tales of trail and town-第35章

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'em；　or　mebbe　they　had　four　legs；　and　he's　huntin'　'em　yet。

Accidents！　　Now　I　never　thought　o'　that！　　Well；　when　you　come

across　him　and　THEM　ACCIDENTS；　you　just　whale　'em；　all　three！　　And

ye　won't　take　another　drink？　　Well；　so　long；　then！　　Gee　up！〃　　He

rolled　away；　with　a　laugh；　in　the　heavy　dust　kicked　up　by　his

plunging　mules；　and　the　master　made　his　way　back　to　the　schoolhouse。

His　quest　for　that　day　was　ended。



But　the　next　morning　he　was　both　astounded　and　relieved；　at　the

assembling　of　school；　to　find　the　three　truants　back　in　their

places。　　His　urgent　questioning　of　them　brought　only　the　one　and

same　response　from　each：　〃Got　lost　on　the　ridge。〃　　He　further

gathered　that　they　had　slept　out　for　two　nights；　and　were　together

all　the　time；　but　nothing　further；　and　no　details　were　given。　　The

master　was　puzzled。　　They　evidently　expected　punishment；　that　was

no　doubt　also　the　wish　of　their　parents；　but　if　their　story　was

true；　it　was　a　serious　question　if　he　ought　to　inflict　it。　　There

was　no　means　of　testing　their　statement；　there　was　equally　none　by

which　he　could　controvert　it。　　It　was　evident　that　the　whole　school

accepted　it　without　doubt；　whether　they　were　in　possession　of

details　gained　from　the　truants　themselves　which　they　had　withheld

from　him；　or　whether　from　some　larger　complicity　with　the　culprits；

he　could　not　say。　　He　told　them　gravely　that　he　should　withhold

equally　their　punishment　and　their　pardon　until　he　could　satisfy

himself　of　their　veracity；　and　that　there　had　been　no　premeditation

in　their　act。　　They　seemed　relieved；　but　here；　again；　he　could　not

tell　whether　it　sprang　from　confidence　in　their　own　integrity　or

merely　from　youthful　hopefulness　that　delayed　retribution　never

arrived！



It　was　a　month　before　their　secret　was　fully　disclosed。　　It　was

slowly　evolved　from　corroborating　circumstances；　but　always　with　a

shy　reluctance　from　the　boys　themselves；　and　a　surprise　that　any

one　should　think　it　of　importance。　　It　was　gathered　partly　from

details　picked　up　at　recess　or　on　the　playground；　from　the

voluntary　testimony　of　teamsters　and　packers；　from　a　record　in　the

county　newspaper；　but　always　shaping　itself　into　a　consecutive　and

harmonious　narrative。



It　was　a　story　so　replete　with　marvelous　escape　and　adventure　that

the　master　hesitated　to　accept　it　in　its　entirety　until　after　it

had　long　become　a　familiar　history；　and　was　even　forgotten　by　the

actors　themselves。　　And　even　now　he　transcribes　it　more　from　the

circumstances　that　surrounded　it　than　from　a　hope　that　the　story

will　be　believed。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WHAT　HAPPENED



