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diff --git a/38018.txt b/38018.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..96b04a2 --- /dev/null +++ b/38018.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6941 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Girl Scouts in the Rockies, by Lillian Elizabeth Roy + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Girl Scouts in the Rockies + +Author: Lillian Elizabeth Roy + +Release Date: November 15, 2011 [EBook #38018] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GIRL SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from images made available by the HathiTrust +Digital Library.) + + + + + +[Illustration: Finally they found better going along a narrow ledge] + + + + +Girl Scouts in the Rockies + +Lillian Elizabeth Roy + +1921 + + + + +CONTENTS + + CHAPTER ONE--OUTFITTING FOR THE TRIP + CHAPTER TWO--VIA A "PRAIRIE SCHOONER" + CHAPTER THREE--JULIE'S STRANGE EXPERIENCE + CHAPTER FOUR--GOING UP! + CHAPTER FIVE--HITTING THE TRAIL + CHAPTER SIX--A MULE'S PLEASANTRIES + CHAPTER SEVEN--TALLY AND OMNEY ENTERTAIN + CHAPTER EIGHT--SCRUB'S UNEXPECTED HUNTING TRIP + CHAPTER NINE--A THRILLING CANOE TRIP + CHAPTER TEN--JULIE AND JOAN'S PREDICAMENT + CHAPTER ELEVEN--ON TO FLAT TOP MOUNTAIN + CHAPTER TWELVE--LOST IN A BLIZZARD + CHAPTER THIRTEEN--A FOREST FIRE + CHAPTER FOURTEEN--LOST IN THE BAD LANDS + CHAPTER FIFTEEN--BACK-TRAILING TO DENVER + + + + +CHAPTER ONE + +OUTFITTING FOR THE TRIP + + +"Girls, this is our third Summer as the Dandelion Troop of Girl +Scouts,--do you realize that fact?" commented Mrs. Vernon, generally +called "Verny" by the girls, or "Captain" by her friends. + +"That first Summer in camp seems like mere child's play now, Verny," +returned Juliet Lee, known as "Julie" or just "Jule" by her intimates. + +"That really wasn't camping, at all,--what with all the cooked food our +families were bringing weekly to us, and the other housekeeping +equipment they brought that day in the 'furniture shower,'" Joan +Allison added, giggling as she remembered the incident. + +"But last Summer in the Adirondacks was real camping!" declared Ruth +Bentley, nodding her head emphatically. + +"Yes. Still it wasn't anything like this year's camping experience +promises to be,--in the Rocky Mountains," replied Mrs. Vernon. "Mr. +Gilroy furnished the tents and cots and other heavy camping things +last summer, but this year we will have to do without such luxuries." + +"We don't care what we have to do without, Verny, because we are so +thankful to be here at all!" exclaimed Anne Bailey, who was one of the +five additional scout members admitted to the circle of the four +founders of Dandelion Troop the preceding summer. + +"I'm so sorry the other girls can't be with us this trip," remarked +Julie, who was Scout Leader of the troop. + +"It's a shame that Amy's mother treats her as if she were a babe. Why, +this sort of trip is exactly what the girl needs to help her get rid +of her nerves," said Joan. + +"Yes; didn't every one say how well she was after last summer's camp +in the Adirondacks?" added Ruth Bentley. + +"Poor Amy, she'll have to stay home now, and hear her mother worry +about her all summer," sighed Betty Lee, Julie's sister. + +"Well, I am not wasting sympathy on Amy, when dear old Hester needs +all of it. The way that girl pitched in and helped earn the family +bread when her father died last winter, is courageous, say I!" +declared Julie. + +"We all think that, Julie. And not a word of regret out of her when +she found we were coming away, with Gilly, to the Rockies," added +Joan. + +"Dear old pal! We must be sure to write her regularly, and send her +souvenirs from our different stopping-places," said Mrs. Vernon, with +tears glistening in her eyes for Hester's sacrifice. + +"If Julie hadn't been my sister, I'm sure Mrs. Blake would have +frightened May into keeping me home," announced Betty. "When she told +sister May of all the terrible things that might happen to us in the +Rockies, Julie just sat and laughed aloud. Mrs. Blake was real angry +at that, and said, 'Well, May, if your mother was living _she'd_ never +allow her dear little girls to risk their lives on such a trip.'" + +Julie smiled and added, "I told Mrs. Blake, then and there, that +mother would be delighted to give us the opportunity, and so would any +sensible mother if she knew what such a trip meant! Mrs. Blake jumped +up then, and said, I'm sure I'm as sensible as any one, but I wouldn't +_think_ of letting Judith and Edith take this trip.'" + +"I guess it pays to be as healthy as I am," laughed Anne Bailey, who +was nicknamed the "heavyweight scout," "'cause no one said I was too +nervous to come, or too delicate to stand this outing." + +The other scouts laughed approvingly at Anne's rosy cheeks and +abundant fine health. + +The foregoing conversation between Mrs. Vernon and five girl scouts +took place on a train that had left Chicago, and Mr. Vernon, the day +before. He had had personal business to attend to at that city, and so +stopped over for a few days, promising to join the Dandelion Troop at +Denver in good time to start on the Rocky Mountain trip. + +"It's perfectly lovely, Verny, to think Uncle is to be one of our +party this summer," remarked Joan. "He and Mr. Gilroy seem to get on +so wonderfully, don't they?" + +"Yes, and Mr. Gilroy's knowledge of camping in the Rockies, combined +with Uncle's being with us, lightens much of the responsibility I felt +for taking you all on this outing," answered Mrs. Vernon. + +"It will seem ages for us to kill time about Denver when we're so +anxious to get away to the mountains," said Julie. + +"But there's plenty to do in that marvelous city; and lots of short +trips to take that will prove very interesting," returned the Captain. + +"Besides, we will have to get a number of items to add to our +outfits," suggested Ruth. + +"That reminds me, girls; the paper Uncle gave me as he was about to +leave the train is a memo Mr. Gilroy sent, about what to take with us +for this jaunt. Shall I read it to you now?" asked Mrs. Vernon. + +"Oh yes, do!" chorused the girlish voices; so Mrs. Vernon opened the +page which had been torn from a letter addressed to Mr. Vernon by Mr. +Gilroy. Then she began reading: + +"About taking baggage and outfit for this trip in the Rockies, let me +give you all a bit of advice. Remember this important point when +considering your wardrobe, etc.,--that we will be on the move most of +the time, and so every one must learn how to do _without_ things. We +must travel as the guides and trappers do--very 'light.' To know when +you are 'traveling light' follow this rule: + +"First, make a pyramid of everything you think you must take for use +during the summer, excluding the camp outfit, which my man will look +out for at Denver. + +"Next, inventory the items you have in the heap. Study the list +earnestly and cross out anything that is not an actual necessity. Take +the articles eliminated from the heap, throw them behind your back, +and pile up the items that are left. + +"Then, list the remainder in the new pyramid, and go over this most +carefully. Cast out everything that you have the least doubt about +there being an imperative need of. Toss such items behind you, and +then gather the much smaller pyramid together again. + +"Now, forget all your past and present needs, all that civilized life +claims you should use for wear, or camp, or sleep, and remove +everything from the pyramid excepting such articles as you believe you +would have to have to secure a living on a desert island. If you have +done this problem well, you ought to have a list on hand, after the +third elimination, about as follows: + +"A felt hat with brim to shed the rain and to shade your eyes from the +sun; a good all-wool sweater; winter-weight woolen undergarments that +will not chill you when they are dripping with water that is sweated +out from within, or soaked through from without; two or three large +handkerchiefs, one of silk to use for the head, neck, or other parts +of the body in case of need; three pairs of heather stockings,--one +pair for day use, one pair to wear at night when it is cold, and the +third pair to keep for extra need; high boots--one pair to wear and one +to carry; two soft silk shirts--shirt-waists for you girls; a _pure +wool_ army blanket; one good rubber blanket; a toothbrush, hairbrush +and comb, but no other toilet articles. Be sure to have the girl-scout +axe, a steel-bladed sheath knife, a _compass_, the scout pocket-knife, +fishing tackle, and a _gun_. (More about this gun hereafter, girls.) + +"Now, being girl scouts, you will naturally wear the approved scout +uniform. If possible, have this made up in good wiry serge that will +shed dust and other things, along the trail. You will want a good +strong riding-habit, and two pairs of silk rubber bloomers, the latter +because of their thin texture and protection against moisture. + +"Wear a complete outfit, and then pack your extras in the blanket; +roll the bundle in the rubber blanket, and buckle two straps about the +roll. Then slip this in the duffel-bag, and you are ready. + +"About the gun. Don't let your parents have a panic over the item +mentioned. You girls had excellent target practice all last winter, so +the fact of your carrying a rifle on this trip should not unduly +excite any one. In the Rockies, a gun is as necessary as an axe or +knife, and no one incurs a risk from carrying such a weapon unless he +is careless. Being trained scouts, with experience back of you, you +will be perfectly safe on this outing even though you do carry a +rifle. + +"An old Indian guide that I had some years ago, sent word that he +would be happy to give us his time for the summer. So he will attend +to all the camping needs,--utensils and canvas and horses, for the +trip. I told him that we would have a party of girls with us this +time, and he smiled when he said he would have to add needle and +thread, cold cream, and such requisites to his list." + +"There, girls," continued Mrs. Vernon, when she had concluded the +reading of Mr. Gilroy's instructions, "that is about all Gilly said +about the outfit. But I knew we had conformed to most of these +requirements already, so there is nothing more to do about it. When we +go over the duffel-bags in Denver, Gilly may ask you scouts to throw +out your manicure cases, or whimsical little things you deem an +absolute necessity now, and several articles of wear that you think +you must take, but, otherwise, we are ready to 'travel light,' as he +says." + +"Shan't we take our sleeping-bags, Verny?" asked Ruth. + +"Gilly doesn't say a word about them, so I don't know whether he +forgot them, or thought you left them home." + +"I wonder what sort of an outfit the guide will take?" remarked Julie. + +"Aluminum-ware for cooking, and a cup, plate, and cutlery for each +member of the party, Uncle Vernon said," answered Mrs. Vernon. + +Just before reaching Denver, Mrs. Vernon asked of the eager scouts, +"Did you girls read the books I mentioned, to become familiar with +this wonderful country through which we are going to travel?" + +"I read all I could, and I'm sure the other girls did, too, because +every time I asked for one of those books at the Public Library I was +informed it was out. Upon investigation, I learned that one or the +other of Dandelion Troop was reading it," laughed Julie. + +"Well, then, you learned that Colorado can boast of more than fifty +mountain peaks, each three miles or more in height; a hundred or so +nearly that high. And between these peaks can be found the wildest +gorges, most fertile valleys and plains, that any state in the Union +can boast. + +"And because of these great peaks with their snow-capped summits, many +of which are snowy all the year round, the flow of water from the +melting snows furnishes the many scenic streams that give moisture to +the plains; which in turn produce the best crops in the West. + +"But the plains and valleys were not the attraction that first brought +pioneers to Colorado. It was the gold and silver hidden in the +mountains, and the upthrust of valuable ore from the sides of the +canyons and gulches that was the magnet which caused mankind to swarm +to this state. Thus, you see, it became generally populated, the +mountainous, as well as the ranch sections." + +While riding westward from Chicago, the gradual rise of the country +failed to impress the scouts, so they were all the more surprised when +Mrs. Vernon exclaimed, "I verily believe I am the first to see Pike's +Peak, girls!" + +"Oh, where? where?" chorused the scouts, crowding to the windows on +the side of the train where the Captain sat. + +"Away off there--where you see those banks of shadowy clouds! There is +one cloud that stands out more distinctly than its companions--that's +it," replied the Captain. + +"Oh, Verny, that's not a peak!" laughed Joan. + +"Of course not! That's only a darker cloud than usual," added Julie, +while the other scouts laughed at their Captain's faulty eyesight. + +Mrs. Vernon smiled, but kept her own counsel, and half an hour later +the girls began to squint, then to doubt whether their hasty judgment +had been correct, and finally to admit that their guide and teacher +had been quite right! They saw the outline of a point that thrust +itself above the hanging clouds which hid its sides in vapor, and the +point that stood clearly defined against the sky was Pike's Peak! + +"But it isn't snow-clad, and it isn't a bit beautiful!" cried Ruth in +disappointment. + +"Still it is the first Rocky Mountain peak we have seen," Betty Lee +mildly added. + +"Scouts, this is known as 'The Pike's Peak Region,'" read Julie from a +guide-book. + +"It ought to be called 'Pike's Bleak Region,'" grumbled Anne. "I never +saw such yellow soil, with nothing but tufts of grass, dwarfed bushes, +and twisted little trees growing everywhere." + +Mrs. Vernon laughed. "Anne, those tufts are buffalo grass, which makes +such fine grazing for cattle; and your dwarfed bushes are the famous +sage-brush, while the twisted trees are cottonwoods." + +"Oh, are they, really?" exclaimed Anne, now seeing these things with +the same eyes but from a changed mental viewpoint. + +"And notice, girls, how exhilarating the air is. Have you ever felt +like this before--as if you could hike as far as the Continental Range +without feeling weary?" questioned Mrs. Vernon. + +When the train pulled in at Denver, Mr. Gilroy was waiting, and soon +the scouts were taken to the hotel where he had engaged accommodations +for the party. + +"Don't say a word until you have washed away some of that alkali dust +and brushed your clothes. Then we will go out to view the village," +laughed he, when the girls plied him with questions. + +But the scouts wasted no time needlessly over their toilets, and soon +were down in the lobby again, eager for his plans. + +"Now I'll tell you what Uncle wired me from Chicago to-day," began Mr. +Gilroy, when all were together. "He'll be there three days longer, so +we've almost five days to kill before meeting him at this hotel." + +"I've engaged two good touring cars, and as soon as you approve of the +plan, we will start out and see the city. To-morrow morning, early, we +will motor to Colorado City and visit Hot Springs, and all the points +of interest in that section. Then we can return by a different route +and embrace dear old Uncle, who will be waiting for us. How about it?" + +"How needless to ask!" exclaimed Mrs. Vernon, when the chorus of +delight had somewhat subsided. Mr. Gilroy laughed. + +"Come on, then! Bottle up the news, and stories of crime you +experienced on the way West from New York, until we are _en route_ to +Colorado Springs. Then you can swamp me with it all," said he. + +So that day they visited the city of Denver, which gave the scouts +much to see and talk about, for this wonderful city is an example of +western thrift, ambition, and solid progress. Early the following +morning, the touring party started in the two machines to spend a few +days at Colorado Springs. + +Without loss of time they drove to the famous Hot Springs, and then on +through the picturesque estate of General Palmer, the founder of +Colorado City. His place was copied after the well-known English +castle Blenheim, and Julie was deeply impressed with the architecture +of the building. + +"Girls, to-morrow morning I want you to see the sun rise from the +vantage point of Pike's Peak, so we won't climb that to-day. But we +will go to Manitou, where the setting sun casts long-fingered shadows +into the ravines, turning everything to fairy colors," said Mr. +Gilroy. + +The scouts were awed into silence at the grandeur of the scenery they +beheld, and Mr. Gilroy said, "The Ute Indians used to come to the +Manitou Waters for healing, you know. To-morrow, on your way down from +the Peak, we will stop at the Ute Pass. But I want you to see the +marvelous feat of engineering in this modern day that has made an auto +drive to the top of Pike's Peak a possibility." + +So very early the next morning the scouts were called, and after a +hurried breakfast started out in the cars for the Peak. Having driven +over the fine auto road, recently completed, to the top of the Peak, +they got out to watch the sunrise. This was truly a sight worth +working for. From the Peak they could see over an expanse of sixty +thousand square miles of country, and when the rays of the sun began +to touch up with silver places here and there on this vast stretch, +the scene was most impressive. + +After leaving Pike's Peak, Mr. Gilroy told the chauffeur to drive to +the Ute Pass. That same day the girls visited the scenic marvels of +the Garden of the Gods, the Cave of the Winds, Crystal Park, and other +places. + +They dined at the "Hidden Inn," which was a copy of one of the Pueblo +cliff-dwellings of the Mesa Verde. This Inn is built against a cliff, +and is most picturesque with its Indian collection of trophies and +decorations after the Pueblo people's ideals. + +They visited William's Canyon and the Narrows, with its marvelous, +painted cliffs of red, purple, and green; and went to Cheyenne +Mountain and the canyon with its beautiful "Seven Falls." Other places +that Mr. Gilroy knew of but that were seldom listed in the guidebooks +because they were out of the way, were visited and admired. + +The last day of their visit to Colorado City, they all took the +railroad train and went to Cripple Creek. The train wound over awesome +heights, through rifts in cliffs, and past marvelously colored walls +of rock, and so on to the place where more gold is mined than at any +other spot in the world. + +That night the scouts returned to the hotel at Colorado City well +tired out, but satisfied with the touring they had accomplished in the +time they had been in Colorado. In the morning they said good-bye to +the gorgeous places in Pike's Peak Park and headed again for Denver. + +A splendid road led through Pike View, where the best views of Pike's +Peak can be had. Then they passed the queer formation of rock called +"Monument Park," and on still further they came to a palisade of white +chalk, more than a thousand feet wide and one-fifth that in height, +that was known as Casa Blanca. + +Castle Rock was the next place of interest passed. It is said to be a +thousand feet higher than Denver. Then several picturesque little +towns were passed by, and at last Fort Logan was reached. As an army +post this spot interested the scouts, but Mr. Gilroy gave them no time +to watch the good-looking young officers, but sped them on past +Loretto, Overland, and Denver Mile, finally into Denver again. + +As they drove into the city, Mr. Gilroy explained why he had to hurry +them. "You see, this is almost the middle of June, and I am supposed +to return from the mountains in September with reports and specimens +for the Government. + +"Few people tarry in the Rockies after September, as the weather is +unbearable for 'Tenderfeet.' So I have to get through my work before +that time. Besides, Uncle Vernon is probably now awaiting us at the +hotel, and he must not be left to wander about alone, or we may lose +him." + +"When can we start for the Rockies, Gilly?" eagerly asked Julie, +voicing the cry of all the other scouts. + +"As soon as the Indian guide gives us the 'high sign,'" replied Mr. +Gilroy. + +"About when will that be?" insisted Julie. + +"Where is he now, Gilly?" added Ruth. + +"I suppose he is in Denver waiting for us, but we can tell better +after we see Uncle. I wired him to meet Tally there and complete any +arrangements necessary to our immediate departure from Denver the day +after we get back there." + +"I hope the guide's name is easier to say than Yhon's was last +summer," laughed Mrs. Vernon. + +"The only name I have ever given him is 'Tally'; but his correct name +has about ninety-nine letters in it and when pronounced it sounds +something like Talitheachee-choolee. Now can you blame me for quickly +abbreviating it to Tally?" laughed Mr. Gilroy. + +"I should say not!" laughed the girls, and Julie added, "Ho, Tally is +great! It will constantly remind the scouts to keep their records up +to date." + +Mr. Vernon was found at the hotel, comfortably ensconced in a huge +leather chair. He pretended to be fast asleep, but was soon roused +when the lively scouts fell upon him in their endeavor to tell him how +glad they were to see him again. + +"Spare me, I beg, and I will lead you to the nicest meal you ever +tasted!" cried he, gasping. + +Mr. Gilroy laughed and added, "You'd better, for it's Tally, and wild +Indian cooking hereafter, for three months!" + +"That threat holds no fears for us brave scouts," retorted the +Corporal. + +The girls followed quickly after Mr. Vernon, just the same, when he +led the way to the dining-room. Here he had his party seated in a +quiet corner, and then he reported to Mr. Gilroy all he had done since +he landed in Denver in the morning. + +"I have the surprise of the season for the scouts, I'm thinking," +began Mr. Vernon, smiling at the eager faces of the girls. "Have you +formed _any_ idea of how we are going to travel to the Divide?" + +Even Mr. Gilroy wondered what his friend meant, for he had asked Tally +to secure the best horses possible in Denver. And the scouts shook +their heads to denote that they were at sea. + +Mrs. Vernon laughed, "Not on foot, I trust!" + +"No, indeed, my dear! Not with shoe leather costing what it does since +the war," retorted Mr. Vernon. + +"We all give up,--tell us!" demanded his wife. + +"First I have to tell you a tale,--for thereby hangs the rest of it. + +"You see, Tally came here first thing this morning, and when I came in +from my train, which was an hour late from Chicago, he greeted me. I +hadn't the faintest idea who he was until after the clerk gave me the +wire from Gilly, then I saluted as reverently as he had done. Finally +his story was told. + +"It seems 'Mee'sr Gil'loy' told Tally to get outfit and all the +horses, including two mules for pack-animals (although I never knew +until Tally told me, that mules were horses). And poor Tally was in an +awful way because he couldn't find a horse worth shucks in the city of +Denver. I fancy Tally knows horseflesh and would not be taken in by +the dealers, eh, Gilly?" laughed Mr. Vernon. + +Mr. Gilroy nodded his head approvingly, and muttered, "He is _some_ +guide, I tell you!" Then Mr. Vernon proceeded with his tale. + +"Well, Tally got word the other day from his only brother, who runs a +ranch up past Boulder somewhere, that a large ranch-wagon, ordered and +paid for several months before, was not yet delivered. Would Tally go +to the wagon-factory, and urge them to ship the vehicle, as the owner +was in sore need of it this summer. + +"Tally had gone to the factory all right, but the boss said it was +impossible to make any deliveries to such out-of-the-way ranches, and +the railroad refused freight for the present. Poor Tally wired his +brother immediately, and got a disconcerting reply. + +"He was authorized to take the wagon away from the manufacturer and +send it on by _any route_ possible. But the brother did not offer any +suggestions for that route, nor did he provide means by which Tally +could hitch the wagon up and send it on _via_ its own +transportation-power or expenses. + +"Fortunately for Tally, and all of us, a horse-dealer had overheard +the story and now joined us. ''Scuse me fer buttin' in,' he said, 'but +I got some hosses I want to ship to Boulder, and no decent driver fer +'em. Why cain't we-all hitch up our troubles an' drive 'em away. Let +your Injun use my hosses as fur as Boulder, and no charge to him. He +drives the animals to a stable I'll mention and c'lect fer feed and +expenses along the road, but no pay fer himself,--that's squared on the +use my beasts give you-all.' + +"I ruminated. Here we were with Tally who had a wagon on his hands and +no horses, and here was a dealer with four horses and no wagon. It +sure seemed a fine hitch to make, so we all hitched together. So now +we are all starting early in the morning _via_ a prairie schooner to +Boulder. How do you like it?" + +A cry of mingled excitement and delight soon told him what the scouts +thought of the plan, but Mr. Gilroy remarked, "But what am I to do +about horses for the rest of the jaunt?" + +"Oh, Tally says he can drive much better bargains with ranchers than +in the city here, and the horses trained for mountain climbing by the +ranchers are far superior to the hacks that have been used for years +to trot about Denver City. So I decided to put it right up to Tally, +and he agreed to supply splendid mounts for each one of us, or guide +you free of charge all summer," said Mr. Vernon. + + + + +CHAPTER TWO + +VIA A "PRAIRIE SCHOONER" + + +Imagination had painted for the scouts a most thrilling ride in a +prairie schooner, but they learned to their sorrow that the great +ranch wagon built for travel over the heavy western roads and rough +trails, was not quite as luxurious as a good automobile, going on +splendid eastern state roads. + +Ranch wagons are manufactured to withstand all sorts of ditches and +obstructions in western roadways. They are constructed with great +stiff springs, and the wheels have massive steel bands on still more +massive rims. Into such a vehicle were packed the baggage and camping +outfits that were meant to provide lodging and cooking for the party +for the summer. + +The four strong horses, which were to be delivered to a dealer in +Boulder, pulled the wagon. Tally understood well how to drive a +four-in-hand, but the going was not speedy, accustomed as the +passengers were to traveling in fast automobiles. + +Tally took the direct road to Boulder because it was the best route to +the Rocky Mountain National Park, where Mr. Gilroy wished to examine +certain moraines to find specimens he needed for his further work. + +The wagon had rumbled along for several hours, and the tourists were +now in the wonderful open country with the Rockies frowning down upon +them from distant great heights, while the foothills into which they +were heading were rising before them. + +The road they were on ran along a bald crest of one of these +foothills. Turning a bend in the trail, the scouts got their first +glimpse of a genuine cattle-ranch. It was spread out in the valley +between two mountains, like a table set for a picnic. The moving herd +of cattle and the cowboys looked like dots on the tablecloth. + +"Oh, look, every one! What are those tiny cowboys doing to the +cattle?" called Julie, eagerly pointing to a mass of steers which were +being gathered together at one corner of the range. + +"I verily believe they are working the herd, Vernon! What say +you,--shall we detour to give the scouts an idea of how they do it?" +asked Mr. Gilroy. + +Mr. Vernon took the field glasses and studied the mass for a few +moments, then said, "To be sure, Gilroy! I'd like to watch the boys do +it, too." + +"I have never witnessed the sight, although we all have heard about +it," added Mrs. Vernon. "It will be splendid to view such a scene as +we travel along." + +Mr. Gilroy then turned to the driver. "Tally, when we reach the foot +of this descent, take a trail that will lead us past that ranch where +the cowboys are working cattle out of the herd." + +Tally nodded, and at the first turn he headed the horses towards the +ranch a few miles away. When the tourists passed the rough ranch-house +of logs, a number of young children ran out to watch the party of +strangers, for visitors in that isolated spot were a curiosity. + +The guide reined in his horses upon a knoll a short distance from the +scene where the cattle were being rounded up. Spellbound, the scouts +watched the great mass of the broad brown backs of the restless +cattle, with their up-thrusting, shining horns constantly tossing, or +impatient heads swaying from side to side. All around the vast herd +were cowboys, picturesque in sombreros, and chaps with swinging ropes +coiled ready to "cut out" a certain steer. Meanwhile, threading in and +out of the concentrated mass, other horsemen were driving the cattle +to the edge of the round-up. + +"What do they intend doing with those they lasso, Gilly?" asked Joan. + +"They will brand them with the ranch trade-mark, and then ship them to +the large packing-houses." + +Mrs. Vernon managed to get several fine photographs of the interesting +work, and then the Indian guide was told to drive on. Seeking for a +way out to the main trail again, Tally ascended a very steep grade. +Upon reaching the top, the scouts were given another fine view of the +valley on the other side of the ridge. The scene looked like a Titanic +checkerboard, with its squares accurately marked off by the various +farms that dotted the land. But these "dots" really were extensive +ranches, as the girls learned when they drove nearer and past them. + +The day had been unusually hot for the month of June in that altitude, +and towards late afternoon the sky became suddenly overcast. + +"Going to get wet, Tally?" asked Mr. Gilroy, leaning out to glance up +at the scudding clouds. + +"Much wet," came from the guide, but he kept his horses going at the +same pace as before. + +Thunderstorms in the Rockies do not creep up gradually. They just +whoop up, and then empty the contents of their black clouds upon any +place they select,--although the clouds are impartial, as a rule, in +the selection of the spot. + +Had the storm known that a crowd of tenderfeet were in the ranch wagon +it could scarcely have produced a greater spectacle. It seemed as if +all the elements combined to make impressive for the girls this, their +first experience of a thunderstorm in the Rockies. + +Before the sun had quite hidden behind an inky curtain, a blinding +flash cleft the cloud and almost instantaneously a deafening crash +followed. Even though every one expected the thunder, it startled +them. In another minute's time the downpour began. Wherever water +could find entrance, there the howling wind drove in the slanting +rain. + +"Every one huddle in the middle of the wagon--keep away from the canvas +sides!" Mr. Gilroy tried to shriek to those behind him. + +Flashes with the accompanying cracks of thunder followed closely one +upon the other, so that no one could be heard to speak, even though he +yelled at the top of his lungs. The wind rose to a regular gale and +the wagon rocked like a cockleshell on a choppy sea. The Indian sat +unconcerned and kept driving as if in the most heavenly day, but the +four horses reared their heads, snorting with fear and lunging at the +bits in nervousness. + +The storm passed away just as unexpectedly as it came, but it left the +road, which was at best rough and full of holes, filled with water. +The wagon wheels splashed through these wells, soaking everything +within a radius of ten feet, and constantly shaking the scouts up +thoroughly. + +"I feel like a pillow, beaten up by a good housekeeper so that the +feathers will fluff up," said Julie. + +"I'd rather feel like a pillow than to have my tongue chopped to +bits," cried Ruth, complainingly. "If I have any tongue left after +this ride, I shall pickle it for safekeeping." + +"Can't Featherweight sit still?" laughed Joan. + +Mrs. Vernon placed an arm about Ruth's shoulder to hold her steadier, +just as an unusually deep hole shook up everybody and all the baggage +in the wagon. + +"There now! That's the last bite left in my tongue! Three times I +thought it was bitten through, but this last jolt twisted the roots so +that I will have to have an artificial one hinged on at the first +hospital we find," wailed Ruth, showing the damaged organ that all +might pity her. + +Instead of giving sympathy, every one laughed, and Julie added, "At +least your tongue is still in use, but my spine caved in at that last +ravine we passed through, and now I have no backbone." + +Just as the scouts began laughing merrily at the two girls the front +wagon wheel on the right side dropped into a hole, while the horses +strained at the traces. The awful shock and jar given the passengers +threw them against the canvas sides, and then together again in a +heap. + +The babel of shouting, screaming, laughing voices that instantly +sounded from the helpless pile of humanity frightened the nervous +horses. The leaders plunged madly, but the wheel stuck fast in the +hole. Tally held a stiff rein, but the leaders contaminated the two +rear horses, and all four plunged, reared, snorted, and pulled +different ways at once. The inevitable was sure to happen! + +"Jump, Tally, and grab the leaders! I'll hold them in!" cried Mr. +Gilroy, catching hold of the reins. + +"Here, Gill, let me hold the reins while you help Tally!" shouted Mr. +Vernon, instantly crawling over the front seat and taking the reins in +hand. + +So Mr. Gilroy sprang out after Tally, and made for one of the leaders +while the guide caught hold of the other. But just as the Indian +reached up to take the leather, the horse managed to work the bit +between his teeth. At the same time, the lunging beasts yanked the +wagon wheel up out of the hole, and feeling the release of what had +balked their load, the horses began tearing along the road. + +Tally dangled from the head of the first horse whose bit he had tried +to work back into place. Mr. Vernon held firmly to the reins as he sat +on the driver's seat of the wagon. But Mr. Gilroy was left clear out +of sight, standing in the middle of the muddy road, staring +speechlessly after the disappearing vehicle. The scouts were tossed +back and forth like tennis balls, but the tossing was not done as +gracefully as in a game of tennis. + +Fortunately for all concerned, the road soon ascended a steep grade, +and a long one. The cumbersome wagon was too heavy to be flipped up +that hill without the four horses becoming breathless. The leaders +were the first to heave and slow down in their pace; then the two rear +beasts panted and slowed, and finally all came to a dead stop. This +gave Tally his opportunity to drop from his perilous clutch and glare +at the horses. + +"_Outlaws!