English
BesidesshowingMarkhowtocatchotterandalligators,Franktaughthimhowtokillorcapturevariousotherwildanimals.
Amongotherthingshemadeplainthemysteriesoffirehuntingfordeer,andthisprovedamorefascinatingsporttoMarkthananyother.
AsexplainedbyFrank,firehuntingishuntingatnight,eitheronfootorhorseback,bymeansofafire-pan.
Thisisanironcageattachedtotheendofalightpole.
Itisfilledwithblazinglight-woodknots,andthepoleiscarriedoverthehunter’sleftshoulder,sothattheblazeisdirectlybehindandalittleabovehishead.
Whilehehimselfisshroudedindarkness,anyobjectgettingwithinthelonglaneoflightcastinfrontofhimisdistinctlyvisible,andinthislighttheeyesofawildanimalshinelikecoalsoffire.
Theanimal,fascinatedbythelight,asallwildanimalsare,andbeingunabletoseethehunter,standsperfectlystill,watchingthemysteriousflamesastheyapproach,untilperhapsthefirstwarninghehasofdangeristhebulletthat,drivenintohisbrainbetweentheshiningeyes,permanentlysatisfieshiscuriosity.
Whenhegoesafoot,thehuntermusttakewithhimanassistanttocarryabagofpineknotstoreplenishthefire;butonhorsebackhecancarryhisownfuelinasackbehindthesaddle.
Somefirehuntersprefertocarryapowerfulbull’s-eyelanternstrappedinfrontoftheirhats;butourboysdidnotpossessanybull’s-eyes,andwereforcedtobecontentwiththemoreprimitivefire-pans.
AmethodsimilartothisispracticedbythehuntersoftheNorth,whogoatnightinboatsorcanoestotheedgesofpondstowhichdeerresorttofeeduponlily-pads.
Therethismethodofhuntingiscalled“jacking”fordeer,andthefire-pan,or“jack,”isfixedinthebowoftheboat,whilethehunter,rifleinhand,crouchesandwatchesbeneathit.
Theirfirstattemptatfirehuntingwasmadebytheboysonfootinthewoodsnearthemill;butheretheymadesomuchnoiseintheunderbrushthat,thoughthey“shined”severalpairsofeyes,thesevanishedbeforeashotcouldbefiredatthem.
Inconsequenceofthisill-lucktheyreturnedhometiredanddisgusted,andMarksaidhedidn’tthinkfirehuntingwasverymuchfunafterall.
Soonafterthis,however,Frankpersuadedhimtotryitagain,andthistimetheywentonhorseback.
BoththeElmerhorseswereaccustomedtothesoundoffire-arms,andwarranted,whenpurchased,tostandperfectlystill,eventhoughagunshouldberestedbetweentheirearsanddischarged.
Thistime,havinggoneintoamoreopencountry,thehuntersweresuccessful;andhavingshothisfirstdeer,andbeingwellsmearedwithitsbloodbyFrank,Markcamehomedelightedwithhissuccessandanxioustogoonanotherhuntassoonaspossible.
ThecountrytotheeastofWakullabeingverythinlysettled,aboundedwithgameofalldescriptions,andespeciallydeer.
Initwerevasttractsofopentimberlandsthatwerequitefreefromunderbrush,andadmirablyfittedforhunting.
Thiscountrywas,however,muchbroken,andcontainedmanydangerous“sinkholes.”
Inspeakingofthissection,andindescribingthese“sinkholes”totheElmersoneevening,Mr.Marchhadsaid,
“Sinks,orsinkholes,suchasthecountrytotheeastofthisaboundsin,arecommontoalllimestoneformations.
Theyaresuddenandsometimesverydeepdepressionsorbreaksinthesurfaceoftheground,causedbythewearingawayofthelimestonebeneathitbyundergroundcurrentsofwaterorrivers.
Inmostoftheseholesstandingwaterofgreatdepthisfound,andsometimesswiftlyrunningwater.
Iknowseveralmenwhohaveontheirplaceswhattheycall‘naturalwells,’orsmall,deepholesintheground,atthebottomofwhichflowstreamsofwater.
Manyofthesesinksareverydangerous,astheyopensoabruptlythatapersonmightwalkintooneofthemonadarknightbeforehewasawareofitspresence.
Severalpeoplewhohavemysteriouslydisappearedinthiscountryaresupposedtohavelosttheirlivesinthatway.”
