“More I get thinkin’ ’baout the slick way that same Simeon took a carrier pigeon ’long with him, so he could be sure o’ gettin’ valuable information into the hands o’ his boss, the more I admire the ole gink. I knowed as haow the French used them birds over across the water, when we was afightin’ the Heinies; but say, tryin’ sech a game aout in the Secret Service was a new dodge on me.”
“Both clever, and original, Perk,” assented the other, fastening on his pack once more; “but then, as I remember Simeon Balderson he was always different from the common truck of the Force. I’ll be right sorry if anything has happened to him—wiped out by these devils up here, just because they naturally hate all Service men.”
Thus they continued to stumble along, sometimes one in the lead, and then later on the other would forge ahead, just as circumstances brought things about.
There was no attempt to make any kind of speed, since time did not count in what they were trying to accomplish—far better to spend a week, even two, than to ruin everything by some incautious move.
From time to time sounds would come to their ears, mostly ahead; but in every case these could be set down as proceeding from birds, or small animals that may have discovered their approach, and were showing signs of restlessness.
Once, however, a faint report drifted to their ears through some slant in the breeze, being possibly a mile or more distant, which both recognized as a gunshot—the only evidence of human beings that thus far they had discovered.
It acted as a spur, making them remember what they were up against; but Perk only smiled, as though he cared very little how soon they ran into the jaws of trouble, and matched their talents against those they sought.
Then they had a severe shock—it came almost without the least warning too, which made it more stunning.
A rustling in the underbrush—what sounded like a snarl or a grunt; and as they flashed a startled look in that direction, a huge shaggy figure uprose to betray the presence of a genuine Rocky Mountain grizzly of un-heard-of proportions, standing erect.
To make the matter all the more serious the frightful beast was almost directly in their way, blocking any further movement along the ravine. Besides, while they carried arms, it was highly imprudent on several accounts for them to dream of using the same.