_" hissed he at the animals, as if this ignominious western +term was sufficient punishment to shame the horses. + +"Poor Gilly! Have we lost him?" cried Betty, who had been shaken into +speechlessness during the wild ride. + +Mr. Vernon took the field glasses from his pocket and focussed them +along the road he had so recently flown over in the bouncing wagon. +Suddenly a wild laugh shook him, and he passed the glasses to his +wife. + +The Captain leveled them and took a good look, then laughing as +heartily as her husband, she gave them to Julie and hurriedly adjusted +the camera. + +The Scout Leader took them and looked. "Oh, girls! You ought to see +Gilly. He is trying to hurry up the long road, but he is constantly +jumping the water holes and slipping in the mud. Here--every one take a +squint at him." + +By the time Mr. Gilroy came up the long steep hill, every scout had +had a good laugh at the appearance he made while climbing, and the +Captain had taken several funny snapshots of him. + +Upon reaching the wagon, Mr. Gilroy sighed, "Well, I am not sure which +was worse--Tally's ride or that walk!" + +"Um--him walk, badder of all!" grinned the Indian. + +The scouts rolled up the side curtains of the wagon that they could +admire the view as they passed. And with every one feeling resigned to +a mild shaking as compared to the last capers of the four horses, the +journey was resumed. + +Great overhanging boulders looked ready to roll down upon and crush +such pigmies as these that crawled along the road under them. Then, +here and there, swift, laughing streams leaped over the rocks to fall +down many, many hundreds of feet into the gorges riven between the +cliffs. The falling waters sprayed everything and made of the mist a +veritable bridal-veil of shimmering, shining white. + +"Tally, shall we reach Boulder to-night?" asked Mr. Gilroy, gazing at +the fast-falling twilight. + +"Late bimeby," Tally said, shrugging his shoulders to express his +uncertainty. + +"Well, then, if we are going to be late, and as the way is not too +smooth, I propose we pitch camp for the night. What say you?" +suggested Mr. Gilroy, turning to hear the verdict of the scouts. + +"Oh, that will be more fun than stopping at a hotel in Boulder!" +exclaimed the Leader, the other girls agreeing with her. + +"Very well, Gilly; let us find a suitable place for camp," added the +Captain. + +"We need not pitch the tents, as you scouts can sleep in the wagon, +and we three men will stretch out beside the campfire. Tally can pull +in at the first good clearing we find along the way," explained Mr. +Gilroy. + +"If we bunk in the wagon, we'll have to stretch out in a row," +remarked Joan. + +"We'll look like a lot of dolls on the shelf of a toy-shop," giggled +Julie. + +"I don't want to sleep next to you, Julie--you're such a kicker in your +sleep," complained Betty. Everybody laughed at the sisters, and Anne +said: + +"I don't mind kicks, as I never feel them when I'm asleep." + +Tally had brought canned and prepared food for just such an emergency +as an unexpected camp; so now the supper was quickly cooked and the +travelers called to enjoy it. + +Night falls swiftly in the mountains, and even though the day may have +been warm, the nights in the Rockies are cold. A fire is always a +comfort, so when supper was over the scouts sat around the fire, +thoroughly enjoying its blaze. + +The late afterglow in the sky seemed to hover over the camp as if +reluctant to fade away and leave the scouts in the dark. The +atmosphere seemed tinged with orchid tints, and a faint, almost +imperceptible white chill pervaded the woods. + +"Girls," said Mr. Gilroy, "we have shelter, food and clothing enough, +in this wonderful isolation of Nature--is there anything more that +humans can really secure with all their struggling for supremacy? Is +not this life in grand communion with Mother Nature better than the +cliff-dwellers in great cities ever have?" + +Mrs. Vernon agreed thoroughly with him and added, "Yes, and man can +have, if he desires it, this sublime and satisfying life in the +mountains, where every individual is supreme over all he surveys--as +the Creator willed it to be." + +Tally finished clearing away the supper, and sat down to have a smoke. +But Mr. Gilroy turned to him, and said, "Tally, we would like to hear +one of your tribe's legends, like those you used to tell me." + +"Oh, yes, Tally! please, please!" immediately came from the group of +girls. + +Tally offered no protest, but removed the pipe from his lips and +asked, "You like Blackfeet tale?" + +"Yes, indeed!" chorused those about the fire. + +"My people, Blackfeet Tribe. Him hunt buffalo, elk, and moose. Him +travel far, and fight big. Tally know tribe history, an' Tally tell +him." + +Then he began to relate, in his fascinating English, a tale that +belonged to his people. The Dandelion Scouts would have liked to write +the story down in their records as Tally gave it, but they had to be +satisfied with such English as they knew. + +"Long ago, when the First People lived on earth, there were no horses. +The Blackfeet bred great dogs for hauling and packing. Some Indians +used elk for that purpose, but the wild animals were not reliable, and +generally broke away when they reached maturity. + +"In one of the camps of a Blackfeet Tribe lived two children, orphaned +in youth. The brother was stone deaf, but the sister was very +beautiful, so the girl was made much of, but the boy was ignored by +every one. + +"Finally the girl was adopted by a Chief who had no children, but the +squaw would not have the deaf boy about her lodge. The sister begged +that her brother be allowed to live with her, but the squaw was +obdurate and prevailed. So the poor lad was kicked about and thrust +away from every tent where he stopped to ask for bread. + +"Good Arrow, which was the boy's name, kept up his courage and faith +that all would still be righted for him. The sister cried for her +brother's companionship until a day when the tribe moved to a new +camp. Then the lad was left behind. + +"Good Arrow lived on the scraps that he found in the abandoned camp +until, at last, he had consumed every morsel of food. He then started +along the trail worn by the moving tribe. It was not a long journey, +but he had had no food for several days now, and he knew not where to +find any until he reached his sister. + +"He was traveling as fast as he could run, and his breath came pumping +forth like gusts from an engine. The perspiration streamed from every +pore, and he felt dizzy. Suddenly something sounded like a thunderclap +inside his head, and he felt something snap. He placed both hands over +his ears for a moment, and felt something soft and warm come out upon +the palms. He looked, and to his consternation saw that a slender +waxen worm had been forced from each ear. + +"Then he heard a slight sound in the woods. And he realized, with joy, +that he could hear at last! So distinctly could he hear, that he heard +a wood-mouse as it crept carefully through the grass a distance from +the trail. + +"Almost bursting with joy and happiness over his good news, he ran on +regardless of all else. He wanted only to reach his sister and tell +her. + +"But that same morning the Chief, who had adopted the girl, announced +to his squaw that he could not stand the memory of the lad's sad face +when the tribe abandoned him. The Chief declared that he was going +back and adopt the poor child, so he could be with his sister. + +"In spite of his wife's anger the Chief started back, but met the boy +not far down the trail. The lad cried excitedly and showed the waxen +worms upon his palms in evidence of his story. The Chief embraced him +and told him what he had planned to do that very day. Good Arrow was +rejoiced at so much good fortune, and determined to be great, and do +something courageous and brave for his Chief. + +"He grew to be a fine young brave, more courageous and far more +learned in all ways than any other youth in the tribe. Then one day he +spoke to his Chief: + +"'I want to find Medicine, but know not where to get it.' + +"'Be very brave, fearless with the enemy, exceedingly charitable to +all, of kind heart to rich and poor alike, and always think of others +first,--then will the Great Spirit show you how to find Medicine,' +replied the Chief. + +"'Must I be kind to Spotted Bear? He hates me and makes all the +trouble he can, in camp, for me,' returned Good Arrow. + +"'Then must you love Spotted Bear, not treat him as an enemy, but turn +him into a friend to you. Let me tell you his story,' said the Chief. + +"'One day Spotted Bear took a long journey to a lake where he had +heard of wonderful Medicine that could be had for the asking. He says +he met a stranger who told him how to secure the Medicine he sought. +And to prove that he had found it he wears that wonderful robe, which +he claims the Great Medicine Man presented to him. He also told us, +upon his return, of great dogs that carried men as easily as baggage. + +"'We asked him why he had not brought back the dogs for us, and he +said that they were not for us, but were used only by the gods that +lived near the lake where he met the Medicine Man.' + +"Good Arrow listened to this story and then exclaimed, 'I shall go to +this lake and ask the Medicine Man to give me the dogs.' + +"All the persuasions of his sister failed to change his determination, +so he started one day, equipped for a long journey. When Spotted Bear +heard that Good Arrow had gone for the dogs he had failed to bring to +camp, he was furious and wanted to follow and kill the youth. The +other braves restrained him, however. + +"Good Arrow traveled many days and finally arrived at a lake such as +had been described to him by the Chief. Here he saw an old man who +asked him what he sought. + +"'Knowledge and wisdom to rule my people justly.' + +"'Do you wish to win fame and wealth thereby?' asked the bent-over old +man. + +"'I would use the gifts for the good of the tribe, to help and +enlighten every one,' returned Good Arrow. + +"'Ah! Then travel south for seven days and you will come to a great +lake. There you will meet one who can give you the Medicine you crave. +I cannot do more.' + +"Then the young brave journeyed for seven days and seven nights, +until, utterly exhausted, he fell upon the grass by the side of the +trail. How long he slept there, he knew not; but upon awakening, he +saw the great lake spread out before his eyes, and standing beside him +was a lovely child of perfect form and features. + +"Good Arrow smiled on the child; then the little one said, 'Come, my +father said to bring you. He is waiting to welcome you.' + +"With these words spoken, the child ran straight into the lake and +disappeared under the water. + +"Fearfully the youth ran after, to save the little one. He plunged +into the deep water, thinking not of himself, but of how to rescue the +babe. + +"As he touched the water, it suddenly parted and left a dry trail that +ran over to a wonderful lodge on the other side. He now saw the child +running ahead and calling to a Chief who stood before the lodge. + +"Good Arrow followed and soon met the Chief whom he found to be the +Great Medicine Man he had sought. The purpose of his journey was soon +explained, then the Chief beckoned Good Arrow to follow him. + +"'I will show you the elk-dogs that were sent from the Great Spirit +for the use of mortals. But no man has been found good enough or kind +enough to take charge of them.' + +"Then Good Arrow was taken to the wide prairie, where he saw the most +wonderful animals feeding. They were larger than elk and had shining +coats of hair. They had beautiful glossy manes and long sweeping +tails. Their sensitive ears and noses were quivering in wonderment as +they watched a stranger going about their domain. + +"'Young man of the earth,' said the Chief, patting one of the animals +that nuzzled his hand, 'these are the horses that were meant for +mankind. If you wish to take them back with you it is necessary that +you learn the Medicine I have prepared for you.' + +"Good Arrow was thrilled at the thought that perhaps he might be the +one to bring this blessing on man. He thought not of the wealth and +fame such a gift would bring to him. The Chief smiled with pleasure. + +"'Ah, you have passed the first test well. This offer to you, that +might well turn a great Chief's head, only made you think of the good +it would bring to the children of earth. It is well.' + +"So every lesson given Good Arrow was not so much for muscular power +or physical endurance, but tests of character and moral worth. The +youth passed these tests so creditably that the Chief finally said, +'My son, you shall return to your people with this great gift from the +Spirit, if you pass the last test well.' + +"'Journey three days and three nights without stopping, and _do not +once turn to look back_! If you turn, you shall instantly be +transformed into a dead tree beside the trail. Obey my commands, and +on the third night you shall hear the hoofs of the horses who will +follow you. + +"'Leap upon the back of the first one that comes to you, and all the +others will follow like lambs to to the camp you seek. + +"'Now let me present you with a token from myself. This robe is made +for Great Medicine Chiefs,' and as he spoke the Chief placed a mantle +like his own over Good Arrow's shoulders. And in his hand he placed a +marvelous spear. + +"Good Arrow saw that the robe was exactly like the one worn by Spotted +Bear, but he asked no questions about it. When the Chief found the +young brave was not curious, he smiled, and said, 'Because you did not +question me about Spotted Bear, I will tell you his story, that you +may relate it again to the tribe and punish him justly for his +cowardice. + +"'Spotted Bear reached the lake where the child stood, but he would +not follow her into the water,--not even to rescue her, when she cried +for help. He was driven back by evil spirits, and when he found the +old man who had sent him onward to find the elk-dogs, he beat him and +took away his robe. That is the robe he now wears, but I permitted him +to wear it until a brave youth should ask questions regarding its +beauty,--then will it have accomplished its work. You are the youth, +and now you hear the truth about Spotted Bear. Judge righteous +judgment upon him, and do not fear to punish the crime. + +"'Now, farewell, Good Arrow. You are worthy to guide my horses back to +mortals. The robe will never wear out, and the spear will keep away +all evil spirits and subdue your enemies.' + +"When Good Arrow would have thanked the Chief, he found he was alone +upon the shore where he first saw the child. Had it not been for the +gorgeous robe upon his back and the spear in his hand, he would have +said it was all a dream from which he had but just awakened. + +"He turned, as he had been commanded, and straightway journeyed along +the trail. He went three days and three nights before he heard a +living thing. Then the echoes of hoofbeats thudded on the trail after +him. But he turned not. + +"Soon afterward, a horse galloped up beside him, and as he leaped upon +its back, it neighed. The others followed after the leader, and all +rode into camp, as the great Chief had said it would be. + +"Great was the wonderment and rejoicing when Good Arrow showed his +people the marvelous steeds and told his story. The robe and spear +bore him out in his words. But Spotted Bear turned to crawl away from +the campfire. Then Good Arrow stood forth, and said in a loud voice of +judgment, 'Bring Spotted Bear here for trial.' + +"The story of his cowardice and theft was then related to the tribe, +and the judgment pronounced was for the outcast to become a nameless +wanderer on the earth. Even as the Chief spoke these words of +punishment, the robe he had always bragged about, fell from his back +and turned into dust at his feet. + +"Thus came the Spirit's gift of horses to mankind, and Good Arrow +became a wise Medicine Man of the Blackfeet." + +Tally concluded his story, and resumed his pipe as if there had been +no prolonged lapse between his smokes. + + + + +CHAPTER THREE + +JULIE'S STRANGE EXPERIENCE + + +"That was a splendid story, Tally," said the Captain, as Tally +concluded his legend. + +"Yes, I like it better than those I have read of the First Horses in +books from the Smithsonian Institution," added Mrs. Vernon. + +"Him true story! My Chief tell so," declared Tally, positively, and +not one of the scouts refuted his statement. + +"Well, I don't know how you girls feel, but I will confess that I'm +ready for a nap," remarked Mr. Gilroy, trying to hide a yawn. + +"No objections heard to that motion," declared Mr. Vernon. + +"Not after such a day's voyage in this schooner," laughed Julie. "I'll +be fast asleep in a jiffy." + +So the blankets were spread out over the floor of the wagon, and the +girls rolled themselves into them, and stretched out as planned. The +planks of the floor were awfully hard and there seemed to be ridges +just where they were not wanted. Directly under Julie's back was a +great iron bolt but she could not move far enough to either one side +or the other to avoid it. So she doubled her blanket over it, and left +her feet upon the bare wooden planks. + +"I'm thankful there are no tall members in this Troop," remarked the +Captain, after they were all settled in a row. "If there were, her +feet would have to hang over the side of the wagon." + +Tally and the two men spread out their rubber covers in front of the +fire, and all were soon asleep. + +Julie's brag about falling fast asleep in a jiffy proved false, for +she could not rest comfortably because of the bolt. So her sleep was +troubled and she half-roused several times, although she did not fully +awaken. Then, during one of these drowsy experiences when she tried to +get on one side of the bolt, she heard a strange sound. + +She sat up and looked around. It was still dark, although the first +streaks of dawn were showing in the sky. Her companions were stretched +out under their covers, and Mrs. Vernon was softly snoring. Julie +lifted a corner of the canvas curtain to ascertain what it was that +awakened her, and she saw a suspicious sight. + +The guide was in the act of getting upon his feet without disturbing +the two men who slept soundly by the fireside. He waved a hand, as a +signal, towards the brush some ten feet away. And there Julie saw a +hand and arm motioning him, but no other part of its owner could be +seen. + +"Well I never!" thought Julie to herself, as she watched Tally creep +away from the fire and make for the bushes. + +He was soon hidden behind the foliage, and then Julie heard sounds as +of feet moving along the forest trail. + +"I'm not going to let him put anything over on us, if I know it!" +thought she. And she quickly stepped over the quiet forms in the +wagon, and slid down from the back of the schooner. That night the +scouts had on moccasins, fortunately, and her feet made no sound as +she swiftly followed the Indian through the screen of leaves. Then she +saw, some dozen yards ahead of her, two forms hurrying up a steep +trail that ran through the forest. One was Tally, and his companion +was an Indian maiden. + +Unseen, Julie softly followed after them, and finally they came to a +roaring mountain torrent that was bridged by a great fallen pine. On +the other side of this stream were two shining black horses, with +manes and tails so long and thick that the scout marveled. They were +caparisoned in Indian fashion with gay colors and fancy trappings. + +The maiden quickly loosed the steeds and Tally sprang up into one +saddle, while the squaw got up into the other. Then they continued up +along the trail without as much as a glance behind. + +Julie managed to creep over the treetrunk and gained the other side of +the torrent, then ran after them as fast as she could go. But they had +disappeared over the crest and the scout had to slow up, as her breath +came in panting gasps. + +Finally she, too, reached the summit, but there was no sign of horses +or riders. A wide cleared area covered the top of the mountain, from +which a marvelous view of Denver and its environs could be had. +Distant peaks now glimmered in the rising sun, and Julie sighed in +ecstasy at such a wonderful sight. + +Then she remembered what brought her there, and she ran across the +clearing to look for a trail down the other side and, perchance, a +glimpse of the Indians. + +Passing a screen of thick pines, she suddenly came to an old flower +garden, and on the other side of it stood a rambling old stone castle, +similar to Glen Eyrie at Colorado Springs. + +"Humph! This looks as if some one tried to imitate General Palmer's +gorgeous castle, but gave it up in despair," thought she. + +Julie walked across the intervening space and reached the moss-grown +stone steps that led to a great arched doorway. She had a glance, +through wide-opened doors, of gloomy hallway and a great staircase, +then she skirted the wing of the building, and came out to a wide +terrace that ran along the entire front of the pile. The view from +this high terrace caused her to stand perfectly still and gaze in awe. + +She could see for miles and miles over the entire country from the +height she stood upon. It was almost as wonderful a view as that from +Pike's Peak. Sheer down from the stone terrace dropped a precipice of +more than five thousand feet. Far down at its base she could see a +stream winding a way between dots of ranches and narrow ribbons of +roadways. + +"This is the most marvelous scene yet!" murmured Julie. Then she +frowned as a thought came to her. "If Tally knew of this place,--and it +is evident that he did,--why did he not tell us of it, so that we could +climb up and see it in the morning? And why isn't this old castle on +the road-map, with a note telling tourists of the magnificent view +from this height?" + +After a long time given to silent admiration of the country as seen +from the terrace, Julie turned and slowly walked up the stone steps +that led into the hall. "Wonder if the place is abandoned," thought +she, peeping inside the doorway. + +As no sound or sign of life was evident, she tiptoed in and gazed +about. The tiles on the floor were of beautiful design and coloring, +and the woodwork was tinted to correspond. The walls were covered with +rare old tapestries, while here and there adown the length of the hall +stood suits of armor and mailed figures. + +Bronze chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, and on each side of +the hall stood bronze _torcheres_ holding gigantic wax candles. + +"Well, in all my life I never dreamed of visiting such a museum of old +relics!" sighed Julie, who dearly loved antiques. + +Suddenly, as silently as everything else about the place, there +appeared a white-haired servitor in baronial uniform. He came forward +and deferentially bowed, then he spoke to Julie. + +"Are you the Indian maiden the guide was to meet to-day?" + +Julie was so amazed at the question that she could not reply, so she +barely nodded her head. + +"Then follow me, as the master waits. The guide sits below, eating +breakfast," added the old servant. + +At the mention of breakfast, Julie felt her empty stomach yearn for a +bite of it, but she silently turned and followed the major-domo, as +she knew him to be, along the hall and up the stairs. As they reached +the first landing the old man said, "The master is in his laboratory +in the tower. Breakfast will be served there." + +Julie accepted this as cheerful news, so she fearlessly followed after +the guide. She had seen no tower from the outside of the rambling +building, but, she thought, there might have been one at the wing +opposite the one around which she came when she walked to the front of +the place. + +Having reached the top of the stairs, Julie saw that the entire +second-floor walls were covered with ancient portraits. She would have +loved to stop and study the ancient costumes of the women, but the man +ascended the second flight of stairs, and she must follow. + +They went along the hall on the third floor, and at the end the +servitor entered a small room that was heavily hung with velour +_portieres_. He pushed them aside and turned a knob that seemed to be +set in the carved panel. Instantly this panel swung open and disclosed +a narrow spiral stairway leading to an iron platform overhead. + +Julie began to question the wisdom of this reckless act of hers; but +having come so far, how could she back out gracefully? Why should this +master want to breakfast with an Indian squaw--for such he was +expecting? + +"This way," politely reminded the old man, and Julie had to see the +thing through to the end--whatever that might be. + +At the head of these spiral stairs the man pulled on a heavy cord, and +another hidden door set in carved panelling opened. Through this they +went, and then the man said: + +"Be seated, and I will call the master." + +Julie gazed about her in profound curiosity. The room was an +octagon-shaped laboratory, so dark that its corners were in shadow. +The only light came from a huge glass dome ceiling. One side of the +room was taken up by a great fireplace; opposite this stood a high +cabinet filled with the vials and other equipment of a chemist. The +paneled door through which she came took up the third side, and the +five other sides were filled with tiers of shelves, where stood rows +of morocco-bound books. + +Great leather chairs stood about the room, and in the center, upon a +magnificent Kirmanshaw rug, stood an onyx table with a great crystal +globe upon it. At one side, near the narrow door through which the old +servant had gone, stood a grand piano. + +Julie had no time for further inspection of the room, as a unique +figure suddenly appeared in the small doorway through which the +servitor had gone. He was very tall and thin, and was clad in +wonderfully embroidered East Indian robes. A fez cap covered the bald +head on top, and a thin straggly white beard fringed the lower part of +his face. Upon his scrawny finger a strange stone glittered and +instantly attracted her gaze. + +Julie wondered who this unusual person might be, but he vouchsafed no +information. In fact, he stood perfectly still as if waiting for her +to open the conversation. This proved to be the fact, for he gazed +searchingly at the girl, and then murmured, "Well?" + +Julie tried to summon a smile and act nonchalant, but the entire +atmosphere of the place was too oppressive for such an air, so she +stood, changing her weight from one foot to the other. This form of +action--or to be more exact, inaction--continued for a few minutes, then +the old man gave vent to a hollow laugh. It sounded so sepulchral that +Julie shivered with apprehension. + +He started to cross the room. When he came within a few feet of his +guest he said, raspingly, "Maiden, I know thee. Thou'rt a descendant +of Spotted Bear, the coward! And I--I am the young Medicine Man who won +the robe and spear, and brought the horses to earth for mankind to +use. Hast aught to say to that?" + +At these words Julie was too amazed to answer. To see the hero of that +wonderful Indian legend standing before her eyes--but oh, how old he +must be, for that happened ages ago, and his yellow parchment-like +skin attested to a great age. + +As she thought over these facts, she could not keep her eyes from the +old man's face, and now she actually could trace a resemblance to the +young guide, Tally. Could the latter be a descendant of this Medicine +Man's? As if the old fellow read her thoughts, he chuckled, "Aye! The +guide is one of my tribe, and thou art a member of that of the +outcast, Spotted Bear. Because I have found thee, I shall see that no +descendant of that coward's goes forth again to trouble the world." + +Julie began to fear that she had been very indiscreet in coming into +this old ruin as she had done, especially as she would find it +difficult to convince this old man that she was not the Indian maiden +he thought her to be. But she paid attention to his next act, which +was to pull out a great chair and drop back in it as if too weary to +stand longer upon his spindling legs. + +"Art hungry? Even my enemy must not complain of our bounty." So +saying, the old man reached forth a long thin arm and his fingers +pushed upon a button in the wall. Instantly a panel moved back and +disclosed a cellaret built into the wall. Here were delicious fruits, +cakes, and fragrant coffee. + +"Help thyself. I will wait till thou art done," said he, waving his +hand at the food. + +Julie was so hungry that the sight of the fruit made her desperate. +Had her future welfare depended upon it, she could not have withstood +the temptation to eat some of that fruit. She went over to take an +orange, but a horrible thrust in her back caused her to cry out and +put both hands behind her. + +To her horror she found the old man had thrown some hard knob at her +and it had made such a dent in her flesh that it could be distinctly +felt at the base of her spine. The insane laughter that greeted her +wail of pain made her realize that she was in the presence of a +madman! + +"Why not eat, Maiden? I will amuse myself, meantime," said the old +man, as he finished his laughter. + +Julie saw him rise and hobble over to the piano, then seat himself +before the keyboard and begin to play the weirdest music she had ever +heard. But the pain in her back continued so that the thought of +breakfast vanished. All she cared for now was to get rid of that +suffering. + +When she could stand the agony no longer, she gathered courage enough +to limp over to the piano and beg him to release her, as she was in +great pain. + +"Aha! Didst ever think of how Spotted Bear caused the child to suffer +when it went down in the water?" asked he, suspending his hands over +the piano keys. + +"But I hadn't anything to do with that! Why strike me for his crimes?" +retorted Julie, gaining courage in her pain. + +The old man frowned at her fiercely, and mumbled, "Art obstinate? Then +we'll have to use other ways." He turned and pushed another button in +the wall back of the piano, and instantly the glass dome overhead +became darkened, so that Julie could not see the objects in the room +very plainly. + +The host got up and started slowly for Julie. His eyes seemed afire +with a maniac's wildness, and the scout feared he was planning to +attack her. She screamed for help, and ran for the door in the +paneling through which she had entered. But the cry seemed muffled in +her throat and no audible sound came forth. + +The host laughed that same horrible laugh again, and Julie tried +again, harder than ever, to shout for help. Still her vocal chords +seemed paralyzed, and no sound was heard from them. + +Just as she reached the paneling, the old man must have hurled another +hard ball at her, for she felt the blow in her back and shrunk with +the pain. And as she squirmed, she distinctly felt the painful object +move from one side of her spine to the other, as if it were a button +under the skin that was movable. + +But the door in the panel could not be opened, and Julie worked her +hands frantically over its surface, while the old Indian laughed and +crept closer to her. When he was near enough to reach out and take her +in his awful hands, the scout gathered all her courage and flung +herself upon him. + +She fought with hands and teeth, and kicked with her feet, hoping that +his great age would render him too weak to resist her young muscular +strength. She knew she must overpower him or he would kill her, +mistaking her for the maiden descended from Spotted Bear. + +She had thus far won the hand-to-hand fight, so that he was down upon +his knees and she was over him with her hands at his throat, when +suddenly he collapsed, and his eyes rolled upwards at her. In her +horror she managed to yell for help, and then she heard-- + +"Julie! Julie! Have mercy! Stop tearing Betty to bits!" + +Through a vague distance Julie recognized the voice of Joan. Oh, if +they were only there to help! But she kept a grip on the old Chief's +neck while she waited to answer the call. + +Then she heard very plainly, "For the love of Pete, Julie, wake up, +won't you!" And some one shook her madly. + +Julie sat up and rubbed her eyes dazedly, while the scouts about her +laughed wildly, and Betty scolded angrily. + +"Oh, Julie, what an awful nightmare you must have had," laughed Mrs. +Vernon. + +"Is Tally back?" asked Julie. + +"He's cooking breakfast,--smell it," said Anne, smacking her lips. + +"I can smell coffee," mumbled Julie, still unconvinced that she had +been dreaming. "It smells exactly like that old man's." + +"What old man?" again asked the circle about her. + +"Why, Good Arrow, to be sure! He lives up on that hill--and, girls, +he's as old as Methusaleh, I'm sure!" declared Julie. + +The wild laughter that greeted this serious statement of hers did more +to rouse the Leader from a cloudy state of mind than anything else, +and soon she was up and out of the wagon to look for a trail that +might run over the crest of the hill. + +But there was no trail, neither was there a mountain climb such as she +remembered in her dreams. At breakfast, she told the dream, to the +intense amusement of every one, Tally included. Then the Indian guide +remarked, "No better sleep on iron bolt, nex' time!" + + + + +CHAPTER FOUR + +GOING UP! + + +"I hope we can say good-by to the old wagon to-day," said the Captain, +after they were seated again, ready to resume the journey. + +"You seem not to like our luxurious schooner?" laughed Mr. Gilroy. + +"Luxurious! Had we but known what this ride would be like I venture to +say every scout would have chosen to walk from Denver," exclaimed Mrs. +Vernon. + +"And here I've been condemning myself as being the only ingrate in the +party!" returned Mr. Gilroy. "I remember with what enthusiasm the +scouts hailed the suggestion of traveling _a la_ prairie schooner." + +As the wagon came out from the screen of trees where they had camped +for the night, the scouts saw the vapors in the valley eddy about and +swiftly vanish in the penetrating gleams from the rising sun. Here and +there patches of vivid green lay revealed, but in another half hour +the sun would be strong enough, with the aid of a stiff breeze, to +dispel all the clinging mists of night into their native nothingness. + +"Just as our earthly pains and sorrows go," remarked Mrs. Vernon. + +"Yes, Verny, just like Julie's dream, eh? She woke up and could hardly +believe that she was here--safe and happy," added Joan. + +The road was rough and the joggling was as bad as ever, but the scouts +were not so resigned as they had been the day before. Every little +while they asked, "_Now_ how far are we from Boulder?" for there they +would have surcease from such "durance vile" as this mode of travel +imposed upon them. + +To distract their attention from physical miseries, Mr. Vernon asked a +question, knowing that Mr. Gilroy would instantly divine his intention +and follow it up. + +"Gilroy, how do you explain the queer fact that the higher we go on +these grand heights, the more stunted we find the trees? One would +expect to find beautiful timber on top." + +The scouts listened with interest, and Mr. Gilroy noted this and +consequently took the cue given him. + +"Why, timber-line in the West, Vernon, means more than the end of the +forest growth. Most trees near the top of the peaks are stunted by the +cold, or are twisted by the gales, and become bent or crippled by the +fierce battles they have to wage against the elements. But they are +not vanquished--oh, no! + +"These warriors of the forests seem to realize with a fine +intelligence how great is their task. They must protect the young that +grow on the sides further down the mountain; they must hold back the +destroying powers of the storm, that the _grand_ and _beautiful_ +scions of this forest family be not injured. They have learned, +through many courageous engagements with Nature's fierce winters, that +the post appointed them in life can never offer them soft and gentle +treatment while there remains such work as theirs to do, work that +needs tried strength and brave endurance. + +"I have never found a coward growing in the ranks of the +closely-linked, shoulder-to-shoulder front of trees that mark the +timber-line. Although they