ThisconversationmadeadeepimpressionuponMark,andwhentheboysstartedonhorseback,onedarknighttowardstheendofMarch,withtheintentionofgoingonafirehuntinthisvery“sinkhole”country,hesaidtoFrank,astheyrodealong,
“Howaboutthoseholesinthegroundthatyourfathertoldusabouttheothernight.Isn’titdangerousforustogoamongthem?”
“Notabitofdanger,”answeredFrank,“aslongasyou’reonhorseback.Ahorse’llalwayssteerclearof‘em.”
Whentheyreachedthehunting-ground,andhadlightedthepine-knotsintheirfire-pans,Franksaid,
“There’snouseourkeepingtogether;we’llnevergetanythingifwedo.
I’llfollowthatstaroverthisway”—andhepointedashespoketoabrightoneinthenorth-east—”andyougotowardsthatone”—pointingtoonealittlesouthofeast.
“We’llrideforanhour,andthenifwehaven’thadanyluckwe’llmakethebestofourwayhome.
RememberthattogethomeyoumustkeeptheNorth-starexactlyonyourrighthand,andbygoingduewestyou’llbesuretostriketheroadthatrunsupanddowntheriver.
Ifeitherofusfires,theotheristogotohimatonce,firingsignalgunsashegoes,andthesetheothermustanswersoastoshowwhereheis.”
Markpromisedtofollowtheseinstructions,andasthetwoboysseparated,littledideitherofthemimaginetheterriblecircumstancesunderwhichtheirnextmeetingwastotakeplace.
Markhadriddenslowlyalongforsometime,carefullyscanningthelaneoflightaheadofhim,withoutshiningasinglepairofeyes,andwasbeginningtofeeloppressedbythedeath-likestillnessandsolitudesurroundinghim.
Suddenlyhislightdisappeared,hishorserearedintotheair,almostunseatinghim,andthendashedmadlyforwardthroughthedarkness.
Thefire-pan,carelesslymade,hadgivenway,itsblazingcontentshadfallenonthehorse’sback,and,wildwithpain,hewasrunningaway.
AllthisdartedthroughMark’smindinaninstant;butbeforehehadtimetothinkwhatheshoulddo,thehorse,withasnortofterror,stoppedassuddenlyashehadstarted—sosuddenlyastothrowhimselfbackonhishaunches,andtosendMarkflyingthroughtheairoverhishead.
Thusrelievedofhisrider,thehorsewheeledandboundedaway.
AtthesameinstantMark’srifle,whichhehadheldinhishand,felltotheground,andwasdischargedwithareportthatrangloudlythroughthestillnightair.
ThesoundwasdistinctlyheardbyFrank,whowaslessthanamileaway;andthinkingitasignalfromhiscompanion,heroderapidlyinthedirectionfromwhichithadcome.
Hehadnotgonefarbeforeheheardtherapidgallopingofahorse,apparentlygoinginthedirectionofWakulla.
Althoughhefiredhisownriflerepeatedly,hegotnoresponse,andhefinallyconcludedthatMarkwasplayingapracticaljoke,andhadriddenhomeafterfiringhisgunwithoutwaitingforhim.
Thusthinking,heturnedhisownhorse’sheadtowardshome,andanhourlaterreachedthehouse.
HefoundMark’shorsestandingatthestabledoorinalatheroffoam,andstillsaddledandbridled.
ThenitflashedacrosshimthatsomethinghadhappenedtoMark,and,filledwithasickeningdread,hehurriedintothehouseandarousedMr.Elmer.
“Hasn’tMarkcomehome?”heinquired,inahuskyvoice.
“No,notyet.Isn’thewithyou?”askedMr.Elmer,insurprise.
“No;andifheisn’theresomethingdreadfulhashappenedtohim,I’mafraid”;andthenFrankhurriedlytoldMr.Elmerwhatheknewoftheeventsofthehunt.
“Wemustgoinsearchofhimatonce,”saidMr.Elmer,inatremblingvoice,“andyoumustguideusasnearlyaspossibletothepointfromwhichyouheardtheshot.”
HastilyarousingMr.MarchandJan,andtellingthemtosaddlethemules,Mr.Elmerwenttohiswife,whowasinquiringanxiouslywhathadhappened,andtoldherthatMarkwaslost,andthattheyweregoingtofindhim.
Thepoormotherbeggedtobeallowedtogotoo;butassuringherthatthiswasimpossible,andtellingRuthtocomforthermotheraswellasshecould,Mr.Elmerhurriedaway,mountedMark’shorse,andthepartyrodeoff.
