Lost in the Canon Part 11

Not one of them could tell in what direction the east was, but all turned their heads.

Suddenly Ike called out:

"Oh, I see a light in de sky!"

At the same instant all saw it, high up and directly in front.

The light looked like the glow of a wonderful fire opal, set in the inky blackness of the sky.

Brighter and brighter it grew each moment, till the reflected light penetrated the profound depths of the canon.

It was the rising sun saluting the highest snow peaks of the mountains, a section of which was visible in front.

With the joy of the blind when the blessing of sight is restored, our friends watched the increasing light coming down from the sky.

Gradually the towering walls of the canon became more distinct, till at length their far-off summits could be seen, with here and there a cedar clinging for dear life to the giddy ledges.

"If dis yar day is gwyne to be ez long ez de last night," said Ike, when he felt that the coming of the sun was not a false alarm, "why, I reckon we'll all be ole men afore it gits dark agin."

Even the dog gained courage by the coming of the day, and sitting up he began to bark in a way that proved his interest in the world was returning.

There was no means of telling how far they had been borne by the current during the long hours of that awful night, but as soon as it was light again Sam took the pole and resumed his position as helmsman.

As they were swept on he looked to the right and left in the hope of finding a place where they might make a landing.

They were wet, hungry and weary, but the coming sun revived their drooping spirits.

It was not till near noon that the precipitous walls expanded into an area a quarter of a mile in diameter, that looked, in its flooded state, like a subterranean lake.

Here the current was much slower, and with Ulna's help, Sam succeeded in gliding the raft to a ledge of sloping rocks, where it was made fast, and again the pa.s.sengers carried the cargo on sh.o.r.e.

The sun shone on their landing place, which, being on the south bank of the river, Sam decided to explore thoroughly in the hope of finding a way out of the canon, for he did not lose sight for a minute of his father's trying situation.

This expansion of the canon walls was much greater than the one from which they had come the day before, and there were so many recesses and irregularities that getting out appeared to be an easy matter indeed.

They spread their wet blankets and clothing on the rocks, and they found enough drift-wood to make a fire, but all were so hungry that they did not wait for the fire before eating.

Wah Shin had some cooked food ready, and, although it had not been improved by its long soaking, hunger made it very palatable.

After the fire was started, Wah Shin and Ike, thoroughly exhausted, and it may be more weary in feeling because unburdened with the responsibility of the situation, lay down on the sun-heated rocks and were soon asleep.

"You must be tired also, Ulna. Lie down and I will look around and see if I can find a way out of this," said Sam, laying his hand on the handsome young Indian's shoulder.

"I will not say that I could not lie down and go to sleep at once,"

replied Ulna, "but if you are going to search I shall go with you. I know how you feel about your father, and that thought is always in my heart; so if you stay awake to work, I must do the same."

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Sam succeeded in guiding the raft to a ledge of sloping rocks._]

The two youths shook hands, and after seeing that their rifles were in order and loaded they slung them over their shoulders and started off.

They clambered over huge ma.s.ses of white sandstone rock that had fallen in from the sides of the canon, like the ruin of a giant's stronghold, and at every step they could see by the drift-wood that the present flood had been preceded by others much higher.

Compared with the great pillars of stone scattered about them each was impressed with the idea that his companion must have shrunk, he looked in contrast with his surroundings so much smaller than usual.

After much searching and climbing they came to a great rift in the canon wall that led up to the blue sky, and seemed to promise an outlet from these awful depths.

At the discovery Sam could not restrain a cry of joy, and even Ulna's usually impa.s.sive face was illuminated with the light of hope.

"I can see nothing to stop us!" said Sam, as with the activity of a mountain lion he sprang up the defile.

But it was three thousand feet to the top of the rift, and from their position they could not see all the obstacles that lay in their way.

But like the poet's Alpine climber, the motto was Excelsior!-higher up-and with stout hearts they faced the unknown path that promised access to the upper world and then to Hurley's Gulch.

They clambered up and on, the way becoming narrower and steeper at each step, while here and there their course was made difficult by huge bowlders that had fallen in from above.

After fully three hours hard work, and just when it seemed that a little more exertion would take them to the summit, the cleft came to an end in a precipice fully a hundred feet in height, though from the bottom it looked only like a step that a child might overcome.

Sam was so cast down by his discovery that he leaned against the side of the cliff and pressing his hands to his eyes, he groaned:

"Oh, my poor father, what will become of him! What will he think of my absence?"

"He will know that if you could you would come to him; and those who keep him and Hank Tims prisoners need not to be told about the flood.

They will give us time to get back, I am sure they will give us time,"

said Ulna, and he took Sam's hand and pressed it affectionately.

They had made a bold attempt and failed, and now there was nothing left but to make their way back to the place where they had left the raft tied, and Ike and Wah Shin were sleeping on the rocks.

CHAPTER XI.-A TRYING SITUATION.

Mr. Willett and Hank Tims were guarded by a number of the vigilantes, and with these men, who appeared to be rough but honest fellows, they talked about their trying situation.

It will be remembered that Frank Shirley and Badger spent money freely during that first rainy day in order to get the miners drunk, believing that while they were in that state they could be led to destroy the prisoners without even the appearance of a trial.

In addition to making two-thirds of the men drunk, Shirley poisoned their minds by telling them what a very bad man Mr. Willett had been in Detroit, and he intimated, in a way more powerful than a direct accusation, that he had poisoned his wife.

The result of all this was that by the evening of that rainy day a great mob, inflamed with liquor and driven into fury by lies, was shouting for the lives of Mr. Willett and his companion.

The guards not having been subjected to the influence of the bars were calm and determined to do what they believed to be their duty.

Soon after dark one of the guards, a tall, rugged man named Collins came into the tent, and, turning up the lamp that hung from the pole in the center, he said:

"I'm afraid, gents, we are goin' to have trouble."

"Trouble!" repeated Mr. Willett, as he rose from the blanket on which he had been lying. "I don't see how our trouble can be increased."