A STRANGE DISCLOSURE
"Hello, there, Charlie! How's your health?"
Reddy swung himself down from the limb on which he had been perched, and kicked out with his feet in such a way that he attracted the attention of the beast.
"He's coming! Look out, Frank!" shouted Will, who, secure in his perch, had, of course, been manipulating his camera with burning zeal.
Bang!
It was Bluff who had fired, but if he hit the great beast at all, the latter minded the wound no more than he would a flea bite.
Jerry also took a turn as the grizzly passed the tree in which he was hidden.
"I hit him!" he whooped as the grizzly gave a snap backward at his flank.
But the enticement offered by Reddy's swinging form proved too much for the enraged animal. Doubtless he imagined that all his troubles
came from that biped or monkey hanging up yonder, just within reach of his claws if he arose on his hind legs. Hence his eagerness to make the attempt.
"Pull up, quick!" exclaimed Frank as the grizzly rushed under the tree and immediately started to rear up.
The daring cowboy had held out until the very last second, meaning that nothing should balk his design of enticing the enemy under their refuge, where Frank could get in his work.
Afterward Frank understood his motive. Reddy was especially fond of him, though he also liked all of the other chums. He believed that Jerry had secured enough honors in being given the chance to knock over the other bear, and it was his desire to see Frank even up the score.
Just in the nick of time the cowboy swung his legs up around the limb. The horrible claws of the grizzly swept through the air not a foot below where he had hung. Frank shuddered at the consequences had anything happened to bring Reddy within reach of such a powerful beast.
"Now get him, Frank!" gasped the one who hung on with arms and legs.
Neither Bluff nor Jerry thought to shoot a second time. They seemed to understand that the
game had passed them by, and that it was Frank's turn.
When he saw the right chance the young sportsman pulled the trigger. He had not made any mistake in judging just where he should aim, for with the report of his rifle the grizzly floundered, and fell over.
"Wow! That did the business!" shouted Jerry.
"Hold on, boys! Don't get down yet!" called Mr. Mabie hastily, as he thought he detected a disposition on the part of either Bluff or Jerry to drop from their secure perches to the ground.
It was well they refrained, for already the monster was once more on his feet, and, roaring with fury, endeavoring to reach the enemies who clung there so tantalizingly, just beyond his extended claws.
"Give him another!" cried Reddy promptly.
Frank did; and wishing to end the beast as quickly as possible, he aimed to send the lead straight to the heart. But he was compelled to use every bullet in his six-shot repeater before the giant received his quietus, and rolled over, to rise no more.
Frank had a queer feeling as he dropped to the ground and stood over his big game. Deep down in his heart he envied his chum, because
Jerry had been able to kill his grizzly while the beast was charging him.
"It may be all right," he said to Mr. Mabie, "and it's a good thing to get rid of these savage animals in any old way, but I hope I don't take part in another affair like this. He had no chance, poor old chap."
The old rancher looked admiringly at the boy.
"Those sentiments do you proud, lad, and I appreciate them, too; but business, in my line, must go ahead of sentiment, and this old Charlie was doing me a bad turn. My herds will rest easier now that he is gone," he said feelingly.
Leaving Billy and Reddy to secure the hide of the second grizzly, the others returned to camp. Restless Jerry tried the fishing again, and as before, success came his way.
"I'd give something to have my little Red Rover here, in that swift water," sighed Bluff, as he and Frank sat on the edge of the bluff, listening to the rush of the river while it sped on its way to the lower country.
"Well, a canoe might be fine for shooting downstream, but I don't believe you'd find it as safe in the rapids as those hide boats. The rocks can't smash in their sides, like cedar or canvas craft. Better to do as the natives do, I find, whenever I
go anywhere. They know by experience what's best," returned Frank wisely.
"Look there! A cowboy coming like the wind up the river, waving his hat over his head! Say! d'ye suppose anything's gone wrong at the ranch, and we'll have to cut our hunt short?" exclaimed Bluff anxiously.
"Oh, I guess not. You see, those fellows are built that way. They never can do anything without excitement. See! He's holding up something that looks like a mail pouch," said Frank composedly.