Master　Provy　Smith　had　started　out　that　eventful　morning　with　the

intention　of　fighting　Master　Jackson　Tribbs　for　the　〃Kingship〃　of

Table　Ridgea　trifling　territory　of　ten　leagues　squareTribbs

having　infringed　on　his　boundaries　and　claimed　absolute　sovereignty

over　the　whole　mountain　range。　　Julian　Fleming　was　present　as

referee　and　bottle…holder。　　The　battle　ground　selected　was　the

highest　part　of　the　ridge。　　The　hour　was　six　o'clock；　which　would

allow　them　time　to　reach　school　before　its　opening；　with　all　traces

of　their　conflict　removed。　　The　air　was　crisp　and　cold；a　trifle

colder　than　usual；and　there　was　a　singular　thickening　of　the

sun's　rays　on　the　ridge；　which　made　the　distant　peaks　indistinct

and　ghostlike。　　However；　the　two　combatants　stripped　〃to　the　buff；〃

and　Fleming　patronizingly　took　position　at　the　〃corner；〃　leaning

upon　a　rifle；　which；　by　reason　of　his　superior　years；　and　the

wilderness　he　was　obliged　to　traverse　in　going　to　school；　his

father　had　lent　him　to　carry。　　It　was　that　day　a　providential

weapon。



Suddenly；　Fleming　uttered　the　word；　〃Sho！〃　　The　two　combatants

paused　in　their　first　〃squaring　off〃　to　see；　to　their　surprise；

that　their　referee　had　faced　round；　with　his　gun　in　his　hand；　and

was　staring　in　another　direction。



〃B'ar！〃　shouted　the　three　voices　together。　　A　huge　bear；　followed

by　its　cubs；　was　seen　stumbling　awkwardly　away　to　the　right；　making

for　the　timber　below。　　In　an　instant　the　boys　had　hurried　into

their　jackets　again；　and　the　glory　of　fight　was　forgotten　in　the

fever　of　the　chase。　　Why　should　they　pound　each　other　when　there

was　something　to　really　KILL？　　They　started　in　instant　pursuit；

Julian　leading。



But　the　wind　was　now　keen　and　bitter　in　their　faces；　and　that

peculiar　thickening　of　the　air　which　they　had　noticed　had　become

first　a　dark　blue　and　then　a　whitening　pall；　in　which　the　bear　was

lost。　　They　still　kept　on。　　Suddenly　Julian　felt　himself　struck

between　the　eyes　by　what　seemed　a　snowball；　and　his　companions　were

as　quickly　spattered　by　gouts　of　monstrous　clinging　snowflakes。

Others　as　quickly　followedit　was　not　snowing；　it　was　snowballing。

They　at　first　laughed；　affecting　to　retaliate　with　these　whirling；

flying　masses　shaken　like　clinging　feathers　from　a　pillow；　but　in　a

few　seconds　they　were　covered　from　head　to　foot　by　snow；　their

limbs　impeded　or　pinioned　against　them　by　its　weight；　their　breath

gone。　　They　stopped　blindly；　breathlessly。　　Then；　with　a　common

instinct；　they　turned　back。　　But　the　next　moment　they　heard　Julian

cry；　〃Look　out！〃　　Coming　towards　them　out　of　the　storm　was　the

bear；　who　had　evidently　turned　back　by　the　same　instinct。　　An

ungovernable　instinct　seized　the　younger　boys；　and　they　fled。　　But

Julian　stopped　with　leveled　rifle。　　The　bear　stopped　too；　with

sullen；　staring　eyes。　　But　the　eyes　that　glanced　along　the　rifle

were　young；　true；　and　steady。　　Julian　fired。　　The　hot　smoke　was

swept　back　by　the　gale　into　his　face；　but　the　bear　turned　and

disappeared　in　the　storm　again。　　Julian　ran　on　to　where　his

companions　had　halted　at　the　report；　a　little　ashamed　of　their

cowardice。　　〃Keep　on　that　way！〃　he　shouted　hoarsely。　　〃No　use

tryin'　to　go　where　the　b'ar　couldn't。　　Keep　on！〃



〃Keep　onwhar？　　There　ain't　no　trailno　nuthin'！〃　said　Jackson

querulously；　to　hold　down　a　rising　fear。　　It　was　true。　　The　trail

had　long　since　disappeared；　even　their　footprints　of　a　moment

before　were　filled　up　by　the　piling　snow；　they　were　isolated　in

this　stony　upland；　high　in　air；　without　a　rock　or　tree　to　guide

them　across　its　vast　white　level。　　They　were　bitterly　cold　and

benumbed。　　The　stimulus　of　the　storm　and　chase　had　passed；　but

Julian　kept　driving　them　before　him；　himself　driven　along　by　the

furious　blast；　yet　trying　to　keep　some　vague　course　along　the

waste。　　So　an　hour　passed。　　Then　the　wind　seemed　to　have　changed；

or　else　they　had　traveled　in　a　circlethey　knew　not　which；　but　the

snow　was　in　their　faces　now。　　But；　worst　of　all；　the　snow　had

changed　too；　it　no　longer　fell　in　huge　blue　flakes；　but　in　millions

of　stinging　gray　granules。　　Julian's　face　grew　hard　and　his　eyes

