The Pony Rider Boys on the Blue Ridge; or, A Lucky Find in the Carolina Mountains

by Frank Gee Patchin

  CHAPTER XVIII

  THE CAMP SUFFERS A LOSS

  All the rest of the afternoon Professor Zepplin was absorbed inexamining rocks, specimens of ore, and dirt. He was deep inconsultation with Dunkan and the others of the prospectors.

  "Yes, there are strong indications here, but thus far I have foundnothing that would pay," said the Professor. "The sample you say yougot from Stillman Gulch is the best of all. It is, I might say, mostpromising. Is that where the other man claims to have found paydirt?"

  "Somewhere in that vicinity. We don't know the exact location."

  "Are you trying to locate a vein of ore, too?" questioned theProfessor.

  "Sure we are. It's anybody's gold. Of course we don't follow himand spy on him. We aren't that kind of cattle. But we'll find itprospecting if we find it at all, and then you'll see music in theseparts."

  "I understand there are gems in these mountains."

  "Yes, they've been found. Here's an amethyst I picked up a weekago."

  The Professor, after examining the stone, became enthusiastic. Hepronounced it an exceptionally fine specimen.

  "If, sir, you are able to pick up such stones as this on this Ridgewhy do you waste your time in seeking for gold?"

  "That's just the trick, Professor. We can't."

  "But surely they must be here. This one shows evidence of havingbeen wrenched from its original resting place and hurled somedistance."

  Dunkan gazed at the Professor reflectively.

  "By Hickey, I believe you're right at that. It gives me a new idea.I'll go to that place and hunt until either I find something or Idon't."

  "Do so, by all means. Those boys of mine will help you."

  "Let them, but if they find anything it belongs to them. Jim Dunkanhasn't got any claim on anything in these hills unless he finds itfor himself. We'll be getting back now."

  It was a jolly evening spent around the campfire of the prospectors.Stories were told, Chops was induced to sing a song, the boys relatedinteresting stories of their experiences on their various journeys,then all hands turned in well satisfied with their day and theirevening.

  The Pony Rider Boys slept soundly. But late in the night there camean interruption--a rush of the prospectors' collie dog. The animal,tied to a tree, began to bark and strain at its leash. Just beforethe men turned out to see what the trouble was, the collie broke itsleash and dashed away into the bushes, barking furiously. They heardthe animal snarling. A yelp followed, then a chorus of explosivebarks. The dog's barking ceased suddenly.

  "I reckon he's chasing some animal," said Dunkan.

  "It didn't sound like that to me," replied Tad, still listeningintently. "Of course you know the dog better than do I. Does hebark at every sound?"

  "Pretty near," grinned Sam.

  "Yes, he usually wakes us up once a night, sometimes more," added TomRoyal. "Reckon we might as well go back to bed."

  Jim whistled for the dog. He kept whistling for several minutes,then turned back toward their tent disgustedly.

  "He's got on the trail of something and gone beyond sound," hemuttered. "He'll be back here in the morning."

  "I hope so," muttered Tad.

  "See here, you've got something in your mind, younker!" demandedDunkan.

  "Nothing except that I don't believe your collie was chasing ananimal. I know a dog's bark well enough to know when he's on thetrail of an animal. That bark and growl wasn't like anyanimal-chasing growl I ever heard."

  "All right, sonny, we'll see who's right," smiled Jim, turning to histent. "Night."

  "Good-night," answered Butler. "He will see whether I am right ornot in the morning. I am going to find out something for myself inthe morning, too. I don't believe those men are very good mountaineers, though they may be most excellent prospectors."

  Tad went to sleep and slept soundly until break of day when he was upand about. Dunkan's first inquiry upon getting up, was as to whetherthe collie had returned.

  The collie had not. The broken rope with which he had been tetheredbefore breaking away still hung from the stake.

  "Well, kid, I reckon you were right about the dog's not coming back,"announced Dunkan, his face troubled and anxious.

  "I didn't say he would not come back, did I? What I tried to tellyou, was that he wasn't chasing an animal."

  "Well, he was. If he hadn't been, he'd been back in this camp hoursago. He's got mixed up in his trail, but I reckon he'll be alongwhen he gets ready. I'm not going to worry about the dog, though I'drather lose anything I've got than to lose him."

  "You're wrong all around, Mr. Dunkan," asserted Tad confidently.

  "You think so?"

  "I know so."

  "How d'ye know?"

  "Because if you will look out yonder in the bushes you will find thetrail of the man he was following," replied Tad gravely.

  Tad's calm announcement startled everyone in camp. Even Chops pausedwith frying pan held aloft to listen to the further words of thekeen-eyed Pony Rider Boy.

  "What's that you say?" demanded Sam Ellison.

  "Your dog chased a man away from here last night."

  "How--how do you know?" stammered Jim.

  "Because I saw the trail this morning."

  "Where?"

  "Right there. It begins with the dog's tracks, which, after a littleway, are mixed up with that of the man he was after."

  Dunkan eyed Tad keenly to see if the boy was joking. Tad Butler mostcertainly was not joking. He had never been more serious in his life.

  "Show it to me," commanded Dunkan. The prospector's voice was calm,but there was a menace in it.

  Without a word Tad led the way to the edge of the camp ground, wherehe pointed to the footprints of the dog, faintly discernible on thesoft turf. Tad kept right on until he had gone some ten rods fromthe camp, whereupon he halted and pointed again.

  "What do you make of that, Mr. Dunkan?" he asked.

  "Man's tracks, as I'm alive," muttered the prospector, after a carefulexamination of the trail as indicated by Tad.

  "Yes, and the man had been standing here for some time. If you willlook a little farther you will find that he started to walk away,then broke into a run. The dog was pressing him rather too closelyfor comfort. At this point the dog began running faster than before.I know that because from this point the collie left only the faintestfootprints, showing that he was barely touching the ground with hisfeet."