CHAPTER XVI.
DOWN THE SLOPE.
"The first thing, then, is to toss this feller overboard," remarkedStep Hen, as he proudly touched the dead big-horn with the toe of hisshoe, and tried to assume the air of a conquering hero; but his facewas so sore, and his appearance so remarkable, that apparently hismanner did not impress the guide very much.
"The sooner you get to water, and wash them scratches, the better,"said Toby. "I've knowed more'n one feller have a bad time from gettin'clawed by eagles; and the doctor said as how 'twar bloodpoisonin'-like. But seems to me most of that might a kim from youbein' hit by their wings."
"Just what it did," replied Step Hen, though he looked a bit anxious."And goodness gracious! how they could hit with 'em, though. Felt likeyou'd run against an electric fan, or something like that. Busted theskin every time too, and made the blood come. But never mind aboutthat, Toby; shall I shove this thing over now?"
"Just as you say," replied the guide; "we'll be apt to find it when weget down; which I hope we can do and be safe, and sound in limb."
Apparently Toby was a little anxious himself about the result of thenext step on the programme. The scout accordingly worked the deadsheep loose, and cast it over the edge. He watched it go bounding downwith considerable apprehension that the other did not comprehend,until he heard Step Hen remark in a relieved tone:
"Didn't break either horn; that's all hunky dory!"
"Don't you think we ort to let the rest know what we're expectin' todo?" suggested the guide just then.
"Why, that's a good idea, Toby," replied Step Hen. "And while wecan't see our chums, there's a way of communicatin' with 'em. Anyhow,I c'n tell 'em to send down a piece of string, and pull up a messageI'll write. Davy Jones knows the code enough for that."
He began making a series of queer sounds, that at first considerablyamused the old guide; but when an answer came from far above, Tobyrealized that there did promise to be more merit in the signal code ofthe scouts.
Then a little later Step Hen exclaimed triumphantly:
"Here comes the end of the string, Toby, with a stone tied to it. Ifthey can swing it in now, we'll be able to fasten this message I'vewritten to the end of it, and send it up. Then the boys will know whatwe expect to do; and they'll try and get down some other way, to joinus before night comes on. Because it'd be kind of tough if we couldn'tbunk together through the night."
After some manipulation with the piece of broken branch they succeededin getting hold of the dangling cord, which Smithy had carried alongwith him, because of some reason or other, possibly from the sameprinciple that caused Bumpus to carry that rope around wherever hewent, thinking that it might come in handy sometime or other.
Having dispatched the note to the other scouts by means of the cordchannel, Step Hen and the guide started to descend from their perch.
The way was anything but easy, especially to the boy. He had beenweakened more than he realized by his hard struggle with those twofierce eagles. And perhaps his numerous wounds, slight as they seemedon the surface, made him less capable of keeping such a firm grip ashe had before reaching the ledge. But the same old indomitable pluckheld good. When a drop of perspiration, mingled with blood from thosescratches, dimmed his vision, Step Hen would dash one hand impatientlyacross his eyes, and then go right on clambering downward.
Toby kept as near the boy as he could. Had he possessed a rope hewould certainly have fastened himself to Step Hen, as a means ofprotecting the lad against an ugly fall; just as the glacier climbersdo when ascending to the snow-covered summit of some lofty mountainpeak; so that should one slip, another, having a firm hold at thetime, could bear him up.
Again and again he cautioned his companion against trusting his weighton some inviting projecting knob of stone, which he himself had tried,and found wanting; for the guide had insisted on going first as a sortof pilot; when his real object was to be in position to clutch hold ofthe boy, if possible, should Step Hen make a bad move and fall.
But they finally managed to reach the bottom without any accidenthappening, for which both of them were thankful enough. They threwthemselves upon the rocks, utterly exhausted, and panting for breath.Step Hen was indeed very near a complete collapse; for the boy hadbeen under a terrible strain recently, both mentally and bodily.
After a little, however, when he had pumped much good air into hissystem, and regained some of his lost breath, Step Hen remembered.
"I hadn't ought to be lyin' around this way, when those fellers upyonder are all tied up in knots waitin' to know whether we've made theriffle, or got stuck part way down. So here goes to tell 'em. Theyknow from my note what we want 'em to try and do next."
So he started in again with those queer sounds that seemed to climb upthe face of the cliff as though on ladders that were invisible. Andthere came back similar sounds, which Step Hen listened to witheagerness, finally crying out:
"They understand that we're safe down here; and Davy says as how hethinks he knows a way to work around. And now, since we've got some timeon our hands, Toby, let's look about for a place to spend the night."
But Toby had not forgotten something that he had spoken of before.