may not _seem_ to grow, materially, more +than from eight to twelve feet high, and though many look deformed by +the overwhelming conditions, so that they present strange shapes in +comparison with the erect tall giants down the mountainside, yet I +love to remember that in His perfect Creation, these same fighters +have won greatness and eternal beauty for their service to others. + +"In most cases, you will find that the higher the altitude of the peak +and the wilder the winds, the closer grow the trees, as if to find +increase of strength in the one united front that they present to the +storms. These winter gales are so powerful that they tear at every +object offering resistance to their destructive force. Thus the limbs +growing on the outer side of the trees on timber-line are all torn +away, or twisted back upon the parent trunk. + +"But there are times when even the most valiant defenders of the +forest are momentarily overpowered. There comes a blizzard; the gale +howls and shrieks as it tears back and forth for days at a stretch, +trying to force a passage through the defence line. And sometimes a +little soldier is rooted up with malignant fury, and used by the +merciless gale to batter at his companions. This generally proves +futile, however. + +"It is not always in the wintertime that the most terrific blizzards +occur in the Rockies. In July, when all the country is pining for a +breeze, these peaks produce blizzards that surpass anything heard of +in winter, and these summer storms are the most destructive, as the +trees are green and full of tender tips, that are ruthlessly torn off +during the gale. + +"Then, too, the summer months generally produce the awful snowslides +you hear about, that are quite common in the Rockies." + +"Oh, I wish we could see one of them!" exclaimed Julie, impulsively. + +"Child, you don't know what you are saying!" said Mr. Gilroy, +earnestly. "If you ever went through one, as I have, you'd never want +to experience another, I assure you." + +"Oh, Gilly! Do tell us about it," cried the scouts. + +And Mr. Vernon added, "Yes, Gilroy, do tell us the story." + +"It was many years ago, while I was on a geological trip through the +Rockies. Tally and I were ready to start for a several days' outing on +the peaks when the man we lodged with said, 'You are going out at a +bad time. Some big slides have been reported recently.' + +"I, like Julie here, said, 'I'd like the excitement of riding a +slide.' + +"The rancher said I was locoed, but he went about his business after +that. So I took my snowshoes in case I met a slide and had to ride it. + +"Tally and I were soon climbing the trail, and as we went higher and +higher, I felt pleasantly excited to see several small slides start +from distant peaks and ride ruthlessly over everything to gain a +resting-place. + +"Then we both heard a rumble and stood looking about. We now beheld a +slide quite close at hand--on our own ridge but on the far side. It +coasted slowly at first, but gathered momentum as it went, until it +was flying downwards. + +"It was about fifty feet wide and several hundred feet long, but it +cut a clean channel through the forest, carrying great trees, rocks, +and other objects on its crest. Before it had traveled five hundred +yards, it had gathered into its capacious maw tons of debris, besides +the vast blanket of snow it started out with. All this made a +resistless force that swept over other forest impedimenta, dragging +all along with its flood. + +"It looked as if the village that snuggled at the foot of the mountain +would be completely smothered and destroyed, when suddenly, the entire +river of white was deflected by an erosion that had cut a wayward +pathway across the mountainside. This attracted the slide down into +the ravine. And as its mass went over the edge of the gulch, fine +powdery particles filled the air, but nothing more than a dull, +grinding sound rose to me as a tremor shook the ground, and I realized +that it had found its end in the canyon. + +"Upon my return to the ranch, I was told that that slide had cut down +and ruined fifty thousand fine trees. Nothing could be done with them +after such a battle with the slide. + +"But the next day, as I still thrilled with the memory of the immense +slide, I heard a rumbling sound just above where we were. Tally +screamed, 'Look out. She come!' + +"I saw snow sliding across a shallow depression above, and heading +straight for me. Tally had managed to scramble quickly out of the way, +and I worked those snowshoes faster than anything I ever did before or +since--believe me! + +"Before I could reach a safety zone, however, I was caught in the +outer edge of the avalanche and whirled along for some distance. By +dint of working those same snowshoes I managed to gain the extreme +edge, where I flung myself recklessly out into space, not knowing +where I might land. + +"Fortunately, I was left sprawling with legs and arms about a pine, +while the slide rioted on without me. I lifted my bruised head because +I wished to see all I could of it, and I was able to witness the havoc +it wrought in its descent. When it reached the bottom of the mountain +it collided with a rocky wall on an opposite cliff. The first meeting +of the snow with this powerful resistance curled it backward upon +itself, while the rest of the slide piled up on top, and quickly +filled the narrow valley with its debris. + +"Had I not been so near the line of least suction, or had I been in +the middle of that fearful slide, nothing could have saved me. I +should have been buried under tons of snow even if I survived a +death-dealing blow from a rock or tree during the descent. + +"Now, Julie, do you still care to experience a hand-to-hand battle +with a slide?" + +"If it wasn't for all such thrilling adventures, Gilly, you wouldn't +be so entertaining. When one is in the Rockies, one looks for +experiences that go _with_ the Rockies," declared the girl. + +Mr. Gilroy shook his head as if to say Julie was hopeless. But Joan +laughingly remarked, "A snowslide wouldn't be any wilder than Julie's +visit to old man Good Arrow in his castle." + +"And about as frightful as the pit he would have thrown Julie into," +added Mr. Gilroy. + +"Joking aside, Scouts. We expect to meet with various thrilling +adventures during our sojourn in the Rockies, and I don't believe one +takes such dire risks if one is careful," said Julie. + +"Maybe not, but you are not careful. In fact, you take 'dire risks' +every time," retorted Mr. Gilroy. + +Nothing was said for a few minutes, then Tally spoke, "Mees'r +Gilloy--him come to Boulder, pooty quick!" + +"Ha, that's good news!" remarked Mr. Vernon. + +"Yes, and our little scheme worked fine, eh, Uncle," laughed Mr. +Gilroy. But all the coaxings from the scouts could not make either man +say what that scheme had been. + +At Boulder the party gladly left the wagon for Tally to deliver to his +brother, and the horses were turned over to the man they were intended +for. While Tally was waiting for his brother's arrival, Mr. Gilroy +found he could conduct his party through the Boulder Canyon, known as +"The Switzerland Trail." + +So they got on a train and rode through a canyon which, as the name +suggested, was everywhere lined with great boulders of all shapes and +sizes. Here a roaring torrent would cleave a way down to the bottom of +the canyon, while there an abrupt wall of rock defied the elements and +all things else to maintain its stand. + +At Tungsten, the end of the trail, the scouts visited the district +where this metal is mined. When they were through with the visit, Mr. +Gilroy told the girls that Boulder County's record of income from +tungsten alone was more than five million dollars a year. + +The State University at Boulder was visited upon the return of the +scout tourists to that city. Here the girls learned that the campus +covered over sixty acres of ground, and that the university boasted of +twenty-two splendidly equipped buildings, equal to any in the world. +It also had a library of its own that numbered about eighty-three +thousand volumes. The value of the buildings approximated one million, +seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. + +"It doesn't seem possible, when you look around at what this place +is--or seems to be!" exclaimed Ruth. + +"Which goes to prove that appearances are not necessarily harmonious +with facts," returned Mrs. Vernon, smilingly. + +When they met Tally, who was waiting at the place appointed, Julie +asked, "Where do we go from here, Gilly?" + +"We'll follow Tally, as he seems to have a plan back of that grin," +returned Mr. Gilroy. + +Every one turned to look at Tally, who in turn seemed quite taken by +surprise, as he said, "Tally no plan!" + +"Ah, Tally! Will you never understand my winks!" sighed Mr. Gilroy. "I +wanted you to help me out while I evaded an issue with these dreadful +Scouts." + +"Um, Tally glad to if Mees'r Gilloy onny tell him." + +The others laughed at this guileless confession, and Mr. Gilroy shook +his head despairingly. Then he said, "Well, I suppose I must 'fess +up.'" + +"Of course, if you have any hidden schemes back in _your_ brain," +Julie retorted. + +"This is it! Tally heard of a number of excellent horses to be had +from a rancher near Loveland, so rather than wait about here for him +to go and bring them back, we will go on to Loveland by train, and +start from that place to ride through the Rocky Mountain National +Park. + +"You see, my first plan is entirely upset by a prairie schooner, an +Indian, and a horse-dealer. I had expected to ride from Denver on +horses secured there, and go to Ward. Then on across the Divide and so +on to Hot Sulphur Springs and Steamboat Springs. But it seems the +itinerary revised itself,--and it may turn out to be a good improvement +on mine," said Mr. Gilroy. + +"How far is the Continental Divide from Loveland?" asked Joan. + +"That all depends on how far we want it to be," laughed Mr. Vernon. +"One can get there in no time, or one can stop at all the attractive +points along the trail and spend weeks reaching the Divide." + +Then Mr. Gilroy added, "I propose leaving Loveland by an old Indian +Trail Tally knows of, and thus reach Estes Park. We will take in +Long's Peak on the way, and then ride on to the Divide, stopping to +climb any peak we think interesting, or visit any park or moraine +along the route." + +So the party reached Loveland, where Tally bargained shrewdly with a +rancher for the horses and two mules for the tourists. Naturally the +rancher wished to sell his horses outright, but Tally convinced him +how much better an arrangement it would be for all concerned to rent +the animals for the season, leaving a cash security deposited with a +bank to cover the loss in case any or all of the horses were lost or +injured on the way. If all were returned to the rancher in good +condition, Mr. Gilroy would receive his deposit back. + +This entire section of Colorado was created a National Park by +Congress, in January, 1915. And Estes Park is to the National Park +what a beauty patch is to the face of a belle--the point of attraction +that focuses the eye of the admirer. + +This National Park offers plenty of room for more than a million +campers, without one being so near his neighbor as to give a sense of +encroachment. For those Americans who love the untrammeled life of the +woods, this park provides wonderful trout streams; flora and fauna +most surprising and beautiful; and not only plains, valleys, ravines, +and mountain peaks as diverting places to visit, but lakes, rivers, +falls, and every ideal spot of Nature that one craves to see. + +In this National Park you may come unexpectedly upon a caribou grazing +on the luscious grass, or in spring you may find a doting she-bear, +leading her cubs to feast on the tender green shoots. But let your +boots make the slightest noise, both these wild creatures will +disappear so suddenly that you will rub your eyes to make sure you are +awake. Other furred and feathered inhabitants of the forests will sit, +screened behind the foliage and fern, laughing silently at your +amateur ways of discovering them. + +You may not be woodsman enough ever to spy them, but they are about, +just the same. Furtive eyes will watch your every movement as you ride +along the trail. The partridge that has effaced himself by merging his +mottled feathers with the shaggy bark where he is hidden, saw every +least thing you did. The wild hare, covered with tall grasses and +fern, flicked his long ears in fun, when your awkward steps passed +within an inch of his nose, and you never dreamed of his sitting +there! The squirrels and woodchucks wondered at your clumsy ways in +the wilderness. Did they not leap and run joyously without a sound? +And you only have two feet to manage while they have four! In short, +every denizen of the forest about you will know as if the message were +flashed by wire, that a mere MAN is on his way through their domains. + +The Park realm stretches along on the mountain top at an altitude of +nine thousand feet, and more. And it embraces the most rugged section +of the Continental Divide. Long's Peak rises about fourteen thousand +two hundred feet high, and towers above the park plateau. It looks +down upon ten or more other peaks that are only thirteen thousand feet +high, and many more of twelve thousand feet altitude. Long's Peak is +rocky and not easy to climb, but perfectly safe for man or beast. It +is also free from the treacherous ice and snow that so often causes +slides. Hence one can reach its summit, where a view of over a hundred +miles of country is to be had. The Park is about twenty-five miles +long and from ten to twenty miles wide. + +This, then, was the wonderful place the scouts of Dandelion Troop were +to visit and glory in. + + + + +CHAPTER FIVE + +HITTING THE TRAIL + + +The horses Tally had contracted for were all the tourists could +desire. They were sure-footed and experienced mountain climbers; they +could go without food or water for a longer period than ordinary +animals, as they had been so accustomed. They were not heavy, but wiry +and muscular,--in short, the genuine ranch horse of the Rocky +Mountains. The two pack mules, named Frolic and Jolt, were +sleepy-looking beasts, but it was only in appearance. Once they +started on the trail they proved splendid carriers, even though they +took life their own way. + +The little cavalcade left the hotel at Loveland the center of curious +eyes, for the summer tourists stopping at the inn had heard of the +well-known geologist and the Troop of Scouts. As few members of the +interesting organization of Girl Scouts had ever been through the +Rockies, this Troop created quite a diversion for visitors. + +Tally soon turned from the beaten track that most tourists take in +going to Estes Park, and led his party to the old abandoned Indian +Trail. Finally they came to a cool shadowy thread of a path that could +be distinguished only because the trees were not closely interlocked +each with the others. + +At this hour the forest was like the translucence of the sea, bathing +everything in the cool green light of its depths; and the exhilarating +effect was the same as the salt tang of an ocean bath. + +"Makes one feel as if one were in church at Vesper time," softly +declared Julie, glancing at the arched aisles they were riding +through. + +"Was ever cathedral so solemn, so beautiful, as this of Nature?" +replied Mrs. Vernon, in a reverent tone. + +Then for another long period all was silence again, as the scouts rode +along, breathing in the beauty of the "silent places." When they had +traveled about ten miles along this secret trail, with its +ever-changing panorama of scenes, the swishing of a stream was heard. +Soon after, the riders came to tumbling waters, that seemed in haste +to go over the cliff that caused them to fall into a shadowy pool far +below. Great rocks, overhanging pines, and gorgeous flora edged both +sides of the waterfall, making a picture impossible to describe. + +They descended the steep declivity that skirted the falls and picked +up the trail again at the bottom. Here the scouts found several brooks +that ran from the pool, but that were entirely separated from the main +stream. Tally examined these canals carefully, and then held up a hand +for attention. + +"Scout hear beaver work? Dis beaver-canal." + +"Oh, really!" whispered the girls, excitedly. "If we could only watch +them at work!" + +They distinctly heard the "tap, tap, tap" of something softly thudding +against wood, while Tally leaned over to speak. + +"Mebbe kin see beaver. Leave horse tie here, an' follow Tally sof'ly +to colony. But make some noise an' beaver dive home." + +The scouts promised to be very careful not to make a sound in +following the guide, and so they dismounted to secure the horses and +mules until their return from the beaver pond. + +The scouts now had their first glimpse of these industrious little +workers, that are found in large colonies everywhere throughout the +Rocky Mountains. This particular colony had dug the canals from the +pool to their pond, which was located in a bowl-like depression of the +woods, and there dammed up the outlet. But few marauders passed here, +and they lived in peace in their selected home-site. + +There was a good growth of aspens all about the section, and these +would supply food and lodgings for some time to come. The huts were +erected in the middle of the largest pond of the chain. There were +several beavers at work cutting the aspens when the party arrived on +the edge of the pond, but so keen is the hearing and scent of these +harmless animals, that they stopped work instantly, and slipped into +the water, swimming unseen until they reached their huts. + +"Huh! Dem 'fraid!" ejaculated Tally, with disgust on his face. "Come +'long--us see udder places." + +Then he led through the aspen forest that fringed the pond, and +reached the outlet where the dam had been constructed by the beavers. +Here the scouts saw a shallow waterfall that fed another canal; this +stream ended in another, but smaller, pond than the upper one they had +first found. In this pond were a number of large huts, and many +beavers at work at the farthest side of the pond. + +"I believe they are building another dam, Tally!" exclaimed Mr. +Gilroy, under his breath. + +"Um--he am. Scout sit and watch." + +So they all sat on the brink of the pond silently watching the busy +workers as they cut down trees, dragged them into the water and then +swam with them to the dam, where other beavers helped to place the +heavy tree trunks in such a manner that any dead wood or debris +floating downstream would catch and help to dam up the water. + +"Why do they build another pond when there is such a big one above?" +asked Betty. + +Mr. Gilroy replied, "There is plenty of food for the family that now +resides in the huts in the upper pond, but the colony is increasing so +fast that they know there will not be room enough, or food enough, for +all this winter. Hence they are building now, to provide ample shelter +for the future. By starting another dam and thus creating a pond, +these wise little woodsmen also secure an area of new aspens that will +feed the new colony. + +"Those canals that you see running out into the flat land beyond the +new pond, are used as water courses to float the trees along into +their pond. It is too bad we cannot see a beaver cut an aspen from +that growth, and watch him float it until he brings it to its +destination at the dam. + +"But you can watch, from this vantage point, those old fellows at +work. You see that big beaver that sits at one side of the two now +cutting--well, he is the boss of that job. It is up to him to choose +the best aspens for cutting and order his men to begin work, while he +watches. Then when the tree is almost cut through he will warn them +away, take up the work himself, and push on the severed trunk until it +crashes down in the direction he wishes it to fall. + +"You'll see how clever they are to have the aspen fall as near the +water as possible, that they need waste no energy in dragging it over +the ground to the pond." + +The scouts watched, and sure enough! The old boss took up the work at +a given signal to his two helpers to stand back, and soon after that, +the aspen fell, half of it in the water. But the beavers must have +heard a suspicious sound just as they were going to drag the tree +across the pond, and they scuttled under the water. + +Reluctantly the scouts turned away and went back to their horses, +which they mounted, and soon they were riding along the way again. + +"I never saw such enchanting flowers and gorgeous ferns!" exclaimed +the Captain, enthusiastically. + +"Um!" came from Tally, proudly, "him got more'n t'ousan' kin' flower +in park!" + +"Really! Oh, that we might secure one of each for a collection!" +sighed Julie. + +"It would take you longer than this summer to accomplish that," +remarked Mr. Gilroy. "Here you will find some of the rarest orchids, +as well as the hardiest kinds, known. Besides, you will find about +fifteen species of gentian, the famous blue-fringed gentian among +them. The largest columbines ever found grow here; and sweet peas in +all conceivable shades of coloring. Not only can you add wonders to +the botanical collections that you started in the Adirondacks, but you +ought to be able to study many marvelous birds that nest in this +primeval park." + +So they rode along, stopping frequently to gather interesting flowers +beside the trail, and to admire and watch the birds that could be seen +everywhere. + +[Illustration: "Jule, tell me about that bird swinging over your head"] + +It was during one of these short rests which had been caused by a +crested bird of wonderful hue and unfamiliar form, that Joan and +Julie, with a camera in hand, pushed a way through the bushes, the +better to follow the bird's movements. + +"Joan, you sit down there on that fallen pine and write down notes as +I call them off, and I will climb up on top of that huge boulder and +get a snapshot at him as he swings from that bough," said Julie, as +she began climbing the rock mentioned. + +Once she gained the top, she called back, "Of all the surprises! On +the other side of this boulder is a steep descent that drops down to a +dark pool. Now who would ever have dreamed there was such a pool +behind this rock!" + +"Don't bother about pools or precipices now, Julie, but tell me about +that bird, swinging right over your head. He'll fly away, if you don't +'make hay'!" laughed Joan, waiting with pencil suspended over the pad +of paper. + +The rest of the party had heard Julie's exclamation, and were urging +their horses through the thick forest, nearer the two scouts. Tally +jumped from his animal and came in the direction of the boulder, +trying to catch a glimpse of the bird they were talking about. + +"Jo, I really believe it is a young Rocky Mountain jay--the kind Gilly +described to us. He is hopping into the higher branches now, and I can +hardly see him," said Julie. + +"Dear me, Julie! If only we could swear that we got a snapshot and +description of the jay from actually watching him, what a fine thing +it would be when we get home!" sighed Joan. + +"Wait--I'll get out on the far end of this immense rock and try to get +a full view of him," said Julie, moving across the top of the stone to +the outer verge of it. + +Suddenly the boulder began settling slowly down towards the pool. The +soil underneath it had all been washed out by torrential rains, so +that it barely hung in position when Julie climbed upon it. Now that +she added her weight to its outer side, it began rolling--turning over +and over in its heavy descent. + +"Oh, oh! Save me, somebody! I'll be crushed to powder!" screamed +Julie, who could not jump from that great height into the jungle, nor +could she maintain a footing without doing the liveliest dance of her +life. + +It was well that the boulder was so heavy, and the pathway it rolled +down so soft as to make it sink into the soil and grip a _digging_ +hold, as it turned and turned. Had the ground been rocky or the +boulder smaller, it would have simply hurled itself into the water, +carrying Julie with it. + +Now, however, she danced and kept stepping like a trained circus +animal does on a barrel to keep it rolling, while Joan cried +fearfully, and Tally rushed through the bushes to gain the bottom of +the gully. Julie had ceased screaming the moment she saw she was to be +catapulted to an unforeseen doom, and now kept her wits about her to +plan an escape. + +She saw that the rock would settle down in the pool at about the same +speed it took in rolling, and then she must be all prepared to spring +off from its side, far out into the water, or be sucked underneath +when it went down. If the pool was shallow, she would be forced to +slide off at the moment the boulder struck and would be left standing +up in the water. She must wait to determine the best chance to take. + +The time it took from the first starting of the rock down the grade to +its striking the water was but a fraction of the time it takes to +tell. Suddenly the huge boulder plunged into the quiet-looking pool, +churning up the water to a froth, and instantly causing a "tidal wave" +to raise the pool far beyond its customary water line and flow up the +banks. The water, which had hitherto reflected every leaf and blade +hanging over its surface, was so very deep that the monolith sank into +its secret heart and was completely submerged. + +As the rock sank, Julie sprang, taking her chances in striking +something in the pool. But she escaped accident, and swam out of the +whirling waters almost before the boulder had disappeared. Tally +reached the pool as she jumped, and now flung himself in to help +rescue her. She was equal to the test, however, and came up on land, +dripping, but exultant and breathless from the dance and swim. + +Tally helped her up the deep gully the rock had gouged out in its +downward roll; and at the top where she had left Joan, there now stood +waiting to embrace her, the entire party of riders. When all crying +and hugging was ended, Julie laughed and said: + +"Folks, give me a boulder-ride in the Rockies, every time, instead of +an ordinary toboggan! Even snowshoes and skis are tame in comparison." + +They laughed because they were so relieved at Julie's escape, but the +Captain exchanged glances with Mr. Gilroy, and both shook their heads +in despair of ever taming such a wild creature. + +"In future, Julie, leave a Rocky Mountain jay where it hides, and +study the colored prints shown in the bird book," advised Mr. Vernon, +who had felt both for himself and his wife the severe nervous strain +while the incident was being enacted. + +"Oh, Uncle, half the fun of scouting in the Rockies comes from just +these experiences. Just think of all we can talk about this winter, +when we are hibernating at home!" exclaimed Julie, ready in spirit, at +least, for another joy-ride. + +They now resumed the trip that had been so unexpectedly interrupted, +and came to an elevation in the trail. From this point they had a +glorious view of the surrounding peaks in the park. Tally pointed out +Long's Peak, which towered over their heads, and Mt. Meeker alongside +it, which appeared almost as high. Mt. Washington and Storm Peak were +so closely allied to the first two heights that they looked like four +points of the one mountain. + +Mr. Gilroy waved his hand to the northwest of Long's Peak, saying, +"All that region is called Glacier Gorge, where we are bound for. +There are concentrated the enormous gorges, cliffs, and other +glaciated freaks caused by cataclysms that occurred aeons ago. In my +opinion, there is no lake, waterfall, or other beauty of the Alps that +can compare to this Glacier Gorge, and I have seen them all." + +"If we are so near by, why can't we visit them all?" asked Joan. + +Mrs. Vernon took fright, "_Never_--with the responsibility for you +girls on my hands!" + +"But, Verny, if we slip, we won't be on your _hands_,--it will be a +glaciated scout on an ice-floe," laughed Julie. + +Mr. Gilroy laughed. "And they'll be safer in glacier fields where they +know there is great danger if they are careless, than beside quiet +little pools, upon a rock that looks as solid as the planet itself." + +Mrs. Vernon now turned beseeching eyes upon her husband. "Dear, you +will persuade Gilly not to lead us into such places?" + +"Oh, but Verny!" interpolated Julie. "Do let us go to see at least +_one_ glacier!" + +"How can you, Julie! When _you_ are the one always getting into +trouble!" returned the Captain, wonderingly. + +"Don't I always manage to get out of trouble again without causing any +fatality--only amusement for the Troop?" + +They all admitted that this was true, and finally the Captain was +coaxed to listen to the argument in favor of visiting the glaciers. + +"I haven't the slightest idea of riding past these glaciers and +leaving Gilroy to explore them alone," remarked Mr. Vernon. + +"If we agree to tie ourselves to your apron-strings, Verny, will you +feel resigned to our going?" asked Julie, meekly. + +"If five scouts dangle from my apron-strings, how can I scramble for +myself?" laughed the Captain; but the girls knew she was weakening in +her former refusal. + +With wise looks exchanged between scouts and the two men, the subject +was dropped for the time being. So they descended the height where +they had obtained such a fine view of the peaks, and rode along the +trail that was so heavily screened by forest trees as to cast a +gloaming underneath them, even in the brightest sunshine. + +"Gilly, how came these vast mountains here?" asked Judith. + +"Yes, Gilly, why are they not scattered impartially over the land?" +added one of the other scouts. + +"While we are traveling along a good trail, let me tell you what I +have gathered from scientific books on the subject," returned Mr. +Gilroy. + +"It is evident that the Rockies were the first points of land to lift +a head above the sea of water when the American Continent was born. As +often happens in the families of mankind, where the youngest-born +embraces all the points of beauty and abilities that are manifested in +individual allotments to all other members of the same family, so it +is with Nature's mountain-children. + +"The Rockies, being the youngest born of mountain ranges of the earth, +inherited, as it were, the combined beauty and strength and +characteristics that were the best in all the others. But there was no +jealousy on the part of the older mountains of earth, and it is +doubtful if any one of them even knew of this new-comer to the family +group. Each had all it could do with its own affairs, in those by-gone +cycles. + +"Of Earth's large family of mountains, the first-born to lift a head +from sleep on the bosom of the 'mighty waters' were the British Isles. +They were not high or mighty in geography, but they were destined to +raise the highest and mightiest race of people on earth. + +"Then the Norseland awoke, and yawned so widely, that the pinnacles of +its jagged shore-lines instantly molded themselves into barriers to +protect the land from the inundation of the sea. Then while this +awakening took place, the marvelous Antilles sat up from the cradle of +the ocean and cried to Mother Nature to be lifted out of their bed. +And Nature, who abhors a vacuum, gave her eager help to South America. + +"Having given birth to these fine prominences, Nature seemed +disinclined to cease from her creative activity. She believed it best +to finish the allotted number of children, and then raise them all +together. So the mountains of Labrador appeared, closely followed by +the Atlantic Coast mountains. + +"Then something happened in the bowels of the earth-planet that caused +it to swallow so much salt-water from the seas that had covered its +surface, that the great ranges of the Rockies stood up. + +"Aeons passed during this great upheaval, and aeons more passed before +islands dotted the 'face of the waters' and God said 'Let there be' +and there was! + +"It is said that the tremendous struggle in the womb of Mother Earth +to give birth to the Rockies was Nature's hardest labor. As we gaze on +the result of the mighty upheaval that has given us these wonderful +mountains, does not your imagination paint 'cause and effect' better +than mere words ever can?" + +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 grass 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 +classed 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 lassoed 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. + +The scouts got into the saddles, and Mr. Vernon followed suit. Tally +and Mr. Gilroy were strapping the last leather around Frolic's packs. +It was necessary to pull it in another hole to keep the pack from +slipping under the beast's belly, but while Tally was so pulling it, +Frolic gave a grunt. Another yank at the straps, and another louder +grunt from Frolic made Betty interfere. + +"I just know you are hurting poor Frolic dreadfully! She'll have a bad +stomachache from those straps that are cutting her in half!" + +Every one laughed at Betty's concern, but it drew attention to the +work going on; and so, in watching Frolic being strapped up, every one +forgot about Jolt. The old rascal saw his opportunity to escape to the +delectable grazing ground from which he had been ruthlessly lassoed a +short time before. So he wheeled and started for the trail. + +But he forgot to make allowances for the projecting packs, and in +passing between two tall pines with but a foot's space between the +trunks, the crates became firmly wedged. So fast was he held, in fact, +that Tally grinned when Julie yelled, "Jolt's running away again!" + +Tally reassured her, "Jolt no run now--him rest awhile." + +When Frolic had been made ready to start, the men went after Jolt. The +aluminum cooking-ware had been hung, the last thing, upon the sides of +the packs, and now the dishes were dented almost out of shape because +they were the "bumpers" that came between the packs and the +treetrunks. It took some time to dislodge the mule and his packs from +between the trees, as it was necessary to protect the cooking utensils +as much as possible. + +This delicate operation was just being completed, when a cry from the +scouts drew all attention back to Frolic again. + +The tautly-drawn ropes caused Frolic an unpleasant sensation after the +days of freedom from harness, so when she was left quite alone, she +decided that rolling might ease matters. She lay down and rolled and +kicked her heels high in the air, then she rolled again. She kept it +up until the scouts knew that every bottle and box in their +duffel-bags must be powdered into other necessities. + +Tally rushed over and gave Frolic a vicious kick that instantly +stopped her rolling, and caused her to lift inquiring eyes to those +about her. Strange to say, Betty offered no protest when Tally kicked +the mule again, to make her get upon her feet. + +"There, now!" exclaimed Julie. "See that you maintain an upright +behavior, you shiftless woman!" + +The others laughed, for all were gay because the signal had been given +to start along the trail. All went well after that, while the mules +trotted closely after the horses, and the riders congratulated +themselves that henceforth their troubles with the two mules were +over. But they were to be undeceived further on. + +They were descending a long rough hill when Jolt, who was the last +beast but one in the line, heard a strange sound coming from his +packs. Tally heard and recognized the metallic banging of some pans +that had become loosened when the packs were wedged between