bright。　　He　knew　it　was　no　longer　a　snow…squall；　but　a　lasting

storm。　　He　stopped；　the　boys　tumbled　against　him。　　He　looked　at

them　with　a　strange　smile。



〃Hev　you　two　made　up？〃　he　said。



〃Noo！〃



〃Make　up；　then。〃



〃What？〃



〃Shake　hands。〃



They　clasped　each　other's　red；　benumbed　fingers　and　laughed；　albeit

a　little　frightened　at　Julian。　　〃Go　on！〃　he　said；　curtly。



They　went　on　dazedly；　stupidly；　for　another　hour。



Suddenly　Provy　Smith's　keen　eyes　sparkled。　　He　pointed　to　a

singular　irregular　mound　of　snow　before　them；　plainly　seen　above

the　dreary　level。　　Julian　ran　to　it　with　a　cry；　and　began　wildly

digging。　　〃I　knew　I　hit　him；〃　he　cried；　as　he　brushed　the　snow　from

a　huge　and　hairy　leg。　　It　was　the　beardead；　but　not　yet　cold。　　He

had　succumbed　with　his　huge　back　to　the　blast；　the　snow　piling　a

bulwark　behind　him；　where　it　had　slowly　roofed　him　in。　　The　half…

frozen　lads　threw　themselves　fearlessly　against　his　furry　coat　and

crept　between　his　legs；　nestling　themselves　beneath　his　still　warm

body　with　screams　of　joy。　　The　snow　they　had　thrown　back　increased

the　bulwark；　and　drifting　over　it；　in　a　few　moments　inclosed　them

in　a　thin　shell　of　snow。　　Thoroughly　exhausted；　after　a　few　grunts

of　satisfaction；　a　deep　sleep　fell　upon　them；　from　which　they　were

awakened　only　by　the　pangs　of　hunger。　　Alas！　their　dinnersthe

school　dinnershad　been　left　on　the　inglorious　battlefield。

Nevertheless；　they　talked　of　eating　the　bear　if　it　came　to　the

worst。　　They　would　have　tried　it　even　then；　but　they　were　far　above

the　belt　of　timber；　they　had　matcheswhat　boy　has　not？but　no

WOOD。　　Still；　they　were　reassured；　and　even　delighted；　with　this

prospect；　and　so　fell　asleep　again；　stewing　with　the　dead　bear　in

the　half…impervious　snow；　and　woke　up　in　the　morning　ravenous；　yet

to　see　the　sun　shining　in　their　faces　through　the　melted　snow；　and

for　Jackson　Tribbs　to　quickly　discover；　four　miles　away　as　the　crow

flies；　the　cabin　of　his　father　among　the　flaming　sumacs。



They　started　up　in　the　glare　of　the　sun；　which　at　first　almost

blinded　them。　　They　then　discovered　that　they　were　in　a　depression

of　the　table…land　that　sloped　before　them　to　a　deep　gully　in　the

mountainside；　which　again　dropped　into　the　canyon　below。　　The　trail

they　had　lost；　they　now　remembered；　must　be　near　this　edge。　　But　it

was　still　hidden；　and　in　seeking　it　there　was　danger　of　some　fatal

misstep　in　the　treacherous　snow。　　Nevertheless；　they　sallied　out

bravely；　although　they　would　fain　have　stopped　to　skin　the　bear；

but　Julian's　mandate　was　peremptory。　　They　spread　themselves　along

the　ridge；　at　times　scraping　the　loose　snow　away　in　their　search

for　the　lost　trail。



Suddenly　they　all　slipped　and　fell；　but　rose　again　quickly；

laughing。　　Then　they　slipped　and　fell　again；　but　this　time　with　the

startling　consciousness　that　it　was　not　THEY　who　had　slipped；　but

THE　SNOW！　　As　they　regained　their　feet　they　could　plainly　see　now

that　a　large　crack　on　the　white　field；　some　twenty　feet　in　width；

extended　between　them　and　the　carcass　of　the　bear；　showing　the

glistening　rock　below。　　Again　they　were　thrown　down　with　a　sharp

shock。　　Jackson　Tribbs；　who　had　been　showing　a　strange　excitement；

suddenly　gave　a　cry　of　warning。　　〃Lie　flat；　fellers！　but　keep　a…

crawlin'　and　jumpin'。　　We're　goin'　down　a　slide！〃　　And　the　next

moment　they　were　sliding　and　tossing；　apparently　with　the　whole

snow…field；　down　towards　the　gullied　precipice。



What　happened　after　this；　and　how　long　it　lasted；　they　never　knew。

For；　hurried　along　with　increasing　momentum；　but　always

mechanically　clutching　at　the　snow；　and　bounding　from　it　as　they

swept　on；　they　sometimes　lost　breath；　and　even　consciousness。　　At

times　they　were　half　suffocated　in　rolling　masses　of　drift；　and

again　free　and　skimming　over　its　arrested　surface；　but　always

falling；　as　it　seemed　to　them；　almost　perpendicularly。　　In　one　of

these　shocks　they　seemed　to　be　going　through　a　thicket　of

underbrush；　but　Provy　Smith　knew　that　they　were　the　tops　of　pine…

trees。　　At　last　there　was　one　shock　longer　and　lasting；　followed　by

a　deep