the last of the plainsmen-第41章

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t…up　condition　of　the　wall　made　holding　to　one　direction　impossible。　Soon　I　realized　I　was　lost　in　a　labyrinth。　I　tried　to　find　my　way　down　again；　but　the　best　I　could　do　was　to　reach　the　verge　of　a　cliff；　from　which　I　could　see　the　canyon。　Then　I　knew　where　I　was；　yet　I　did　not　know；　so　I　plodded　wearily　back。　Many　a　blind　cleft　did　I　ascend　in　the　maze　of　crags。　I　could　hardly　crawl　along；　still　I　kept　at　it；　for　the　place　was　conducive　to　dire　thoughts。　A　tower　of　Babel　menaced　me　with　tons　of　loose　shale。　A　tower　that　leaned　more　frightfully　than　the　Tower　of　Pisa　threatened　to　build　my　tomb。　Many　a　lighthouse…shaped　crag　sent　down　little　scattering　rocks　in　ominous　notice。

After　toiling　in　and　out　of　passageways　under　the　shadows　of　these　strangely　formed　cliffs；　and　coming　again　and　again　to　the　same　point；　a　blind　pocket；　I　grew　desperate。　I　named　the　baffling　place　Deception　Pass；　and　then　ran　down　a　slide。　I　knew　if　I　could　keep　my　feet　I　could　beat　the　avalanche。　More　by　good　luck　than　management　I　outran　the　roaring　stones　and　landed　safely。　Then　rounding　the　cliff　below；　I　found　myself　on　a　narrow　ledge；　with　a　wall　to　my　left；　and　to　the　right　the　tips　of　pinyon　trees　level　with　my　feet。

Innocently　and　wearily　I　passed　round　a　pillar…like　corner　of　wall；　to　come　face　to　face　with　an　old　lioness　and　cubs。　I　heard　the　mother　snarl；　and　at　the　same　time　her　ears　went　back　flat；　and　she　crouched。　The　same　fire　of　yellow　eyes；　the　same　grim　snarling　expression　so　familiar　in　my　mind　since　Old　Tom　had　leaped　at　me；　faced　me　here。

My　recent　vow　of　extermination　was　entirely　forgotten　and　one　frantic　spring　carried　me　over　the　ledge。

Crash！　I　felt　the　brushing　and　scratching　of　branches；　and　saw　a　green　blur。　I　went　down　straddling　limbs　and　hit　the　ground　with　a　thump。　Fortunately；　I　landed　mostly　on　my　feet；　in　sand；　and　suffered　no　serious　bruise。　But　I　was　stunned；　and　my　right　arm　was　numb　for　a　moment。　When　I　gathered　myself　together；　instead　of　being　grateful　the　ledge　had　not　been　on　the　face　of　Point　Sublimefrom　which　I　would　most　assuredly　have　leapedI　was　the　angriest　man　ever　let　loose　in　the　Grand　Canyon。

Of　course　the　cougars　were　far　on　their　way　by　that　time；　and　were　telling　neighbors　about　the　brave　hunter's　leap　for　life；　so　I　devoted　myself　to　further　efforts　to　find　an　outlet。　The　niche　I　had　jumped　into　opened　below；　as　did　most　of　the　breaks；　and　I　worked　out　of　it　to　the　base　of　the　rim　wall；　and　tramped　a　long；　long　mile　before　I　reached　my　own　trail　leading　down。　Resting　every　five　steps；　I　climbed　and　climbed。　My　rifle　grew　to　weigh　a　ton；　my　feet　were　lead；　the　camera　strapped　to　my　shoulder　was　the　world。　Soon　climbing　meant　trapeze　worklong　reach　of　arm；　and　pull　of　weight；　high　step　of　foot；　and　spring　of　body。　Where　I　had　slid　down　with　ease；　I　had　to　strain　and　raise　myself　by　sheer　muscle。　I　wore　my　left　glove　to　tatters　and　threw　it　away　to　put　the　right　one　on　my　left　hand。　I　thought　many　times　I　could　not　make　another　move；　I　thought　my　lungs　would　burst；　but　I　kept　on。　When　at　last　I　surmounted　the　rim；　I　saw　Jones；　and　flopped　down　beside　him；　and　lay　panting；　dripping；　boiling；　with　scorched　feet；　aching　limbs　and　numb　chest。

〃I've　been　here　two　hours；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　knew　things　were　happening　below；　but　to　climb　up　that　slide　would　kill　me。　I　am　not　young　any　more；　and　a　steep　climb　like　this　takes　a　young　heart。　As　it　was　I　had　enough　work。　Look！〃　He　called　my　attention　to　his　trousers。　They　had　been　cut　to　shreds；　and　the　right　trouser　leg　was　missing　from　the　knee　down。　His　shin　was　bloody。　〃Moze　took　a　lion　along　the　rim；　and　I　went　after　him　with　all　my　horse　could　do。　I　yelled　for　the　boys；　but　they　didn't　come。　Right　here　it　is　easy　to　go　down；　but　below；　where　Moze　started　this　lion；　it　was　impossible　to　get　over　the　rim。　The　lion　lit　straight　out　of　the　pinyons。　I　lost　ground　because　of　the　thick　brush　and　numerous　trees。　Then　Moze　doesn't　bark　often　enough。　He　treed　the　lion　twice。　I　could　tell　by　the　way　he　opened　up　and　bayed。　The　rascal　coon…dog　climbed　the　trees　and　chased　the　lion　out。　That's　what　Moze　did！　I　got　to　an　open　space　and　saw　him；　and　was　coming　up　fine　when　he　went　down　over　a　hollow　which　ran　into　the　canyon。　My　horse　tripped　and　fell；　turning　clear　over　with　me　before　he　threw　me　into　the　brush。　I　tore　my　clothes；　and　got　this　bruise；　but　wasn't　much　hurt。　My　horse　is　pretty　lame。〃