the tree +trunks at the top of the mountain. But Jolt was not as wise as Tally, +and the more he shook himself, and sidled against the trees, the +louder came that queer jangle. Then he managed to pass between two +trees in order to brush off the objectionable thing, but that made the +jangling still worse. So he became desperate. + +About this time, Tally rode over to the place where Jolt was trying to +crush the noisy thing from his pack, and attempted to use a lash to +make the beast stop his stubbornness. But the tip end of the whip was +all that caught the mule, and he suddenly jumped. That made all the +other utensils shake loose and rattle. This was too much for the +annoyed animal, and he started to gallop down the trail. + +Warning shouts from Tally made the riders in front get out of the way; +the guide then threw his lasso. But it caught upon a knob that had +become loose and was projecting from the crate. Jolt flew onward, but +the large object that had been roped, fell upon the ground with a dull +thud. + +To every one's shocked surprise, the lassoed article proved to be the +only bag of flour they had at that time. The cotton container burst +open with the fall, and flour dusted softly out upon the surrounding +scenery. + +"We can scoop most of it up and sift it," suggested Joan. + +"But what is there to put it in?" demanded Julie. + +"It's so precious--we mustn't lose an ounce of it," added the Captain. + +"We'll each have to take one of our large clean handkerchiefs, and +fill as much in them as they will hold. The ends can be tied together, +and each will have to carry her own package," suggested Anne, who was +worried lest a good meal be forfeited. + +"That's the only way, I guess," agreed Mrs. Vernon; so each one filled +a handkerchief, and the rest of the flour was then pinned in the bag +and carefully placed in Mr. Gilroy's charge. + +When the riders were on the trail again, there was no sight of Jolt +anywhere. Where he had gone with the camp outfit was a question. But +Tally worried not. He said laconically: + +"Jolt wait nex' uphill." + +When the scouts reached the bottom of the descent, they found a +swiftly-running shallow stream crossing the trail. And in this, with +both packs submerged, but with head safely held above the cooling +water, Jolt was stretched out. + +"There he would stay, I suppose, until he was sure the queer life that +made the jangle on his back, was snuffed out," said Mr. Gilroy, +chuckling at the mule's "horse-sense." + +That day when they stopped to cook dinner, Tally was most careful to +leave the pack-frames on the backs of the mules, as that would prevent +fresh arguments when the time came to resume the trip. + +Fish abounded everywhere,--in the streams, in the lakes, or in the +wayside rivulets,--so that there was never a lack of such food. Nor did +it need expert anglers to catch the fish. It seemed to the scouts that +the poor things were only waiting eagerly to be caught. + +Having selected the camp site, Tally suddenly stooped and examined +some recently made tracks. "Bear ben here," said he. + +"Oh, a real live bear?" cried Joan. + +"Did you think a dead one made those tracks?" retorted Ruth. + +"I wish we could see him," said Julie, and this wish was seconded by +all the other girls. + +"If you want a close acquaintance with him, just follow that track. +Doubtless he is sitting behind a treetrunk this very minute, planning +what to do with you after he has embraced you fondly," said Mrs. +Vernon. + +"If they follow bear tracks like they followed the calf's hoofprints, +they'll sure find something at the end of the trail," teased Mr. +Gilroy. + +All that morning the sun had remained under a heavy pall of clouds, +but noon brought forth its hot shining rays, and the long-reaching +fingers seeming to edge the grey clouds with molten gold. During the +afternoon the sun had shone fitfully, but towards evening it set in a +gorgeous bath of color, the stormbanks that were piled up about it, +adding a barbaric touch to the scene. + +Flaunting streaks of gold and crimson shot here and there from back of +the clouds; and these in turn seemed to reach out in a confused riot +of dazzling purple, amber and copper-edged mountains that rose in +majesty overhead. + +All this wondrous coloring faded rapidly, however, and in a short time +the somber gray of the clouds again predominated. Then a chill spread +over everything. + +"Him rain sure!" remarked Tally, holding a palm to the wind. + +"When?" asked Mr. Gilroy. + +"Mebbe bed-time--mebbe after night." + +"Then we'd better prepare for it beforehand," suggested Mr. Vernon. + +"Collect plenty of wood and spread the rubber sheets over it," said +Mr. Gilroy. "We'll see that the tent ropes are well fastened to-night +so the wind won't carry away any canvas." + +Tally was right. Rain began to fall about nine o'clock. At first it +came gently and unobtrusively, but soon it was driven in sheets by +high winds. It was well the guide had rolled great pine stumps to the +fire, to keep the necessary fuel dry through the night. Although the +scouts, rolled in their rubber covers, were unconscious of the +elements that raged about and over them, Tally sat up feeding the fire +that kept an area about the sleepers dry all night. + +Now and then the demoniacal gale would root up a mighty pine, and with +a s-s-split and a cr-r-r-rash it would thud down, breaking through all +the younger timber. At such sounds, the girls would murmur sleepily, +"Did you see any old trees near camp?" + +Invariably the reply would be, "No--only little ones." + +Then all would sleep again, relieved at such an assurance. + +The camp presented a sorry appearance in the gray dawn. Everything was +soaked, and the horses looked washed out. Even Jolt looked moister +than when he rose out of the stream at the base of the mountain. + +Later the sun glanced through dripping foliage and sent its warming +beams into the stiffened joints of the campers. And when Tally had +called them all to a good hot breakfast, life took on a more cheerful +hue. + +The tourists seldom followed the beaten trail that ran to Flat Top +Mountain or to the Glaciers, because Mr. Gilroy secured better results +in finding rock formations and glacial debris in going by the old +Indian trails. And Tally knew these trails as well as the surveyor +knows his line-maps. + +Not long after the scouts had resumed their ride along one of the +unfrequented trails, the party reached a mountaintop. The Leader +turned her head and craned her neck in order to see what the object +was that stood clearly outlined from a crag that hung over a dangerous +gulch. + +"A Rocky Mountain goat! I verily believe," said Mr. Gilroy. + +"Oh, oh! That's what we want to see!" cried the girls. + +"And I want to get a good picture of it," added the Captain. + +"Now's your opportunity," returned her husband. + +"But we are too far away to focus the camera." + +"If the goat will wait, you might go over there," laughed Mr. Gilroy. + +"Verny, we could ride across this plateau and manage to get a much +better focus," suggested Julie. + +"And there may be a whole herd feeding on the grass down in the glade +between these cliffs," said Mr. Gilroy. + +"Oh, let's go and see!" teased the scouts; so the horses were left +with Tally, and their riders crept carefully across the grassy knolls +and glades that hid from their view the ravine where they hoped to see +the goats. + +They were well rewarded for their trouble, too. Down in the green +basin, under the crag where the ram kept guard for his sheep and ewes, +grazed a large flock of Rocky Mountain goats. The scouts had a sight +such as few tourists ever are blessed with, and Mrs. Vernon took a +whole film of excellent snapshots,--all but one exposure, and that was +left on the chance of an unusual sight. + +While they stood watching the herd, a great ram was seen bounding +recklessly along the edge of the cliff that formed the wall of the +glade directly opposite the scouts. He nimbly jumped from ledge to +ledge down this almost perpendicular wall, and soon reached the herd. + +Then another ram, that first sighted by the riders, also started down, +going where there seemed to be absolutely no foothold for him. He +would spring from the ledge and, scarcely touching the side rock with +his hoofs, land upon a bit of shelf, thence on down to another tiny +ledge far beneath, and so on until he reached the glade. + +The two rams now conveyed an alarm to the sheep, and forthwith they +started up the perpendicular wall at the end of the glen, winding a +way along one ledge after another where no visible foothold was seen +with the naked eye. Yet _they_ found one, for they climbed, and having +reached the top of the wall, they disappeared. + +"Oh, pshaw! I meant to snap the last exposure with that wonderful +picture of the herd going up the wall," exclaimed Mrs. Vernon in +evident disappointment. + +"You're lucky to get the ones you did, Captain. These Rocky Mountain +sheep are the wildest on earth, and seldom can man come near enough to +get snapshots as you did to-day. The Peruvian goats and those in +Arabia are agile and daring, but they do not compare with these goats +for agility, and faith in their footsteps. + +"When we go further North in the mountains, this scene we just +witnessed will seem like child's play to the feats those goats will +accomplish. + +"The lambs are even more intrepid than the elders, and have not the +slightest bit of fear of falling. Strangely enough, they seldom fall, +and are hardly ever injured. It is said that the only risks they run +are when they happen to jump in strange territory where the ledges and +footholds are not understood." + +As Mr. Gilroy finished his interesting description, Mr. Vernon added, +"I've read that the injuries or death that come to these little +athletes are due to their traveling in strange places and along +unfamiliar trails, as you just mentioned. But in their own crags and +mountain recesses, no hunter can ever trap them. They will jump, no +matter from what height, and are always sure of a secure footing +somewhere." + +The scouts were so absorbed in listening that they had paid little +attention to their own footsteps as they retraced their way to join +Tally. Here and there were small pits almost hidden by the long +slippery grass that grew on and hung over the edges. + +Julie was about to draw every one's attention to a great bird that +hovered overhead, when her foot slipped on such grass and, in trying +to catch hold of something to waylay her descent into the shallow pit, +she managed to lay hold of Mr. Gilroy's leg. In another moment, he was +sliding down with her. + +"Look pleasant!" warned the Captain, as she quickly snapped a picture +on the last exposure of the roll, and then laughed merrily as she +turned the knob that wound up the film securely. + +When the two coasters managed to scramble out of the hollow, midst the +laughter of all, Mrs. Vernon said, "I am glad now that my last picture +will be one so fitting to be shown with the others of the Rocky +Mountain Athletes." + +[Illustration: A great ram came out opposite the scouts] + + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN + +TALLY AND OMNEY ENTERTAIN + + +While seeking for a likely spot where they could pitch camp that +night, Mr. Vernon saw smoke ascending from the pines a short distance +away. Fearing lest a fire had started in some way, Mr. Gilroy and he +quickly sought for the place and came upon an old acquaintance. Mr. +Lewis and his guide, Omney, to say nothing of their Irish terrier, +Scrub, were in camp, eating supper. + +It was a pleasant surprise for both Mr. Lewis and Mr. Gilroy, as the +two geologists had not met since their trip in the mountains many +years before. So both parties soon joined camps and enjoyed themselves +immensely. + +After supper that night, the girl scouts heard of many wonderful +experiences these friends had shared--the jaunts and jeopardies that +always provide such thrilling stories after they are over. Finally Mr. +Lewis remarked, "I came here this summer to hunt out a few of those +glacial specimens we missed the last time, Gilroy." + +"Now, that's strange, Lewis, because that is why I am here. Dr. Hayden +mentions some in his latest book, and Tyndall Glacier is the only +place I've ever heard of where there is any such moraine," said Mr. +Gilroy. + +"Have you been there, yet?" asked Mr. Lewis. + +"No, 'but I'm on my way,'" laughed the scientist. + +"Then take me with you, old pal! How about the rest of your party," +said Mr. Lewis. + +"Oh, Mr. Vernon is fast becoming as infatuated with the hunt for +specimens as you or I ever were. So we'll share fifty-fifty if we can +find anything worthwhile." + +"And the ladies?" added Mr. Lewis. + +"As they are tried and trusty scouts, they are fit for any trial of +courage or endurance--is that enough?" + +"That's a splendid recommendation for any one, Gilroy, but have you +told them that exploring these glaciers is not as easy as sitting +beside a fire and talking of the thrills?" + +"I have no idea of dragging them down through the moraines with us; +but they can accompany us on the trail and enjoy the camp while we +wander about in our hunting. The guides can plan the girls' recreation +for the time we are absent. Now, how does that strike every one?" said +Mr. Gilroy. + +Of course, every one agreed that the plan was great, so they rode +forward in the morning, bound for the district around Tyndall Glacier. +When they found a place that would make a comfortable camp for the +time, the Indians went to work to arrange things for a week, or more, +according to the geologists' plans. + +Camp was pitched upon a knoll with plenty of pine trees so standing +that natural tentpoles were readymade. The rain would drain from all +sides of the knoll, and at one side ran a stream of pure spring-water. +From the front of this campsite one could see the cold forbidding peak +of Tyndall Glacier. + +Mr. Lewis's guide, whose baptismal name was as difficult to pronounce +as Tally's, was called Omney,--that being a good imitation of what it +really was. Julie, who was always doing something funny, named him +"Hominy." + +As soon as the campsite had been decided upon, the two guides told the +scouts to clear away all excrescences from the ground. This meant they +had to take axes and cut out all brush and roots that would interfere +with comfortable walking about. Then the girls said the place was as +clean as a whistle, and Tally went over it carefully. But it was +amazing how many "stick-up" obstacles he found, where everything had +seemed so smooth. + +While Tally was doing this, Omney supervised the cooking of supper, +and soon various savory odors greeted the nostrils of the hungry +scouts. Every one was ready to eat when Omney announced that it was +ready, and then there was a period of silence for a time. + +Supper was over with the sunset, and the long purpling shadows of the +mountains crept up while the guides placed fresh fuel on the fire and +sat down to smoke their pipes. The Rocky Mountain wilderness, untamed +as yet, closed in about the group that sat around the fire, while +certain unfamiliar sounds of wildlife in the forest reached the ears +of the scouts; but they cared not for prowling creatures there and +then, because the campfire provided ample protection. + +The two Indians, not having seen each other since their masters' last +trip, were in high feather; and when Mr. Gilroy suggested that they +entertain the party, they quickly responded. Omney first chanted his +tribe's Medicine Song; but before he sang he made obeisance to the +four winds of heaven,--the North, East, South, and West,--that neither +wind should forget Him who held them in the palms of His hands. He +then explained that this honor and the song to follow were the opening +forms to their daily worship of the Great Spirit. + +He began in a deep-toned rhythmical chant, and he proceeded with the +syncopated melody, now and then sifting in some queer sounds that +_may_ have been words, while he kept time with hands and feet. Finally +this motion seemed to become an obsession, and he accompanied his +sudden cries and exclamations with muscular actions and twists of his +supple limbs. When he reached this point in the Medicine Song, Tally +caught up a pan, and with muffled sticks beat time to the singing. + +After a period of this weird performance, Omney began to circle the +fire; Tally springing up, followed him in the dance. Their bodies +doubled, turned, and twisted about, as if controlled by galvanic +batteries. Their sharp ejaculations and hisses, interspersed in the +singing, gave a colorful effect impossible to describe. + +Suddenly, as if arrested by a shock, both Indians stood erect and +perfectly still. They turned as if on pivots to glance upward, and +saluted the four winds of heaven; then walked slowly over and sat +down. Their performance was ended. + +The encore they received was acknowledged with dignified smiles, but +Omney made no sign to repeat his act. Then Tally stood up and bowed. +He caught up a blanket that covered a balsam bed near by, and wrapped +it about his erect form. He walked to the center of the camp circle +and made a graceful acknowledgment for both entertainers; then he +began to speak in a softly modulated voice, and with gestures that +would have created envy in the best elocutionist, fascinating to any +one who knew him as the quiet and unobtrusive guide. + +"Brothers, I tell you the tale of the Blackfeet Tribe, how Thunder won +his bride, and lost her again. + +"In the long ago, when the Sky-People used to visit the Earth-Folk +frequently, to demand pelts and other good things from the Earth +Children in return for sparing their camps from the destructive +lightnings and floods, three young maidens went to the woods to dig +herbs. + +"One of these three was the loveliest maiden to be found for many a +league, and many a Brave had tried to win her affections. But she was +fond only of her old father, Lame Bull. + +"While Mink Maiden and her two companions were placing their herbs in +bundles to carry back to camp, a dark thundercloud swept over the +place, and passed on. However, it seemed as if venting its fury on the +camp where the maidens lived. + +"Then fell Mink Maiden upon her knees and promised Thunder Chief, +saying, 'Spare my father and I will obey you in any way you may +desire.' + +"Thunder laughed, for that was exactly what he had hoped for. He +instantly withdrew his storm from over the terrified village, and came +close to the maiden who had made the rash promise. + +"'I shall come for you soon, Mink Maiden, to ask you to keep your +word.' With these words, Thunder flew away to the sky and disappeared +through a hole. + +"Soon again, the three maidens went to the woods for herbs and while +two of them stopped to dig some roots, Mink Maiden went on alone. She +saw a plant, rare and greatly desired by Lame Bull, and she pushed a +way through the bushes to dig up the root. But when she reached the +spot where it had been, she saw nothing. + +"Suddenly, without sound or other sign, a handsome young chief stood +where the plant had been. Mink Maiden was surprised, but when he +spoke, saying, 'I am waiting for you to be my bride--will you come with +me?' the maiden knew him. + +"'I am Thunder Chief, and am come to have you redeem your vow.' + +"Mink Maiden saw that he was tall and handsome, and naturally brave. +He smiled so kindly that she knew he was gentle. But she coyly asked, +'What must I do to keep my word with you?' + +"'Be my wife. Come with me to reign over the Sky People, for I am +their Chief.' As he spoke he held forth his hands, and Mink Maiden +placed her own confidently within his. + +"He enfolded her closely in his cloak of winds, and springing up from +the ground, carried her through the hole in the sky. + +"When the two companions of Mink Maiden sought for her, she was not to +be found anywhere. They ran to Lame Bull's lodge to tell him of her +disappearance, and the entire village turned out to seek her. +Everywhere they sought her, for she was beloved by young and old +alike, but she was not found nor did they hear what had happened to +her. + +"Then came a stranger to that village and asked for Lame Bull's lodge. +He was Medicine Crow Man, who had long desired Mink Maiden for a wife. +He had heard of her disappearance and by making strong medicine had +learned where she was. + +"After telling Lame Bull how he loved his daughter, and that he had +power to find her, the old father promised that should Crow Man but +find where she was, he should have Mink Maiden for a wife when she +returned home. + +"Crow Man then caught a blackbird and poured oil of black magic on his +tail feathers. The bird was sent up into the sky to find if the lost +maiden could be enticed to come back home. After several days the +blackbird returned to Crow Man. + +"'I could not fly through the hole in the sky, as the people have been +ordered to close it with a great plant-root. But I sat on the under +part of the roots and heard what was said. And this is it: + +"'Thunder Chief carried Mink Maiden away to be his wife. He commanded +that the hole be sealed, that his bride might not see through it and +be tempted to return to her home. I heard say that she is very happy +with Thunder Chief, and never thinks of those she left on earth.' + +"'Very good, Blackbird, and for this news your tail feathers shall +always shine as if with oil. But your curiosity and love for gossip +must remain part of your weaknesses,' said Crow Man. + +"He then went to Lame Bull and told all that he had learned through +the blackbird. Then the villagers began to mourn Mink Maiden as one +lost to them, for they never expected to see her again. But Crow Man +determined to use every art in his power until she should come back. + +"Time went by and the maiden was contented with Thunder Chief, and +never remembered her earth people, for the root choked up the hole in +the sky where memory might slip through. + +"But one day she saw some people bring home herbs and roots which they +had dug for the Chief. Mink Maiden asked them where they found them as +she, too, wished to dig some. They told her where to go for them, and +with basket on her arm she went forth. + +"It happened that it was the summertime, when Thunder Chief had to be +away many times, fighting the earth people with storms, so she +wandered away alone from the lodge where she lived with her husband. + +"She sought eagerly for the plant she wanted, until she finally came +to the great root that blocked the hole in the sky. This she thought +must be the place where the other women dug, and she forthwith began +to dig also. When she had dug deeply, she pulled on the root, and up +it came, leaving a great hole where it had been. + +"Mink Maiden was amazed at the size of the root, and leaning over, +gazed into the hole, and far down saw the earth. At the same time a +blackbird flew quite near the hole, and said, 'Mink Maiden, your +father cries for you to come home.' + +"Then memory returned to the maiden, and she remembered her people. +When Thunder Chief returned from his battles, he found his beloved +wife in tears. She cried that she wished to visit her own people on +earth. And so, after useless pleadings with her, the husband agreed to +take her home for a visit. + +"Accordingly, he flew with her to Lame Bull's lodge and left her to +visit her father. She looked well and comely, and the old Chief was +overjoyed to see his child again. When she told how happy she was with +Thunder Chief, the father sighed. + +"'I had hoped you would choose to live on earth where I could visit +you. Crow Man loves you, and has been here many times to ask for you.' +Lame Bull then told of the promise he had made Crow Man. + +"But the Mink Maiden laughed, saying, 'I am married to Thunder Chief, +so Crow Man cannot have me.' + +"In a short time after this, Thunder Chief came for his wife, and +asked Lame Bull to forgive him for carrying away his only child. Then +Lame Bull said, 'Allow her to remain yet a short time.' + +"Thunder Chief presented his father-in-law with a Medicine pipe, and +taught him to sing the Sky Song that would always protect his tribe +from storms and destruction from lightning. Then he turned to his wife +and bade her good-by for a time, adding, 'I will return soon for you, +so be ready to go home. You shall visit your father often after this.' + +"He then flew away and Mink Maiden sat with her father for several +days, waiting for her husband to come. But there had been a dreadful +commotion in the sky the day after he flew away from the village, and +the people said they had never seen such blinding lights and such +terrific rumbles, so the wife knew her husband was having a great +battle with some one. + +"The cause was, Crow Man had fought with Thunder Chief, although Mink +Maiden never knew that. Crow Man was subdued for that time, but in the +fall he sent the blackbird northward to call out all the Arctic forces +to come and help keep Thunder Chief from coming to earth to carry back +his wife. And so they did. + +"Crow Man called often at Lame Bull's lodge and all through the +winter, when Mink Maiden sighed because her husband came not, Crow Man +felt happy and tried to make her believe Thunder Chief had forgotten +her. + +"Then spring came on, and Mink Maiden wondered still more because she +heard nothing of her husband, nor came he to the lodge. Crow Man urged +his suit, but she laughed, for she was a wife already, she told him. + +"All through that second year she sat in her father's lodge and +waited; but not a word heard she from the Sky People, nor did Thunder +Chief come for her, although she was told that he had been heard of in +other parts of the country, so it was learned that he was alive and +active. Strange to say, neither Mink Maiden nor Lame Bull remembered +the Medicine that had been given the old Chief, to keep away all +storms from the tribe. This had proved so effectual that Thunder Chief +could not communicate with his wife because of it, and she never went +beyond the village limits, where he might have met her. + +"That winter Crow Man urged his love again, and begged Mink Maiden to +marry him, so she finally sighed and said: + +"'I am Thunder Chief's wife, but if he does not come to claim me in +another year, I will go with you.' + +"Crow Man was overjoyed at hearing this, and he worked very hard to +keep away all reports of Thunder Chief from the village. Then, as Mink +Maiden waited hopelessly for the return of her husband, the year +rolled by and Crow Man came for her. So she followed him to his lodge, +although she still remembered Thunder Chief with regret. + +"Crow Man was jealous of her memories and was determined to cure her. +So he planned a dreadful thing. He sent the blackbird for the North +Forces, and when they came in obedience to his order, he told them +what they must do. + +"Then he asked Mink Maiden to walk with him through the lovely woods a +distance from the village. And as they walked, the wife saw Thunder +Chief approach with outstretched arms and call to her in a yearning +voice. He cried, 'At last, my beloved, you are where I can reach you. +All these moons have I longed to meet you, but you sat in the lodge +where my own Medicine that I gave your father, kept me away.' + +"Thunder Chief hurried forward, but the Arctic Forces ran out from +their hiding-places and fell upon Thunder Chief, just as he was +waiting to enfold his beloved in his cloak. With their cold icy blasts +and whirling snow and sleet, they overpowered poor Thunder Chief. In +spite of his roaring and sharp lightnings, his power was frozen into +sharp points. And that is how icicles came to be upon all Nature's +trees and bushes when the North Forces scatter broadcast the power of +the Sky Forces. + +"Mink Maiden saw her beloved turned to ice before her eyes, and she +went away, weeping, to her home with Lame Bull. And Crow Man besought +her in vain to return to his lodge. She would not, and that is why the +Crow always calls, 'Come, come, come!' + +"And every year when the time returns that Thunder Chief came for his +bride and the North Forces overpowered him, you will see Mink Maiden +come from the woods, weeping over her lost love." + +When Tally concluded this legend, the scouts called for another, but +Mr. Gilroy mentioned that the three men planned to get an early start +for the glacier fields and it was time to retire. So the two guides +prepared the fire for the night and the girls began their good-nights. + +Mr. Lewis stopped them, however. "Scouts, I want to say a word to you. +I notice that you do not know the Indian walk--the only way to walk in +the woods and not grow weary. In fact, the way all the wild creatures +walk, whether they run or creep, without making a sound that will +attract attention to them." + +"No one ever gave it a thought, Lewis," admitted Mr. Gilroy. "Now that +you mention it, suppose you show the girls, and let them practice, +to-morrow, with the guides to teach them." + +Mr. Lewis then demonstrated the white man's walk and the natural gait +of the Indian. The two guides walked to show exactly what he meant, +and then the girls were told to do it. + +"Walk perfectly erect,--not leaning from the waist-line forward, as +most people do. Plant your feet with more weight coming upon the sole +instead of on the heel of the foot. Always turn your toes straight +forward, and take your steps, one foot directly in front of the other +so that the track you leave will look like a one-footed man walking a +chalk-line. + +"Once you have acquired this gait, you will wonder that you ever +walked in any other manner. You can walk a narrow ledge, or stick to +any foothold that a living creature can go on, without slipping from +lack of room for your feet. + +"But the greatest benefit such a walk is for one in the forests, is +that you can proceed without making any noise. You will not be soaked +with the dew that remains on leaves or undergrowth; and after you have +taken a long hike you will feel fresh, and have enough energy to start +on another trip." + +The scouts practiced that night, and had many a good laugh at the +awkward steps they took when first trying the Indian gait. But they +finally acquired it, and with daily practice in the woods, they soon +walked as well as Mr. Lewis himself. + + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT + +SCRUB'S UNEXPECTED HUNTING TRIP + + +Mr. Lewis's dog, Scrub, was a never-ending source of fun and +entertainment for the scouts. He was a most intelligent animal, and +understood everything said to him. In fact, his owner said that Scrub +was far more intelligent and practical than many human beings he had +known. He also told the girls that they could follow Scrub into the +woods if the guides could not go with them, and he would always bring +them back by easy trails--he had such a wonderful sense of location and +traveling. + +The first day in camp, after the three men had started for the glacier +field, Tally and Omney had to complete minor details in the camping +arrangements, so the scouts did not ask to be taken for a hike up the +mountainside. Scrub nosed about for a time, trying to attract the +girls' attention by his "talk" but when they failed to understand, he +ran away alone, and was not seen again until late that afternoon. + +He came tearing into camp, barking excitedly, and jumping about the +guides and the scouts, as if to tell them of some thrilling adventure +he had experienced in the woods that day. They made much of him, but +finally his master scolded him for barking so shrilly, so Scrub placed +his stub tail between his hind legs and crept under a tree. + +The next day Scrub began again to caper about and bark excitedly to +invite the scouts to go hunting with him. But they laughed, and Julie +said to him, "We're going with Tally and Hominy after a while." + +It was not, however, to Scrub's liking that they tarried so long in +camp, and he started away alone. Then when the guides were all ready +to go with the scouts, the dog was not to be found. + +"Ev'buddy take gun dis time," suggested Tally. + +"Oh, what fun! Shall we find any wild animals?" asked Joan. + +"Mebbe--dunno." + +The Captain warned the girls about using the rifles without first +noting all the conditions, and told them not to use them under any +circumstances if there was no danger. As each scout knew perfectly +well how to carry the firearm so as to protect others, and as every +one used precaution at all times, there was no risk of accident. + +The woods were still wet from the heavy night-dew, but the girls found +their newly-acquired step protected their skirts from much moisture. +The sun was sending its searching light into every secret nook of the +forest, and soon the dew evaporated and the gloom in the dense woods +brightened. The many hitherto hidden things in the forest now stood +clearly revealed in the sunshine. + +They followed the trail that led up the mountainside back of the camp. +Tally waved his hand in an inclusive sweep at the sun, then at the +forest it shone upon, and remarked, "Him no shine in long. Onny +mornin'--den shadow come back an' fores' grow black agin." + +The scouts were eagerly gazing at one thing or another in their +progress up the steep trail when Betty gave a little cry and jumped +out of the way. + +"What is it--a rattler?" cried many voices, anxiously. + +"No, but the cutest little rabbit I ever saw,--just like the one Verny +caught and helped in the Adirondacks, you know." + +Tally then added, "No rattlers on dis side Rockies, all on udder side +mountains." + +"Betty's scream would make one think she was facing a grizzly!" said +Julie, scornfully. + +"I wasn't frightened,--it startled me, that's all," Betty said, +defensively. + +"Was it big enough for rabbit pie?" asked Anne, unwittingly calling +down the reproaches of all the scouts upon her head. + +As they scolded Anne for always thinking of something to eat,--even a +darling little rabbit,--Tally suddenly held up a hand for silence. +Instantly everything was quiet. Then they heard distinctly the +plaintive cry of a distressed animal. + +"Dat deer call. Him 'fraid an' need help. Shall us go?" explained +Tally. + +"Oh, yes, Tally, by all means!" exclaimed Mrs. Vernon. + +So they pushed a way through the thick screen of pines until they came +to a clearing where the trees had been burned down. The sun shone into +the place, clearly showing the scene of a forest tragedy which was +about to be enacted there. + +The two guides made way for the scouts to crowd up beside them, and +there they saw a well-grown deer in the center of the tiny park. It +was still young and inexperienced, as was shown by the way it backed +around and voiced its horror and fear. + +"What is it afraid of, Tally?" questioned the Captain, because her +unaccustomed eyes saw nothing to fear. + +"See on limb dere--where deer must go if she like to get out?" +whispered Tally, pointing to one end of the clearing where a giant +pine spread its branches far over the place. + +Along the lowest bough crouched a panther, ready to leap. Its green +eyes gleamed with hungry desire for the choice breakfast so near, and +its sinuous tail whipped gracefully back and forth against the tree. +But its gaze wavered from the deer to something at the other end of +the clearing. What could be restraining this ferocious beast, whose +claws, as they dug sharp nails into the wood of the tree, appeared +ready to rip open the tender flesh of its prey? + +Two sides of the clearing were made impassable for the deer by the +close growth of aspens, interlocked like a brush-fence. At one end of +the clearing the panther kept guard, but what was the cause of the +starting eyes