CHAPTER XIII
THE SMOKE TRAIL
"Are you sure of it?" asked Frank, in the same low voice.
"Why, try for yourself, and see if you can't get a whiff of smoke rightnow," Bob replied.
"You're right, because I caught it just then; but I reckon the windmust be changing some, for it's gone again," Frank remarked.
"You never spoke truer words, Frank, because I can hear the breezebeginning to shake the leaves in the trees up yonder, and it wasn'tdoing that before."
Bob pointed upwards as he said this cautiously. And Frank, alwayswatchful, noticed a certain fact. The trees were so situated that theycould be said to lie almost in a direct Southeast line from where heand Bob stood! This might appear to be a very small matter, and hardlyworthy of notice; but according to Frank's view it was apt to prove ofconsiderable moment, in view of what was likely to follow.
"Well, as the smoke's gone again, let's see if we can locate it bymoving a little this way," and Frank led off as he spoke, with Bobfollowing.
Both lads were very cautious now. Even Bob, greenhorn as he was, sofar as Western ways were concerned, understood the need of care whenapproaching a camp that might be occupied by enemies. And as forFrank, he had not been in the company of an old ranger like Hank Coombsmany times without learning considerable.
They had not been moving in the new direction more than five minuteswhen Bob reached out his hand and clutched the sleeve of his chum'sjacket.
"What is it?" asked the leader, stopping short, and crouching there.
"I got it again, Frank," whispered the Kentucky boy, eagerly.
"Sure," replied his comrade, immediately. "Why, I've been smellingsmoke for more'n a whole minute now. And I'm following it up, foot byfoot."
"Oh!" murmured Bob, taken aback by this intelligence.
"Don't say a word above your breath, Bob. Whoever it is can't be faraway now. We may run in on 'em any minute, you know," and as if toemphasize the need of caution Frank drew his chum close while hewhispered these words directly in his ear.
Bob did not make any verbal reply; but he gave the other's sleeve ajerk that was intended to tell Frank he understood, and would becareful. Then they moved along again.
It was no easy task making progress through the darkness, and over suchrough grounds, without causing any sound. Bob found that he had almostto get down on his hands and knees and creep, in order to accomplishit. But his chum had not forgotten that he was new to this sort ofbusiness, and hence he gave Bob plenty of time.
Then Bob in turn began sniffing, and Frank knew that now he, too, hadcaught the trail-odor, which was constantly becoming stronger. Thusthey were positive that while they moved forward they must be graduallydrawing nearer the source of the smoke.
Another tug came at Frank's sleeve, at which signal he bent his headlow so that his chum might say what he wanted in his ear.
"Sounds like voices!" whispered the excited Kentucky lad.
Frank gave a little affirmative grunt.
"Rustlers, maybe?" Bob went on.
The other made a low sound that somehow Bob seemed to interpret asmeaning a negative to his question.
"Then prospectors--Lopez and his bunch?"
"Uh!" Frank replied; and then himself lowering his lips to the ear ofBob he went on: "What's the matter with Peg and his crowd? They mighthave got up here ahead of us. Quiet now!"
Bob did not attempt to say another word. He had new food for thought.Yes, to be sure, Peg and his two cowboy guides had had plenty of timeto climb that far up the side of Thunder Mountain. If they had takendaylight for the task of course they avoided the danger of gettinglost, such as had overtaken the saddle boys. And if the nerve ofSpanish Joe and Nick Jennings continued to hold out, when strangethings began to happen, the boastful tenderfoot from the East stood achance of making a discovery.
As the two crept closer, on hands and knees, they could hear the murmurof voices grow louder, even though the speakers were evidently talkingin low tones. While the experience was altogether new to Bob, heenjoyed it immensely. Why, after all, it was not so very hard to placehis hands and knees in such fashion that he felt able to move alongalmost as silently as a snake might have done.
Now he was even able to locate the spot from which the murmur of voicescame. Yes, and when he looked closer he saw a tiny spark that glowedregularly, just as a firefly might sparkle every ten seconds or so.
Bob solved that little mystery easily. Of course it was Spanish Joe,smoking one of the little cigarettes which he was so frequently rollingbetween his fingers.
To be sure, the odor of tobacco smoke mingled with that of burningwood. And if Spanish Joe, why not the other cowboy who was in badrepute among the ranches; yes, and Peg himself?
Bob began to wonder what the programme of his chum might be. Surelythey would not take the chances of crawling up much closer now. Ifdiscovered they would run the risk of being fired upon; and besides,there was no necessity for such rashness.
Then Bob discovered that when the wind veered a little, as it seemed tobe doing right along, he could actually catch what was being said.
Peg was talking at the time, and grumbling after his usual manner aboutsomething or other.
"Ten to one the fellow's gone and deserted us, Nick!" he remarked,suspicion in every word.
Apparently the lounging cowboy did not share in his opinion, for helaughed in a careless way as he drawled out:
"Oh! I reckon not, Peg. Me and Joe has hit up the pace fur some yearsin company, and I knows him too well to b'lieve he'd break loose from asoft snap like this here one. Jest lie low, an' he'll be back. Let'shope Joe's found out somethin' wuth knowin'."
"But he's been gone nearly an hour now," complained Peg.
"What of that? It ain't the easiest thing gettin' around on this rockyole mounting in the pitch dark, let me tell ye, Peg," Nick remarked;and by the way he seemed to puff between each few words, Bob understoodthat it must be Nick who was using the cigarette, and not Spanish Joe.
