With many eager questions from the scouts, about cataclysms, glaciers, volcanoes, and other forces that helped build the dry land above the face of the seas, and with Mr. Gilroy"s lucid and interesting descriptions of such work, the party reached the beautiful tract known as Estes Park.
"Here"s where we camp for the night, Scouts,--unless you have something more important to do," announced Mr. Gilroy.
They laughed. "Now, Gilly! What more important date is there than to eat a good supper," added Anne.
The scouts teased her at that, but Mr. Vernon said, "I have an important date for those who will go with me."
He took up his fishing tackle, and instantly the scouts signified their eagerness to "keep the date" he had with the fish. Mr. Gilroy remained with Tally to look after camp arrangements and unload the mules. Then the horses and mules were turned out to pasture, while supper was prepared.
Because of the heavily wooded country they were to go through, Tally had not bothered to carry any tentpoles. It was an easy matter to run the ropes through the eyelets of the canvas, and string up the shelter to handy tree trunks. Hence the tents were up, and Mrs. Vernon was asked to weave the balsam beds upon the ground, inside them, before the girls returned.
Fuel was plentiful and a fire was soon burning, whereby supper could be cooked. Tally now began preparing his various dishes for the meal, while the Captain spread out the cloth on the gra.s.s for a table.
So excellent is the fishing in these forests, that the two camp-cooks had not had time to complete baking the bread-twist, or boil the potatoes, before the anglers arrived with a fine mess of fish. These were cleaned and placed in the large frying-pan where red-and-white streaked slices of bacon were crisping.
The savory odor that soon arose to mingle with the immediate surrounding air made every one sniff audibly, and wish supper was ready to eat. While the Captain added the finishing touches to the supper, she remarked to the scouts:
"I keep brushing so many little black insects from the cloth, and yet they seem to swarm about more than ever. Ask Tally what I can do to drive them away."
Mr. Gilroy overheard her, and replied, "I guess we are in for a plague of midges. No use trying to get rid of them by hand, and no use moving camp, as they infest the woods all about, when they do appear; and they last, sometimes, for several days, then they disappear as suddenly as they came."
As the scouts began to scratch at faces, necks, and limbs, Tally remarked, encouragingly: "De"s not so badder."
"I hope you don"t raise any worse pests than these in your Rockies!"
cried Ruth, her hands and face red from irritation.
"Jus" wait. De"se meegies go wid sun, but moskeet--he come an" sing all night, an" bite all same."
In spite of the discomfort the little black imps caused, the scouts had to laugh at Tally"s form of condolence. Evidently he, with his tough skin, preferred midges to songsters at night.
"Why should they swarm about now, when we never saw one on the way here?" asked Joan, in an aggrieved tone.
"It"s going to rain, and that always drives them up from the underbrush and wet places where they live during the dry hours,"
explained Mr. Gilroy.
He had been occupied in crushing caribou leaves between his palms, and now the scouts turned to watch him. When he had extracted the juice from the leaves, he showed the girls how he rubbed it over his neck, face, and arms. This was very effective to keep away the pests for a time; but one had to keep on rubbing the fresh leaf-juice on the skin at intervals because the moisture evaporated with the heat from the body.
Supper--and it was a delicious one--over, Mr. Gilroy said to the guide, "Tally, we"ve got to make a smudge fire all right."
"Um!" agreed Tally, "see tent; him all cover wid bites."
The girls laughed at the Indian"s graphic words, for the canvas was black with pests,--mosquitoes and black flies, as well as the midges.
Every available pan was requisitioned for use as braziers. And movable smokes, that Tally manufactured of pine shavings, smudged with damp material, effectively fumigated the camp and drove away most of the insects. But the scouts had to wave balsam fans quite vigorously to make the choking smoke that circled about them eddy away.
Tally arranged a chain of these smudge-fires about the camp ground, and provided elaborate means of keeping the pests away through the night. But all precautions were useless when the mean little mosquitoes got in between the open places in the canvas, and began their songs. Every one was healthily tired, though, and all the needlelike thrusts of the insects could not keep the girls awake.
In the morning, Julie said, "What should we have done if Tally had not smoked away millions of the creatures!"
And Joan said, "Why, infinitesimal atoms of Dandelion Troop would now be flying all over Estes Park to await Judgment Day!"
CHAPTER SIX
A MULE"S PLEASANTRIES
Long"s Peak had been "done" to every one"s satisfaction, and other neighboring peaks had been scaled. Estes Park was now becoming so familiar an environment that the scouts no longer thrilled at each new experience, but were eagerly looking forward to fresh excitement.
"Well, Tally, how about trekking northwards?" asked Mr. Gilroy of the guide, one night after supper.
"All "leddy," returned the Indian.
"Frolic and Jolt seem to be deucedly gay after this long vacation,"
ventured Mr. Vernon, eyeing the frisky pack-mules.
"Um--Jolt him big kick," said Tally, signifying with a hand held above his head, how high the animal kicked that day.
"Our next lap of the journey will take all this freshness out of him, never fear!" laughed Mr. Gilroy.
That night while the scouts slept heavily, Tally heard a sound from the corral where he kept the horses and mules. He jumped up and ran over, but Jolt had broken his halter and had disappeared. He roused Mr. Gilroy and told him the news.
"Oh, let the old rascal go!" mumbled he, then turned over on his side and was fast asleep again. So Tally literally obeyed.
In the morning, however, Mr. Gilroy thought differently about his advice. Jolt was the best and strongest of the two mules, and the luggage of so many tourists was too much for Frolic, the smaller of the pack-animals.
Mr. Gilroy sighed heavily. "Well, the only thing to do is for all hands to turn out and hunt for Jolt."
"Why not have Verny and Betty, the two tender scouts of the troop, stay and strike camp?" asked Mr. Vernon. "We can go for the mule, while they pack everything and get ready for a start along the trail when we return."
In spite of the Captain"s vehement declarations that she was not to be cla.s.sed as too young or tender to enjoy a wild hunt for a fractious mule, the two were left behind, and the others started down the trail.
After many wanderings along side trails that offered temptations to such a wayward beast as Jolt, the hunters found him. Yes, Jolt was found, but it was another thing to catch him! After many vain attempts, Tally finally la.s.soed him, but the kicking, jumping animal seemed to think the more he performed the better the scouts liked it.
After an absence of an hour, the captors filed back to camp, where Frolic--contrarily named--stood meekly waiting to be harnessed with the packs.
While Tally placed the two wooden crates on Frolic"s back, Mr. Gilroy essayed to do the same with Jolt. But the mule had other intentions.
The moment he felt the touch of the pack-frame he lit out with both hind legs. Poor Gilly not only caved in suddenly in the region under his belt, but he also sat down unceremoniously several paces behind Jolt.
"Um! Some bad Jolt!" declared Tally, scowling at the mule.
The opportune words were so amusing, that every one, Mr. Gilroy included, simply roared. But the Indian looked at them in silent wonderment. To his mind, these white men were _always_ laughing.
Mr. Vernon now caught hold of Jolt"s bit and held his head firmly between both hands, while Tally "hitched" the mule"s feet so he could not kick or run again. Then the crates were strapped on and the packing began.
Jolt had the heaviest articles roped upon his packs. The canvas, blankets, and camping outfits were his portion. Frolic carried the duffel-bags and lighter baggage. Finally all were ready for the start.