of the deer as it gazed at the nearer end--the end where +the scouts stood? + +"Ah, Omney--see?" breathed Tally, softly, as he pointed. + +Then they saw a grey-brown animal about the size of Scrub, with a +stubby tail. Its body was thick and short, and its head was round. It +had gleaming eyes, green-slitted like a cat's. Its ears were +sharp-pointed and stood erect. The mouth was partly open, with the +tongue showing its red edge between the fanglike teeth. Its rusty +color merged so perfectly with the bushes that it was small wonder the +scouts had not seen it immediately. + +Its expression, the crouching pose, its tense muscles--all denoted its +eagerness to taste the blood of the deer, but there was the panther to +reckon with first! Now the girls realized the danger of the young +deer. How could the poor thing hope to escape from a panther and a +lynx? + +When the lynx sensed the human beings, she snarled viciously, but +showed no fear. Her entire attention was given to the movements of the +panther. But the fact that her natural enemies, human beings, stood so +close to her, made her act sooner than she might have done. + +Tally whispered the situation in a breath. "Pant'er no jump, fear lynx +get him an' en get deer. Lynx 'fraid to jump firs' 'cause pant'er den +jump on bof an' eat 'em." + +Then Omney whispered, "Tally shoot pant'er, an' me shoot lynx--same +time. When I say fire--den shoot!" + +So the two guides slowly lifted their rifles and aimed. But the lynx +had crept closer to the deer, which in turn sent a swift look of +apprehension back at the beast that was now preparing to spring the +moment the lynx leaped. The deer lifted its muzzle high and bleated +forth a wailing cry, and at the same moment two rifles sounded. + +The instant before they rang out, the lynx had jumped right at the +throat of the deer, and the instant after the panther had leaped also. +The bullet sped faster than the lynx could spring, and the latter fell +with a heavy thud to roll over in the buffalo grass at the forefeet of +the deer. + +Omney's shot at the panther, however, struck its right shoulder +instead of a fatal spot. When the lynx rolled under the nose of the +panic-stricken deer, the poor creature jumped over against the wall of +aspens, and this leap spared its life. For the panther, instead of +ripping open its throat as it planned to do, clawed a tear in its side +and then rolled over on the grass. Instantly, the wild beast was up +and about to spring again, when a shot from Tally's gun ended its +preying. + +The frightened deer had seen the animal rise to spring again, but her +eyes were so blinded with the pain and fury of the gash in her side, +that she leaped high and brought both hoofs down upon her dead +antagonist. Again and again she lifted her stiffened forelegs and +drove her sharp hoofs into the spine of the dead panther. Finally, +however, the deer realized that her enemy was dead, and swiftly she +wheeled and fled from the clearing through the opening opposite the +scouts. + +As she disappeared, the girls relaxed the nervous tension that had +held them absolutely motionless during the battle. Now they sighed, +and Mrs. Vernon sat down where she had stood. Betty began crying +softly, and said, "The poor deer! I hope its side will heal." + +"Sure! Him go roll in mud of shallow spring and it heal," Tally +assured her. + +The lynx and panther were found to be splendid specimens of their +individual kinds, and the scouts had the satisfaction of knowing that +this big game had not been shot for mere sport. But, having saved the +deer's life by shooting the two wild beasts, the pelts naturally +became trophies for the scouts to send home. + +"They're awfully big brutes, girls. We'll never be able to carry them +both back to camp to-day," said Mrs. Vernon. + +"Skin 'em--onny take back pelts," said Omney. + +"We want to have them stuffed, Hominy, so we need the heads and feet, +too," said Julie. + +Tally looked at Omney and spoke in his native language. Then he turned +to the scouts and interpreted what he said. + +"I say, Omney skin animals wid head an' feet on--us go on an' help +Omney on way back. Him done skin den." + +As no new adventure befell them that day, they retraced their steps +and stopped for Omney and the pelts. That night the story was told to +the three men, and it lost none of its coloring by having five scouts +tell it, turn and turn about. + +Scrub did not return to camp that night, and Mr. Lewis told Omney to +start immediately after breakfast in the morning and see if any +untoward accident had happened to the dog. Tally and the scouts would +not remain behind, for they were very fond of the pet and worried lest +he had been killed by a wild beast. + +They chose the trail they had seen Scrub take the two previous days, +and after climbing the mountain for a time, Tally and Omney argued +over following a faint trail through a jungle. Tally pointed to a +paw-track in the soft earth, but Omney declared it was not a dog's +track. + +Yet Tally won his way, and started into the dense thicket. He had not +gone more than a few yards before he exclaimed jubilantly and pointed +to a wisp of Scrub's hair that had been caught on a briar. Then Omney +meekly admitted that Tally must be right in his intuitions. + +After following the faint trail for a short time, Julie called out, +"I'm sure I heard a dog bark just now." + +"Let's shout. Maybe Scrub's lost and is calling to us," explained +Betty, anxiously. + +"Lost! Now Betty, you don't know that dog if you say he could be +lost," retorted Joan. + +They all distinctly heard a shrill bark, now, and Tally said, "Sound +like him got wild animal trapped, an' wan' us help." + +Finally they were near enough to hear Scrub bark and yelp in reply to +the plaintive whining of some other animal. Then Tally advised the +girls, "You no call Scrub when you come up. Dog look to see you, an' +animal jump on him. No say anyting, but wait an' let Tally shoot." + +This was hard sense, and the scouts agreed to obey. Just then they +reached a spot where the forest trees were not so closely grown. Tally +held his rifle ready to shoot if necessary, to spare the dog's life, +but when he came out of the fringe of pines that circled the small +clearing where the dog barked, he stood amazed. + +The scouts deplored the fact that the camera had been left at camp, as +usual, for here was a most unique picture. Scrub stood stiffly, the +hair along his spine standing upright from excitement. His stub tail +vibrated so swiftly that one could not see it move--it seemed a blur of +action. His front legs were braced, and he was yelping and barking at +two little bear cubs. + +They appeared as distressed and confused as the dog. One, the larger +of the two, glared at Scrub with ferocious mien and at intervals, when +the dog stopped barking for time to breathe, it would charge +threateningly, but never got near enough to grapple with the dog. + +The smaller cub circled whiningly about a huddled mass that lay under +a great pine log. It would sniff about the heap and then sit upon its +little haunches and cry quiveringly. It was this wail the scouts had +heard in the distance. + +At times Scrub would run over to the trail whence he found his friends +approaching, then the little male-cub would join his sister at the +black heap, and both would whine pitifully to the mother that was +insensible to their cry. The moment Scrub was aware of any movement on +the part of his opponent, he would tear back to engage his enemy in +another wrangle of sounds. + +"Um! No wonder Scrub no come home las' night!" laughed Tally. + +"Maybe that's why he was so excited the night before--he wanted to tell +us," ventured Joan. + +"Yes, but I'm surprised that he remained, when he found we would not +follow him," added Julie. + +"He may have feared we might move camp and he would be left behind," +suggested Mrs. Vernon. + +"I go see why mudder don' help cubs," said Tally. So he started across +the clearing, followed by the girls. + +"Um! See--big log fall from tree jus' when bear go un'ner," said the +Indian, pointing up at the split bough that had been severed by +lightning, with its heavy end left dangling for a time. It had fallen +and struck the black mother-bear just as she was passing under, and it +must have instantly killed her. + +"The poor little babies!" sighed Betty. + +"Can't we catch them and train them?" asked Julie, eagerly. + +"Dem die sure in woods--or beastes eat 'em," said Tally. + +"Dear me, we mustn't have that!" cried Mrs. Vernon. + +"If we could only tame them and send them to the Zoo in New York--what +a fine thing that would be for the Girl Scouts' Organization. It would +be quite an honor," exclaimed Ruth. + +During the unfamiliar sound and sight of the scouts, the cubs blinked +fearfully at them. What new calamity was now at hand--and mother lying +there so still and helpless? + +Scrub was ordered away from the bears and made to mind, while Tally +planned how to catch the cubs. + +"I use rope an' lasso bof," said he. + +"We'll surround the cubs, Tally, and Scrub can keep guard so they +won't run away, while you catch them," planned Julie. + +It was an easy task to catch the little girl-cub and tie her to a tree +near the mother bear. But it was another matter to catch the boy-cub. +Tally threw the lasso, but it merely struck the rump of the little +fellow as he turned to investigate what his sister, who had been given +a chunk of cake by one of the scouts, was eating. + +The cub resented the slap from the rope, and snapped at it. But Tally +dragged the lasso back, coaxing the bear-cub much nearer. When the +rope was caught up to coil again, the frightened little fellow raced +back to the tree where his sister sat. He was so cunning in his +awkward gait that the scouts laughed heartily. + +This time the rope caught him truly, and he rolled over with a jerk. +He clawed and snapped and yelped at the bonds that kept him from +running away; and when Tally took in the rope, the cub snapped +viciously at him. Then the guide had to throw his coat over the cub's +head and fall upon it to wrap him in the folds. + +But the forepaws were free, so the cub used them well, trying to tear +the garment away from his head. So strong was the little fellow that +Tally had his hands full to finally tie him about the neck. In this +fight the cub earned his name of "Snap." + +When both cubs were securely tied to the tree, Tally went over to +examine the old mother-bear. The scouts followed and stood looking +down upon the huge body sprawled under the heavy log. + +"Her dead at once. Her not hear babies cry--or nuddin'," explained +Tally, trying to lift the log from her back. + +Several of the scouts assisted and soon the tree bough was rolled +away, Scrub managing to get in every one's way during the procedure. + +"Her dead mos' two day--babies no get milk to eat," said Tally, after +examining the teats and body of the bear. + +"Mebbe we coax home wid eats," suggested he, as he glanced from mother +to cubs and back again. + +"Tally, I brought some candy in my pocket," said Anne, instantly +producing the sweets. + +"Bear like sugar. Us lead cubs easy wid dis." + +"Tally, how can we keep this dead bear so we can have her skin, too," +now asked Julie, anxiously. + +"Oh, if we could only ship home such a magnificent bear pelt, wouldn't +we be proud!" sighed Joan. + +"Kin skin and bury 'um now. Come back mornin' an' carry to camp. Got +han' full wid two cub to-day," grinned the Indian. + +"Oh, if you boys would skin it and save it for us!" sighed several +eager scouts. + +So the guides sharpened their great knives that they always carried in +their belts, and began work on the dead bear. The girls would have +fainted at such a sight a year before, but now they stood by without a +quiver and watched the Indians skin the animal. + +The pelt was soon stripped from the carcass, and the former was buried +deep under the log, while the latter was left for the wolves, or other +animals. While Tally finished this work the scouts gathered berries to +feed to the starved cubs. The latter were so famished that they +eagerly ate everything given them. + +All the way home the scouts took turns in holding bits of candy in +front of the cubs' noses, to make them run for it. At some of these +"home-runs" the cubs got the best of it, and the scouts had to drop +the candy and jump aside, or be clawed in the bears' eagerness to get +the sweets. At such times Scrub barked and jumped at the harnessed +cubs, and they in turn would fight back, so there ensued a wild scene +of battle until Tally got the upper hand again. + +Once the cubs were in camp and caged they became tame and friendly +with every one,--even Scrub failed to draw a snarl from Snap now. The +smaller of the two bears was named Yap, as she was forever wanting +something to eat and yapped when she could not get it. + +In a few days' time they were freed from the homemade cage and +tethered to a tree during the daytime. They furnished great amusement +for the scouts; and Scrub was peeved because every one showed so much +attention to these horrid little brutes, while _he_ would permit +petting without a snap if his friends were so inclined. + +The campers had been on this site for almost two weeks before the men +mentioned that they were ready to move along. The cubs were quite tame +now, and ran about camp, playing with every one who would play with +them. They were fine and plump, and the scouts gave much time to the +currying of their soft silky coats and to teaching them tricks. + +"What do you scouts intend doing with Snap and Yap when we start on +the trail again?" asked Mr. Gilroy. + +"Where do you plan to go from here, Gilly?" asked Julie. + +"Why, Lewis is going back now that he has secured the special +specimens he came to the glaciers for," returned Mr. Gilroy; "but we +are to go along to Flat Top, where I hope to spend some time at +Tyndall, you know." + +"You told me, Gill, that you wanted to visit Mills' Moraine and hunt +for glacial deposits there," ventured Mr. Lewis. + +"So I did, but it is simply impossible for me to lead the scouts such +a dance, and now that they have two bears to dance along with them, I +shall have to forego Mills'," laughed Mr. Gilroy, longingly. + +"Is Mr. Lewis going right back to Denver, did you say?" asked Julie. + +"Yes, he has a public lecture to give at the Auditorium, so he cannot +go on with us," explained Mr. Vernon. + +"Then listen to my idea, and tell me what you think of it--everybody," +exclaimed Julie, eagerly. + +"Why can't Mr. Lewis take back our pelts and the cubs, and express +them home for us?" + +The very audacity of the suggestion made every one laugh at first, but +after much talking it seemed not so impossible. + +"Then Gilly and Uncle can go through their wonderful heaps of glacial +debris, while Tally guides us along the trail to the Flat Top. We will +meet again at the foot of Tyndall Glacier," said Julie. + +So out of all the talking and planning this was the result: Frolic was +selected as being the best-behaved of the two mules; the double crate +was harnessed to her back, and in each crate a little cub was secured. +The pelts of the bear, the panther, and the lynx were strapped across +her back, and she was ready to start back to Long's Peak village, with +Mr. Lewis and Omney. There the bears would be crated anew, and shipped +to the Zoo at Central Park, New York City, while the pelts were to be +expressed to Mrs. Vernon's home to await the scouts' return. + +Mr. Lewis was then to send Frolic back with Omney, who was to trail +with the party and help Tally in various ways, while his master +finished his lecture tour in Colorado. + +The morning of their departure, the cubs were scrubbed, combed, and +fed to repletion by the scouts, then secured in the crates. They were +oblivious of the tears shed by the scouts over their soft little +bodies, for they were curled up and fast asleep after such a hearty +breakfast. + +When Mr. Lewis and Omney rode down the trail, the scouts wept +forlornly while the little party was in sight, but once a bend in the +pathway was turned, Scrub came in for his full share of love and +petting again. + +"If we could only have kept the cubs with us!" sighed Joan. + +"Thank heavens we have Scrub left as a hostage for Frolic," sighed +Ruth, hugging the dog, who _now_ ignored every fond attention. + +"As it was impossible to 'travel light' with two bears, isn't it much +better the way we arranged it, girls?" asked Mrs. Vernon. + +And they had to admit that such was the case. + + + + +CHAPTER NINE + +A THRILLING CANOE TRIP + + +With one pack mule less, Jolt had more to carry but he seemed not to +mind it. He was made up of that temperament like few humans, that as +long as he had plenty to eat and a place to sleep, it mattered not how +hard he had to work at other times. + +The day following Mr. Lewis's departure with Omney and the cubs, the +scouts broke camp and moved along the trail to pitch a camp nearer +Battle Mountain. From this spot Mr. Gilroy and Mr. Vernon could daily +rove about, hunting for the precious bits of rock and debris that +meant so much to the geologist. Here the party planned to await the +return of Omney and the mule, Frolic. + +The new camp near Battle Mountain was much like the old one, with the +exception of its being nearer the trail instead of way back in the +woods. Thus it happened that the second day of camping, a party of +tourists stopped to ask which trail would lead them to a certain +stream where they were to meet a party of canoeists. + +Tally explained how they could reach the place, and after they had +gone, Joan sighed, "I wish we could canoe for a change!" + +"It wouldn't be much like the infant trips we took last summer," said +Ruth. + +"I should say not! In the Rockies there'd be rapids, then a whirlpool, +and then over a waterfall--to extinction!" laughed Julie. + +"All the same, others take these trips safely,--why shouldn't +experienced scouts?" added Anne. + +"Just because we never thought of it, with all our other excitement," +answered Ruth. + +"Now that we have thought of it, let's ask Verny why there are no +places where one can hire a canoe," suggested Julie. + +The girls laughed at such an idea, but the thought of what a wonderful +experience it would be to canoe on these streams, clung to their +minds, and so the Captain heard about it. + +"Even if you had canoes, there are no navigable streams," said she. + +"Those folks who stopped to ask Tally the way to Flat Top base were to +meet friends who canoed all the way from somewhere," said Joan. + +"Yes, they told us they were to meet the party there and all were +going to cross the Divide on horses, then come back and canoe home," +added Judith. + +"It seems too bad that all those fine canoes must remain idle while +those folks are riding over the Divide," sighed Julie. + +Mrs. Vernon purposely ignored the sigh and the insinuation, then did +her best to change the subject to one more practical. But the Fates +were against her this time. + +The following morning, two of the men who had previously stopped to +inquire the right trail to take, returned to ask Tally if he knew of +any one who would sell them, or hire out, a number of +mountain-climbing horses. Now that the canoeing party had arrived, +there were no extra horses for them to ride. + +"How many horses will you need?" asked Julie, quickly scheming. + +"There are eight people in the party, and they will want one or two +extra horses for the luggage," replied the man. + +"There are nine horses and one mule in _our_ outfit," hinted Julie, +her eyes gleaming as she glanced at the Captain. + +"But your mounts will do us no good," laughed the man. + +"Oh, they might, if you could persuade us to swap for a time," said +Julie, daringly. + +"Julie, what _do you_ mean?" demanded Mrs. Vernon, angrily. + +"Why, one likes to be brotherly, you know, Verny, and in the wilds, +far from other people, we ought to do a good turn to strangers. Here +is a party with a number of canoes but no horses, and here are we with +horses but no canoes--see my point?" she said. + +"Even though you are the Scout Leader, Julie, I do not see how you can +even suggest such a step. The Captain refuses to listen to any +argument along those lines," said Mrs. Vernon sternly. + +"We scouts like to canoe, and we will be here at camp for several +weeks, so a little side trip like the one offered now would be most +delightful," responded Julie, who understood that the Captain's +objections arose mostly from dread of the scouts taking the trip on +unknown streams. + +"Several weeks! Why, we are only camping here for a few days," +retorted Mrs. Vernon. "Besides I have no idea of exchanging safe +methods of travel, for what is known to be a great risk." + +"Verny, Gilly told Uncle last night that he had enough material on +hand in these moraines to keep him busy for a year, if he wanted to do +the thing properly. But even as it was, he proposed spending several +weeks between here and Tyndall Glacier," said Joan, to corroborate +Julie's statement. + +"Well, what of that? Would you advise me to loan the horses Gilly gave +security for, to a party of strangers we never saw in our lives?" + +Before any one could answer, Mr. Gilroy hurried back to camp. "I've +forgotten my magnifying glasses, girls. Don't stop me for anything, +now," said he. + +He ran into his tent and was out again in a moment, but one of the men +who came to ask about horses, recognized him in that moment. + +"Why, it is Mr. Gilroy, who has a place in the Adirondacks!" exclaimed +he, coming forward. + +"Well of all people! You're the last I looked for in the Rockies, +Kenmore!" laughed Mr. Gilroy, shaking hands with his friend from the +East. + +"Funny how we should happen to meet like this," said Mr. Kenmore, then +he introduced his companion. Mr. Gilroy, in turn, introduced the two +men to Mrs. Vernon and the girls. + +When Mr. Kenmore told his story, and why he had stopped at the camp, +Julie hastily interpolated and repeated what she had said about a fair +exchange of horses and canoes. But no one spoke of the Captain's +fears. + +"Say, Ken, that plan might work out all right," declared Mr. Gilroy. +"How long shall you folks want to use the horses?" + +"Why, as to that--we can go as far as your time permits, and return +when you say." + +"Well, I'll tell you! I've got to be about these diggings for another +ten days or two weeks at least, and if the scouts want to take a +little canoe trip during that time, I think it will be fine! What do +you say, Captain?" and Mr. Gilroy turned to Mrs. Vernon. + +"You seem to have settled everything before you asked my opinion. Yet +there would be no scouts in the Rockies if I were not responsible for +each one of them on this trip!" + +"Why, Captain! I imagined you were as eager for this trip as the girls +seem to be!" exclaimed Mr. Gilroy, aghast. + +"Eager--what for? Losing half the scouts in a whirlpool because of a +silly notion of Juliet's?" The very mention of Julie's full name +sobered every one considerably, for they realized that the Captain was +very serious in her objecting to this new risk. + +Mr. Gilroy suggested, "Can you two men spend the day with Mrs. Vernon +and the scouts? I've simply _got_ to rush away and meet Mr. Vernon. +Then we will plan to-night after dinner, and see what we can do. I do +know that there's no use your trailing back unless you go all the way +to Loveland or Boulder for your mounts--and you won't want to lose all +that time, I'm sure." + +So Mr. Kenmore and his friend, Mr. Neil, spent a pleasant day with the +scouts, and at night the subject of canoeing was again debated. + +Finally, Joan said, "It's foolish of Verny to say we will drown, when +we won badges for our canoeing last year, and carried off the prizes +for our county this spring." + +"These girls are better swimmers and more expert canoeists than most," +added Mr. Gilroy. + +"Besides, my dear," said Mr. Vernon to his wife, "it is not as if they +had to paddle. With expert Indians to guide the crafts, why do you +feel so timid about the trip?" + +"We only have Tally, and he can paddle but one canoe at a time. If +only Omney were here, he could take charge of one, and I could manage +the other one," sighed Mrs. Vernon, feeling overcome by the combined +arguments of the others. + +"How many canoes have you?" asked Mr. Gilroy. + +"Three large ones, built for parties," replied Mr. Kenmore. "My wife +is a poor swimmer and knows nothing about a canoe, yet she had no fear +in trusting herself to the expert Indian who managed the canoe she was +in." + +"Why not let that Indian take charge of one canoe? Then the Captain +will feel safer, and her responsibility will be less?" suggested Mr. +Gilroy. + +"We'd be glad to, as that will take care of him until we come back +from our ride." + +Finally, Mrs. Vernon said, "If you agree to wait until Omney returns, +so we can let him manage one of the canoes, I'll withdraw most of my +objections, but still I am not in favor of this trip!" + +Having gained that much, the scouts knew better than to urge more at +that time. Mr. Kenmore was relieved to find he could go back to his +party with such good news--that horses and pack-mules were found as if +by a fairy. He thought to himself, "By a clever little scout of a +fairy, called Julie!" + +Before the two men left camp in the morning, it was all settled. As +soon as Omney returned, the scouts would break camp and ride on until +they reached the camp pitched by Mr. Kenmore's party. Mr. Gilroy and +Mr. Vernon would move leisurely along, searching in the moraines +during the day, and pitching camp wherever they were when night fell. +There would be no outfits to look after, and no cares about scouts, so +they would reach Flat Top about the time the canoe party returned from +its trip. + +As soon as Omney came back to camp, therefore, every one was ready to +proceed along the trail to Kenmore's Camp. When the scout party rode +into that camp, every one there was glad to see them, for they had +heard about the scout outing and the plan to exchange horses for +canoes, for a short time, at least. + +"Couldn't be better if Providence itself planned it all!" declared +Mrs. Kenmore, enthusiastically. "Don't you think so, Mrs. Vernon?" + +"I'll wait until we return before I commit myself. I always did think +folks blamed Providence too much for what really was their own +stubborn will," returned the Captain. + +Her repartee caused a laugh, and Julie exclaimed, "Verny, I fear you +are coming down with chills and fever,--you never were so pessimistic +before!" + +"Yes, you are awfully lugubrious, Verny. At home you are with us on +any wildcat scheme," added Ruth. + +"That's it! It took a trip to the Rockies to show me what I was at +home--for your wildcat schemes. Now I'm learning sense!" declared the +Captain. + +Mr. Kenmore had a brilliant idea, and he instantly followed it up. He +brought the Indian guide who had paddled the canoe to camp, and +introduced him to Mrs. Vernon, as his future mistress for the canoe +trip. + +The Captain saw the tall slender form, the fine muscular development +of the Indian, and the polite demeanor. Then she said, "Have you been +in the Rockies long?" + +"Borned here. My fodder Chief of waterways in Colorado when she was +territory and me lee'l boy." The Indian demonstrated how small he was +at that time. + +"John tells me he has spent the last twenty years on these streams +flowing from the Rockies. So he can be depended upon," said Mr. +Kenmore. + +That noon, the party wishing to cross the Divide rode away with the +horses and two pack-mules, while the three Indian guides showed Mrs. +Vernon the route they proposed taking for the canoe trip. They would +follow the creek that eventually emptied its crystal waters into +Glacier Creek. But the latter had many fine tributaries, so they would +follow one of these to a spot John knew of, where a short carry of a +mile would bring them to a splendid river along which they could canoe +for miles and miles. + +The blankets and other necessities were carefully packed in the bottom +of the canoes, and the slat frameworks for the flooring were laid down +over them. Then the scouts divided their party and got into the three +large canoes, with an experienced guide for each. + +When they were once under way, Mrs. Vernon began to enjoy the trip as +much as any one of the scouts. She leaned back comfortably in the +canoe as she thought to herself, "What's so enjoyable as this peaceful +riding over placid waters, and passing by Nature's wonder-spots!" + +The Indians thoroughly enjoyed canoeing, and the two boys, Tally and +Omney, were delighted at the change of plan that made this water trip +possible for them. The paddles were in capable hands, and the canoes +responded instantly to every touch. + +A stroke one way and the canoe would evade a snag thrusting its ugly +head from the stream. A stroke the other way, and the passengers +quickly rounded a finger of land that jutted out into the water. Now +and then a quick stroke, and a rock was passed without scraping, and +all was done so quietly that no undue fear was roused. + +They rode under massive overhanging rocks, glided past flat banks of +land where gorgeous bloom offered sweetest nectar to bees and +butterflies. Then they would shoot by cliffs whose towering sides were +bare and threatening, or were overrun with vines and topped with giant +pines whose roots found a hold down on the other side of the rock. + +Finally the current began to run swifter, and still swifter. The +Captain sat, half-mesmerized by the swirling water as the canoe shot +through it. She was in a delicious state of mind when a stifled scream +from Julie, in the leading canoe, caused her to rouse instantly. + +They were sweeping around a wooded curve in the stream, and just +before them was a series of little rapids that foamed and frothed. +Farther on a narrow gorge was seen, and here the water doubled on +itself and curled backward in its attempt to escape from the frowning +walls of rock on either side. + +Now the canoes were in the white churning waters! Now they were +cutting through the foam, the wavelets striving to pile up and over +the top of the canoes. The rapids roared as they flung themselves +against the rocky wall just ahead, and the Captain murmured, "Oh, I +hope no one runs into that!" + +Then the three canoes were flying through the gorge, riding over the +lapping waters, and now they were out again on the other side, gliding +silently across a wide expanse of dark-green lake. And now the Captain +heaved a sigh of relief and sent up a prayer of thanks for the +protection. + +The lake was quickly crossed, and again the three canoes were going +down what seemed to be a chute. The scouts gasped at the speed, and +grasped the edges of the crafts tightly. When the first canoe, managed +by John, came to the spot, he called back a warning to the other two +guides. And all three bent their muscles to the work in hand. + +Suddenly, without other warning, Mrs. Vernon felt as if the canoe she +sat in had dropped from under her--its flight was so swift that she +scarcely realized the motion. Then--s-s-suash! down it came upon the +top of the water again--but far ahead of whence it sprang. She turned +to look at what could have caused this queer sensation and saw they +had ridden a "rift." + +The three Indians cheered and complimented the scouts for their +courage in this their first rift. So the scouts understood that such +things were mere joys to an Indian and nothing to be frightened about. + +During the afternoon the line of canoes reached one of the wildest and +most alluring spots in the mountains. The forest was not so dense +here, the water was smoother, and the stream wider. The Indians were +warning each other "Watch out!" so their passengers were alert also. +No one wanted to miss a single thrill of this marvelous trip. + +Now a sound as of thunder in the distance reached their ears, and the +Captain wondered what it could be. As the canoes sped onward, the +sound grew plainer and louder, and caused a clutch of fear at the +throats of the girls. But the Indians smiled eagerly and allayed undue +trepidation. + +Then quite suddenly, coming out of a screen of overhanging verdure, +the strange sounds broke into wild tearing, roaring, pulsating tones, +and the canoes slid down upon the tawny yellow chute of a _real_ +cataract! + +The bulky black things that flashed up before the canoes, only to be +as swiftly passed by, were _rocks_! The queer, rocking, green-gold +glass they were sliding upon was _water_! And then, as in the rift, +after a sudden sinking as if through space, they all rode out safely +upon another deep quiet lake of dark-green water. + +That night the Indians made camp on the moonlit shores of a marvelous +lake. They had not bothered to stop for much dinner at noon, so every +one was hungry by evening. Freshly caught fish, and the food that only +an Indian can find and cook to perfection, made the scouts feel "like +monarchs of all they surveyed." + +Such thrilling experiences as John could tell, kept the scouts gasping +until Mrs. Vernon suggested they had best go to bed if they wished to +continue in the morning. The beds of sweet bracken made up by Tally +never held more appreciative mortals than the scouts, after the +entertainment furnished by John had ended. + +For breakfast, there were wild ducks' eggs, found by Omney; stewed +Indian potatoes, dug by Tally; Indian onions, discovered by John; and +delicious coffee, brought by Mrs. Vernon. Then they cleared away all +signs of the camp and proceeded along the way. + +The second day of the canoeing there was no fear felt by any one, as +the Indians had proved to be adequate for any emergency, and the +canoes were splendidly constructed craft. In them the scouts shot +rapids, rode down cataracts, bobbed about in whirlpools, and then--rode +out upon quiet lakes laughing merrily in their nervous tension. + +Finally Julie felt tired of sitting still, and asked to paddle. But +the guides shook their heads. No amount of coaxing could make them +turn over the paddles to other hands. The Indians knew their +responsibility, and were determined to avoid trouble. + +The third morning, Julie said, "We can paddle so well, Tally, and some +of these lakes are as tame as dish-water." + +"Den wait to dinnertime at camp!" said Tally, unthinkingly. + +The rest of the morning was passed in dodging great rocks, passing +through arched aisles, where the water cut a way through the timber, +or again rocking perilously in a seething bowl of froth, to be shot +out at the other side, and then ride along on smooth water. + +That noonday they landed on a blossoming meadow for camp. The canoes +were taken from the water and turned over on the beach, while the +Indians hunted for food to cook for dinner. Two of them started for an +inland pond where they saw flocks of wild duck, and John began to +catch fish for cooking. + +Mrs. Vernon took charge of the fire, and the scouts made bread, set +the dishes out and did other chores. Julie and Joan had been sent to +hunt for a fresh spring of water, and in passing the canoes where they +had been left, Joan said, "The lake's like a millpond." + +"I'd like to paddle across to the other side and climb that steep +knoll. I bet there's a fine view from there," said Julie. + +"Verny would have a fit!" declared Joan, looking back but not seeing +the camp, as the bank hid it from sight. + +"It wouldn't take long, and I'm dying to try these canoes," suggested +Julie. + +"Come on, then," responded Joan. "I suppose it's safe." + +"Of course, and Tally said we might try at noon-time." + +"We'll just shoot over and back again," said Joan, as the two girls +managed to carry