CHAPTER XXII
LOST IN THE BIG WOODS
Tad Butler had often heard it said that a lost man was an insane man.He had laughed at this as he had laughed at the stories of men whohave been lost for no longer than twenty-four hours, and who had comeout gibbering idiots. Now for the first time the Pony Rider Boybegan to realize what it meant to be lost. That feeling of utterisolation, of aloneness, of doubt whether they ever would find theirway out, took possession of him and for the moment a panic threatenedTad Butler.
Then he recalled the advice given by Cale Vaughn: "If you get lostsit down and think it over. Don't run."
Tad _was_ thinking it over. At last he said:
"Stacy, we got on the wrong trail somewhere. I have an idea it wasnot long after leaving town."
Chunky nodded his head slowly.
A strange feature of the situation impressed itself upon Tad at thisparticular juncture. He was unable to tell his position from thesun. He could not have told whether the sun was in the East, West,North or South, and his compass proved absolutely useless. He wasinterrupted in his thoughts by the voice of Stacy Brown.
"We haven't enough grub for more than one more meal."
"We may have to rustle," added Tad, "but I have confidence enough inmyself to believe that we shall not starve to death."
Having recovered his mental balance, Tad decided that it was time todo something, so he took careful note of the lay of the land abouthim, the character of the trees and shrubs, the drainage, and otherfeatures that might prove of use to him later on.
His next task was to blaze a tree. He made a conspicuous blaze onfour sides of a large pine, a blaze that might be seen for somedistance in either direction.
"Why are you doing that?" questioned the fat boy.
"We shall know it when we see it again. Furthermore, it will be ofuse to any person who may chance to be looking for us. I am going tostick like a brother to that blazed tree until I find a better place.Unpack and help me make camp."
Chunky got down slowly. He was much less disturbed than Tad wouldhave expected.
"I will make a lean-to while you are getting the camp in shape.Wait!" Tad's voice was sharp, causing Stacy to halt suddenly. "Ihear water. There is a stream near here. Yes, there it is.Hurrah!"
"I don't see anything in a little stream of water to get excitedabout," declared the fat boy.
"I do. It means there is a larger body of water somewherehereabouts. You take the ponies and follow me. I am going to blazea way down that stream for a piece anyway and see where it leads. Wecan't be any worse off farther down than we are here, and perhaps wemay be able to better ourselves materially."
Tad, hatchet in hand, started for the creek. He turned downstreamafter satisfying himself which was downstream, followed slowly byStacy. Butler blazed the way, turning down bushes, marking treeswith conspicuous chops clear through the bark to the white of thewood itself, so that there might be no difficulty in finding theirway back in case they desired to do so. To Tad's satisfaction theysoon came out on the shore of a lake, or rather a pond it was insize. This pond gave them an open space, taking away in a measurethat shut-in feeling that had so oppressed them under the tall pines.
"Here is the place for the camp, Stacy," announced Tad joyously."What better could a man ask for a summer resort?"
"No, this isn't so bad," admitted the fat boy. "Where do you want thecamp?"
"In a little way from the shore. We might as well make it permanent,for we may be here some time."
In the meantime Tad was industriously chopping away, cutting downsmall trees for the lean-to. A busy two hours followed. Stacy gotthe browse together for the beds. Tad chopped down a larger tree forthe bed pieces of their fireplace, and, by the time they had finished,the day was drawing to a close. They had not finished any too soon,but they had constructed as neat and practical a camp as ever grewunder the skilled hands of an old woodsman. Tad was justly proud oftheir efforts.
Supper was not a bounteous meal and neither lad overloaded hisstomach, but the boys were cheerful and the ponies content, for therewas plenty for the animals to eat. Tad had gotten in a great pile ofpoles for night-wood, so that they were pretty well supplied witheverything except food.
Chunky dropped asleep on his browse bed under the comforting warmthof the fire soon after supper, in fact before Tad had finished withthe supper work, which was not very arduous, the boys having only afew tin dishes that hung suspended from their saddles. They hadtheir rifles, revolvers and hunting knives, all of which might proveuseful in their present predicament.
Tad sat down by the fire to think. He sat long, going over all thepossibilities of their case, figuring on the probabilities of theirbeing found. Tad knew that Cale Vaughn would never rest until he hadfound them, once the guide knew that the two boys were lost, soButler decided that his wisest course would be to remain where hewas, skirmish for food, and try to content himself and his comradeuntil help arrived.
A crashing sound brought him to his feet. The sound was unlike anyhe had ever heard before. Tad's first impulse was to run, then,pulling himself sharply together, he stood listening.
"Oh, pshaw, it's a big tree falling," he muttered.
The ponies, too, had been startled. They were snorting and stamping.Tad's voice quieted them.
"If this thing keeps on I am sure to have an attack of nerves. I amashamed of myself--Great Scott, what is that?"
"Oh, wow!" howled Chunky, leaping from his browse bed, standingwide-eyed at the opening of the lean-to. "What was that?"
"I--I don't know," stammered Tad. "I--I never heard so many crazysounds in all my life. I have heard that a night in the jungle wasterrifying, but I don't believe it can be any worse than this."
"There it goes again," cried Chunky.
"Ugh-ugh-ugh, oo-oo-oo--o-o-o-o!"
The forest seemed to be full of the "ugh-oos." The Pony Rider Boysgazed into each other's faces. Stacy Brown's teeth were chattering.Again that terrifying roar.
"Wha--what is it?" gasped Chunky.
"I--I don't know," whispered Tad. "I--I never heard the like of it.It is getting nearer, too."
Tad snatched up his rifle.
"Get ready for trouble, Chunky," shouted the freckle-faced boy, thefreckles standing out in blotches on his face, the latter now palebut resolute.