Part 49 (1/2)

”It's different when the game hunts you, isn't it?” queried the senator's son.

”We must keep our eyes open, and our guns ready,” said Dave. ”Come ahead, that elk must be pretty hard hit by this time.”

Again they went on. They could hear the big game cras.h.i.+ng among the cedars. Evidently the elk was in such pain he did not know where to go.

”I see him!” cried Dave five minutes later, and pointed to a rocky elevation ahead. At the foot of the rocks stood the elk, glaring in rage at them. All of the young hunters elevated their firearms, and as they did this the big game charged them full tilt.

Crack! bang! crack! went the weapons, and the elk was halted in his course. He tried to come on, but in vain, and slowly swayed from side to side. Then he tried to retreat, but it was too late. With a snort he went over, kicking up big clods of gra.s.s as he did so. Then he gave a s.h.i.+ver and breathed his last.

”We've got him! We've got him!” cried Roger, exultantly, and began to caper about in his joy. ”Just think of it, Dave, two elk! Isn't that something to be proud of?”

”I think so,” answered Dave, his face beaming.

”I suppose the other elk is dead,” said Phil. ”But we'd better go back and make sure.”

”We don't want to leave this here,” said Roger, wistfully. ”That other hunter might come along and claim him.”

”I'll go back to where we left Todd, and you can watch this elk,” said Dave. ”I'll ask Todd what we had best do with both animals.”

”Can you find the way?” questioned Phil.

”I think so.”

Reloading his rifle, Dave set off for the spot where they had left the cowboy and the first elk. For a few minutes he followed the back trail with ease, then, almost before he was aware, he became mixed up and scarcely knew in what direction to turn.

”I suppose I might call out, or fire my rifle,” he mused. ”But if I do that the others may think I am in trouble.”

Looking around carefully, Dave set off once more, and presently reached a spot that looked familiar. On the ground he could see footprints and these he commenced to follow. But in a few minutes he found himself in a thicket he was sure he had never seen before.

”I am mixed up, and no mistake,” he murmured, his face falling. ”I shouldn't have been so sure of myself at the start. It isn't so easy as one thinks to find a trail among these rocks and bushes. I guess I had better call to Todd, and to the others.”

He set up a shout and waited for a reply. None came, and he shouted a second time. Then, from a distance, came a call.

”Well, I didn't think Todd was in that direction,” he said to himself.

”I am twisted and no mistake.”

Again he started off, and this time found himself skirting a series of loose rocks of various sizes. He was going down hill and occasionally loosened a round stone with his foot and sent it cras.h.i.+ng to a thicket of cedars below.

A hundred yards were covered when Dave heard the cry again. Now it was plainer, and it sounded a little like a call for help.

”Maybe Todd is in trouble,” he mused. ”Perhaps that elk got up and attacked him!” And with this thought in his mind he set off on a dog-trot in the direction of the voice he had heard.

It was dangerous among the loose stones, and once Dave went down and rolled over and over, coming pretty close to hitting his face and shooting off his rifle. As he picked himself up he heard a call quite plainly.

”Help! help! Somebody help me!”

”It must be Todd!” burst from the youth's lips, and now, in spite of the danger, he bounded from rock to rock down the slope. The call came from the left, and thither he made his way, halting in dismay as he came out on a little cliff.

At the foot of the cliff he saw the man who had uttered the call for aid. It was Hank Snogger. He was having a fierce face-to-face tussle with a big bear. His gun was on the ground and so was his sombrero, and in his hand he held his hunting knife. As Dave viewed the scene in horror, the bear made a pa.s.s with one forepaw and sent the hunting knife whirling from the cowboy's grasp. Then the bear closed in, as if to hug Snogger to death!