"Say, that's so," admitted Peg, as if a new idea had come to him."Perhaps he's slipped, and fallen down into one of those holes youshowed me when we were coming up!"
This also amused the cowboy, for he chuckled again.
"Too easy an end for Spanish Joe," he said, carelessly. "Born fur therope, and he can't cheat his fate. Same thing's been said 'bout me.Don't bother me none, though, and sometimes it's a real comfort;'specially when a landslide carries ye down the side of a mounting likea railroad train, like I had happen to me. Nawthin' ain't agoin' tohurt ye if so be yer end's got to come by the rope."
"A landslide! Do they often have that sort of thing out here?" askedPeg, showing some anxiety, as though he had read about such terriblehappenings, and did not care to make a close acquaintance with one.
"Sure we does, every little while," remarked Nick, cheerfully. "Why,jest last year the hull side of a peak 'bout forty mile north of herebroke away, and a Injun village was wiped out. Never did hear anythingfrom a single critter after that slip bore down on 'em."
"It might happen here on Thunder Mountain, too, couldn't it, Nick?"pursued Peg, as if the subject, with all it pictured to his activemind, held his interest gripped in such a fashion that he could notshake himself free.
"Easiest thing goin', Peg. And let me tell ye, if it ever do happenhere, thar's agoin' to be a slide to beat the band!" Nick asserted,positively.
"But what makes you say that, Nick?" demanded the boy.
"Oh! lots of people says the same thing," replied the other, as ifcarelessly.
"That a landslide is going to start things going on Thunder Mountainany time--is that what you mean?" Peg insisted on repeating.
"Any day, er night. Things have been lookin' that way for some timenow. I reckon she's due with the next big cloud-burst that sails thisway."
It was evident that, for some reason, Nick was trying to frighten hisyoung employer. Perhaps he himself really wished
to get away from themountain with the bad name; and took this means of accomplishing hisend without showing his hand. If that were true, then he was gaininghis end, for Peg certainly gave evidence of increasing uneasiness.
"But why didn't you tell me all this before?" he demanded, indignantly.
"What was the use, boss? Ye was sot on comin' here, and ye made Joeand me a rattlin' good offer. 'Sides, it didn't matter much to me. Ihad my life insured. A rope might have skeered me; but say, I don'tkeer that for landslips," and Nick snapped his fingers contemptuously.
But Frank, who knew the sly cow puncher so well, believed that more orless of his indifference was assumed.
"Well, I do!" declared Peg, with emphasis; "and if I'd only known aboutthat sort of thing before, blessed if I'd a come. I've heard whathappens when the side of a mountain tears away, and how everything inthe path goes along. They showed me the bare wall where one brokeloose up in Colorado. Say, it was the worst sight ever. You'll haveto excuse me from nosing around here another day, if that sort of thingis hanging over this place. Me for the ranch on the jump. Get that,Nick?"
"Oh! now, what's the use botherin'? Chances are three to one theyain't agoin' to be any sech upsets as that yet awhile," the cowboy said.
"Only three to one!" burst out Peg. "All right, you can stick it outif you want, and I'll pay you all I agreed; but just you understand,Nick Jennings, when to-morrow comes, I want you to get me down on theprairie, where I can make a blue streak for the X-bar-X ranch house."
"But ye sed as how ye was detarmined to find out what made them roarin'n'ises, up here on old Thunder Mountain!" protested the guide, althoughhe evidently expressed himself in this way only to further arouse theobstinate boy.
"I've changed my plans, that's all," Peg announced. "Any fellow can dothat. It's always the privilege of a gentleman to alter his mind. I'dlike to crow over Frank Haywood and that greenhorn chum of his mightywell; but I ain't going to run the chance of being carried down in alandslip just for that. Huh! I guess not! What I said, stands, Nick.And I hope the old slide comes while those two chaps are on themountain; yes, and gives them a dandy free ride, to boot!"
"Oh! jest as ye say, Peg! I'm willin' to do anythin' to please ye.But p'raps we ain't goin' to git off so easy arter all," remarked Nick,suggestively.
"Now, what do you mean by hinting in that way? And I've noticed youtwisting your neck to look up at the sky more'n a few times. Thinkit's going to rain, do you?" demanded Peg.
"Don't _think_ nawthin' 'bout it; I _know_ it be." And, Nick added,with emphasis, "I reckons as how it'll be jest a _screamer_ when shecomes."
"A storm, you mean?"
"A howler. Allers does when the wind backs up that way into thesou'east. 'Sides, if so be ye air still sot on findin' out what makesthat thunder up this ways, p'raps ye'll have the chanct to look intothe same afore long, Peg."
"Oh! was that what I felt just now?" cried the boy, scrambling to hisknees. "It seemed to me the old mountain was trembling just like I didonce, when I had the ague. And Nick, I believe you're more'n halfright, because I sure heard a low grumble just then, like far-awaythunder. I wish I hadn't been such a fool as to come up here. Neverget me doing such a silly thing again as long as I live. Listen! It'scoming again, Nick, and louder than before. Don't you feel how theground shivers? Perhaps there's going to be a terrible landslip rightnow! Do you think so, Nick?"
Frank and Bob, crouching close by, had also felt that quiver underthem. It gave the saddle boys a queer feeling. When the solid earthmoves it always affects human kind and animals in a way to induce fear;because of the confidence they put in the stability of the ground.
And then there arose gradually but with increasing force a deepterrible rumble.
Thunder Mountain was speaking!