Part 11 (2/2)
”And much good may that do you!” grumbled Mary c.o.x. ”What a silly thing to do, anyway.”
”I do wish you'd go back, if you want to, Mary,” declared Madge, wearily.
”She's as cross as two sticks,” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Jane Ann.
”Well, why shouldn't I be cross?” demanded The Fox, quite ready to quarrel. ”This place is as dull as ditch-water. I wish I hadn't come West at all. I'm sure, _I've_ had no fun.”
”Well, you've made enough trouble, if you haven't had a good time,” Jane Ann said, frankly.
”I must say you're polite to your guests,” exclaimed Mary c.o.x, viciously.
”And I must say you're anything but polite to me,” responded the ranch girl, not at all abashed. ”You're pretty near the limit, _you_ are.
Somebody ought to give you a good shaking.”
Ruth and Helen had gotten so far ahead because they had not wasted their breath. Now they were waiting for the other three who came puffing to the shelf on which the chums rested, all three wearing frowns on their faces.
”For pity's sake!” gasped Helen; ”what's the matter with you all?”
”I'm tired,” admitted Madge, throwing herself upon the short turf.
”This girl says it's all foolishness to climb up here,” said Jane Ann, pointing at The Fox.
”Oh, I want to reach the very summit, now I've started,” cried Ruth.
”That's silly,” declared Mary c.o.x.
”You're just as cross as a bear,” began the Western girl, when Helen suddenly shrieked:
”Oh, _oh_! Will you look at that? _What is it?_”
Ruth had already started on. She did not wish to have any words with The Fox. A rod or more separated her from her mates. Out of an aperture heretofore unnoticed, and between Ruth and the other girls, was thrust the s.h.a.ggy head and shoulders of a huge animal.
”A dog!” cried Madge.
”It's a wolf!” shrieked Mary c.o.x.
But the Western girl knew instantly what the creature was. ”Run, Ruthie!” she shouted. ”I'll call Jib and the boys. _It's a bear!_”
And at that moment Bruin waddled fully out of the hole-a huge, hairy, sleepy looking beast. He was between Ruth and her friends, and his awkward body blocked the path by which they were climbing to the summit of the natural bridge.
”Wu-uh-uh-uff!” said the bear, and swung his head and huge shoulders from the group of four girls to the lone girl above him.
”Run, Ruth!” shrieked Helen.
Her cry seemed to startle the ursine marauder. He uttered another grunt of expostulation and started up the steep path. n.o.body needed to advise Ruth to run a second time. She scrambled up the rocks with an awful fear clutching at her heart and the sound in her ears of the bear's sabre-like claws scratching over the path!
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