To The West Part 57

stool. Then Quong would prepare his fire, make cakes, boil the kettle, cook bacon or salmon, make a good cup of tea, and we all ate a tremendous meal, after which the beds were made in shelter, probably under the tree which produced what Esau called the feathers, that is the soft boughs. Then our blankets were spread ready, and we lay about watching the last rays of the sunlight on the snowy peaks of the mountains, or the bright stars, and listened to Gunson while he smoked his pipe and told us tales about his adventures in the Malay Archipelago, where he went up the country in search of gold, or in Australia; and as we sat listening, the weary low-spirited feeling pa.s.sed away, we grew deeply interested, and soon after lay down to sleep, to wake at sunrise full of high spirits, life, and vigour, eager to continue our journey up the river.

Then came days when we halted at settlers' huts, where we were made very welcome for the sake of the news we brought; then at Indian camps to be regaled with fish, and finding these people so friendly that we soon forgot to feel any fear of them. Then again we went up a side stream here and there for a few miles, to enable Gunson to try and discover metals, and though he was always disappointed, Quong was in ecstasies.

"Why, he must have got enough gold in that bottle of his to make a wedding-ring as big as mother's old thin one," said Esau, with a chuckle. "I say, don't take much to make him happy."

And all this time the weather had been lovely. We had had a few showers, after which the sun shone out more brightly than ever, and one night we had a tremendous thunderstorm, when, from our shelter under a ledge of rock, we could see the flashes of lightning darting in every direction, while the thunder rolled echoing along the valley. But that soon pa.s.sed away, the stars came out as the clouds rolled off the sky, and the next day all was as beautiful as ever.

Three nights after we came to a halt at the mouth of a shallow cave, and the day having been very hot and wearying we soon dropped off to sleep, from which I was aroused in the darkness by feeling a touch, and as I opened my eyes, I heard a curious shuffling noise, and felt hot breath fan my cheek.

This was so momentary that I thought I must have been dreaming, and turned softly over to go to sleep again, for the rest after the heavy day's work was delicious.

I suppose I must have dropped off once more, and must have been dreaming as I was touched again; then the touch was repeated, and in a drowsy way I sighed with satisfaction at not having to move myself, but having some one to move me, for a great hand readied over me, and drew me along a little way, and I dreamed that I was tumbling out of bed and Esau drew me back in my place.

I lay perfectly still for a time, and then I was moved a little more, the big hand drawing me along very gently as if I was not quite in the right position; finally, after getting me straight, giving me a gentle thrust before leaving me quite at peace. All at once I was thoroughly aroused by a terrific yell, and I started up, but only to be knocked over. There was a rush of feet, followed by a rustling, and crackling of bushes, and this sound grew fainter and fainter till it died away.

"What is it? Who shouted?" cried Gunson, jumping up.

"It was me," cried Esau.

"What for? Who was it ran away? Here; where is Gordon?"

"I'm here," I said. "What's the matter?"

"That's what I want to know," said Gunson. "Was it an Indian, Dean?"

"No; it was a great pig as big as a bullock; he'd got one hoof on my chest, and was smelling me with his wet snout touching my face when I woke up and shouted, and he ran off."

"Pig, eh?" said Gunson. "It must have been a bear."

"A bear! What, touching me like that?" cried Esau, excitedly.

"No doubt about it. But it does not matter. You frightened it more than it frightened you, and it has gone."

"Ugh!" cried Esau, with a shudder. "Was it going to eat me?"

"Probably," replied Gunson.

"What!"

"Well, it might have been. You are not bitten?"

"I dunno," cried Esau, excitedly. "P'r'aps I am."

"Are you scratched or clawed?"

"Can't say, sir; very likely. Oh dear, oh dear, what a place to come to! I can't go to sleep again after this. But do you really think it was a pig, sir--I mean a bear?"

"It must have been. The only other creature possible would be a bison or a deer, and it is not likely to have been one of them."

Gunson took his rifle, and I heard the click of the lock as he c.o.c.ked it, to step out of the shelter, and look round, but he stopped directly.

"Where is Quong?" he cried.

"Me velly safe up here," came in a high-pitched voice from somewhere over our heads in the darkness.

"Did you see anything?" cried Gunson. "Was it a bear?"

"Too dalk see anything," he replied. "Only hear velly much wood bleaking."

All was quite still now, save Gunson's footsteps as he walked about our camp, and the roar of the falling waters down toward the river where the stream near us dropped in a cascade; and he was soon back.

"I shall break my neck in the darkness," he said, as he joined us. "I can hear nothing, and I have nearly gone headlong twice."

"Do you think it will come back?" I said, feeling no little trepidation.

"No; Dean's yell was enough to scare a whole zoological garden. But lie down, lads, and finish your night's rest. I'll light my pipe and play sentry for the remainder of the night."

"And I'll sit up with you," I said.

"No; go to sleep," he replied, firmly. "I am used to this sort of thing."

"But I want to get used to it," I said.

"Afraid?"

This came with a slightly sarcastic tone, which made me turn away from him, and go back into the shelter without a word.

"Come, Esau," I said; and I wrapped my blanket round me, and lay down at once.

"It's all very well to say 'Come, Esau,'" grumbled that gentleman. "You ain't been half torn to pieces by a bear."

"But you are not hurt, are you?"

"How do I know when it's so dark?" he said, petulantly.

"But you could feel."

"No, I couldn't. I've heard that people who have been half killed don't feel any pain at first; and there ain't a doctor nowhere."

"But, Esau," I whispered, seriously, "has the brute hurt you?"

"I keep on telling you I don't know. He pawed me about and turned me over, and smelt me and stood on me once. I say: how dark it is!"

"Lie down," I said, "and try and go to sleep. I don't think you can be hurt, or you would feel some pain. I felt the bear touch me too, but I am not scratched."

"Must I lie down?"

"Yes; you would be better."