Bones On Black Spruce Mountain by David Budbill

Author:David Budbill
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-01-28T00:33:28+00:00

Chapter 6

Seth leveled the compass in the palm of his hand and waited for the needle to stop rotating. "What's that bearing we're supposed to take?" he asked.

"South 5 degrees east."

"Yeah.Looks good. It should take us up over the side of the basin. If we go due west when we get up there, we ought to hit the summit pretty close."

They moved up out of the basin and headed toward the back side of the mountain. The fear and apprehension the boys had felt earlier that day were gone. The discovery of the barrow, the old tools and jars, the pieces of blanket, had answered the nagging, anxious questions that had hovered in the backs of their minds. But what made them feel good, especially Daniel, was their failure to find the bones. It took the terror out of the story, bled it of its horror. The boys could relax and enjoy the rest of the hike. It was a beautiful day, and as they headed for the top of the mountain, they were in high spirits.

"You know, Seth, that place must be the one Mr. Bateau's father found. Probably there's not even a cave up on the mountain. Nobody could live up there anyway; it's too exposed to the weather. The story must have gotten all mixed up over the years."

"I think you're right, Daniel. Yes, I think that's right. Maybe we should go back and go fishing or something."

"Nah. We're up this far, let's keep going. always wanted to see the view from up there anyway."

Ever since the boys had reached the top of Eagle Ledge, ravens had been fussing in the air above them, croaking worriedly over the two intruders into their domain. It was raven country, high and far away, and the big black birds were not used to humans. All morning the boys had been too nervous about what they might find to notice the birds, but now, with their questions answered, they watched the birds circle above them, listened to the enormous variety of croaks and caws of raven talk.

"Hey, look at this!" Seth reached down and plucked an enormous black feather off the ground, a primary raven feather from a wing, almost twelve inches long, the biggest feather either boy had ever seen.

"Neat!" Daniel exclaimed.

The boys heard a pair of ravens talking to one another nearby. "Here's another trick for you," Daniel said, and as he had done with the owl, he cupped his hands around his mouth and began talking back. First some deep raspy caws that sounded like a crow with laryngitis. Then a blonk, blonkblonk, blonkblonk that sounded for all the world like some-one hammering on a metal pipe. Then the caws again.

Suddenly two enormous ravens appeared overhead and, seeing the boys, frantically beat their wings to brake themselves; then, in a hiss, a rush of wings, they wheeled and soared away.

The boys could hear the ravens chattering to each other as they flapped out of sight, discussing what they must have thought was their narrow escape.

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