Beside a stream which came down from this peak, and not very far removed from the cabin, there stood an object which at once attracted our attention,—a rock of very peculiar shape. It was like a gigantic mushroom, forty feet high; the stalk, which must have been thirty feet thick, constituting about half of the total height, while the cap, projecting on all sides far beyond the stalk, must have been more than twice as wide as the latter. Indeed, considering how much the cap overhung, and considering, moreover, that it was split in two across the middle, it was a wonder to us that it did not fall off; one would think that a good stiff breeze might blow it down.
Having traversed the little valley at its upper end, we drew up before the cabin, and there dismounted. By command of Squeaky, Percy and I unsaddled the horses and unpacked the mules,—which at once wandered off to fraternise with the strange horses, they, with equal curiosity having galloped up to see who we were,—during which operation Bates busied himself by cutting a supply of fire-wood, while the vigilant Squeaky kept watch and ward over us.
After a hearty supper, which Percy and I cooked, and of which, in spite of our unpleasant situation, we ate a very fair share, we were ordered into the cabin for the night. Our blankets were thrown upon the floor, and a fire of big logs was started in the fireplace.
“That’ll help to keep you warm,” remarked our captor, “and it’ll keep you from trying to climb out by the chimney,”—an idea which had occurred to both of us the moment we entered the hovel.
Squeaky next took an elk-hide, and, extracting the nails from several old horseshoes which lay about, he pegged the hide over the doorway, thus shutting us in completely.
“Now, boys,” said he, from the other side of the hide, “you can go to bed whenever you like. Don’t try to get out. One of us will be on guard all the time and if we hear you trying to scratch out we shall just fire through the doorway or through the chinks, and you’ll have to take your chance of being hit. So take my advice, and go to bed like good boys. Good-night.”
CHAPTER XI
A COUNTER-STROKE
IT was all very well for Squeaky to recommend us to go to bed; we had something else to do first, namely, to talk over the situation. The possibility of escape was naturally the first subject to be discussed.
“I don’t see any chance of it at present,” said Percy. “But perhaps, after we have been here a few days, if we don’t show any desire to get away, they may become less vigilant and we may find an opportunity. If Squeaky for any reason should go away and leave Bates in charge, that would be our best chance. We might tackle Bates—I’m not very much afraid of him—but I am afraid of Squeaky, most decidedly afraid.”