I　began　a　recital　of　my　experience；　modestly　omitting　the　incident　where　I　bravely　faced　an　old　lioness。　Upon　consulting　my　watch；　I　found　I　had　been　almost　four　hours　climbing　out。　At　that　moment；　Frank　poked　a　red　face　over　the　rim。　He　was　in　shirt　sleeves；　sweating　freely；　and　wore　a　frown　I　had　never　seen　before。　He　puffed　like　a　porpoise；　and　at　first　could　hardly　speak。

〃Where　wereyouall？〃　he　panted。　〃Say！　but　mebbe　this　hasn't　been　a　chase！　Jim　and　Wallace　an'　me　went　tumblin'　down　after　the　dogs；　each　one　lookin'　out　for　his　perticilar　dog；　an'　darn　me　if　I　don't　believe　his　lion；　too。　Don　took　one　oozin'　down　the　canyon；　with　me　hot…footin'　it　after　him。　An'　somewhere　he　treed　thet　lion；　right　below　me；　in　a　box　canyon；　sort　of　an　offshoot　of　the　second　rim；　an'　I　couldn't　locate　him。　I　blamed　near　killed　myself　more'n　once。　Look　at　my　knuckles！　Barked　em　slidin'　about　a　mile　down　a　smooth　wall。　I　thought　once　the　lion　had　jumped　Don；　but　soon　I　heard　him　barkin'　again。　All　thet　time　I　heard　Sounder；　an'　once　I　heard　the　pup。　Jim　yelled；　an'　somebody　was　shootin'。　But　I　couldn't　find　nobody；　or　make　nobody　hear　me。　Thet　canyon　is　a　mighty　deceivin'　place。　You'd　never　think　so　till　you　go　down。　I　wouldn't　climb　up　it　again　for　all　the　lions　in　Buckskin。　Hello；　there　comes　Jim　oozin'　up。〃

Jim　appeared　just　over　the　rim；　and　when　he　got　up　to　us；　dusty；　torn　and　fagged　out；　with　Don；　Tige　and　Ranger　showing　signs　of　collapse；　we　all　blurted　out　questions。　But　Jim　took　his　time。

〃Shore　thet　canyon　is　one　hell　of　a　place；〃　he　began　finally。　〃Where　was　everybody？　Tige　and　the　pup　went　down　with　me　an'　treed　a　cougar。　Yes；　they　did；　an'　I　set　under　a　pinyon　holdin'　the　pup；　while　Tige　kept　the　cougar　treed。　I　yelled　an'　yelled。　After　about　an　hour　or　two；　Wallace　came　poundin'　down　like　a　giant。　It　was　a　sure　thing　we'd　get　the　cougar；　an'　Wallace　was　takin'　his　picture　when　the　blamed　cat　jumped。　It　was　embarrassin'；　because　he　wasn't　polite　about　how　he　jumped。　We　scattered　some；　an'　when　Wallace　got　his　gun；　the　cougar　was　humpin'　down　the　slope；　an'　he　was　goin'　so　fast　an'　the　pinyons　was　so　thick　thet　Wallace　couldn't　get　a　fair　shot；　an'　missed。　Tige　an'　the　pup　was　so　scared　by　the　shots　they　wouldn't　take　the　trail　again。　I　heard　some　one　shoot　about　a　million　times；　an'　shore　thought　the　cougar　was　done　for。　Wallace　went　plungin'　down　the　slope　an'　I　followed。　I　couldn't　keep　up　with　himhe　shore　takes　long　stepsan'　I　lost　him。　I'm　reckonin'　he　went　over　the　second　wall。　Then　I　made　tracks　for　the　top。　Boys；　the　way　you　can　see　an'　hear　things　down　in　thet　canyon；　an'　the　way　you　can't　hear　an'　see　things　is　pretty　funny。〃

〃If　Wallace　went　over　the　second　rim　wall；　will　he　get　back　to…day？〃　we　all　asked。

〃Shore；　there's　no　tellin'。〃

We　waited；　lounged；　and　slept　for　three　hours；　and　were　beginning　to　worry　about　our　comrade　when　he　hove　in　sight　eastward；　along　the　rim。　He　walked　like　a　man　whose　next　step　would　be　his　last。　When　he　reached　us；　he　fell　flat；　and　lay　breathing　heavily　for　a　while。

〃Somebody　once　mentioned　Israel　Putnam's　ascent　of　a　hill；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃With　all　respect　to　history　and　a　patriot；　I　wish　to　say　Putnam　never　saw　a　hill！〃

〃Ooze　for　camp；〃　called　out　Frank。

Five　o'clock　found　us　round　a　bright　fire；　all　casting　ravenous　eyes　at　a　smoking　supper。　The　smell　of　the　Persian　meat　would　have　made　a　wolf　of　a　vegetarian。　I　devoured　four　chops；　and　could　not　have　been　counted　in　the　running。　Jim　opened　a　can　of　maple　syrup　which　he　had　been　saving　for　a　grand　occasion；　and　Frank　went　him　one　better　with　two　cans　of　peaches。　How　glorious　to　be　hungryto　feel　the　craving　for　food；　and　to　be　grateful　for　it；　to　realize　that　the　best　of　life　lies　in　the　daily　needs　of　existence；　and　to　battle　for　them！