The White Crystals Part 23

They had gone about a mile along the path on the side of the hill, during which time the men had seemed content to follow the boys' lead.

At length Adrian nudged Roger and pointed to a path that branched off from the main one.

"That will take you to our spring," he said, in a low tone.

"Go ahead down it then," replied Roger. "Maybe you'll see something happen soon."

Wondering what his cousin could mean, Adrian advanced, and Roger glancing back noticed with satisfaction that the two men had followed them without question.

For ten minutes the boys led the way with never a word of protest from Mr. Dudley or Mr. Ranquist, who did not seem to notice they were going in a different direction from that which they desired. Suddenly a big rabbit darted across the path, almost at Mr. Dudley's feet. He started, looked at the animal, as if wondering how it came there, and then he glanced up, seeming to realize that he was at a spot he had not intended to reach.

"Why! Why! Boys!" he exclaimed, turning to the younger engineer.

"What is it?" broke in Mr. Ranquist.

"What are we coming this way for?" asked Mr. Dudley. "I thought we were going straight along the side of the hill. Instead, we are going down."

At this Mr. Ranquist looked alarmed as he glanced at the two boys.

"Well," said Roger, coming forward a few steps, "you see this path goes to a spring down in a little glade. We thought you might like to see it.

If you're going to build a railroad the spring would furnish water for the locomotives. There's a good place for a depot down in the little glade, too."

"Why, why--," stammered Mr. Dudley.

"It looks as if there was coal there, too,--coal or--or something," he finished, looking narrowly at the men, "and coal and water might be good things for a railroad, it seems to me."

For a brief instant there came a dangerous look into Mr. Ranquist's eyes. His face grew pale, and he seemed to control himself with a great effort. Mr. Dudley also appeared very much surprised. Mr. Ranquist forced himself to burst into a laugh that had no mirth in it.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" he shouted. "Not bad, eh, Mr. Dudley? Water for the engine. Well! Well! Well!"

He laughed again.

"Coal upon this hill! Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Well, my boy," he went on, clapping Roger on the back good-naturedly, "it's very nice of you to think of these things for our railroad, but, bless you, we wouldn't want to stop in a place like this for coal or water. If the line goes through here," with a significant look at Mr. Dudley, "it will make only flying stops. I suppose this land, where the coal and water is, belongs to some friend of yours, eh?" and he looked at the boys narrowly.

"It's my father's," broke in Adrian. "But I never knew there was coal on it. There's a spring, and a good one, but n.o.body ever thought of looking for coal. I wish there was some."

"Why?" from Mr. Dudley, suddenly.

"Because," answered Adrian, "my father might get a good enough price for it, so's he could sell some and pay off the mortgage on the rest."

"Oh, then the farm is mortgaged?"

"Yes." And then the boy seemed to realize that he was talking too freely to strangers, and he stopped.

"Well," went on Mr. Dudley, "I'm sorry to say as far as I can see there's not the least chance of any coal ever being found in this section of the country. It is not the kind of land where coal is located."

Adrian looked the disappointment he felt. He had really hoped there might be coal on his father's farm.

"Do you want to go down by the spring?" persisted Roger, starting off in that direction.

"Um, ah--yes. I think we might as well as not," said Mr. Ranquist, in spite of the obvious efforts Mr. Dudley made to have him say something different.

All four started off, but at that instant there came a sudden sound to the left. It was a crashing of the under-brush and bushes, as if some heavy, lumbering body was being forced through them. Then a black shape burst into view, and the next second a big, ungainly animal, tall and covered with dark fur, thrust itself into the open, while the wide-stretched mouth showed the lolling red tongue and glistening white fangs of an immense black bear.

For a moment neither men nor boys knew which way to turn. The beast, however, was not at all undecided in his movements. With a savage growl he came lurching clumsily forward, and the sight of his fierce anger filled the members of the little party with terror. Adrian was the first to appreciate the danger.

"Every one to a tree!" he shouted, "and take the smallest and thinest that will hold you, or he'll climb up after!"

He made for a slender sapling and scrambled quickly up it, while the others lost no time in following his example. Mr. Dudley, in spite of his years, sprinted like a college chap getting down on a kick in the football field when he wants to nail the other man in his tracks. But though the engineer was quick, the brute was almost as nimble.

Just as Mr. Dudley got safely above the ground, in a tree that fortunately was directly in his path and not far away, the bear made a dangerous lunge for him with its front paws. The sharp claws caught the cloth of the man's trousers and held on for an instant. The bear pulled savagely, but, with a rip, the garments gave way and the claws slipped from the rent, leaving Mr. Dudley free.

The men and boys were now secure in trees above the ground, while below them, going from one sapling to another, the bear growled and foamed in his rage at seeing his enemies escape him. After making a tour of the place, and trying in vain to climb the tree where Mr. Dudley was perched, the beast squatted down on his haunches, in the centre of the group, and sat thus, awaiting developments.

"Well," remarked Mr. Ranquist, after a pause, "this is a pretty kettle of fish, I must admit."

"I would say it was four kettles," said Mr. Dudley, with an attempt at cheerfulness.

CHAPTER XIX

ROGER MAKES PLANS

For a few minutes after the exciting scrabble for trees, there was a deep silence among the four. They were all interested in the movements of the bear. Having squatted on his haunches for a little while, the beast dropped to a walking position, and strolled about, sniffing deeply at the foot of each sapling which held a human occupant. He uttered loud "woofs" of disgust, and then, standing under the tree where Mr. Dudley was, the animal acted as if he was going to climb up.

The brute's sharp claws tore showers of bark and wood from the slender trunk, and his efforts caused the sapling to shake considerable, making Mr. Dudley's perch somewhat insecure.

"Hold on there! Hold on!" exclaimed the engineer in a protesting tone.

Then, as he saw the uselessness of ordering a bear he added more gently, "Oh, say, Bruin. Ho! ho! Easy now, that's a good fellow!" It seemed as though Mr. Dudley was talking to a restive horse.

The man's voice apparently angered the bear, which redoubled its efforts to get up the tree, though the slender trunk proved an effective barrier.

"Oh, I say now!" cried Mr. Dudley, looking helplessly at his companions, "call him off, some of you. This won't do at all. He'll shake me down and eat me. Call him off, can't you?"

"I'm afraid he doesn't care to be called," said Mr. Ranquist, with just the suspicion of a smile on his face. "He seems an obstinate sort of brute."

"But what's to be done, what's to be done?" inquired Mr. Dudley, testily. "We can't stay here all day, Ranquist, like ripe apples, waiting to be shaken down by this beast. Something must be done; I insist on it. I'll--I'll--What did you boys want to lead us into a bear's den for?" he asked, turning toward Roger and Adrian.

"We didn't know there were bears about," answered Adrian, a little crestfallen at the mishap. "There hasn't been any bears near Cardiff before in ten years."

"Stuff and nonsense! Stuff and nonsense!" interrupted Mr. Dudley shortly. "I believe you boys did this for a joke. If you did--"

"Oh, pshaw!" came from Mr. Ranquist, "of course it isn't the boys'

fault. How could they help it?"

"Well, perhaps they couldn't," admitted Mr. Dudley, "but it's very unpleasant, to say the least."