Part 7 (1/2)

”Lay it to the gun,” chuckled Felix; ”all you have to do is to stick that shooting-iron out, and shut your eyes as you pull trigger. It does all the rest.”

”Yes, and goes out to retrieve your game besides,” added Tom, with a laugh. ”The gun's all right, and I've used it enough to know what it can do; but there's a whole lot in the fellow behind the gun, as they say in the navy.”

”By the way, Tom, you'd better tell me if you think there's any chance of my getting lost in these same old woods. I don't know half as much as you do about finding my way about; and I used to have the greatest weakness for losing my bearings you ever saw, some time back. Yes, I studied up all the known ways for telling the direction, if I lost my compa.s.s and could point out north as well as the next fellow; but the trouble with me was, I couldn't say whether camp meant north, south, east or west, most of the time. Of course, here I'd have the mountains to guide me; and besides, I've got a bully little compa.s.s somewhere around; so I don't think I'll worry about it. And even if I did stray off, it could only be for a night. After several stabs at it, I'd be sure to arrive at the proper direction.”

”I don't believe you would lose yourself around here if you tried, Felix,” a.s.serted Tom, positively. ”You're only saying that to josh me.

But I'm not going to let it bother me any. If you don't turn up, why, I'll be on your trail in the morning.” Tom said this jokingly, never dreaming that he might have a chance to put his words into practice so soon.

He, himself, had never been lost in all his life. Like the homing pigeon, Tom seemed to have some sort of instinct that, under all circ.u.mstances, allowed him to face toward home when he wanted to turn that way. And he could not understand how anyone could make such mountains out of mole-hills. Why, all they had to do was to use their eyes, and what sense lay in their head, in order to figure out just how to head to get back to their starting point.

And yet you could drop Felix down into the heart of a strange city, even great London, and he would presently be able to find his way around, so that in a week's time the streets would be as familiar to him as those of his native town; while probably Tom Tucker would have to be escorted to his hotel by the police every time he sauntered forth. He was used to one thing, and Felix another.

When two hours had pa.s.sed Tom, seeing that his companion had not made any sign of going forth began to ask questions.

”Give up the idea of that little hunt for today, Felix?”

”Oh! no,” was the reply, as the other got up and stretched himself, for he had been busying himself with some small job that allowed of sitting.

”Better be moving, then, or you'll be caught by darkness away from camp; and then you'll have to try bunking alone for once,” suggested the other.

”That's so,” Felix went on, beginning to buckle on his ammunition belt, and put a few things in the pockets of his coat, the sight of which made Tom elevate his eyebrows.

”Don't mean to take any chances, eh?” he remarked.

”Oh! well, there's no telling, and you yourself always say its best to be prepared. I expect to be back inside of two hours at the most, however,” and Felix picked up his gun, showing that he was now ready to start.

”And I expect to have a lot of things done by the time you do come back,” remarked Tom. ”If you're lucky enough to get your deer, perhaps you'd better only bring home the saddle, and leave the rest for tomorrow.”

”You're saying that because you know I'm not built along the same husky lines you are,” declared Felix; ”but lots of times these thin fellows can show plenty of grit and carrying power. So-long, Tom.”

”And Felix,” called out the other, as an after thought, ”if you happen to run up against any of those fellows like Abe Cozzins and Perley Kline,--you remember Frazer telling us about their stamp, don't you?--better give 'em a wide berth. We know they're being looked for by the Government men, and p'raps they know it too, so they may feel ugly toward every one. If we were together I wouldn't think much of it; but you haven't rubbed up against that sort of border scoundrel as much as I have. Be careful, won't you?”

”I guess I will, Tom; and don't worry about me.”

With that Felix was gone, his gun over his shoulder, and not a sign of his recent weariness to be seen about his quick, springy step, Tom noticed, with satisfaction.

The time pa.s.sed rapidly to the boy who was so busy in camp. In fact, he hardly noticed its pa.s.sage, and when he heard a distant shot, soon followed by a second, he was astonished to find that two hours had really gone.

”That sounded as though he'd struck something worth while,” Tom was saying to himself, with a smile, once more turning his attention to whatever it was at which he chanced to be working at the time. ”But unless he hurries in his work, it'll come on dark before he gets back.

At this time of year night just seems to be in the tallest kind of a hurry to get a move on the daylight.”

And indeed, as the dusk deepened, and he saw nothing of his chum, Tom went to the open door many times, wondering whether after all Felix might not have wandered so far afield that his own laughing prediction was being fulfilled, and that in truth he was temporarily lost.

But Tom, having prepared supper for two, waited a long time before he would sit down alone to eat his portion. As Felix was still absent the Western boy began to feel more or less worried. He had thought there could be little or no danger in those woods at the base of the Rockies; but now, with the absence of his chum, he began to see all sorts of evil things that might have come upon Felix, rather unused to these vast ranges of wilderness, so different from those he was accustomed to roaming in the Far East.

Later grew the hour, and Tom realized that the matter was getting a bit serious. He even went out, and fired his gun three times in rapid succession; and then listened eagerly; but there was no air stirring to carry sounds, and only the melancholy hooting of an owl up among the cliffs far away answered him.

CHAPTER VII