the man of the forest-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


heads　to　the　vast　bare　dome　of　Old　Baldy。　　Far　as　vision
could　see；　to　the　right　lay　one　rolling　forest　of　pine；
beautiful　and　serene。　　Somewhere　down　beyond　must　have　lain
the　desert；　but　it　was　not　in　sight。

〃I　see　turkeys　'way　down　there；〃　said　Roy；　backing　away。
〃We'll　go　down　and　around　an'　mebbe　I'll　get　a　shot。〃

Descent　beyond　a　rocky　point　was　made　through　thick　brush。
This　slope　consisted　of　wide　benches　covered　with　copses　and
scattered　pines　and　many　oaks。　　Helen　was　delighted　to　see
the　familiar　trees；　although　these　were　different　from
Missouri　oaks。　　Rugged　and　gnarled；　but　not　tall；　these　trees
spread　wide　branches；　the　leaves　of　which　were　yellowing。
Roy　led　into　a　grassy　glade；　and；　leaping　off　his　horse；
rifle　in　hand；　he　prepared　to　shoot　at　something。　　Again　Bo
cried　out；　but　this　time　it　was　in　delight。　　Then　Helen　saw
an　immense　flock　of　turkeys；　apparently　like　the　turkeys　she
knew　at　home；　but　these　had　bronze　and　checks　of　white；　and
they　looked　wild。　　There　must　have　been　a　hundred　in　the
flock；　most　of　them　hens。　　A　few　gobblers　on　the　far　side
began　the　flight；　running　swiftly　off。　　Helen　plainly　heard
the　thud　of　their　feet。　　Roy　shot　once　　twice　　three
times。　　Then　rose　a　great　commotion。　　and　thumping；　and　a　loud
roar　of　many　wings。　　Dust　and　leaves　whirling　in　the　air　were
left　where　the　turkeys　had　been。

〃Wal；　I　got　two；〃　said　Roy；　and　he　strode　forward　to　pick　up
his　game。　　Returning；　he　tied　two　shiny；　plump　gobblers　back
of　his　saddle　and　remounted　his　horse。　　〃We'll　have　turkey
to…night；　if　Milt　gets　to　camp　in　time。〃

The　ride　was　resumed。　　Helen　never　would　have　tired　riding
through　those　oak　groves；　brown　and　sear　and　yellow；　with
leaves　and　acorns　falling。

〃Bears　have　been　workin'　in　here　already；〃　said　Roy。　　〃I　see
tracks　all　over。　　They　eat　acorns　in　the　fall。　　An'　mebbe
we'll　run　into　one　yet。〃

The　farther　down　he　led　the　wilder　and　thicker　grew　the
trees；　so　that　dodging　branches　was　no　light　task。　　Ranger
did　not　seem　to　care　how　close　he　passed　a　tree　or　under　a
limb；　so　that　he　missed　them　himself；　but　Helen　thereby　got
some　additional　bruises。　　Particularly　hard　was　it；　when
passing　a　tree；　to　get　her　knee　out　of　the　way　in　time。

Roy　halted　next　at　what　appeared　a　large　green　pond　full　of
vegetation　and　in　places　covered　with　a　thick　scum。　　But　it
had　a　current　and　an　outlet；　proving　it　to　be　a　huge；
spring。　　Roy　pointed　down　at　a　muddy　place。

〃Bear…wallow。　　He　heard　us　comin'。　　Look　at　thet　little　track。
Cub　track。　　An'　look　at　these　scratches　on　this　tree；　higher
'n　my　head。　　An　old　she…bear　stood　up；　an'　scratched　them。〃

Roy　sat　his　saddle　and　reached　up　to　touch　fresh　marks　on
the　tree。

〃Woods's　full　of　big　bears；〃　he　said；　grinning。　　〃An'　I　take
it　particular　kind　of　this　old　she　rustlin'　off　with　her
cub。　　She…bears　with　cubs　are　dangerous。〃

The　next　place　to　stir　Helen　to　enthusiasm　was　the　glen　at
the　bottom　of　this　canuon。　　Beech…trees；　maples；　aspens；
overtopped　by　lofty　pines；　made　dense　shade　over　a　brook
where　trout　splashed　on　the　brown；　swirling　current；　and
leaves　drifted　down；　and　stray　flecks　of　golden　sunlight
lightened　the　gloom。　　Here　was　hard　riding　to　and　fro　across
the　brook；　between　huge　mossy　boulders；　and　between　aspens
so　close　together　that　Helen　could　scarce　squeeze　her　knees
through。

Once　more　Roy　climbed　out　of　that　canuon；　over　a　ridge　into
another；　down　long　wooded　slopes　and　through　scrub…oak
thickets；　on　and　on　till　the　sun　stood　straight　overhead。
Then　he　halted　for　a　short　rest；　unsaddled　the　horses　to　let
them　roll；　and　gave　the　girls　some　cold　lunch　that　he　had
packed。　　He　strolled　off　with　his　gun；　and；　upon　returning；
resaddled　and　gave　the　word　to　start。

That　was　the　last　of　rest　and　easy　traveling　for　the　girls。
The　forest　that　he　struck　into　seemed　ribbed　like　a
washboard　with　deep　ravines　so　steep　of　slope　as　to　make
precarious　travel。　　Mostly　he　kept　to　the　bottom　where　dry
washes　afforded　a　kind　of　trail。　　But　it　was　necessary　to
cross　these　ravines　when　they　were　too　long　to　be　headed；
and　this　crossing　was　work。