"Why, of course that's it! I heard Mr. Mabie say he expected mail to-day, and, for one, I'll be mighty glad to hear from the folks," sighed Bluff.
"What? Not getting homesick already, I hope?" smiled his chum.
"Certainly not, only a fellow naturally likes to hear from his mom and dad when he's away so far," declared Bluff stoutly.
"Yes, and also from some other fellow's sister, in the bargain. Nellie never finds time to write to me when I'm away, leaving all that to the old folks; but I notice that you always manage to get a letter in her handwriting."
"Well, I made her solemnly promise to write every other day, you see," explained Bluff, while
he suddenly became red in the face, hurrying off to get his mail.
There were letters for all the boys. Jerry was called in from his entrancing sport to receive his share, and Frank noticed that he, too, had a sweet-looking missive in a schoolgirl hand. Of course, it must be from Mame Crosby, for Jerry and she were great friends.
"Here's something enclosed in my letter, and directed to Mr. Frank Langdon. Does anybody know a fellow by that name?" asked Will, holding up a delicate envelope that seemed to exhale a fragrance all its own.
"And sealed, too! What a breach of etiquette!" jeered Jerry.
"Now, will you be good?" observed Bluff, glad of a chance to return the favor.
"That's all right. Possibly Violet wants to make some inquiries concerning her twin brother, how he behaves, and if he has developed any rash spirit calculated to get him into trouble. I remember telling her that if she felt anxious just to drop me a line, and I'd answer."
Frank unblushingly took the envelope from the extended fingers of Will.
"Open it!" commanded Bluff.
"You'll have to excuse me, fellows. That wouldn't be hardly fair to my correspondent, you
know. She expects me to keep her secrets." And Frank coolly sauntered off as he spoke.
Nor did he ever take them into his confidence with regard to what the contents of that scented missive might be. Even Will was not told. However, like most brothers, it can be said that he did not seem overly anxious to learn. He had, perhaps, secrets of his own.
Once again they were seated around the campfire. Supper had been, as usual, a great success, and while the older members of the party smoked, our boys amused themselves in various ways.
Will was, of course, busy with his photographic outfit. His field dark-room was a success, and he developed his films, and did all other things necessary, with little or no trouble. Indeed, he had an apparatus whereby he could carry on this operation successfully even in the daytime; but he usually worked at night, because there was nothing else going on then.
The others had fallen into a conversation connected with their home life. Reddy hovered near, listening, and Frank wondered why that wistful look had come into the eyes of the young cowboy. Possibly he had a home somewhere—perhaps memories of a mother or father had crowded into his mind while the boys were talking of the sacred ties that bound them to Centerville.
Frank had always believed there must be something of a history attached to Reddy's past. He had even hoped that some time the other might take such a liking to him as to speak of his own folks. His manner gave Frank the impression that the dashing cowboy might have had a new longing spring up in his breast since their coming to the ranch, a desire to once again visit the scenes of his boyhood.
So, as they talked, referring to many of the events of the past, names were often mentioned, and as a thought came to him, Frank happened to say:
"I wonder how Hank Brady is getting on with father's new car?"
He saw the cowboy start and turn white.
"Who's Hank Brady?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"A fellow we met under strange circumstances. Hank was on the road to the bad, but he got his eyes open just in time. Now he's our chauffeur, and we think he's going to make good," replied Frank, watching the other with sudden interest.
"Huh! Did you ever hear anything about his family?" asked Reddy, trying to act in a natural manner, but hardly succeeding very well.
"Yes. He's got a father and mother who were mighty anxious about him."
"
And there's that good-for-nothing brother Ted he told you to keep your eye out for up here!" broke in Bluff.
"Yes; how about that, Frank? Have you ever asked about him?" exclaimed Jerry.
"No; but perhaps I'd better begin now. How about it, Reddy?" questioned Frank.
"You needn't go any further, for I can tell you all about that scalawag. If you had asked Mr. Mabie, he'd have told you my name was Ted Brady," was the astonishing reply.