Part 13 (1/2)
”Did you hear me shoot?” asked Bluff carelessly
”Why, yes, twice; and some time apart What was it--a crow or a jack-rabbit?”
Bluff only slanced at him
”What would you say that was, sir?” he asked, thrusting so back, Mr Mabie looked hastily at the hairy object
”An elk's tail, as sure as you live!” he re in a s to his feet
”Oh, you needn't get excited about it Do you see the dull spots on ht, just as I wanted to do with that bully good blade that was left behind; and if Reddy will only go back withthe old fellow in on a horse,” said Bluff coolly
”Countout of his i the bottle in which he was , too,” re from some other place
When the party started forth presently, there were six of them with the horse--the chu to believe you boys will corral everything in sight if you keep on the way you've started A grizzly, a sheep, and now an elk; and only thirty hours with me! H'a as I expected,” said the stock guests at the ranch
”Oh, we can pull a trigger, all right, sir, but there are a thousand things ant to know about these natives that books never teach I' up inforhed Frank
Incautiously, Bluff let fall certain words that gave Jerry a clue as to the true situation
”A tree! Shot him doard from a tree, eh? Now, since you've so frankly confessed thatstory, Bluff?” he cried
”There isn't much to it I saw the elk Then I shot him, and he fell over After that the elk saw me He chased me about a tree I res were after hio him just one better Then I found a chance to climb when the wounded elk stumbled After that I made a rope out of ht the barrel of un
That's all”
”A whole history in a nutshell But weto what you said at the start There are the three oaks growing in a clump Nohere's your dead elk?”
As Frank spoke he turned to Bluff That individual was staring around in evident bewilderlade, and this big tree is the one I cli there I _know_ he was dead when I bled him But I must be blind, for the elk certainly is not here now Oh! Did he coain, and run away?” said poor Bluff, in despair, looking at the tail, which he had thrust into his belt
CHAPTER XII
HARD LUCK
”Talk tohis shoulders
”But I tell you it was so!” asserted Bluff, firing up
”The boy is right,” said Mr Mabie, as he stepped forward and fastened his eyes upon the ground
Frank saw isso elk had been slain there ns of the blood that had flowed