Chapter XX: The Avalanche

"What's coming down on us, Frank?" Lanky called out in a voice filled with apprehension, as the roaring sound rapidly grew more and more terrible.

"I don't know," came the reply. "Something we've never run up against before, I take it!"

"An earthquake?"

"Hardly that, Lanky. So far we haven't felt any movement to the mountain here. That wind, though, is whipping things something fierce. See that big branch of a cedar tree going off like a balloon! It's more like a cyclone than anything else, but I never heard of them in a mountain district."

"Grab hold of something!" bellowed Lanky, alarmed by the growing darkness and the wild clamor. "Did you ever see such a country for big things happening--first a cloudburst, and now--this whooper of a tornado!"

"I'm bothered most about something else," admitted Frank, though he had to say it in the ear of his chum to make himself heard.

"What is it, Frank?"

"A landslide!" came back, to make Lanky shiver afresh.

"Great C├Žsar's ghost! do you reckon we're going to be caught by a slip of the mountain side, Frank?"

"I hope not, Lanky. But we're unfortunate to be in the path of that kind of turnover."

"Humph, I always said I'd be willing to try anything _once_," Lanky admitted, as if in contrition. "But say, I draw the line at getting in the path of a slide that could bury a whole town like Columbia. Frank, can't we do something to better our chances?"

"How?" demanded the other, a bit confused himself.

"Run for second base, and slide!" bellowed Lanky, who used this figurative language without intending any levity in the least, but because it came handiest to the tongue of a baseball enthusiast.

"If we only knew where the old thing was apt to come whooping down, Lanky, we might take a chance. But for all we can tell, it's as safe right here as anywhere else."

"Guess that's so," agreed the distressed Lanky. "But, shucks, it's hard lines to just hang around and wait to see whether you stick or get a free ride atop an avalanche!"

Nevertheless, there was absolutely nothing else for them to do. Indeed, the wind storm was by this time so frightful that had the boys attempted to move along the side of the steep mountain they were apt to be snatched up and carried away like thistle-down on a summer's breeze.

"Gettin' worse and worse!" called out Lanky, a few minutes after the decision had been made to stay where they were and try to "duck" in case they were given any warning of the coming of a great slide.

From one particular quarter they now heard a dreadful confusion of noises that in Frank's mind could mean only one thing. There were also distinct vibrations of the rocks underfoot that convinced him of the truth.

"That's caused by a slide somewhere over to the right," he told Lanky, who was clutching a near-by tree in order to keep from being blown away.

"Don't see anything of it, Frank, do you?"

"Air's filled with all sorts of things--dead leaves, branches ripped from pinon and oak trees, all whirling around like mad," called back Frank. "But it's over that way, I'm sure."

"I'm glad it's gone past and didn't touch us out between the bases," cried Lanky. "Do you think that wind's letting up any?"

"Not a bit! Getting stronger, if anything! Worst's yet to come, I'm afraid, Lanky."

"Wow, that's tough luck!" shouted the other at the same time trying to brace himself so as to seem like his old self, ready to snap his fingers at trouble and grin in the face of big odds. "Wonder if we'll pull through alive, Frank?"

"Don't talk that way!" he heard his comrade shout, as the gale howled and the mountain continued to tremble under the shock of thousands of tons of rock and earth and undermined trees. "We'll set our teeth and do our level best. Nobody on earth could do more!"

"You said something that time, Frank! But, gee whiz, it's _awful_!"

The boys crouched there and waited, clinging to a hope that the avalanche they had heard crashing down the side of the mountain not half a mile away would be the only slip accompanying that storm.

Under most circumstances they could have done something to better their condition; but such was not the case now. Frank felt like a grain of sand on the seashore when confronting such convulsions. Earthquakes and the eruptions of vast volcanoes are the most terrible of all the convulsions of nature; and before them the bravest shrink, unable to cope with such colossal happenings.

Minutes appeared like hours to the two cowering lads. Their hearts seemed to jump into their throats at every fresh outburst of the warring elements, as though they feared the end had come, and they would never again see the loved ones far away in the old home town.

"Don't believe I can stand this much longer, Frank!" complained Lanky. At the same time he realized how foolish it was to say such a thing, when so absolutely helpless to better conditions.

"Get a fresh grip on yourself, Lanky!" was all the other could say to comfort the shivering one, for Frank was far from feeling confident as to the outcome of their new and dreadful adventure.

"It's coming again, Frank!" shrieked Lanky a short time afterwards, as once more the side of the mountain commenced to tremble under their feet.

"Seems so," Frank, between stiff lips. "Keep a grip on yourself, Lanky. It will pass. I guess we'll pull through all right."

There is nothing more apt to carry a feeling of panic to the human heart than to feel the solid earth, which all his life he had deemed staple, quiver and writhe as if in agony. Small wonder then that stout-hearted Lanky Wallace found himself gripped with increasing fear.

Frank caught hold of his chum's arm. He knew that the touch of reassuring fingers was more apt to steady Lanky than any cheering words he might utter. Besides, talking under such appalling conditions was anything but an easy thing.

This second tremor also passed off, and again the two young prospectors found themselves safe. Lanky began to recover a part of his customary assurance.

"If only that's the wind-up of these slides, then everything'll look bright again," he called out. "Oh, Frank, there sure is a break in those black clouds nearly overhead, for I caught a glimpse of sunlight!"

"Yes, that's so," replied his chum, and then adding hurriedly: "Hold tight, Lanky, for here's where we get ours!"

The grinding noise came on once more, closer, more dreadful than ever, and the boys reeled like drunken men and held their breath with awe. Wildly did the side of the great mountain, home of slides, tremble and writhe. Above them the lads could hear the deafening noise of the oncoming mass of dislodged material, rushing down to find rest far below amidst the remnants of former similar catastrophes.

It seemed as though all creation must be in eruption, with massive rocks piling over each other and racing down the slide.

Lanky, completely overcome, fell down on his hands and knees as though exhausted and hopeless. For an indefinite space of time he felt himself moving, at first swiftly downward, then with diminished speed.

Then things came to an abrupt stop--and he was still alive!

The movement of the slipping mountain had ceased as suddenly as it had begun. Even the wild howling wind had discontinued, as though the wand of some magician had subdued its fierce clamor.