the canoe to the water. + +No one saw them glide away, and no one missed them at first, as they +were thought to be hunting for spring water. Then when dinner was +ready there was no Julie or Joan to be found! + + + + +CHAPTER TEN + +JULIE AND JOAN'S PREDICAMENT + + +It was all very well to talk about paddling across a quiet little +lake, but it was another thing when one got into the swift current +that ran past the rocky bluff where the girls wished to land. There +was no shallow water anywhere, where they might get out and beach the +canoe, so Julie paddled with the current for a distance, leaving the +camp site far behind. + +Joan kept gazing for a likely spot to anchor in, but there were none +such. Then suddenly, the canoe was caught in a swirl of water that was +caused by the outpouring of a creek, and Julie discovered that +managing a large canoe built for Rocky Mountain waters was far +different from steering a light craft across a home lake, or along the +canal that ran through the town. + +"Why are you going this way, Julie--why not stick to the shore line?" +asked Joan, as the canoe was driven along with the current. + +"Stick to nothing! How can I help going this way when the current is +as mad as a Jehu!" cried Julie, desperately. + +"Then let me help in some way." + +"I only wish you could, but we only have one paddle." + +Joan glanced at the water. It was running quite shallow just where +they were. An idea flashed into her mind. + +"Julie, I'll get out and pull the canoe upstream while you help with +the paddle." + +Julie made no demur, although she said, warningly, "Don't let go of +the canoe for a second, will you?" + +"Of course not! Did you think I wanted to be left on a desert shore?" +laughed Joan, climbing out. + +She managed to drag the canoe for quite a distance upstream again, +while Julie paddled with all her might. At times Joan stepped down in +a hole and had to cling to the canoe to save herself. At such times +the craft swung back again downstream, making the girls do the same +work all over again. Finally Joan's teeth began chattering and she +managed to quiver forth, "The water's like ice!" + +"You've been in too long. Now you get in and let me take your place, +Jo. Later you can switch off with me again, and in that way we'll get +back to still water opposite camp." + +So Julie jumped out and Joan got in to paddle, but her hands were +stiff with the chill and her whole body shaking, hence her paddling +was not of much use. Julie was the stronger of the two scouts, so she +managed to pull the canoe upstream splendidly, and both girls felt +that now their troubles were over. All of a sudden, however, she +stumbled over a great submerged stone and fell out flat on the water, +face downward. + +She had presence of mind to cling to the edge of the canoe with both +hands, but Joan stopped paddling in consternation when she saw the +accident. Instantly the craft caught in the swift current and shot +ahead as an arrow from the bow. Julie floated out behind, on the +water, at times completely covered with the swirling waves curled up +by the sharp canoe. + +At times she lifted her head up and tried to gasp. In one of these +desperate efforts, she cried, "Paddle--paddle for the love of Mike!" +then she was swept under again. + +Before Joan got down to actual work again with the paddle, the canoe +was running opposite the creek again, and all the gain the girls had +made by wading upstream was lost. Julie was very cold by this time, +and the water was so deep that she could not touch bottom, so she +climbed back in the canoe. + +During the help Joan had to give the half-fainting mariner, the canoe +headed straight for a bend in the river. Where they would land neither +scout could tell. It might be over the falls--it might be in a mud +puddle. + +"Can't you stop it?" screamed Julie, hysterically. "We may run plumb +into a cliff and smash to bits!" + +As she spoke, she grabbed the paddle and worked with the strength that +fear sometimes gives, so that she really poled the canoe across the +creek to the shore where the water was quiet. But they were now on the +far side of the current, in the creek that was hidden by the bluff +they had passed. The distance from camp was too far for any one to +hear them, even if they did shout. So they fastened the canoe and got +out upon the bank. + +"When Verny finds us gone, and one canoe missing, she will send the +Indians out at once to hunt for us. Meantime, we may as well make a +fire and get warm," suggested Julie. + +"Tally left a line and tackle in the bottom of the canoe," announced +Joan, remembering that she had caught her toe on a fish-hook when she +climbed out. + +"Oh, then we're not so hard up, after all. We can catch a fish and +broil it for lunch." + +"I'm fearfully hungry after all that work," hinted Joan. + +"Then you fish while I make fire with some rubbing-sticks. As soon as +you land a fish, I'll clean it with my scout knife and start broiling +it. Better try upstream a ways, where the water is quiet," said Julie. + +The fire was soon blazing, and Joan managed to catch two goodly sized +fish, so they ate them, and dried their uniforms at the fire at the +same time. This done, they felt better. But no call from the rescuers +the girls had expected, nor sign of them, came from the lake beyond +the bluff. + +"Jo, suppose we follow this creek a ways until we find a shallow place +where we can ford. Then we can climb up to that knoll and signal with +smokes." + +"We may get into all sorts of new trouble, Julie. I'd rather wait here +for them." + +"I've got to get up and do something, Jo. I'll go crazy sitting here +waiting, with no sign from any one out there." + +"Why can't we paddle the canoe up a ways. If we walk we may step on a +rattler, or meet other dreadful things," ventured Jo. + +"All right, then. We'll canoe upstream a ways. If it doesn't look +healthy yonder, we'll come back. But should we find a trail we may as +well follow it to the bluff," returned Julie. + +"Who'd make a trail in this wilderness!" scorned Joan. + +"Don't you suppose others have been in this beautiful spot? Others +have seen that bluff and climbed it, too." + +So the scouts paddled the canoe upstream as far as it seemed +advisable, and that is how they missed hearing the Indians, when they +crossed the creek and called for the lost ones. Then the hunters +paddled on downstream, searching ahead for a canoe that might be going +straight for the great falls John knew to be a mile further down. + +John and Omney were in the leading canoe, while the Captain and Tally +were in the second canoe of the rescuing party. When no sign of the +scouts was seen at the creek, John called back to Tally. + +"Omney and me go on, you take lady to shore and wait on creek for me." + +Tally did not tell Mrs. Vernon that a dangerous waterfall was +downstream, but he knew that was where John was going to hunt, so he +landed his passenger on the far side of the creek, where they sat and +waited for news. No one dreamed that the two girls would paddle up the +creek and thus miss a chance of being helped. Nor did Tally find the +ashes of the little campfire Julie had made to cook the fish and to +dry themselves. + +"I knew there would be a fine trail along here, somewhere, Jo!" +exclaimed Julie, driving the canoe inshore and pointing exultantly at +a distinct trail that ran up from the water's edge. + +"Oh, joy! It runs straight for the bluff, too!" cried Joan. + +So they climbed this steep trail, which was so plainly worn that there +was no need of blazes along the way. They climbed and climbed! Still +they had not reached the top where they expected to find the knoll +they originally started out for. + +"Seems to me we have gone twice as far as ever that bluff was," +complained Joan. + +"Places always seem close at hand when one is on the water," commented +Julie. + +But they now found the trail descending, and shortly it went decidedly +downhill, away from the lake. Both scouts looked at each other. + +"There is no sense in _going down_, Julie!" + +"Apparently not, Jo, but these trails wind awfully, you know; and +maybe it is trying to avoid a gully or a cliff." + +So they kept on, hoping every moment for a sight of the bald place +that had allured them from the camp on the safe and desirable meadow. +After half an hour of this hiking they came out to an inland pond with +canals cut in different directions. + +"Why! it's a beaver colony!" exclaimed Julie, pointing to the huts and +dam, and they saw several beavers working in the aspens at the far +side of the pond. + +"I could eat one of those beavers--I'm so starved!" sighed Joan. + +"Shall we follow that trail around the pond?" asked Julie. + +"What for? We're only going further away all the time." + +"Then we may as well go back to the creek and wait." + +"All this long walk for nothing!" grumbled Joan. But she followed +Julie nevertheless, and when they reached the brook they had recently +crossed, the girls found two trails leading to it. + +"I only saw one before," said Joan. + +"Because we were _on_ that one,--but which one was it?" + +"Coming from the left, to be sure. Would we be coming from the +interior?" asked Joan, impatiently. + +So they took the lefthand trail, although they really had come up by +the other one, which led from the creek where their canoe was waiting. + +"Jo, I believe both those trails were worn by animals going to the +creek," ventured Julie, as the idea suddenly came to her. + +"Well, you said tourists would surely visit here and leave a trail!" +Joan returned, jeeringly. + +For once Julie made no reply in self-justification. The two scouts +kept on hiking until they were so fatigued that they both felt like +crying. + +"I hope we're not lost," whimpered Joan, wiping her eyes. + +"Of course not! Folks are never lost unless they get into a panic of +fear," declared Julie, keeping up her own courage by trying to boost +that of her companion. + +Again the girls climbed and climbed, until presto! right in front and +down far below, was the lovely lake! Oh, how beautiful it looked! They +stood where they were for a few moments sighing in relief that now +they were sure to be rescued. Then Julie frowned and looked at Joan. + +"Jo, is there anything wrong with my eyes? I can't see any meadow +opposite us." + +"Neither can I! There's a rocky pine-topped wall over there." + +"But there _was_ a flat meadow where we camped, wasn't there?" queried +Julie. + +"O Julie, you're not going daffy, are you?" wailed Joan. + +"Good gracious! Why do you ask such a thing! _Was_ there a meadow over +there?" screamed Julie, shaking Joan fearfully. + +"I've heard that folks lose their minds when they're lost in the +wilderness," cried Joan, forgetting to answer the all-important +question about the meadow. + +"Will you tell me what I want to know--_was there a meadow_?" yelled +Julie, stamping her foot vehemently as she spoke. + +She had been standing upon long wiry witch grass that had washed its +blades downwards toward the lake, and having but little roothold in +the thin layer of dried moss and top soil that was spread over the +cliff, the sharp stamping of a scout heel loosened this slight +attachment. + +Then like a mirage in the desert, Joan beheld her friend vanish! Not +swiftly and instantaneously, but slowly and surely, as the roots and +matted surface reluctantly broke away because of Julie's weight and +downward gravity. + +"Save me! Oh Jo! Save me!" screamed Julie, clutching wildly at scrub +bushes that held tenaciously to the crevices and so gave her temporary +resistance. But her weight always tore them away finally, and then she +had to grasp the next one. + +"Oh Julie--come back! Come back, don't leave me all alone in this +wilderness!" wailed Joan, wringing her hands. + +The sudden realization that Joan thought only of herself in face of +the calamity that threatened her friend, served to cool Julie's fear; +then she used common sense in sparing herself as far as possible. She +was out of Joan's sight now, and by making use of every bush, root, or +vine on the slanting rocks, she resisted the force of gravitation +enough to slide slowly instead of being catapulted from the heights. +She knew not just where this chute would end--in deep or shallow water. +If the former she still might swim to shore, if that were not too far +away. + +The last few feet of this slide ended abruptly where the cliff had +been worn away by the spring freshets and floods. Here Julie dropped +into the water which formed a hole along the rockbound shore, so that +she went in without striking anything, and immediately began swimming +to free herself from the tangle of roots and debris that fell with +her. + +She swam for a distance until she found a narrow edge of sand where +she might sit and rest in the sunshine. So she managed to reach this +twenty-inch-wide refuge and shook out her hair to dry. She wondered +what Joan would do when she found she had to make her own way alone to +the canoe! And the picture she painted of her erstwhile companion, +stumbling along weeping, gave her some satisfaction. + +This spirit of vengeance, however, was soon gone, and a kindly feeling +took its place. She began to plan how she might creep along that +narrow edge of beach to reach the point on land where she could see +the creek pouring into the lake. From there she could signal Joan when +she reached the canoe, and thus relieve her mind of the fear that her +chum had been drowned. + +After overcoming many obstacles, she reached the jutting land that +marked the entrance to the creek. The canoe had landed on the opposite +side, further up stream. Hardly had she gained the top of this +promontory before she heard excited voices, and one above the others +wailing dismally. + +Instantly she knew Joan was safe and that the others had arrived. A +line of Scripture flashed through her mind and caused her to +smile--"The voice of one crying in the wilderness," quoth Julie. + +No sooner had she grasped the fact that she would be with her old +friends in a few moments, than she recovered all her old _sang froid_. +She shook out her clinging clothes, and twisted up her half-dried +hair, then sat down on top of the promontory and sang. Yes, _sang_, +and sang merrily, too, because she thought that would convey the +impression of how unconcerned she felt. + +Sound carries far over the water, so Julie's singing was heard by the +rescuers as soon as they came out into the lake. Then they shouted, +and she replied. Finally they saw the solitary figure sitting upon a +rock with both hands clasped about her knees, singing as if her heart +was too full of joy to hold it all. + +The moment the canoes came near enough, the Captain gazed up, and +asked, "How can you get down, Julie?" + +"Same way I came up, Verny--with my feet!" + +Every one laughed, but Mrs. Vernon shook her head as she murmured, +"Same old Julie! Nothing on earth will quench that spirit." + +Suddenly, to the horror of every one in the canoes, they saw a form +shoot past them and dive into the water. But as suddenly, a laughing +face appeared above the surface and soon Julie was in one of the +canoes. + +Had it not been for the danger of upsetting, the occupants of that +canoe would have hugged the scout in their relief at having found her +safe and sound,--because Joan's report had been more than despairing. + +"O Julie, darling! I thought you were dead!" cried Joan. + +"Did you? But you wailed for yourself when you saw me go down to +perdition," scorned Julie. + +"But how did you manage to get down to the promontory, Julie?" argued +Joan, ignoring the other's reply. + +"Now, how do you s'pose? I motored there, of course!" + +When they all returned to the belated and cold dinner, it was late +afternoon, and no one felt in the mood for fresh adventures that day. +So they decided to camp on the lovely meadow for the night, and +continue the trip in the morning. The three scouts who had been left +in camp to guard the dinner were not told of the escape until later. + +As they all dawdled languidly over the last fragments of the supper, a +silver bar slanted suddenly across their faces, and the very dishes +were transformed into a shimmering glory. The broad shaft of light +that shone from the newly-risen moon lighted up the whole meadow and +penetrated far into the dark fringe of pines that bordered the +meadowland. + +Then the full moon rose higher in the vaulted dome of the blue +heavens--heavens as blue as the Venetian Sea; and sharp points of +starlight began to twinkle like tiny beacons on crafts at anchor in +that peaceful haven of fathomless blue. + + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN + +ON TO FLAT TOP MOUNTAIN + + +What would a trip in the Rockies mean without an Indian guide? He is +the most valuable asset one can have. No matter where he finds +himself, under the greatest stress of difficult conditions and +circumstances, the Indian guide will manage to save the day. No human +being can get as much out of Nature as an Indian. No one can find as +desirable a campsite without loss of time. No one can make fire as +quickly, pitch tents so securely, weave beds so comfortably, clean up +so neatly, spin yarns so thrillingly, and smoke a pipe so contentedly, +as an Indian. + +So, in the early morning when the scouts awakened to the hope of new +adventures, they found their guides preparing breakfast. Julie and +Joan felt no after-effects of their unpleasant experience, other than +in memory, and there was no reason for that to cripple either one. + +The breadtwists were baking, duck broiling, and other delicious odors +coming from the campfire, so the girls speedily completed their bath +and toilet for the day. Then, the delicious breakfast out of the way, +the kits were packed into the canoes, the scouts got in and sat down, +and onward they traveled. + +At every turn in the stream new vistas of Nature's varied beauties +opened out before their admiring eyes, and every now and then, a scout +would call, "Take that picture, Verny! It's wonderful." And the +Captain always snapped the scene. + +Beautiful birds swung low on branches, with heads on one side, eyeing +the strange creatures in the canoes. Squirrels sat upon the boughs and +threw nutshells at the scouts as the canoes passed under their +perches. Thus the hours flew by until night fell again. Camp was made, +supper cooked, Indian legends told about the fire, then bed and +refreshing sleep. + +Beautiful weather blessed the scouts while on the canoe trip, and +added to the enjoyment of the experience. Many times they paddled +through water that looked like molten silver, so heavy and opaque was +it in the weird light. Again they went along streams that reflected +the sunset hues, and looked more like sheets of opal with its +changeable colors of rose, lilac, and yellow-green. Then this fading, +translucent color would suddenly vanish, and all be dark! Again there +were times when the canoes threaded a way between towering cliffs that +cast somber shadows down upon the waters, and other times when they +rushed through gorges and gullies. + +Hour after hour, day after day, sped on to join the yesterdays, with +one thrilling experience after another passing into memories, and the +scouts began to realize that their trip was almost ended. All the time +the three Indians paddled faithfully, carefully, and silently, as much +a factor in the enjoyment of the marvelous scenes as the water or the +forests. + +At last the scouts reached the great falls that marked the end of the +journey, but they still had the joy of going back. So the backtrail +began, with as many happy adventures as one can hope for on a canoe +trip. No accident or disagreement marred the trip, and when they +reached the rendezvous where they were to meet the riders who went +over the Divide, every one was satisfied. + +"'The End of a Perfect Day,'" sang Julie, as she jumped out of the +canoe. + +That same night Mr. Gilroy and Mr. Vernon hiked into camp and were +received with noisy welcome. They were as wildly enthusiastic over the +fine specimens they had secured in their side trips, as the scouts +were over their canoe trip. Then in the morning the riders came to +camp, and after hearty thanks from both sides, the horses and canoes +changed hands again. + +The Kenmore party started down the stream, and the scouts rode away +along the trail that led to Glacier Creek and to Flat Top Mountain. +The trails were rough but the horses were sure-footed, and all went +well. + +They had gone some distance when just ahead, beside the trail they +were following, they saw a beautiful sheet of water. It really was a +wild tarn, placed in the pocket of the mountains that encircled it. + +"It looks just like a diamond sparkling in the deep prongs of these +pointed peaks," said Julie. + +"We've discovered a poetess, scouts!" exclaimed Ruth, but Julie +frowned upon her. + +"We'll find many such pure jewels hidden in these settings," said Mr. +Gilroy. "Some are perched so high in the mountaintops that you wonder +how they ever snuggle there. Others are so deeply entrenched in +terrifying chasms and ravines that only the intrepid ever see them. +But most of these gems are made by the glaciers that carved out their +basins by constant friction. The waters, so cold and pure, come from +leaping cataracts and icy falls above, that flow from the melting ice +fields during the summer." + +On the shores of one of these lovely lakes the Indians made camp that +night. The two scientists decided to study some of the peculiar +formations found near the place, and the scouts were satisfied to +enjoy a quiet rest for a time. With an acre or more of flower-dotted +meadow on one side, rugged cliffs on another side, dark forests on +still the third side, and Tyndall Glacier rising sheer from the fourth +side, what more could adventurous youth ask? + +"Girls," remarked Mr. Gilroy that evening, "this place offers us all +we need for individual pastimes,--you to explore in the forests, and +Vernon and I to collect specimens. It's up to you to say how long we +camp here. I'm ready to move on whenever you say." + +Later, as they sat about the campfire, Betty asked, "Gilly, what is it +that makes a glacier?" + +"Is it the winter's snow that piles up on mountaintops and freezes?" +added Julie who, too, had been puzzling over the matter. + +"A glacier, girls, is an accumulation of ice in an altitude where the +melting process is not equal to the deposit. Every winter adds snow +and ice to the peaks, and then when these slide down to milder areas, +they melt and vanish into these rivers and tarns. + +"Some of these glaciers found in the Rockies were left here since the +Ice Age, when the whole globe was ice-clad. The glacial rivers that +flowed from these ice-peaks are mainly responsible for the wild +scenery in these mountains. They cut a gully here, or scoop out a pit +there, according to the force and size of the torrents. In thus +forcing a way through every obstacle, these resistless currents carry +along timber, soil, and rocks. + +"These, in turn, tearing and banging against other obstacles that +resist them, finally carry _them_ along to add to the power of its +ruthless progress. + +"Through ages these ice torrents, starting from the highest peaks and +coming down, down, down from one resting place to another, but always +traveling downward and onward, moving mountains, as it were, changing +the course of mighty rivers, filling up inland seas,--have given you +this grand scenery of to-day. + +"Not only do all kinds of debris come flooding the valleys and lakes +with this gushing from glacial fields, but gold and other precious +metals are washed down and deposited. Thus the seeker may find gold, +if he is willing to sacrifice for it. + +"To warn you scouts that these glacial fields are not as safe as a +floor in your home, let me tell you what happened to a party of +mountain climbers. They were experienced men, too. + +"They were climbing Mont Blanc when a snowslide swept them away into a +deep crevasse. One man escaped to tell the story. It was impossible to +reach any of them, so the scientists figured out how long a time must +elapse before the glacier would move down to give up its victims. +Computations had it that forty years must pass by and then the ice +would reach a place where the bodies of the men would be recovered. +Forty-one years afterwards, far down the slope of that same mountain, +the frozen forms of seven men were found and removed." + +"Well, Gilly, rest assured that not one scout will be found frozen +that way, this year or forty years hence!" promised Julie, +emphatically. + +"Not if we can help it!" seconded the girls. + +"See that you remember this vow, when you feel like a little +adventuring over a peak," laughed Mr. Gilroy. + +A few days after this talk, the scouts begged the guides to take them +on a hunting-trip,--not that they ever shot anything, but they liked to +explore the forests and watch the animals browse or run away. + +So they hiked up the steep ascent of the mountain that rose many +thousands of feet above the camp, and after startling several hares +and other tiny creatures, they came upon a fox, dining upon a wild +rabbit. But he leaped away almost before they had seen him, his great +red brush disappearing between the trees. + +"Wasn't he splendid!" exclaimed Betty. + +"Um! Not scout scare him away--something comin' dis way," returned +Tally, peering eagerly into the dimness. + +"Tally!" hissed Omney suddenly, "Grizzly!" At the same time the scouts +distinctly heard a crashing through the dry branches of the +down-timber. + +"Clim tree--quick--in any one near!" warned Tally, while he cocked his +rifle to protect the scouts. + +"Why don't _you_?" demanded Julie, who stood back of the Indians when +the other girls scampered anxiously for aspens, or other +"safety-first" places. + +"Me fight!" + +"Oh!" was all Julie said, but she stood her ground behind the two +Indians, while her friends all begged her to seek a tree for safety. + +"I want to watch what is going on down here--you can't see a thing up +in the foliage," called Julie. "Besides, I am safe because the bear +will have to down the guides first, before he can get a mouthful out +of me." + +But the grizzly must have caught a scent of the human beings who stood +too near the tempting bit of rabbit right on the trail! So he sat +upright on his haunches and waved his fearful paws threateningly, +while he growled as if saying, "Come on! I'm waiting for you folks. +Why don't you fight?" + +But the two guides and Julie were so screened by the bush that the +bear could not see them,--he merely scented them. Then the wind shifted +again, and the grizzly thought he was mistaken, for he smelled no +further annoyance. But he decided to be cautious, as it always +behooved him to be when man was at hand. So he gave voice to a +terrifying roar, just to show these pigmies what would happen if they +dared to interfere with his meal! + +[Illustration: Julie stood her ground behind the two Indians] + +As he sat munching the mouthful of rabbit, blinking at nothing in +particular, Tally suddenly jerked his head sideways and took a +searching look at the beast. Then he leaned over and whispered to +Omney so softly that Julie could not hear a sound. + +Omney now stared at the bear in unbelief, but after gazing keenly, +soon nodded his head anxiously. Then, in another moment, two rifles +were silently levelled, and two shots rang out. The grizzly rolled +over while the rabbit still remained half-chewed in his great maw. + +"O Tally! Shame on you!" cried Julie, furiously. + +The scouts now slid down the treetrunks and ran over. Each one had a +protest to register against the heartlessness of the Indians. But they +were over by the bear, turning him over on his side. + +"Him be Devil-Bear!" exclaimed Tally, excitedly. + +"Um! Bump on haid, scar on rump!" added Omney. + +"What do you mean, boys?" now asked Mrs. Vernon. + +The scouts saw a great knob on one side of the bear's head, and an old +scar that cleft his left hind-quarter almost in two. + +"Dis ole Devil-Bear come down all time to ranches, kill calf, eat +lamb, carry off ennything, an' nobuddy ketch him. Evehbud' hunt and +shoot, but Devil-Bear quick an' get away. He climb glacier, go over +peaks, live evehwhere. + +"Sometime him in Flat Top, nudder time him down in Wyom. One time he +run in Denver, kill horse, scare evehbuddy away, den run back to Flat +Top." Tally laughed at the last memory. + +"Him steal cattle, even fight ranchers, so big reward out fer him," +added Omney. + +"How can you be sure you have killed this demon?" asked Mrs. Vernon, +eagerly. + +"We hear 'bout Devil-Bear and pickshers nail on all signboard for +reward. Big scar in rump, big lump on haid--him got 'em," Tally +replied. + +"Um! Dis scar make by rancher. One day he chop wood and fine sheep-dog +play round. Devil-Bear steal out of woods, catch dog unner man's nose, +and run away. Rancher so mad he frow axe at bear, an' it hit right +there," explained Omney, poking his foot at the scar on the bear. + +"Rancher say dat bear neveh walk gin, but nex' year nudder rancher see +bear kill calf an' many lamb and run away," added Tally. + +"Then I'm glad you shot him!" declared Betty, glaring at the dead +beast. + +"But you've got to get him back to camp, boys, to get the reward," +said Mrs. Vernon. + +The two Indians considered this the least of their problems, and when +they had tied the forelegs and the hindlegs together, they swung the +heavy animal from a long pole they had cut down from a clump of pine. + +That night when Mr. Gilroy heard the story, he assured the scouts that +the guides had really done a great service to the country at large, as +this bear had terrorized every one in the mountain ranches. + +"As a rule, grizzlies are not ferocious except when interfered with. +They use their fine intelligence to keep man at a safe distance with +their roaring and display of fierce strength. But this rascal was the +exception, and it's well he is dead," added he. + +"If the guides get the reward, the scouts ought to have the pelt," +suggested Mr. Vernon. + +"I'll see to it that they do," returned Mr. Gilroy. + +The Indians made quick work of skinning the beast and leaving the head +on the body so the bump could be identified. The bear fat was tried +out and saved by the guides, and several fine steaks were carved from +the carcass and broiled, but the girls refused them. + +The men had no such qualms, however, and ate greedily, then smacked +their lips laughingly at the disgust manifested on the scouts' faces. + +"Devil-Bear good eat!" chuckled Tally, as he wrapped the remaining +steaks in a paper for another time. + +When the campers resumed their ride, Devil-Bear--or all that was left +of him--was packed on Jolt's back. The mule cared not a fig for a dead +bear, so the skin was carried along without demur, although the horses +now and then caught a whiff of the bear-pelt and tossed their heads +nervously. + +The trail up Flat Top Mountain proved as wonderful as it had promised +to be. The scouts rode their horses without a tremor, although at +times they went on narrow ledges, forded roaring streams, or plunged +down through gulches, and over down-timber. They steadily climbed all +that day, and towards night were on Flat Top--twelve thousand, three +hundred feet high. + +Mr. Gilroy reached his desired Tyndall Glacier, and so delighted was +he that he acted like a boy with a new toy. Here they camped for a few +days while the scientist collected some interesting bits, then the +party continued to the very top of the mountain. + +From this summit the scouts could see over the entire country for +miles around. Estes Park looked like a tiny city park from that +height. And Long's Peak appeared on a line with their sight. They +could plainly see Stone's and Taylor's Peaks, and also Mt. Hallett, +while several famous lakes,--Mills, Bierstadt, Dream, and others--were +seen gleaming like sheets of blue ice down in the hollows between the +crags. + +Fresh camp was pitched that night under the shadow of a gigantic +column of jagged rock that rose perpendicularly above the tableland of +the peak. The base of the rock was about a quarter of a mile around, +but one side of the monolith dropped sheer down to a cliff a thousand +feet below. From that ledge it again dropped down to another rocky +resting-spot hundreds of feet lower. Thence it went straight down +three thousand feet to the bottom of its stand, where it found a firm +footing in the valley. + +As every one was tired with the climb of the day, they were soon fast +asleep on the fragrant balsam beds, and slept until the snorting of +the horses roused the Indians, and then they, in turn, called to the +others to get up. + + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE + +LOST IN A BLIZZARD + + +It was early dawn but such dark clouds obscured everything that the +scouts thought it still was night. + +"Bad storm blowin', Mees'r Gilloy. Us hurry down f'om here," said +Tally, anxiously. + +"All right--all up, and hurry away!" shouted Mr. Gilroy, running for +the horses, to help Omney saddle them for the ride. + +Soon thereafter, without stopping to attend to any of their customary +toilets, the scouts were in the saddles and quickly following the +guides down the trail on the opposite side from that they had mounted +the day before. + +The blackness was now so thick that it was difficult to see any one +ten feet ahead, and the girls could not see the trail at all. Then +Tally suddenly shouted a warning to those behind him. + +"Huddle togedder--blizzer comin' down now!" + +And in a few seconds, an unexpected breaking of the clouds drove thick +smothery, enveloping snow across the plateau. Even the heavy clouds +seemed to choke everything in their folds. The wind, which blew a +gale, uprooted trees and flicked them out of the way as if they were +snips of paper. Gusts of the mad tornado tore off great masses of the +dark clouds and, eddying them about, whirled the vapor out of them, +away down the sides of the mountain. Trees, rocks, clods of earth, +everything movable that presented an obstacle to the gale, was carried +away like thistledown. + +The poor horses and pack-mules crouched close together, with heads +low, making of their bodies as scant a resistance as possible against +the storm, and at the same time providing shelter, with their steaming +bodies, for the human beings who huddled under them. + +Then, as suddenly as the storm broke, it ceased. A weird light played +over the plateau for a time, and Mr. Gilroy noted the worried +expressions of the Indians. + +"What now, Tally?" + +"Us clim' saddles, stick gedder an' must get away!" shouted Tally, +trying to be heard above the soughing of the wind, that was now +blowing from behind the crag. + +Even as the riders tried to get into the saddles and start after +Tally, a chill filled the air. It crept into bones and marrow, and in +a few minutes the full fury of the blizzard was felt. In less than +five minutes after the first snow fell, everything was drifted under +white blankets. The cold bit into human flesh like sharp points of +steel, and it was certain that every one must get down from that +altitude immediately or be frozen to death. + +The Indians led the way, although they trusted their safety on these +mountains entirely to the horses and their wonderful sense. The other +riders tried to follow as closely as they could in the tracks made by +the first two horses. Then as they descended further from the plateau, +the storm abated and the temperature felt warmer, until they reached +the place where dripping snow from all the tree branches and rocks +thoroughly soaked the unfortunates. + +The mountainside was cut up by ravines