Jack Ranger's Western Trip Part 45

"It sure does," admitted John.

"I remember pa.s.sing that before," Nat said. "What of it?"

"It means that we have wandered around in a circle," Jack answered.

"We are lost on the mountains!"

CHAPTER x.x.x

A VIEW OF GOLDEN GLOW

For a moment Jack's words struck a chill to the hearts of his companions. The fog seemed to wrap around them like an impenetrable blanket, from which they sought in vain to escape. A little breeze stirred the wreaths of vapor, but did not disperse them.

"Lost!" repeated Nat, as if he could not believe it.

"I guess you're right," admitted John. "Now wait a minute. Where's the compa.s.s?"

"Here," spoke Jack, feeling in his pocket for it. A blank look came over his face. He hurriedly looked through several pockets. "I've lost it!" he exclaimed.

"Well, never mind," John went on calmly. He seemed to rise to the emergency, and become collected in the face of the danger that confronted them. "I guess I haven't got Indian blood in me for nothing. I can tell which way is north, anyhow."

"You can?" asked Nat. "How, in all this fog?"

"There's more moss on the north side of a tree than on any other,"

John replied. "We were going in a northerly direction so, all we have to do is to keep on, stopping once in a while to see how the moss is."

It sounded like good advice, and Nat and Jack felt better after hearing it. They started off again, more hopeful, and went slowly for a while, stopping now and then, to see about the moss, or "nature's compa.s.s," as Jack called it.

They must have traveled a number of miles, when they decided it was time to camp and eat something. They looked around for some dry wood for a fire, seeking for it under overhanging rocks as Jim had showed them how to do. They managed to start a blaze, and John was frying some bacon, incidentally trying to keep the smoke from his eyes, when Nat, who had gone a short distance off the trail, exclaimed:

"Say fellows; look here!"

"See a bear?" asked Jack.

"No, but here's our old friend, the queer tree!" he called. "We're back in the same place."

Jack and John ran to where Nat stood. There was the lightning-scarred trunk. Once more they had traveled in a circle. They had not read the moss signs aright.

It was such a shock that, for a few moments, the boys did not know what to say. They had been so sure they were journeying in the right direction, that, to find they had merely gone back on their own trail, was more than discouraging.

"Thought you said you knew how to read signs, and where north was,"

spoke Jack, looking at John.

"Well, I thought I did," the Indian replied. "I'm sure I am right, only I think we must have made a mistake in our directions."

"Well, we're here, and what are we going to do?" asked Nat.

About them the fog swirled, lazily moving this way and that, in response to gentle puffs of wind, but never lifting enough to enable them to get a glimpse of the sun, to determine where they were, or in which direction to travel.

"Let's eat, anyhow," suggested Jack. "We'll feel better after that."

It was no very cheerful meal, and they were three very much worried boys. They said little while partaking of the bacon, bread and coffee, the horses cropping the spa.r.s.e gra.s.s near by. But, in a little while, Jack laughed.

"What's the use of feeling blue?" he asked. "We're lost, that's sure enough, but we're in a civilized country, and we'll get home, or somewhere, sooner or later. Come on, let's have another try."

"Then you can lead the way, I'll not," spoke John a little sharply.

"I'm not going to be blamed again."

"Oh, come now!" exclaimed Jack. "Don't mind what we said. Of course it wasn't your fault. It would happen to any one!"

All that afternoon they traveled, until it was hard work to urge the horses on, as they were becoming tired. The boys spoke but seldom, and John seemed more glum than ever. Once or twice Jack tried to joke with him, but it was a failure. The half Indian lad was exhibiting some of the traits of his ancestors.

Gradually it grew darker, until, with the thick fog, and the overhanging trees, it was almost like twilight.

"How much further?" asked Nat.

"I guess we can camp any time you want to," Jack said.

"Do you think we are any further along the trail, or have we just traveled in a bigger circle?" Nat inquired.

"Hard to say," replied Jack. "At any rate I don't see our old friend the queer tree. We must have ascended some for it's been up hill the last two hours."

They found a well sheltered place, underneath a big clump of trees, that would serve as a canopy for themselves and the horses. The animals were tethered, after being allowed to feed on a patch of gra.s.s, and then they had supper. After the meal John seemed to be in better spirits, and took a more cheerful view of things.

"I guess the fog will lift by morning," he said.

But it did not, and, when the boys arose to prepare breakfast, after an uncomfortable night, the white curtain was thicker than ever.

They traveled all that day, but, whether they made any real progress, or whether they went back or around in a circle, they could only surmise. They tried to keep ascending the mountain, and this was the only means they had of telling which way to go.

"If we could only see something," said Nat, "it wouldn't be so lonesome. A fox, or a rabbit, or even a mountain lion. I don't believe I'd shoot one, I'd want his company."

"I'm sorry I got you fellows into this sc.r.a.pe," Jack put in. "I'd go back with you, and begin over again, all alone, only I guess it would be just as bad to go back as it is to go ahead, so we might as well keep on."

"Well, I reckon you'll not go on alone," said Nat, decidedly, and John, who had recovered his former good-natured, nodded in a.s.sent.

As their horses stumbled on, once more the curtain of night began to descend, hastened by the thick fog. Would it never rise? How long were they to be hidden under the white vail?

Suddenly, as they urged on their tired animals, a spear of light seemed to pierce the gathering gloom ahead of them. At the sight of it the horses threw up their heads and put forward their ears. The spear grew brighter. Then it pierced the mist. All at once a puff of wind brushed aside the white clinging wreaths of vapor that had so long enshrouded them. The fog rolled away, and there, in front of them was the setting sun, in a halo of glory. As it shone the beams were caught and reflected from a distant peak.

"Golden Glow! Golden Glow!" cried Jack. "There is the mountain we have been searching for! Now to find my father!"