Part 46 (1/2)
”We'll have a dandy fish supper!” cried Roger, smacking his lips.
”It will be a change from the venison, and I'll be glad of it,” returned Dave.
”I am going to try my luck for a short while up the stream,” called out Phil, who was some distance away from the others.
”Don't go too far,” said Dave. ”I am going to rest here,” and he threw himself on the gra.s.s, and Roger followed his example.
The two boys left behind rested for the best part of half an hour. Then, thinking it was time for Phil to rejoin them, they called their chum's name.
No answer came back, and, walking up the stream a short distance, Dave repeated the call. Still there was no reply.
”That's queer,” he told Roger. ”I wonder why he doesn't reply?”
”I am sure I don't know,” said the senator's son. ”Let us look for him.”
And both started after Phil, wondering what could be wrong.
CHAPTER XXVIII
UP TO THE MOUNTAIN TOP
Dave and Roger walked up the stream a distance of several hundred yards.
They continued to call Phil's name, but as before, no answer came back.
”I must confess, Roger, I don't like the looks of things,” said Dave, gravely. ”If Phil was all right, he'd surely answer us.”
”I think so myself, Dave--unless he was only fooling us.”
”I don't think he'd do that, under the circ.u.mstances. He'd know we would be greatly worried.”
On walked the two chums, until they reached a point where the mountain stream came tumbling over some great rocks. Here they found Phil's fis.h.i.+ng rod and also the string of fish he had caught.
”Gracious, Dave! Supposing some wild animal has carried him off!”
e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the senator's son.
Dave did not reply, for he knew not what to say. He advanced to the top of the rocks and peered over on the other side.
”There he is!” he shouted. ”Phil! Phil! Are you hurt?” he called.
Only a faint moan came back, and scrambling up the rocks beside Dave, Roger saw the trouble. Phil had slipped from the rocks into the mountain torrent. In going down his legs had caught in an opening below, and there he was held, in water up to his knees, while the water from some rocks above was pouring in a steady stream over his left shoulder.
”Can't you get up, Phil?” asked Dave.
”Hel--help!” was the only answer, delivered in such a low tone that the boys on the rocks could scarcely hear it.
”He can't aid himself, that is sure,” murmured Dave. ”Roger, we have got to get him out of that--before that water pouring over his shoulder carries him down!”
Both boys looked around anxiously. Phil was all of fifteen feet below them and there seemed to be no way of reaching the locality short of jumping, and neither wanted to risk doing that.
”If we only had a rope,” said Roger.