"As for the camp, I'll take keer of that," he said; "while you dropdown aside this leetle crick here, and wash your face and hands. Thesooner ye git them 'ere scratches clean, the better, I reckon. Heapsof trouble kin grow out of a little keerlessness in that regard."
"I guess you're right," replied Step Hen, trying to make a grimace,but without much success, because the blood had dried on his face, andmade it feel as stiff as though it had been duly starched on a washdayat home.
So he complied with the ruling of the guide; and while the cool watermade his cuts smart more or less, to begin with, still there was asense of satisfaction in the cleanly feeling that soon followed.
When he got back to the side of the guide again Step Hen discoveredthat Toby had found the place he was looking for, close to where thebig-horn lay. Already smoke was beginning to rise, showing thatGiraffe might not be the only one in the party who knew just how to goabout making a cooking fire.
The scout watched Toby with considerable interest. He learned thatwhen a man has lived all his life in the borderland, he has picked upa good many useful little wrinkles that a wideawake scout ought toknow; and Step Hen determined to profit by his experience in thecompany of Toby Smathers.
Besides, now that all the excitement was over, Step Hen secretlyconfessed to feeling more or less tired; though had any of his matesbeen around, he would doubtless have scorned to display this fact. Itwas nice to just stretch out by the cheery blaze, and see some oneelse quite willing to do the work.
The guide was only too glad to assume all the burden of gettingsupper, such as it promised to be. Secretly he was proud of Step Hen.He had started in with rather a poor opinion of the boy's qualities,and thought him given somewhat to boasting, and practical jokes. Buthe had found that he was full of grit, gave promise of being a goodhunter, and was ready to attempt any sort of task, it mattered not howdifficult.
The way Step Hen fought those two eagles, alone and unaided, on thatnarrow ledge, had aroused the ardent admiration of Toby. While heworked, he cast many a secret glance toward where Step Hen wasstretched out; and each time the guide would give a little satisfiednod, and a chuckle, just as though he were passing a criticaljudgment, and saying to himself:
"All wool, and a yard wide; he'll do, I sure reckons. He's got thereal stuff in him, anybody with one eye kin see. And I'm sure goin' totell Mr. Scout Master that same, too. He deserves to be put up a fewnotches arter this."
Could Step Hen but have read what was passing through Toby's mind justthen, he would have thrilled with deepest satisfaction. Why, thelaurel wreath of the victor could not have given him one half thesolid pleasure that would come could he but know he had won theadmiration of this experienced forest ranger, and trapper-guide.
Meanwhile, after he had the cooking fire
under full way, Tobyproceeded to skin the Rocky mountain sheep, making sure to handle theexcellent horns carefully, as Step Hen begged, since they were almostperfect.
"He ain't a youngster, and at the same time he don't seem to be so_very_ old," the guide remarked, as he worked, cutting up the sheep;"so, p'raps we kin get our teeth workin' on him some. I never was muchof a hand for this sorter meat; but in such a pinch as this I kin eateven mutton. Anyhow, it'll sure keep us from goin' hungry, and that'sthe game right now. I hopes as how the other boys kin get here aforedark sets in."
"That makes me remember I'm neglecting my duty; because I ought to belettin' out a whoop now and then, just to sort of guide Davy andSmithers."
With that Step Hen managed to get to his feet, though he was surprisedto find how stiff he had become, just sitting there. Toby grinned tosee him wince, as he stretched first one arm, and then a leg. He knewwhat it meant. The strain of the recent engagement on the ledge,besides all that hanging desperately to the face of the precipice,was telling on the boy's muscles.
When Step Hen let out a loud cry, he was pleased to get a response inthe well-known voice of Davy Jones. The call came from a point not faraway, and Toby immediately declared that the other scouts must beabout half-way down.
"They're agoin' to make it, all right, I do believe!" Step Henexclaimed.
"Looks that way, for a fact," the guide responded.
The day was almost done, at least down at the foot of that great wallthat stretched upward for hundreds of feet. Lying there, resting theback of his head on both hands, and looking upward to where somebuzzards were wheeling against the sky, Step Hen could hardly believethat he had actually descended all that distance in safety. Heshuddered as he contemplated what an ugly tumble he must haveexperienced, if those fighting eagles had succeeded in knocking himoff the ledge.
And just as the shades of approaching night began to gather aroundthem, with a rather appetizing odor from cooking meat filling theimmediate neighborhood, there came a hail from a point close at hand.
"Hello! there, glad to see you're able to sit up, and take notice,after all the row you kicked up. First thing Smithy and me want toknow is, what under the sun was it all about?" and with these wordsthe two scouts staggered into camp, throwing themselves wearily downbeside their chum.
Boy Scouts in the Rockies; Or, The Secret of the Hidden Silver Mine Page 16