and gulches, or "draws" as they +are called, made by erosion of mountain streams that came from the +glacier on top of Flat Top. + +From one of these draws the scouts could look down for miles to a +place where it widened out through the velocity of the roaring waters +and unearthed everything in its floods. + +Here and there great pines had fallen across and formed natural +bridges over the chasms. At other spots the roots or branches of a +tree washed down, would catch in the debris of the sides of a draw, +obstructing the way and holding up great masses of waste that +accumulated rapidly about the twisted limbs, when the torrent washed +everything against this comb, that caught the larger objects. + +So the file of riders went carefully downward, on the watch for a +favorable trail that might lead them to the valley. But every draw +they found was so forbidding that they were repulsed from trying it. +Some showed great rocks that might roll down at the slightest motion +of the ground, and crush everything in their plunge. Even as they +pondered the chance of going down one of these, the water caused by +the melting snow loosened the grip of a great fragment of rock held up +in the gorge, and down it crashed! Other draws displayed century-old +snags, and down-timber that lay half-sunken in slimy ooze which +trickled down from the mossy sides of the gully; these would suck in +any horse or rider that was daring enough to try and go over them. + +Finally, Tally came to a draw which was not nearly so forbidding as +the others, but it was a very deep chasm, and sent up echoes of +roaring water in its bottom. + +"Wad yuh tink, Omney--do we try him?" asked Tally. + +"Tally, it looks terrifying!" gasped Mrs. Vernon. + +"Not so bad as udder ones," remarked Tally. + +"Must we go down any of them?" asked Mr. Vernon. + +"Mebbe we not find trail for two--four day, and grub mos' gone," +returned Tally, meaningly. + +"We've got to trust to Tally's guidance, pards, so let us do exactly +as he thinks best," added Mr. Gilroy. + +Feeling somewhat dubious about the outcome of this ride, the two +Indians led down the steep sides of the gulch. The horses slipped, +stumbled, and scrambled through the piled-up rubbish until it was a +marvel that they had not broken legs and necks. The debris carried +down by the streams that emptied into the torrents at the bottom of +the draw, formed almost impassable barriers to going onward. But the +day was breaking, and this cheered every one tremendously. Soon the +darkness would be entirely dispelled and they could see just where the +horses were stepping. + +"I'm so hungry I could almost eat this leather harness," remarked +Anne, sighing. + +"Maybe we might catch something for an early breakfast, if we knew +where to give our horses a stand while we hunted," said Ruth. + +Then, suddenly, they heard a crash of branches and rolling rocks, and +there, outlined against the pale sky, stood a giant elk with head +erect and ears attentive to the sounds from these riders. It was the +first one the scouts had seen, and it was such a magnificent animal +that a sight of it was thrilling. + +The elk waited with great antlers reared to their extreme height, long +sensitive nose sniffing the air, and legs stiffened ready for a leap. +The Captain drew the camera from a side-pocket of the saddle and +planned to get a picture. But the wary animal heard the click of the +shutter and sprang fully fifteen feet across the chasm to gain a ledge +of rock that hung dangerously out. + +Every one gasped as he waited to see it miss footing, or roll down +with the crag that surely would topple over with such added weight +upon it. But the elk must have known its trail, for it lightly touched +upon the rock, then vanished over the rim of the top. + +"There goes our venison steaks for breakfast!" sighed Julie, making +the others laugh in spite of their troubles. + +The sides of the canyon near the bottom were filled with dangerous +sink-holes, or bogs, that were a constant menace to the riders. For +let a horse slip into one of these and he might be sucked down +instantly. But the animals were sure-footed and accustomed to such +rough traveling, and they instinctively avoided all soft soil. Ever +and anon, a horse would slip on a rolling stone, or a hoof would break +through rotten timber, so that the scouts were being constantly jolted +one side or another. + +Finally they found better going along a narrow ledge that looked like +an old trail. But it began nowhere and ended--well, it terminated +suddenly just ahead of Tally's next step! + +"Back! Back!" yelled Tally, dragging on the reins with all his might. + +That effectually halted the others, who were so close behind him, and +Mr. Vernon leaned over to ask, "What is it, Tally?" + +"Big hole--she go down mebbe fifty feet to bottom. Gotta back out and +go round nudder way." + +"Oh, mercy sakes! Back out all along this narrow ledge?" cried the +scouts. + +But while they spoke, Jolt passed them, going on the verge of the +ledge, and causing every one to tremble for his life. When he was +passing Tally, the guide shouted angrily, "Whoa! Whoa!" + +But Jolt acted exactly like a sleep-walker does. He paid no attention +to sight or sound, and in another moment he would have walked right +over the edge of the precipice, had not Tally jumped from his saddle +and caught hold of the guide rope that had been tied to his halter +before entering the gully. + +This slight hold, however, did not save the mule from disappearing +over the verge of the cliff, and it almost yanked Tally over, too. The +only thing that saved the guide was Omney, who jumped to assist his +friend when Jolt went by. The rope was instantly wound about a tree +stump and braced. Then Tally climbed warily to safety, before the +loose shale should crumble in with his weight. + +Every one had been speechless with horror a moment before, but now +every one spoke with loosened tongue. + +"The mule had all the food-stuffs," said Anne. + +"And the camp outfit as well," added Mr. Vernon. + +"Just think of the poor thing--down there crushed to bits," wept Betty. + +Some felt sorry for Jolt, and some felt sorry for themselves. Then +Tally said, "Eef light scout crawl ober an' tell what her see Jolt +doin', mebbe we save him." + +Betty was the lightest so she offered her services. She was tied +securely to one of the ropes that hung on the saddle-horn, and Tally +advised her what to do. + +"Crawl to edge, look down. Tell what Jolt do, or eef he mashed in +bottom!" + +So Betty crept slowly over the shale and reached the edge of the +ravine. She peered down, and the sunlight that shone through the trees +just then, helped her to see plainly. + +"Jolt's standing on a wide ledge of rock about twenty feet lower than +this one. His packs are gone--guess they tumbled down when the straps +burst open. But there isn't any _spare_ room for him to exercise on," +reported Betty. + +"Did you say he was standing upon his feet?" asked Mr. Gilroy, +unbelievingly. + +"Yes, with his head facing towards the outlet of this chasm. He hears +me talking, 'cause I see him prick up his long ears." + +"Al' light," said Tally, joyfully. "Tell me, do ledge end in hole like +dis-a-one do?" + +"No, it looks as if it ran right down to the valley, Tally. I can see +the sunlight down at the end, about a mile away." + +That caused great joy in each heart, and Tally said, "Al'light, now +come back." + +So the scout crawled back, while Tally spoke with Omney and planned +what to do. The result of this conversation was then apparent. + +Tally tied a long rope to his own waist, and Omney began paying out +the rope as the Indian went over the edge of the gulch. Every one held +his breath to wait developments. Then they heard Tally shout, +"Al'light--le' go." + +"Now us back out--Tally ride Jolt down valley," announced Omney. + +"O Hominy! Do you think the mule is all right?" cried Ruth. + +"Tally say so. Us go back now." So back they went in every sense of +the word--back along the ledge, and backwards all the way. + +The horses climbed the rocky slope and went along the top-side of the +chasm, but it was no better adapted for comfortable riding than the +bottom had been. After an hour of dreadful jumps and jolts and slips, +the riders came out to the valley that Betty had spoken of, at the end +of the draw. + +There stood Tally, grinning with good news. "Fine camp!" + +"But where is Jolt?" demanded the scouts. + +"Him dockered up wid bear-grease, bandages, an' herb!' laughed Tally, +pointing to a place where they could see a mule taking things easy on +the grass. + +"Got packs out, Tally?" asked Omney. + +"Us go in get 'em now, Omney. Scouts make camp an' we come back wid +grub, pooty soon." + +So the two guides rode in through the chasm again, along the bottom +beside the river, and the scouts rode on to make camp where Tally had +directed them. + +There the scouts found one of the most interesting shelters of all on +that camping-trip. It was discovered under the wide overspreading +boughs of a clump of firs which had so grown that a perfectly clear +and covered area in the center provided a Nature-made house. + +While Ruth and Betty were ordered to clean up the sticks and stones on +the ground under the trees, the other girls gathered balsam and made +the beds. The two men went to fish, and the Captain built a good fire +to cook the combination breakfast and dinner, as it was now long past +noon. + +Tally and Omney came back after a long absence, but they had the +packs, a little the worse for the fall, to be sure. + +"I see this is the last can of soup and our last can of beans," +ventured Mrs. Vernon, when she opened the food-pack. + +"Um! Us know rancher--plenty grub in him lodge," said Tally, +significantly. Everybody laughed at his wink that accompanied the +words. + +The ride from Flat Top had been so strenuous that the scouts camped +that night in the fir-tree lodge, as they had called it. All retired +early, as they hoped to make a start at dawn in order to reach the +rancher's, where Tally said he could buy a stock of food. + +But a number of timber wolves howled about the camp all the night +through, keeping the tired travelers half-awake. Towards dawn they +must have followed another scent, as all was quiet in the forests +thereafter. + +The Captain was startled out of a sound sleep by a strange +"s-swish"--close to her ear. Springing up with the remembrance of the +wolves, she heard Tally whisper through the pine-boughs, "Tell scout +come see caribou in valley." + +In a few moments every one was up and out of the tree-lodge. The +scouts saw the men crouching down behind a large boulder that stood +near the verge of a steep descent to the green valley below. The +curious girls soon joined them and then witnessed a most unusual +sight. + +Down in the valley, several hundred yards away, was a herd of caribou +grazing on the juicy grass. A fine buck with antlers spreading far +from each side of his head, jumped about as if worked by springs. If a +cow got in his way he stamped his polished hoofs and threatened her +with his flattened horns. + +But the cows seemed not to mind such idle threats on the part of the +bull, and continued grazing. + +Julie laughed. "They're suffrage caribou--they know how a male talks +fine but seldom does what he brags about!" + +This started an animated argument between Mr. Gilroy and the Scout +Leader, which was suddenly hushed by the behavior of the buck. He +lifted his nose, sniffed angrily and stamped his hoof in token that he +resented any interference with his family's breakfast. + +"What's the matter with him?" asked Joan in a whisper. + +"Maybe he scented human beings watching him," suggested Anne. + +Tally shook his head, but in another moment the scouts learned what +had caused his annoyance. He now sounded a warning to the cows, and +they all lifted their heads instantly and sniffed as the buck had +done. + +"Dear me, I hope they won't run away," wished Ruth, and then she saw +that they would not run--they would defend themselves. + +From out the dark fringe of forest there now crept a number of lean +hungry timber-wolves, looking like long grey shadows of the trees. So +slowly and noiselessly did they move that only animals trained to +defend themselves in the wilderness would have known an enemy was so +close at hand. + +As they moved, the four men silently lifted their rifles, and waited +for the signal from Tally to shoot. + +"Are those the wolves we heard last night?" asked Julie. + +"Most likely, or some like them," returned Mr. Gilroy, in a whisper +that only those next him could hear. + +"Um! t'ree of 'em--get reward fur dem coyotes!" grinned Omney. + +The caribou, warned in time by the bull, saw the skulking beasts +creeping, creeping like the shadows towards them, and they instantly +formed their defence, as they always do in case of extreme danger when +it is wiser to fight than to fly. + +With their hind legs closed together like the center of a wheel, and +their heads presenting antlers pointing towards the enemy like +bayonets on the defence line in a battle, the herd stood perfectly +still and waited. + +"Wonderful sight!" breathed Mrs. Vernon. + +"Oh, for that camera! It is in the duffel-bag," sighed Julie. + +But the scene now grew too exciting for any scout to yearn over +forgotten kodaks, for the wolves were almost near enough to begin +their raid. The four rifles still pointed directly at them, but the +signal was not yet forthcoming. Tally knew when to fire. + +Just as the foremost wolf rose on his hind legs to hurl himself at the +caribou nearest him, and the bull bellowed madly and wheeled to +attack, Tally signaled. Four spurts of blue and four streaks of +red--and three timber wolves rolled over dead! + +At the sound of those dire sounds which the bull understood to be as +deadly as a wolf, he lifted his snout high in the air, called hastily +to his herd, and the wheel broke--the caribou trotted away swiftly and +disappeared in the forest. + +"That certainly was a sight worth seeing," sighed the Captain. "But I +must hang that camera about my neck, day in and day out, or I shall +miss the best pictures every time." + +At breakfast that morning Mr. Gilroy said, "I had planned to cross the +Continental Divide at Milner's Pass, because of the beauties of the +Fall River Road, but this unexpected slide down from Flat Top +yesterday, disarranged all these plans. What shall we do about it?" + +"What was your next point of interest, had we gone over the pass as +you had planned?" asked Mrs. Vernon. + +"Well, you see, I thought we would land somewhere near Beaver Creek on +the western slope of the Divide. I know a number of ranchers living +about that section, and I thought the scouts might enjoy spending a +week or so on these ranches." + +"If it's all the same to you, Gilly, we'd rather enjoy the wildlife of +the Rockies instead of ranching," ventured Julie. + +"Oh, it's all the same. In fact, I'd rather not use any time on the +ranches while I still have many interesting moraines to explore," said +he. + +"Then we'll plan a new route. What would you do next?" said the +Captain. + +"We are near the Meadow Fork of Grand River, I think, and we can +follow that to reach Grand Lake. Then we can trail from there, along +the North Fork of the Grand, until we reach Hot Sulphur Springs. After +a visit to the Springs, we can go down Gore Canyon, cross the Gore +Range, and thus reach Steamboat Springs." + +"All right, let's do as you just said," remarked Mr. Vernon. + +"Tally give up Devil-Bear and timber wolves at Spring," now said +Tally. + +"All right, Tally, but don't you think the girls ought to share in the +reward for the wolves? We helped shoot them," said Mr. Gilroy. + +"Um, sure! Scout git Devil-Bear money, too!" said Tally, amazed that +any one should have thought otherwise. + +"How so?" demanded Julie. + +"Tally 'gree to guide, hunt, fish, help Mees'r Gilloy an' scout all +way frough summer. Devil-Bear kill in hunt, but Tally paid for time," +explained the Indian, thus refuting the reputation many white men give +the Indian, that he will take advantage of other races every chance he +gets. + +"Oh, no, Tally! We wouldn't think of such a division!" exclaimed the +Captain. "Give us the pelts and you take the reward." + +As this suggestion was seconded by the others, Tally and Omney grinned +joyously, for it was a windfall they had not looked for. + +Further along the trail, Tally turned off to stop at a ranch-house and +lay in a supply of flour and what other edibles the ranch-owner would +sell him. Then they continued over the mountains. + +Had the scouts come suddenly upon the Continental Divide they would +have been speechless with the grandeur of it, but they had been riding +past and over many peaks, canoeing down marvelous waterways, and had +climbed all the ranges that led to the Divide, so that they scarcely +realized that they were crossing the stupendous elevation until they +heard Tally speak. + +"Mos' over now, foothills all way to Sulphur Springs." + +As they rode on, looking for Meadow Fork, along which Mr. Gilroy +wished to trail, many questions were asked by the scouts and answered +by the Indians. + +Ruth then said, "I've heard a lot about Hot Sulphur Springs, Gilly, +but what thrilling sight shall we find there?" + +"Its name might lead you to believe you would see the apparition who +is said to have charge of all sulphur worlds," said Julie, giggling. + +"Also you will have an opportunity to taste the nastiest drinking +water he--Julie's friend--ever sent bubbling forth," added Mr. Gilroy, +quickly. + +"That friend and I had a falling out and now we are not on speaking +terms!" retorted Julie, and the others laughed. + +"Why stop there, then? Let's go on to Gore's Canyon,--that sounds +awfully thrilling," remarked Joan. + +"Is it named Gory, Gilly, because so many Red Men scalped the early +settlers out here?" asked Betty. + +"Oh, no," laughed Mr. Gilroy. "It is named after an Irish nobleman, +Sir George Gore, who discovered the canyon while he and a party of +friends were hunting big game in the Rockies many years ago, before +folks went over the Divide. In those days it was considered a +marvelous feat to go into the Rockies." + +"If every one can have a mountain named after them, why can't I have +one called 'Juliet's Peak'?" demanded the irrepressible scout. + +"You can, if you like. That is the easiest part of all, but how will +other tourists know that that particular peak is named for _you_?" +laughed Mr. Gilroy. + +"You'd have to advertise the fact by some wild adventure, or great +patriotic deed," added Mr. Vernon. + +"Oh, I can advertise, all right!" retorted Julie. "I'll take a great +bucket of whitewash and a calcimine brush; then on every flat-faced +rock along the trail, up one side and down the other, I'll slap a +hand-painted sign on every one of them: 'This is Juliet's Peak,' and +the finger in ghostly white will point to my peak." + +Her ridiculous explanation caused every one to laugh, but when Jolt +turned and opened his jaw wide to emit the grating sound "Hee--haw! +Hee--haw!" the riders declared it was screamingly opportune of the +mule. + +Late in the afternoon, the second day from Flat Top, the scouts had +their first battle with a rattlesnake. It is claimed that one never +sees a rattler on the east slope of the Rockies,--why, it is not +stated. But one certainly encounters many of them on the west side and +on other ranges in Colorado. + +They were jogging along comfortably when Julie's horse suddenly leaped +aside and climbed a steep bank beside the trail. The other horses +trembled, and instantly the warning rattle sounded. Tally hurried back +and saw a huge reptile coiled at one side of the trail, half-hidden +under a bush. + +He jumped from the saddle and snapped a hickory stick from a young +sapling nearby. Then he whipped the rattler over the back. He could +not break its back as the bush fended the blows. But Omney and Tally +could so tire the reptile with blows that kept its head swinging from +side to side, that finally they might jump on it. + +The scouts sat and watched this interesting fight, the rattler darting +its forked tongue venomously at the sticks, and in so doing having to +turn its head from one to the other. This defence kept it from +uncoiling and gliding away. Neither could it spring from the coil to +strike while its head was so busy. + +At last it showed signs of weariness, and once, when it momentarily +forgot to strike at Tally's whip but struck twice in succession at the +stick Omney wielded, the former took instant advantage of it, and in +another moment his heel was planted upon the flat head. + +Then the guides dragged the sinuous reptile out and measured it. It +was fully five feet long, from head to tip of tail where ten rattles +were attached. Tally removed these, and with a bow presented them to +the Captain,--an honor shown all Tenderfeet in the Rockies, if a +rattler is encountered by the natives. + +"Him make fine money book, er belt," suggested Omney, when the scouts +shuddered at the diamond-backed rattler. + +"Oh, yes, we must send the skin home to be cured and made into +souvenirs, girls!" exclaimed Mr. Gilroy. + +In vain did the riders look for other rattlers after that, for every +one wanted every skin that could be gotten for souvenirs. + +Mr. Gilroy rode along, watching for the familiar landmarks that would +tell him he had found Meadow Fork, but he finally admitted that he +must have taken the wrong turn back by the ranch. + +They rode past lovely streams and camped beside a most enchanting +lake, then on, alongside a fine river, but Mr. Gilroy did not find his +Meadow Fork or Grand Lake. + +Finally, from the summit of one of the lower peaks on the western +slope of the Rockies, the scouts saw a valley spread out before them, +and concentrated in one spot of this valley were numerous dots, that +were dwelling-houses, together with several large ones, that denoted +they were hotels. + +Mr. Gilroy rubbed his eyes, then stared. "Now, if I did not know +better, I'd swear that that was Sulphur Springs." + +"'Tis Sp'ings," chuckled Tally. + +"But, Tally, it can't be! We haven't found Meadow Fork or Grand River, +yet! Have we trailed along some other way?" wondered Mr. Gilroy. + +The town proved to be the Springs, and there Mr. Gilroy learned that +he had been riding along Meadow Fork, had camped at Grand Lake, and +then followed Grand River, without knowing it. This error in judgment +gave the scouts a never-ending chance for teasing him, thereafter. + +That night the horses, as well as their riders, were glad to stretch +out upon comfortable town-made beds, and in the morning the breakfast +was already provided for all, instead of their having to first gather +it. + +The first thing the guides did after breakfast was to cash in their +reward for Devil-Bear. The skin proved their claim, and word instantly +circulated that two Indians had killed the menace of the ranches. The +scouts received the reward for the tongues of the timber-wolves which +Tally had brought into town, and thus the scouting party soon found +fame camping on their doorstep. The local papers made much of them, +and the girls took a keen delight in mailing home copies of the papers +containing the account of their exploits. + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN + +A FOREST FIRE + + +"Now, friends, let us get away as soon as possible, or the guides may +spend all their reward money on firewater, and be unable to start for +a week," suggested Mr. Gilroy, confidentially, to the scouts. + +"Why don't you take the money and deposit it for them in a bank?" +asked Julie. + +"I offered to keep it for them, but they were not overanxious to part +with the cash. I know the boys too well to dream that they can +withstand temptations of a town when they have such easy money to +burn." + +So the riders planned to leave immediately, starting away soon after +the midday meal. + +"I'm not sorry to leave the Springs with its ailing visitors behind," +remarked Joan, as they got back into the saddles. + +"Thank goodness we are not rheumatic, or gone to pieces, to have to +come here to be mended again," declared Julie. + +"I should think the horrid water would kill them, instead of curing," +added Ruth, making a wry face at the remembrance of her taste of the +waters. + +"It isn't the water that cures, remember," said Mr. Gilroy, "it is the +people's faith in it. And some folks believe that the more +disagreeable a cure tastes, the better it will act." + +From Hot Sulphur Springs the party rode through Gore Canyon, and then +over the Gore Range, as Mr. Gilroy had planned. The climb up the +latter mountains was one of the thrilling experiences of the trip. + +Following Tally through an unbroken wilderness, they unexpectedly came +upon an old lumber-road. Along this they trailed until it ended in a +natural clearing of over a thousand acres. The park was surrounded by +dense forests with apparently no trail leading from it. + +"Here we are, boys! In, all right, but no way out," called Mr. Vernon, +smiling at the perplexed looks of the riders. + +"That means that every one has to hunt for a blaze of some kind," +returned Mrs. Vernon. + +"The blazes are here, all right, but the trail is such an old one that +the young timber has, likely, grown up and hidden the old pines which +carry the signs," added Mr. Gilroy. + +Thereupon, every scout began to thrash through bushes and between +young trees, hunting for the much-desired blaze. It was Betty's luck +to find it, although she really wasn't looking as anxiously for it as +were the other scouts. + +She saw a queer scar on an old pine before her when she broke through +some brush, and she was studying its strange formation when Tally came +up behind her. He recognized the blaze and laughed. + +"Betty find him! Come see!" shouted he. + +The others galloped across the park and stared at the deeply scarred +pine, while Tally read its meaning to them. + +"It must have been blazed in the days of the First People," said +Julie. + +But little attention was paid her remark, as every one was eager to go +on. Tally broke a way through the jungle of bush and young timber, and +finally they all came out to the silent woods again. + +They rode through twilight forests of gigantic red-spruce trees, +measuring from three to six feet in diameter and towering over a +hundred feet in height. The ground under these was carpeted with pine +needles, which lay, year after year, until no sound echoed from the +hoofbeats upon them. + +Looking in any direction, the scouts could see only dense forests, +with not a crevice in their vaulted roofs of green where the sun might +filter through. These pines seemed to waft down virgin incense upon +the heads of the riders, who fully appreciated the still beauty of the +place, and the velvety corridors they went along. + +Then the trail became steeper, and the trees grew smaller, allowing +great splashes of sunshine to bask here and there upon the passive +treetrunks, or to sprawl out upon the thick pine needles that covered +the ground. + +After riding for several hours, the scouts left the pine forest +behind, and rode out upon a faint trail that ran through aspen brakes. +Now and then they came to parks where the trail lost itself, and every +one had to seek for it again. + +A great deal of time was lost in each park they came to, over thus +finding the trail, as so many misleading ones were made in the thick +buffalo grass by wild animals that came to graze there. The only thing +Tally relied upon for the right way was by finding a blaze upon an old +tree nearby. + +During the climb, the horses often came upon sudden precipitous +descents that had to be zigzagged down through loose stone and debris, +then up again on the other side. When the riders reached the highest +altitude of the Gore Range and looked about, they found themselves +among sheer cliffs, that obstructed any distant views. + +"Feels like lunchtime to me," ventured Anne. + +"I should think you'd say dinnertime--that's the way it feels to me," +laughed Julie. + +"I was afraid to say that, because I am always credited,--unjustly of +course,--with being the gourmand of the Troop," retorted Anne. + +Tally now led along a trail that ran through a small park, that lay +between two towering cliffs which shut off all sight of anything on +either side of them. Along the bottom of this ravine-like park a clear +stream of water gurgled noisily. + +"Shall we camp here for luncheon?" asked the Captain, seeing the sweet +green grass and cooling stream. + +"Oh, no, Verny! Let's find some woods to stop in. It's not very +inviting to feel shut in so far down," returned Julie. + +So they rode on, the horses picking their careful way over stones and +roots, and their riders having to pay strict attention to the trail. + +The trail wound about upthrusts of rock, where other streams ran to +fall down the sides of the ravine, causing it to widen as it needed +more space to carry the added waters. And at last, the scouts could +see, in the distance, that the cliffs ahead ended and the stream also +passed from view. + +"Where the cliffs end will be a dandy spot for camp. We shall be able +to sit and gaze over the park that most likely is to be found there," +suggested Joan, eagerly. + +"If you don't camp somewhere soon, you'll find me ended there!" sighed +Anne, comically. + +Before they reached this "end" however, the Captain held up a hand for +silence, as she said, "That's a queer sound I hear!" + +The others reined in their horses and listened. They then heard it, +also. Mr. Vernon said, "Sounds like thunder, I think." + +"No, it sounds more like a stampede of cattle on a ranch. If you've +ever heard the hoofbeats of a herd of steer, you'd know that this is +like it," came from Mr. Gilroy. + +Tally grinned at both men. "Him waterfall!" + +"Waterfall! All that volume of sound?" asked Mr. Gilroy, skeptically. + +"Him _big waterfall_," repeated Tally. + +"Let's hurry to find it, then!" declared Julie, urging her horse +forward and gaining the corner of the cliff at the end of the ravine, +ahead of her companions. + +The crags completely hid all that might be beyond them; but as the +riders went along, the volume of sound increased until the roaring of +water convinced every one that the Indian must be right in his +surmise. Then they passed around the obstructing crag, and sat +spellbound at the panorama spread out before them. + +The first glimpse of this tremendous waterfall was that of tawny green +water bounding headlong over the precipice. Its dynamic vehemence had +cleft a fearful way through the crags on either side of it, and adown +its course one could see black hulks of rock that projected out from +the swirling flood. The roar and thunder of this tremendous stream +prevented any one from hearing other sounds. + +The group of riders sat enthralled by the sight, then they next +permitted their eyes to wander beyond the immediate falls to the +magnificent view spread out in such space below and beyond. In the far +distance the snow-capped peaks lay, one behind the other, until they +were lost to sight in the drifting clouds on the horizon. But, as if +loath to merge so quickly with the clouds, here and there one or more +peaks would appear with their sharp points above the mist, and there +reflect the glory of the shining sun. + +From the far horizon and its peaks, the eyes now dropped gradually +from one height to the next lower down, until they rested upon a +valley that lay fully fifteen hundred feet below the crags where the +scouts stood. The panorama was so vast in extent and so impressive in +its sense of infinitude, that the spectators scarcely drew their +breath. + +The whole scene shimmered through the soft clouds that hung above the +waterfalls and made it look like the reflections in a soap-bubble, +with iridescent colors shining on the sphere. So ethereal appeared the +picture that it seemed as if a slight vibration would surely shatter +the bubble. This grand painting had existed here for centuries before +the coming of the scouts to admire it, and there it promised to remain +intact for centuries more after mortals should pass from the earth. + +Here and there across this valley a ribbon of water wound a silent +course away out of sight. From the great falls a mighty river flowed +for miles until that, too, appeared like a silver ribbon, tying the +land fancifully in its loops. + +The silence was broken at last by Anne. "Can we find a better place +for dinner than this grand cliff?" + +The tension broke with a snap, and the others glared at the perplexed +scout. Finally Julie cried, scornfully, "Can you find anything in that +scene besides patches where food is grown?" + +Good-natured Anne laughed, and shrugged her shoulders. "I think it is +as beautiful as the Great Spirit ever made, but unfortunately I am not +yet entirely spiritual. I find I must eat a bite now and then, to +enable me to enjoy these pictures." + +Her excuse for the interruption made every one laugh, and Mrs. Vernon +then added, "I think Anne's suggestion very good,--to camp here and +have dinner." + +"Let Hominy lead the horses back to the grassy ravine to graze, while +Tally cooks dinner," added Mr. Vernon. + +So Omney rode back, leading the rest of the horses and the two +pack-mules. Tally soon had the dinner cooking, but there was no chance +of catching fish in that swift water, so they were satisfied that day +with pork and beans, bread and jam for dinner. + +After descending the last rampart of the Gore Range, the scouts heard +Tally speak confidently of the locality they were in, but Mr. Gilroy +seemed to differ with the guide. + +"Me think us mos' here," insisted the Indian. + +"Maybe you're right! I was mistaken before, so I'll give in," laughed +Mr. Gilroy. + +"What is it, Gilly?" asked some of the scouts. + +"Tally says we are nearly at Steamboat Springs, and I say we are not. +Now we will see who is right!" + +They had not gone much farther along the trail, however, before the +scouts discovered strawberries! Great luscious wild berries they were, +and growing profusely everywhere in the grass. + +"I guess Tally was right," admitted Mr. Gilroy. "We're in the +wonderful strawberry belt that is so famous about Steamboat Springs." + +Colorado strawberries are as famous, throughout the West, as the +Rockyford melons are in the East; so the scouts made the most of their +opportunity to eat the delicious berries while they were at the +Springs. They visited the plants where berries are packed and shipped, +and also visited a factory where jams were prepared. + +This progressive little town, although so young, compared favorably +with the larger cities of the East. It was equipped with electric +light, telephones, paved streets, first-class public service, and +other modern welfare improvements. + +The evening after the scouts had visited the packing-houses that +shipped strawberries to the markets, Mr. Gilroy sat studying a large +map. Julie kept silent for a long time (for her) and finally spoke. + +"What's the map for? Any change in plans?" + +"I was figuring out whether or not we might possibly have time to go +on a tangent trip, and take in Yellowstone Park, as long as we are so +near Wyoming," he returned. + +"Oh, fine! Do let's do that, Verny!" cried several of the girls. + +"But that means an extended trip, Mr. Gilroy, and I do not see how we +are going to finish all you have planned and still get back to Denver +in time to take these girls back to school in September," remonstrated +Mrs. Vernon. + +An argument instantly followed, in which the scouts sided with Mr. +Gilroy, arguing that time was no consideration when such wonderful +sights as the geysers of the Yellowstone could be