Thus the compact was sealed, and Harry Northend already felt a renewal of hope at this hearty manifestation of confidence in him by the man who was to be the all-important auxiliary in the work of searching out his lost bride of the wilderness.
But he was naturally desirous of hearing from the experienced trapper and mountaineer his theory to account for the mysterious disappearance of Little Rifle, as they both preferred to call her in preference to the new and correct name of Hagar. As yet he had offered no conjecture, and indeed so far as Harry could perceive had not even given it a thought. He now ventured to ask the question.
“It was the ’arthquake!” was the astounding reply.
But for the seriousness of the occasion, and the perfect solemness of the bear-tamer’s manner, Harry would have taken this as a specimen of his waggery, but it was any thing but that, and the lad stared in blank amazement.
“Don’t you know what I mean?” asked the old hunter, observing his wonderment.
“I haven’t the remotest idea,” was the reply.
“Wal, you know what an ’arthquake is, don’t you? I s’pose you’ve read about ’em, hain’t you?”
“Of course I have; every school-boy has read of terrible earthquakes, but what do you mean by saying that the loss of Little Rifle has been caused by such a thing as that?”
“I s’pose you slept so healthy last night that you didn’t hear it, nor know nothing ’bout it; but just afore the snow begun fallin’, the ground shook; I felt the old lodge of mine rock like a cradle, and I made a dive out-doors so sudden-like that I hit my head ag’in the log thar and split it, so it’s almost sp’iled. I knowed the ’arth was off on a waltz, and I done a little dancing, too.”
“How strange that I knew nothing of it,” exclaimed the awed lad; “I never even suspected such a thing could have happened, although I heard them say something at the fort about an earthquake, and I have heard it said that they have felt a shock once or twice in California, but I hardly thought it could be real. But how, Uncle Ruff, could that have caused Little Rifle to leave?”