“If we can’t join you,” explained Lord Pelton, “I can have a few days’ fishing and hunting here, and I’m sure of some awfully sporty rides in the airship.”
At eight o’clock the next morning Mr. Mackworth, Captain Ludington, “Grizzly” Hosmer, Sam Skinner and Jake Green—all mounted and leading five pack horses—set out on their mountain journey. One tent, ample provisions, the empty wagons and the monoplane were left for the “base party.” The extra horses, Hosmer turned loose to graze. That day was spent by the boys and Lord Pelton in grouse shooting and working about the Loon.
“And now,” said Frank, as the three washed their supper dishes, “here’s for a fine day to-morrow and an early start for ‘Baldy’s Bench.’”
[CHAPTER XIX]
THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
This was the program that had caused Lord Pelton to remain with Frank and Phil. The Englishman was, of course, familiar with Captain Ludington’s legend of the Kootenai Indians—Koos-ha-nax, and Husha the Black Ram. He had also heard Sam Skinner’s account of Old Indian Chief—or the Sioux Indian mythical mountain ram. When the boys repeated to him the story told by “Grizzly” Hosmer—the account of “Baldy’s Bench” and the great sheep that he had seen there—and realized that this table-land was not more than seventy-five or eighty miles from Smith’s ranch he eagerly entered into the boys’ project.
This was to be an attempt to discover “Baldy’s Bench” with the airship in the hope that some of “Grizzly” Hosmer’s sheep were yet there. The boys even dared to hope that “Old Baldy” himself might be alive. The tinkering on the airship was wholly in preparation for this event. Provisions, blankets, water, a camera and rifles were put aboard; extra gasoline was shipped and all was made ready for an early flight.
At seven o’clock the next morning the Loon was started on its unique voyage. In order that a sight of the monoplane in flight might not make Mr. Mackworth apprehensive, the course laid by Phil—who was at the wheel—did not follow the Goat Creek trail.
Sweeping directly north for a few miles and flying low, the airship was turned west when the hills north of Goat Creek rose high enough to conceal the voyagers.