Part 35 (2/2)
”Maybe he's a Western boy,” laughed Sam.
”He is. His father owns a big cattle ranch there, and Sanders learned to shoot while rounding up cattle. He's a tip-top fellow.”
They had pa.s.sed over a small plain and were now working along a series of rough rocks overgrown with scrub brush and creeping vines full of thorns. The thorns stuck everybody but Cujo, who knew exactly how to avoid them.
”Ise dun got scratched in 'steen thousand places,” groaned Aleck.
”Dis am worse dan a bramble bush twice ober, by golly!”
For two days the united expeditions kept on their way up the mountain side, which sloped gradually at its base, the steeper portion still being several days' journey distant.
During these days they shot several wild animals including a beautiful antelope, while Sam caught a monkey. But the monkey bit the boy in the shoulder, and Sam was glad enough to get rid of the mischievous creature.
On the afternoon of the second day Cujo, who was slightly in advance of the others, called a halt.
”Two men ahead ob us, up um mountain,” he said. ”Cujo Vink one of dern King Susko.”
”I hope it is!” cried d.i.c.k quickly.
The discovery was talked over for a few minutes, and it was decided that Cujo should go ahead, accompanied by Randolph Rover and d.i.c.k. The others were to remain on guard for anything which might turn up.
d.i.c.k felt his heart beat rapidly as he advanced with his uncle and the African guide through the tangle of thorns and over the rough rocks. He felt that by getting closer to King Susko, he was also getting closer to the mystery which surrounded his father's disappearance.
”Dar him am!” whispered Cujo, presently. ”See, da is gwine up into a big hole in de side ob de mountain?”
”Can you make out if it is Susko or not?”
”Not fo' certain, Ma.s.sah d.i.c.k. But him belong to de Burnwo tribe, an' de udder man too.”
”If they are all alone it will be an easy matter to capture them,”
said Randolph Rover. ”All told, we are twelve to two.”
”They have disappeared into the cave.” Cried d.i.c.k a minute later.
”Come on, and we'll soon know something worth knowing, I feel certain of it.”
Cujo now asked that he be allowed to proceed alone, to make certain that no others of the Burnwo tribe were in the vicinity.
”We must be werry careful,” he said. ”Burnwos kill eberybody wot da find around here if not dare people.”
”Evidently they want to keep the whole mountain of gold to themselves,” observed d.i.c.k. ”All right, Cujo, do as you think best--I know we can rely upon you.”
After this they proceeded with more care than ever-along a rocky edge covered with loose stones. To one side was the mountain, to the other a sheer descent of several hundred feet, and the footpath was not over a yard wide.
”A tumble here would be a serious matter,” said Randolph Rover.
”Take good care, d.i.c.k, that you don't step on a rolling stone.”
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