FrankknewthecountrysowellthathehadnodifficultyinguidingthemtothespotwhereheandMarkhadseparated.
FromheretheyfollowedthestarthatFrankhadpointedouttoMark,andridingabreast,butaboutahundredfeetapart,theykeptupacontinualshouting,andoccasionallyfiredagun,butgotnoanswer.
AtlengthMr.Marchdetectedaglimmeroflightontheground,anddismounting,foundafewcharredsticks,oneofwhichstillglowedwithacoaloffire.
“Halloo!”heshouted;“here’swhereMarkemptiedhisfire-pan.”
Theyallgatheredaround,andhavingbroughtasupplyoflight-woodsplinterswithwhichtomaketorches,theyeachlightedoneofthese,andbeganacarefulsearchforfurtherevidencesofthemissingboy.
AshoutfromJanbroughtthemtohim,andheshowedthebrokenfire-panwhichhehadjustpickedup.
Alittlefarthersearchrevealedthedeepimprintsofthehorse’shoofswhenhehadplungedandrearedastheburningbrandsfellonhisback;andthen,stepbystep,oftenlosingit,butrecoveringitagain,theyfollowedthetrailuntiltheycameupontheriflelyingontheground,coldandwetwiththenightdew.
Mr.March,holdinghistorchhighabovehishead,tookastepinadvanceoftheothersastheywereexaminingtherifle,andutteredacryofhorror.
“Asink-hole!Goodheavens!theboyisdownthere!”
Acoldchillwentthroughhishearersatthesewords,andtheygatheredclosetotheedgeoftheopeningandpeeredintoitsblackdepths.
“Wemustknowbeyondadoubtwhetherornotheisdowntherebeforeweleavethisplace,”saidMr.Elmer,withforcedcomposure,“andwemusthavearope.
Frank,youknowthewaybetterthananyofus,andcangoquickest.
Rideforyourlifebacktothehouse,andbringthatManilalineyouusedtocatchthealligatorwith.
Don’tlethismotherhearyou—agreatersuspensewouldkillher.”
WhileFrankwasgonetheotherscarefullyexaminedthe“sinkhole,”andcutawaythebushesandvinesfromarounditsedges.
Itwasanirregularopening,abouttwentyfeetacross,andashortdistancebelowthesurfacehadlimestonesides.
Beggingtheotherstobeperfectlyquiet,Mr.Elmerlaydownontheground,andreachingasfarovertheedgeashedared,called,
“Mark!myboy!Mark!”buttherewasnoanswer.StillMr.Elmerlistened,andwhenherosetohisfeethesaid,
“March,itseemsasthoughIheardthesoundofrunningwaterdownthere.Listen,andtellmeifyouhearit.Ifitisso,myboyisdead!”
Mr.Marchlaydownandlistened,andtheothersheldtheirbreath.“Yes,”hesaid,“Ihearit.Oh,mypoorfriend,Ifearthereisnohope.”
ThefirstfaintstreaksofdaywereshowingintheeastwhenFrankreturnedwiththeropeandanadditionalsupplyoftorches.
“Nowletmedownthere,”saidMr.Elmer,preparingtofastentheropearoundhim,“andGodhelpmeifIfindthedeadbodyofmyboy.”
“No,”saidFrank,“letmego.Hesavedmylife,andIamthelightest.Pleaseletmego!”
“Yes,”saidMr.March,“letFrankgo.Itismuchbetterthatheshould.”
Mr.ElmerreluctantlyconsentedthatFrankshouldtakehisplace,andtheropewasfastenedaroundtheboy’sbody,underhisarms,havingfirstbeenwoundwithsaddleblanketssothatitshouldnotcuthim.
Takingalightedtorchinonehandandsomefreshsplintersintheother,heslippedoverthelogwhichtheyhadplacedalongtheedge,sothattheropeshouldnotbecutbytherocks,andwasgentlyloweredbythethreeanxiousmenintotheawfulblackness.
Thirtyfeetoftheropehaddisappeared,whenitsuddenlysaggedtotheoppositesideofthehole,andatthesameinstantcamethesignalforthemtopullup.
AsFrankcameagaintothesurfacethelowerhalfofhisbodywasdrippingwet,andhisfacewasghastlypale.
“Heisn’tthere,”hesaid;“butthereisastreamofrunningwatersostrongthat,whenyouletmeintoit,Iwasnearlysweptawayunderthearch.
Itflowsinthatdirection,”headded,pointingtothesouth.
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