Part 10 (2/2)
”What's that?” asked Jerry, for no one had been told about the loss that had come to Bluff
”Can't find that knife of his anywhere, it see hty blue when I found him in the room, with all our stuff tumbled, pell-mell, out of the trunk”
Frank eyed his chuuilty, Frank! I give you my word I never touched the measly old knife I'reat stunts with it I'll take a look aze in such a straightforward fashi+on that Frank never doubted his word for an instant
”No use doing that He rooted the whole outfit over The knife is gone, and that's sure! I've been thinking soht idea, I warrant What's your solution of the mystery?”
”Why, you see, Jerry, I can clearly recollect Nellie's startled look when Bluff showed her that terribly large knife She's afraid of such things I'--”
”What?”
”That perhaps she may have considered it prudent to hide it away so that he couldn't find it again I believe she would in my case, anyhow It would be just like Nellie”
”Oh, well, it doesn'the'll never give us any peace about it Have you asked Will?”
said Jerry
”No I will, though; but I don't think he would bother his head about a dozen knives If it were a camera, now, or a rapid-action rectilinear lens, you could depend on hiood as his word Will denied having touched the article in question, and said he was sorry to hear Bluff would be deprived of a pleasure
And so for the ti theinto that trunk in a vain search, and always sighing ht
The boys bunked in one big room It was veryback pleasant memories whenever they looked at the rather clever view Will et of the interior, with his chu there was pretty much of a bustle around the ranch house
”Ready, boys?” called Mr Mabie, as he appeared with his gun strapped across his back, as the easiest way of carrying it
A chorus of affirreeted his question
”Then ht with the tents and foodstuff, so that we'll find things in pretty round”
”Say, they do things right out in this big country, eh?” said Bluff to Frank as the two of the was fair and the air sharp enough to be bracing
”Never saw anything to equal the atside ”There seems to be a tonic in it that even we do not have up in Maine or the Adirondacks Itall the time”
”Everybody says the sarow accusto tone, and quiet down It is caused by the dry air We are a long way frohty mountains to the west act as a buffer to thethe valley, they were soon penetrating areat uplifts, the tops of which bore eternal snow
Wilder grew the scenery as they penetrated deeper into the wilderness
Frank and his chus At the saaenerally forged to the front
It was Frank, however, who first chanced to spy so up yonder, Mr Mabie? There! Look! I declare if it didn't juh rock to the other! Is that a Rocky Mountain sheep, sir?” he asked