps all of them could have eaten more had they been given a chance;for, although the trout had been of unusual size, they seemed todisappear most miraculously, once the hungry campers started in to maketheir supper.
This duty done, they faced another dilemma. How were they to keep warmas they slept? Accustomed to snuggling down inside their blankets whenthe wind whistled, it was not the nicest outlook to face a night in theopen, with no protection from the chilly air.
The worst of it was that they could not build a roaring fire to warmthem. Had that been possible, no one could have found any reason forcomplaint; but it would be next door to madness, in the estimation ofthe borderman, to have attempted it, with those hostiles not far away,and ready to creep upon them as they slept.
Di
ck noted the rising wind with uneasiness. It was gradually swingingaround so as to come out of the northwest, too, and that was the pointwhere the wintry storms came from. When a gale blew from that quarter,with a sting in its breath, wise people kept to their cabins, anddeclined to venture forth until the worst had passed.
What would become of them should they be caught in this open camp,without any fire, and destitute of robes or blankets? Dick expectedto hear Roger make some remark bearing on this matter, at any momentnow; for he knew the other must be beginning to shiver as he sat inuncomfortable silence, evidently brooding over the many troubles bywhich they were confronted, and trying to see a way out.
Mayhew was prowling about close by. It was not pitch dark, though onemust possess good eyes in order to see with any degree of accuracy.
"He's looking to see if we can better our condition," thought Dick,when he had watched the guide examining a pile of rocks in theimmediate vicinity that may have been heaped up for some purpose byIndians, years and years before.
Apparently Mayhew was not finding much encouragement in his search, forDick could hear him muttering rather disconsolately to himself, thoughhe did not seem disposed to give up entirely, being possessed of astubborn nature.
Soon Roger was rubbing his hands one over the other, which indicatedthat he felt the cold. Dick's mental figuring had produced results, andhe believed a proposition he meant to offer would strike the othersfavorably. He was only waiting for Roger to open the subject.
Presently Roger got up on his feet and commenced to thresh both armsback and forth. It has always been known as a good means for startingcirculation when the blood is chilled from inaction; though Roger couldnot obtain the best results on account of having to refrain from makingany more noise than was absolutely necessary.
Dick thought the time had arrived to make his suggestion. The windwas blowing strongly by them, with every prospect of a still furtherincrease in velocity. If it kept up throughout the night the dawnwould turn out to be bitterly cold; and, unless they were able to findshelter, they might perish.
"This is an exposed camp, don't you think, Roger?" he began.
"Yes, and unless we can have a fire I hate to think what will happen tous before another day comes around," the other replied.
"Then we must make a change," Dick told him.
"That is easy to say, but where can we go that would be better?"
"I know a place," came the confident reply, "so get ready to go withme, both of you."