The　locust　thickets　characteristic　of　these　slopes　were
thorny　and　close　knit。　　They　tore　and　scratched　and　stung
both　horses　and　riders。　　Ranger　appeared　to　be　the　most
intelligent　of　the　horses　and　suffered　less。　　Bo's　white
mustang　dragged　her　through　more　than　one　brambly　place。　　On
the　other　hand；　some　of　these　steep　slopes；　were
comparatively　free　of　underbrush。　　Great　firs　and　pines
loomed　up　on　all　sides。　　The　earth　was　soft　and　the　hoofs
sank　deep。　　Toward　the　bottom　of　a　descent　Ranger　would　brace
his　front　feet　and　then　slide　down　on　his　haunches。　　This
mode　facilitated　travel；　but　it　frightened　Helen。　　The　climb
out　then　on　the　other　side　had　to　be　done　on　foot。

After　half　a　dozen　slopes　surmounted　in　this　way　Helen's
strength　was　spent　and　her　breath　was　gone。　　She　felt
light…headed。　　She　could　not　get　enough　air。　　Her　feet　felt
like　lead；　and　her　riding…coat　was　a　burden。　　A　hundred
times；　hot　and　wet　and　throbbing；　she　was　compelled　to　stop。
Always　she　had　been　a　splendid　walker　and　climber。　　And　here；
to　break　up　the　long　ride；　she　was　glad　to　be　on　her　feet。
But　she　could　only　drag　one　foot　up　after　the　other。　　Then；
when　her　nose　began　to　bleed；　she　realized　that　it　was　the
elevation　which　was　causing　all　the　trouble。　　Her　heart；
however；　did　not　hurt　her；　though　she　was　conscious　of　an
oppression　on　her　breast。

At　last　Roy　led　into　a　ravine　so　deep　and　wide　and　full　of
forest　verdure　that　it　appeared　impossible　to　cross。
Nevertheless；　he　started　down；　dismounting　after　a　little
way。　　Helen　found　that　leading　Ranger　down　was　worse　than
riding　him。　　He　came　fast　and　he　would　step　right　in　her
tracks。　　She　was　not　quick　enough　to　get；　away　from　him。
Twice　he　stepped　on　her　foot；　and　again　his　broad　chest　hit
her　shoulder　and　threw　her　flat。　　When　he　began　to　slide；
near　the　bottom；　Helen　had　to　run　for　her　life。

〃Oh；　Nell！　　Isn't　　this　　great？〃　panted　Bo；　from
somewhere　ahead。

〃Bo　　your　　mind's　　gone；〃　panted　Helen；　in　reply。

Roy　tried　several　places　to　climb　out；　and　failed　in　each。
Leading　down　the　ravine　for　a　hundred　yards　or　more；　he
essayed　another　attempt。　　Here　there　had　been　a　slide；　and　in
part　the　earth　was　bare。　　When　he　had　worked　up　this；　he
halted　above；　and　called：

〃Bad　place！　　Keep　on　the　up　side　of　the　hosses！〃

This　appeared　easier　said　than　done。　　Helen　could　not　watch
Bo；　because　Ranger　would　not　wait。　　He　pulled　at　the　bridle
and　snorted。

〃Faster　you　come　the　better；〃　called　Roy。

Helen　could　not　see　the　sense　of　that；　but　she　tried。　　Roy
and　Bo　had　dug　a　deep　trail　zigzag　up　that　treacherous
slide。　　Helen　made　the　mistake　of　starting　to　follow　in　their
tracks；　and　when　she　realized　this　Ranger　was　climbing　fast；
almost　dragging　her；　and　it　was　too　late　to　get　above。　　Helen
began　to　labor。　　She　slid　down　right　in　front　of　Ranger。　　The
intelligent　animal；　with　a　snort；　plunged　out　of　the　trail
to　keep　from　stepping　on　her。　　Then　he　was　above　her。

〃Lookout　down　there；〃　yelled　Roy；　in　warning。　　〃Get　on　the　up
side！〃

But　that　did　not　appear　possible。　　The　earth　began　to　slide
under　Ranger；　and　that　impeded　Helen's　progress。　　He　got　in
advance　of　her；　straining　on　the　bridle。

〃Let　go！〃　yelled　Roy。

Helen　dropped　the　bridle　just　as　a　heavy　slide　began　to　move
with　Ranger。　　He　snorted　fiercely；　and；　rearing　high；　in　a
mighty　plunge　he　gained　solid　ground。　　Helen　was　buried　to
her　knees；　but；　extricating　herself；　she　crawled　to　a　safe
point　and　rested　before　climbing　farther。

〃Bad　cave…in；　thet；〃　was　Roy's　comment；　when　at　last　she
joined　him　and　Bo　at　the　top。

Roy　appeared　at　a　loss　as　to　which　way　to　go。　　He　rode　to
high　ground　and　looked　in　all　directions。　　To　Helen；　one　way
appeared　as　wild　and　rough　as　another；　and　all　was　yellow；
green；　and　black　under　the　westering　sun。　　Roy　rode　a　short
distance　in　one　direction；　then　changed　for　another。

Presently　he　stopped。

〃Wal；　I'm　shore　turned　round；〃　he　said。

〃You're　not　lost？〃　cried　Bo。

〃Reckon　I've　been　thet　for　a　couple　of　hours；〃　he　replied