CHAPTER XIXTaking Great Chances
Jack could read his chum almost as easily as he might an open page. Consequently he readily surmised what was making the other feel so good—he saw Perk’s chest swell up, and his whole person partake of the joy that accompanied his secret thoughts. Not for worlds though would he wish to let the other know how it amused him.
“Let him enjoy the thrill while it lasts, the dear old chap,” he told himself in a whisper. “It isn’t often he plays the high hat role; and after all’s said and done his queer little gamedidpan out just fine—no shooting, or whooping things up; just making it hot for that ill-tempered live wire of a silvertop bear.”
What was causing Perk to feel so good was the thought of what would happen should any one ever again try to coax that identical bear to partake of the tempting fluid that had brought about his recent panic and flight.
“Me, I’d shore hate to be in his shoes, if that big hulk broke loose an’ made things fly,” was the way he wound up his soliloquy; when other more vital matters began to engage his attention.
It was by now long after noon, and as usual Perk had begun to feel a bit “queer” down in the pit of his stomach. For this feeling there was, as he very well understood, but one sovereign remedy. Accordingly he gave a little tug at his companion’s arm, and hastened to suggest:
“Jack, haow ’bout holdin’ up, an’ having aour lit snack—aint no tellin’ when a better chanct’ll come aour way, I kinder guess?”
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea, Perk; and to tell the truth I’m feeling as if I needed a bite or two so’s to keep up this climbing. Hold on, here’s as good a spot as any—let’s go!”
Two minutes afterwards and they were seated crosslegged on the ground, amidst a generous growth of covert, which would likely screen them effectually from any prying eyes.
Jack realized that by this time they must have climbed far enough up the mountainside to bring them fairly close to the opening of the pass that led into the valley of the giants.
If this were true then it behooved them to exercise a greater amount of caution than ever, lest they betray themselves to some vidette who might be posted near by.
With this idea in view he considered it the part of wisdom to take Perk into his confidence, so that as they exchanged views they could tone down their voices to the whispering stage.
Meanwhile Perk had produced the aforesaid “snack” in the shape of a small package, neatly done up by that efficient waiter friend, and containing, it turned out, another kind of sandwich, with a tasty brand of cheese as the “filler.”
“Jest didn’t dare try to hitch that ere tank o’ hot coffee along on this tough hike, partner,” explained Perk apologetically, after listening to the need of caution mentioned by Jack. “So we’ll have to munch this spread dry; or else locate a spring so’s to wet aour whistles.”
“That isn’t much of a hardship,” he was told; “but we may be lucky enough to run across fresh water; and you could fill that empty flask of yours if you wanted.”
“By gum! not a bad idee that, Pal Jack; shore I’ll do that same right willin’ly, if the chanct comes aour way. Haow ’bout the next move, sense it seems we’ve got this far okay?”
“I’ve been trying to figure that out,” Jack told him, reflectively it could be seen. “I’ve studied the conformation of the ground, which is something out of the general run; Simeon’s rude chart helped me a lot in the bargain. This enclosed valley, you understand, has high cliffs around it, with possibly only one way to go in and come out.”
“Yeah! I get yeou, buddy—meanin’ the queer pass that’s so narrow three hossmen couldn’t enter abreast—is that straight, Jack?”
“Absolutely so,” came the immediate reply, accompanied with a smile, as if it pleased Jack to understand how readily his comrade entered into the explanation he had offered. “That being the case it seems likely we might be able to keep on climbing until finally we reached a place where we could find a screen close to the top of such a cliff. That would give us a wonderful eyrie like an eagle would select to build her nest on; and from which place we could look down into the entire valley.”
“Hot-diggetty-dig! but woudn’t that be a scream, oh! boy?” gasped the deeply interested Perk, in whole-hearted enthusiasm, as he nodded his head in approval. “Let’s do jest that, then, partner. Why, with the glasses as I fetched along for keeps, we could spy aout everything we’d want to know, an’ mebbe find a way to git into the valley, withaout usin’ that guarded pass.”
“Just so, Perk, and I notice you’ve got a strangle hold on the situation, which pleases me a heap. You see, there were a few hints in what our good friend Simeon incorporated in his brief notes, that started such an idea in my brain; so once again we’re indebted to his scouting for putting us wise to a good thing.”
“Bully ole Simeon—he’s all wool an’ a yard wide I’m a tellin’ yeou Jack, as the boys used to say in aour village when I was a smart-aleck kid.”
“Then that’s settled,” Jack announced, with finality, “and we’ll keep on climbing after we get some rest, and finish our lunch. I’ve an idea I can catch the sweet song of a brook up above, so we’ll be able to wash down this dry stuff in fine style.”
“Good for that, partner,” gurgled Perk, with his mouth almost full, so that he was in danger of choking; and Jack, noting the fact, refrained from making any further remarks calculated to tempt the other to splutter out a reply, or a comment of some sort.
Once while thus engaged in “feeding,” as Perk always called the act of satisfying hunger, he chanced to lift his eyes above the high margin of the gully, and immediately stopped munching what he had in his mouth. Those sailing buzzards were still making their wide loops as they always do when scanning the face of the country for miles in search of their next meal; and somehow the very sight of them took away part of the satisfaction Perk was feeling in filling up a vacuum “down-below-stairs.”
“Drat the foul birds!” he muttered, half to himself; “they shore do make me tired with their everlasting wheelin’ an’ cavortin’, atryin’ to see what sorter grub we got daown here thet they’d like to gobble. Gosh all hemlock! haow I’d like to knock their red blocks off with a scatter-gun!”
Jack understood enough not to make any remark calculated to cause his pal to again worry his mind over what could not be remedied—the mysterious vanishing of poor Simeon Balderson. And presently Perk chirked up, as though he could put the grewsome matter out of his mind so long as he refrained from watching the constant evolutions of the carrion birds.
As they devoured their last sandwich, feeling as though they had had quite sufficient, somehow both were silent. Jack contemplated remaining there in that sheltered nook for a further brief rest, after which they would again take up the tedious and arduous climb.
“Mebbe we had orter be on the move, partner,” Perk finally suggested in a low whisper, just as though he feared lest a host of hostile ears might be hidden from sight by the nearby thickets. “I ’low I’m right daown thirsty, an’ a swig o’ that gurglin’ stream’d come in fine.”
“Just as you say, Perk,” with which remark Jack started to arise; and presently both were toiling upward, stepping carefully, and endeavoring not to brush against the branches of the stubby pinons as they advanced slowly on the way toward their goal.
A minute or so afterwards found them lying flat on the ground, swallowing generous quantities of the cold, icy water that was running down the rugged slope in a zigzag fashion, due to the innumerable obstacles that caused it to make little detours, since water must always seek its own level, and will find different means for so doing.
Suddenly Jack lifted his head, swallowing hastily, and made a low hissing sound that thrilled his companion.
“Voices near by—somebody coming this way, perhaps for a drink—we must get a move on or we’ll be discovered! After me, Perk, and be still as the grave,” was what Jack whispered in the ear of his mate as he commenced crawling away.