seen. Mrs. Vernon +was firm, however, in her protest that school came before all such +other considerations. Mr. Vernon also added his weighty decision by +saying that he had to be back in New York City the first week in +September, without fail. + +"Then we will have to retrace our trail across the Rockies and travel +slowly southward on the west side of the mountains," was Mr. Gilroy's +reluctant rejoinder. + +"Does that mean we can't go any farther than Steamboat Springs?" asked +Julie, querulously. + +"We might go on to Craig, and visit Cedar Mountain from the peak of +which we can look over into Wyoming. That seems to be as near to it as +we will come this summer," laughed Mr. Gilroy. + +Julie pouted, and the other scouts sat and waited for developments. +Mr. Vernon thought for a time, then turned to his friend with a +suggestion. + +"You wanted to cross the Divide at Milner's Pass because of the scenic +beauty of the Fall River Road; now, why not cross it in going back to +the eastern slope of the Rockies, and thence turn south?" + +"I had thought of doing that, but the point at issue now seems Wyoming +'to be or not to be?'" + +"That was just settled, as far as Uncle and I are concerned," added +Mrs. Vernon, hastily. "It's 'not to be' because I swore solemnly that +these girls would be home before Labor Day if they were permitted to +take this trip. So home we go in time to begin school the first day of +the Fall term." + +"Dear me! It looks as if Verny had the wire-pulling this time!" sighed +Joan, in such a tone that every one laughed. + +"And of course where _she goes_, I have to follow!" said Ruth. + +"Yes, sort of a 'Ruth and Naomi' proposition," retorted Julie. + +This decision reached, without further resistance from the scouts, +they retired for the night with the plan agreed upon to leave +Steamboat Springs in the morning and start for the Park Range of the +Divide. + +The packs had been well filled for the new venture in the mountains, +and having breakfasted royally early in the morning, the tourists +started out on the trail. The horses had had such a good rest and the +mules were so frisky again, that the line of riders made splendid time +from Steamboat Springs to the hills. + +They had climbed up one mountain and down the other side, then the +next one, and then another, until Tally called a halt for something to +eat. It was long past noon, and the horses were hungry, too. They were +very near the summit of one of the lower ranges of mountains, and Mr. +Gilroy suggested that they go on to the top and there rest and eat. + +"And look out for a stream of water which is palatable for use," added +Mr. Vernon. + +As they rode to the summit of the mountain, the scouts conversed with +Mr. Gilroy on various matters. But the thing that seemed to impress +them most, was the fact that here they were back in the same +mountains, and yet every day added new scenes and delights to the +tour. + +"It really doesn't seem as if we had ever been in one of these +mountains before, because every step brings out new wonders," remarked +Mrs. Vernon, as they all neared the top of the peak they had been +ascending. + +The sound of falling water now attracted Tally's attention, and he +broke into the heavy undergrowth to locate the stream. This done, he +came back and reported that he had found a fine place for the dinner. + +They all dismounted at the spot, and the two men started downstream to +fish, while the guides assigned various tasks to the different members +of the party. Then, when the scouts had finished their work and the +men were not yet back from fishing, they climbed to a crag of rock +whence they expected to have a fine view. + +"Well, did you ever!" exclaimed Ruth, the first to reach the top of +the crag. + +"What a queer fog for a mountainside!" was Julie's reply. + +The other scouts now crowded up to see what caused these remarks, and +as they gazed down upon a thick mantle of yellow, one of the girls +called to Mrs. Vernon. She hastily climbed up beside them and looked +as perplexed as her charges. + +"Tally," called she, turning to beckon the Indian, "see if this is +smoke, will you?" + +"Him smoke!" affirmed Tally, the moment he saw the blanket beneath +them. + +"What! A fire in the forest?" cried several of the girls. + +"Then we can't go through, can we?" asked Julie. + +"Mebbe. Us wait and see," returned Tally. "But scout get camera ready +_dis_ time. Fine picksher pooty soon when an'mals run f'om fire." + +"Verny, get the camera! Hurry up!" exclaimed the scouts, while Tally +returned to his cooking. + +His indifference to the fire that enveloped the forest tended to allay +any fears they might have had. So they sat and watched the consuming +flames as they swept across the forest and everywhere destroyed the +fine timber. Unfortunately, the fire started at the base of the +mountain so it quickly spread upward; had it begun at the top it would +have burned itself out slowly for lack of fuel above where the draught +always blows it. + +Joan now leaned forward, and cried, "Look, quick!" + +The scouts turned to gaze in the direction she pointed, and saw a +number of beavers crossing a small park in order to reach a stream +that flowed through the clearing. Immediately after the colony of +beavers came a few deer, stopping now and then to turn and stare +wonderingly at the heat that caused them such discomfort. + +Then, to the amazement of the scouts, a large bear followed upon the +heels of the deer, but he had no thought now of making a meal of +venison. He seemed anxious only to reach a place where smoke and fire +would not annoy him. Now and then the girls saw him stop, return a few +paces and sound a queer growl. Then they saw the cause of this action. + +A fat little cub finally ran out from the thick blanket of smoke, and +hurried after its mother. When it came up to the old bear, it jumped +about gleefully, never dreaming of the danger they were fleeing from. +But the she-bear evidently thought this was no time for unseemly play, +and gave the cub a smart cuff over the ear. The little fellow rolled +over with the force of the slap, but then ran along beside his mother +in meek submission to authority. + +Tally now joined them again on the crag, and when the scouts had told +of the bear, Ruth added, "But there are no birds escaping, Tally." + +"Dem gone long go. Fire drive dem firs'." + +"I'm glad of that, but just think of all the fledglings that _can't_ +fly and escape," said Betty. + +"Let's think of something pleasanter," retorted Julie. + +"Yes, let's think of dinner that Tally says is waiting," added Anne, +laughingly. + +As they sat down to dine, the scouts saw Omney sitting up on their +former post of observation. As they wanted to ride on as soon as +possible, one of the scouts asked why the guide didn't eat his dinner, +too. + +"Him watch if fire jump. Him kin eat dere as here." + +"The fire is burning the other way, Tally," said Julie. + +"Mebbe him jump back, if wind change. So Omney watch." + +"If it blows this way, what must we do?" asked the Captain. + +"Ride back trail us come. An' ride fas', too." + +But the fire kept on burning its way in the direction it began to go, +and after a long rest on the crags to permit the pall of smoke to be +blown away, the guides led the way down the slope. All the down-timber +had been burned to ash which was still hot in spots. So the horses +picked their way between these heaps. Every vestige of brush, all +vegetation, and living creatures were gone. Charred tree trunks showed +where the flames had licked up the bark to get at the pine branches +overhead, and there, high above the heads of the riders, the fire +still raged through the resinous tops. + +"It's a Sodom and Gomorrah for desolation, isn't it?" said Julie. + +In all the fire-swept district the scouts saw not one charred body of +animals that live in the woods. A coyote lay at the edge of the area, +dead from the blow of an animal with sharp claws, but that had +happened after the fire. Julie thought the bear probably did it +because the horrid little coyote tried to get a bite of fat little +cub. + +"But see all the poor, poor trees," sighed Betty. + +"Yes, these fires destroy more timber than all other forces put +together," returned Mr. Gilroy. "Because of the resinous matter in +pine or spruce, they burn quicker and make a hotter fire than other +trees. But fortunately for future forests, the flames never can reach +the roots and seedlings buried under ground, so these shortly sprout +up and start new timber. + +"It is not often that a fire sweeps over the same area again for +centuries, unless some fool tenderfoot leaves a campfire burning, or +shakes the hot ashes from a pipe." + +They all rode forward as quickly as possible, for night was coming on +apace, and every one was anxious to get out of the burnt district +before dark. So they pitched camp as soon as they got beyond the fire +line. + +That night, flares like torches shot up from many of the standing +trees on the hillside, and they continued burning for several days +after the under fire had passed along. The light from these treetops +cast weird shadows upon the camp. + +"I never want to see another forest-fire," declared Joan, as she +turned her face away from these flickering glares. + +"None of us do, but as long as there _was_ a fire, we are glad to have +seen it," replied Julie. + +"And I'm glad it was a _little_ one," added the Captain. + +"You wouldn't say that was a little fire, would you?" asked several of +the scouts. + +"Tally said it was not over a mile frontage, and that, he says, is a +small one. If we saw a fire that stretched for miles along a forest +ridge and kept on burning for days and days,--that, he claims, would be +a big fire!" + +All through that night blood-curdling cries came from the devastated +district. The howls of panthers, growls of the bears, cries of +coyotes, and yelps of timber-wolves, kept the campers awake. In the +morning, Tally started early to seek the cause of such a clamor in the +night. + +"Dat ole dead coyote! Him mak all dat trubble," laughed the guide, +upon his return to camp. "Dem starvin' an'mals all wand'da eat him, so +dey fight and fight, but ole grizzle fight bes' an' git him." + + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN + +LOST IN THE BAD LANDS + + +The following day the guides led the way up and down the sides of +mountains, sometimes the trail running beside steep cliffs that rose +sheer above the tourists' heads, and again past ravines where rushing, +tumbling waters silenced all other sounds. + +About noon of the third day after leaving Steamboat Springs, they +reached the steepest climb of that trip. As they were nearing the top +of the peak, Tally's horse suddenly fell over on its side and kicked +its heels wildly. + +The guide managed to jump clear of the leather and wild kicks, but the +other riders sat speechless with fear at what was going to be the +result of this awful spectacle. Before any one had time to offer help, +however, the horse Mr. Gilroy rode did the same. The scouts +immediately started to dismount, for they feared what might happen if +their animals rolled and plunged as the first two were doing. + +"Are they having fits?" asked Julie, anxiously. + +"No, the unusually steep climb and the altitude affects horses this +way quite often," explained Mr. Gilroy. + +"I wish they'd let the rider know before they flop that way," said +Joan, "then we might jump clear of their hoofs." + +"If one had time to warn others of what was about to happen +unexpectedly, very few people would have accidents," laughed Mrs. +Vernon. + +In a few minutes the horses got upon their feet, shook themselves +thoroughly, and then waited to proceed on the trail. + +Another halfhour's climb and they all reached the top of the peak. +After leaving the timber-line, the riders found the scrub bushes grew +scraggier and shorter, and finally the top of the peak was left as +bare and craggy as any volcanic formation. From the top of one of +these crags, Tally peered across an expanse of what looked like a +rolling sea, but it was grey instead of blue-green. + +When Mr. Gilroy saw this sea of sand, he quickly adjusted his glasses +and gazed silently for a long time. + +"Well, Tally, what do you make it out to be?" asked he. + +"Him Bad Land--but I not know him in our way," returned the guide, +apologetically. + +"That's what I think about him--very bad land," chuckled Mr. Vernon, +shading his eyes with both hands and staring down at the desert. + +"What does that mean, Uncle? Do we have to cross it?" asked Julie. + +"Either cross it, or go back the way we climbed and try to go around +it--that means several days wasted on back-trailing." + +"I can just discern the tiny thread of a trail that winds a way across +that desert to the other side. We can easily follow the track and do +it in one afternoon," said Mr. Gilroy. + +"You don't think we shall be running any risks, do you?" ventured Mrs. +Vernon. + +"None whatever. If we were down at the base of this peak, right now, +you would see how simple a thing it is to ride across the sand. The +only danger in these Colorado wastes is when a storm threatens. But +the sky is as clear as can be, and the day is too far spent now, for +the sun to start anything going." + +"The only hazard we take in crossing the sand waste, is that darkness +may overtake us before we reach the other side, and that might cause +us to stray from the trail," suggested Mr. Vernon. + +"With two good guides to lead us, we take no risk on that score," +returned Mr. Gilroy. + +"At least it will prove to be a novel trip--climbing mountains and +riding over a desert of sand all in the same day," said Julie, eagerly +willing to try the experience. + +Luncheon was hastily disposed of, and Tally led them all down the +steep trail of the mountainside for several hours. Then they reached +the lodgepole pine, which is the only timber that can hold out against +desert storms in bad weather and in winter. + +"Before we begin this desert ride, do let's look for some water," +begged Ruth. "I'm thirsty as a sandpiper." + +"Quite appropriate, too, as long as we are going to be closely +affiliated with the sand," giggled Joan. + +Tally and the two men had gone on before, and had not heard Ruth's +request, or they might have spared the scouts a great deal of +unpleasantness. They had hoped to strike the trail they had seen +across the desert, so they rode in different directions to locate it, +and the captain and girls were left to amble slowly along until one or +all of the men returned for them. + +So it happened that Ruth and Joan wandered about in search of +drinking-water, and shortly after they left the rest of the scouts, +Mrs. Vernon heard Ruth call. + +"Come here! We've found a lovely little spring!" + +The girls quickly followed in the newly broken trail that was plainly +seen, and reached the pool of water that was hidden by sagebushes and +low lava-rock formation. + +"I was so thirsty I just flattened myself out on the sand and filled +up," laughed Ruth, sighing with repletion. + +Every one, the Captain included, drank freely of the warm water, and +Julie made a remark that it tasted brackish for such an active spring. + +"Maybe that is due to the sand and sun," ventured Joan. + +"While we are here, let's give the horses a good drink," suggested +Anne. + +"That's a good idea. Then they will be fresh for the trip across the +sand," added Mrs. Vernon, starting back to get her horse and lead him +to the spring. + +But the horses refused to drink. They seemed thirsty enough, but every +one of them backed away when the girls tried to make them bend their +heads and drink. + +"Why, isn't that funny? Did you ever see them act like this before?" +asked Julie. + +Just then Tally's voice was heard calling for them, and the scouts +jumped back into the saddles and rode forward. When they explained +about the animals refusing the water, Tally looked serious. + +"Show me drink!" commanded he, hurrying his horse over to the spring +where the girls had drank. + +One taste of the water and he made a wry face. + +"You say you tak him?" asked the guide anxiously. + +"Yes, lots of it," replied Ruth. + +"Him mos' bad as dem bad land. Dat alkali water." + +"What do you mean, Tally?" anxiously asked several girls. + +"Him mak mucha ache here," explained Tally, placing his hands over his +stomach and bending low with an agonized expression. + +But the damage was done and so the scouts had to make the best of the +case. Consequently, it was not long before Ruth was tied into knots +and hardly able to sit in the saddle. The others, according to the +quantity they had taken, were griped also. This did not add anything +to the pleasure of the ride across the hot dry sand. But as long as +they had essayed to cross that day, they kept on going slowly, hoping +that with each cramp the scouts would begin to recover from the +effects of the water. + +Tally and his friend had been so certain that they would reach the +other side of the desert before dark, that no one felt the slightest +apprehension on that score. But the slowness with which the scouts had +to travel made it dubious whether the riders would gain the other side +before night. + +Here and there, scattered over the desert sand, were queer craggy +formations of lava, as if some volcanic eruption had thrown the heaps +of burnt-out lava broadcast, to rest for ages upon the sea of waste. +There was a constant wind blowing across the desert, that carried the +tiniest particles of sand with it, and these cut into faces and +uncovered parts of the flesh of horses and riders. This stinging sand +added no little to the misery of the suffering scouts. + +The men and two guides felt very sorry for their companions, yet they +had to keep on riding because it was necessary that they reach safety +and shelter for that night. Thinking to divert their thoughts from +their pain, Mr. Gilroy called attention to an unusually large crag of +lava that stood up like a peak from the undulating sea of sand around +it. + +"Suppose you take a snapshot of that queer formation," suggested Mr. +Vernon, eager to abet his friend's plan. + +"You take it, Uncle--We have no need of pictures any more. This +promises to be our last day on earth," moaned Julie, her face drawn in +pain. + +They were quite near to the crag when Tally leaned forward in his +saddle and held a hand to his ear in the attitude of one listening +intently. Then he jumped from the horse and placed his ear flat down +on the sand. + +"What is it, Tally?" asked Mr. Gilroy, anxiously. + +"Him blowin' bad! Can Messer Gilloy see much wind thoo glass?" +questioned the guide, hastily, pointing off to the left. + +Mr. Gilroy adjusted the glasses and gazed in the direction Tally +pointed. Even the suffering scouts watched his face with more anxiety +than they had given to the cramps. + +"I fear we are in for a sandstorm, girls. We must make for that +friendly crag and cower behind its out-thrusts until the worst is +over," quickly advised Mr. Gilroy, as soon as he had satisfied himself +that that was what the approaching cloud meant. + +The two Indians urged their horses forward, and soon all were +crouching down behind the meagre shelter offered by the ragged lava +points. The horses were so placed that their bodies formed a screen +for the riders, and the blankets and packs were arranged on the +exposed sides of the animals to protect their skins from the stinging +sand. + +The sound of the wind as the storm rushed towards them, was awesome, +but when the full fury of the simoon came, the sand was drifted +quickly all about the horses and refugees. The wind fairly shrieked, +as it tried to tear away the blankets and start a stampede of the +horses, but the Indians were able to calm the poor animals' fear. + +The windstorm blew over as suddenly as it came, and the moment the +going was safe, Tally led the horses from their drifts of sand and +saddled them again. The riders crawled out, also, and shook themselves +free of the clinging sand, then got back in their saddles, ready to +ride onward. + +The guides had not gone far, however, before they realized that the +sandstorm had played greater havoc with the faint trail than with the +riders. Such was the menace they now had to face: Night coming on +apace, the scouts with cramps from alkali water, horses thirsty and +sore from the beating of the simoon, and still an endless waste to +cross, and no pathway to guide them. + +"Oh, why did we ever come this way?" wailed Mrs. Vernon. + +"We mos' over him," soothed Tally. + +"Why, we've been riding for hours, and still there is nothing but sand +to be seen," complained Julie. + +"All same, us fin' end pooty soon," returned Omney. + +They rode on without much conversation after that, as no one felt +cheerful enough to talk. The sun had set beyond the rolling sea of +sand, and yet no welcome sight of trees or dwellings could be seen +before them. Nothing but sand, sand, sand! + +After the sun had completely disappeared, a chill crept into the air +and in ten minutes time every one was shivering with cold. Tally spoke +in undertones to Mr. Gilroy, and he in turn said to his companions, +"Let every one get the guide-rope out and tie it to the saddle in +front of you." + +"Why," called Joan. + +"Anything left in Pandora's box for us poor creatures?" asked Julie +sorrowfully. + +"Tally thinks one of us might stray, if the darkness overtakes us as +suddenly as it falls on these deserts sometimes," said Mr. Gilroy. + +Before every one was hitched securely to the horse in front, so that a +long line of riders traveled in file, a soughing wind could be heard +coming from the north. + +"Now, what can that be? More trouble?" demanded Mrs. Vernon. + +"We hope not, but Tally says that quite often, after a hot sandstorm, +it returns with sleet and hail; so we'd better be ready in case this +chill portends such a comeback," explained Mr. Gilroy. + +"What a fate! To drink poison, then fight a simoon, and at last to die +in a desert blizzard!" cried Julie frantically trying to sit upright +and defy the fates. + +"Such is Rocky Mountain weather," Mr. Gilroy laughed gaily, as if he +must inspire his friends with his bravado. + +The oncoming blizzard had darkened the sky even before its time, but +Tally kept bravely on, encouraging the horses with _coos_ and Indian +words, until even the riders felt the spirit he manifested and felt +braver to face what was impending. + +Just before the sleet began to drive into their faces enough to blind +them and shut out everything not two feet ahead, Mr. Gilroy shouted +out cheerfully, "Ha! I see a light twinkling out ahead! We've reached +a house, anyway!" + +"Where? where?" asked a chorus of voices. + +Then most of them discerned the faint little beacon, and urged their +weary horses to renewed effort, and the animals seemed to understand +that their work was almost done for that day, and actually moved +faster. + +But the blizzard struck before they could reach the refuge, coating +everything with ice and cutting deep into tender hands and faces. The +horses were soon stiff with the cold, and it took all of the riders' +energy, even so close to a promising haven, to keep the beasts moving. + +Finally Tally shouted wildly, "Light ahead! Light here!" + +And at the same time his horse stumbled down a steep grade into a +rushing little brook. Omney saw the danger before his horse reached +the bank, and warned all the others behind him. They crossed the water +safely, and after scrambling up the steep bank on the other side, they +found themselves in a barnyard. + +They made such a noise at this discovery, that a man hurried from one +of the low, long buildings with a lantern. + +"Oh, welcome sight!" sighed Mrs. Vernon, ready to faint with joy and +relief. + +During a momentary lull in the wind and sleet, they all rode up to the +long, low ranch house, and shouted to the owners to help them. Soon +every one was thawing before a roaring fire; and the poor horses were +in the stable, enjoying food and rest. + + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN + +BACK-TRAILING TO DENVER + + +The ill effects of the alkali water passed off in a few hours, and the +scouts felt able to continue the ride in the morning. The sun was +shining so brightly that no one would have dared say there had been a +fearful storm the night before. As they all sat about the rough table +for breakfast, the host explained to Mr. Gilroy how the guides missed +the right trail on the mountains, and he sketched for them a rude map +to help them find the point where the Medicine Bow Mountains and +Frontal Range met in the Continental Divide. + +When the horses were brought to the door, and all were ready to start +on the ride again, Mr. Vernon insisted upon the good mountain rancher +taking a gift for his hospitality, although the latter demurred for +sometime before he was prevailed upon to take the recompense. + +That day Tally led his party along the well-defined trail he had +missed the day before, and by sundown they were nearing the wonderful +altitude and mountaintops of the Frontal Range. + +At night they camped in one of the wildest spots of the mountains, +where the extensive view was as imposing as any to be found in +Colorado. Tally had, with true Indian instinct, found a small lake of +purest cold water, where they could pitch camp. A wild animal trail +circuited this lake, and while the guides prepared the supper, the +Captain suggested a ride around the sheet of clear water. + +The scene was splendidly wild, and isolation hung like a curtain over +everything down below in the valley, that was seen through the forest +trees whenever the scouts climbed a prominence. Mystic sounds +chirruped at them as they rode slowly along the narrow path, lending +enchantment to the beauty of the place. + +The fast-fading rays of purple and rose that sped in the wake of the +setting sun, cast ever-changing gleams of color across the placid +lake. As the twilight advanced, the silence of the forest was felt, +and only now and then came a wildwood sound to startle the scouts. + +As they followed the trail that skirted the lake, they came to a +rippling stream that had to be forded. Just as Julie, always in +advance, guided her horse down the steep bank, a crackling of dry +twigs on the other side caused the horse to stop suddenly. + +"O girls! Look! Look!" whispered Julie, tensely. + +There stood a fawn as if cut from stone, with ears erect and nose +sniffing at the strange creatures seen so near at hand. Even as the +scouts gazed admiringly, the graceful thing flaunted its short tail +and, with the stamping of a hoof to protest against this interruption +of her drink, disappeared, without a sound of its going. + +They crossed the stream and were keeping on the trail that ran along +the shore, when from overhead, a loon shrilled a warning to its mate +across the lake that there was a strange horde of life passing under +her tree! But the male loon sent back his wild laughter at such +unbased fears of his wife's. All these incidents impressed the scouts +with a sense of their being one with the wild creatures, and they +regretted the fact that they were nearing camp again. + +At the point where Tally had made the night camp, the reeds and +grasses hugged the shore of the lake, and now a faint mist upcurled +from the water like a transparent veil. Gradually this veil spread +inland and quietly enveloped all things on shore. The bright fire +dispelled the mist about the camp, and as the hungry scouts sniffed +the odors of a good supper, the beauties of Nature were temporarily +forgotten. + +While the scouts were adventuring around the lake, Mr. Gilroy and Mr. +Vernon had cut hemlock bows for bedding, so that all was ready for the +night before supper was served. After enjoying Tally's cooking to the +utmost, the scouts sat down to listen to the various wild adventures +of Omney and Talley. But one after another, they dozed before long, +and Mr. Gilroy suggested they all retire for the night. + +Talley knew not how long he had been sleeping when he was +unaccountably aroused as if by a strange noise in camp. He sat up and +listened, but all seemed quiet, so he soon was dozing again. The +snapping of a twig, some distance away, however, made him open his +eyes drowsily and wonder sleepily if the horses were securely hobbled. + +He was too tired to keep awake long enough to get up and go in search +of the animals. The thought of it, however, before he fell sound +asleep caused him to dream fitfully all night. + +He awoke very early and got up to reassure himself that all was well +in camp. He could see no sign of any horse or mule, so he shook Omney, +and the two ran in search of the strayed animals. + +When the rest of the touring party woke up to find the sun shining +into their eyes, no sign of guides or horses was seen. Mr. Gilroy +began to prepare breakfast, and Mr. Vernon was sent to fish. The girls +were each detailed on some work, and by the time the meal was ready, +sounds of hoofs were heard along the trail. + +"Dat Jolt, he makka all horse go way down trail. Omney an' me fin' dem +miles down," explained Tally, with a vindictive look at the mule. As +if he fully understood the Indian, Jolt sent back an answering gleam +from his wicked eyes and kicked up his hind legs in derision. + +Mr. Vernon had caught more than enough fish in the overstocked lake, +and when the fried mush, bacon, and fresh fish, bread, and fragrant +coffee were served, the appetites displayed were such as would drive a +New York boarding-house keeper distracted. + +That day the scouts rode in forests where stately aromatic pines +sheltered countless wild creatures, that peered from their cloistered +haunts with wonderment at the strangers. Birds of every description +sang from low-swinging branches, and lesser notes from unseen insects +in the bushes and grass added music to this orchestra that rendered +the grandest symphony ever heard. + +That evening while seated about the camp supper, Julie said, "There's +one animal I've wanted to see in his natural haunts in the Rockies, +and not one have we been able to glimpse." + +"What's that?" asked Mr. Gilroy. + +"The famous American buffalo of the plains," returned she. + +"Ah, it is the Captain's fault that you girls were not able to see the +bison at home," retorted Mr. Gilroy. "Had she consented to your going +with me to Yellowstone Park, you could have watched the animals +grazing and wandering over their own fields." + +"Well, the buffalo will still be there next year, but the scouts +cannot lose a month of school this fall just to go and watch the +animals in Wyoming," said Mrs. Vernon. + +"Of course, your word is law to us all, but it does seem a pity, as I +said before, that being so near the geysers, we should not take +advantage of it," remarked Mr. Gilroy. + +The scouts expressed in their faces that they thought on this matter +exactly as Mr. Gilroy did, but the Captain said, "If you continue to +preach your mutinous ideas to my girls, I'll leave you out of my plans +next summer when we take a trip." + +"Wough! That threat will keep me quiet for all time!" laughed Mr. +Gilroy, clapping a hand over his mouth to show his instant obedience. + +Every one laughed, but Tally now joined the circle and asked for +orders for the next day's ride. After talking over various trails and +plans, they got up and prepared to retire for the night. + +"Did any one hang up the saddles to-night?" asked Mr. Vernon, before +he turned in to sleep. + +"Tally, did you look after the leather?" asked Mr. Gilroy. + +Tally turned to Omney, "Did him fix harness?" + +"Me do it, all light," returned Omney, then he shuffled out of the +circle of light cast by the fire and they heard him fumbling with +heavy saddles and other trappings. + +The glorious break of day in the mountains awoke every one, and soon +the breakfast was under way. While the guides cooked, Mr. Vernon went +for the horses. Mr. Gilroy decided to save time by taking down the +harness from the trees where it was usually hung. + +"Great Scout!" called he, summoning the Indians to the spot. + +"What's the matter?" asked the scouts, anxiously running after the two +guides. + +"A rascally porcupine has been at our leather last night!" declared +Mr. Gilroy, angrily showing the ravages made on the harnesses. + +Tally glared at Omney, "Why for you do dat? Don' you know dem bad rats +eat all up?" + +Omney said nothing, but looked very penitent. Mr. Gilroy sighed as he +began an inventory of the damage. + +"Two sets of reins chawed to pieces; a throat latchet gone; three +saddles with holes eaten through them, and two bridles cut to bits, +all because of a little carelessness!" + +"I fixa dem allight!" exclaimed Omney, eagerly. + +"But that means a morning lost while you make repairs," replied Mrs. +Vernon. + +Then Omney stiffened his spine and lifted his head in a majestic fury +at the porcupines. He glowered down the trail and shook his clenched +fist vengefully at the imaginary depredator, saying in hissing voice, +"Him one bad darn beas'!" + +Every one laughed at his suppressed fury, and the tame exclamation he +had just used, but the poor guide felt better again. + +The harnesses were finally mended with rope and bits of wire from +Tally's outfit kit, and by noon everything was in readiness for +continuing the trip. + +Toward the end of August, the tourists reached Estes Park again, and +upon riding to Long's peak village, they replaced the mended harness +with good sections, and then rode on to Loveland, where they proposed +leaving the horses they had leased for the summer. + +While Mr. Gilroy and Tally led the horses back to their owner, the +Captain took the girls to the department store and soon they were busy +trying on readymade dresses that they might start for Denver. Mrs. +Vernon had strenuously vetoed their appearing in civilization again in +the patched and faded scout uniforms that had stood such rough usage +while camping in the mountains. + +But the uniforms were carefully packed to take back home as souvenirs +of that eventful summer. + +When shop-made shoes were tried on the feet that had been free all +summer from city footgear, and the scouts tried to walk on the stone +pavements of Loveland, they winced with the pain of their toes in +cramped quarters. + +"Goodness, girls! Isn't it awful to have had such freedom all summer +and then return to prison cells again for feet and body?" cried Julie, +frowning. + +"Yes, and it will be the same when we go to bed to-night, no more +forest vastness for a chamber, no more pine for a roof, and no more +singing of wild notes to lull us to sleep!" sighed Joan. + +That evening Mr. Gilroy condoled with the scouts over the immediate +future--school, orthodox clothing, and bandbox rooms to live in all +winter. + +"But there is always the hope of heaven before you," said Mr. Vernon, +smiling at the circle of faces. + +"What do you mean?" asked Julie. + +"There is next summer again, you know, and if Gilroy is as good as his +word, he will see that you are escorted to Arizona and New Mexico for +a trip!" + +"Remind me of it next spring, girls, and we'll see," laughed Mr. +Gilroy, winking an eye at the Captain. + +So with this ray of hope for a future outing, the girls were +encouraged to start back East, and take up the irksome tasks of +acquiring a necessary education in the humdrum daily lessons of +school. + + + + +For children 5 to 9 years of age + +FOUR LITTLE BLOSSOMS SERIES + +By MABEL C. HAWLEY + +12mo, cloth, large type, 160 pages, four colored illustrations + +Four Little Blossoms at Brookside Farm + + Mother called them her Four Little Blossoms but Daddy Blossom called + them Bobby, Meg and the twins. The twins, Twaddles and Dot, were a + comical pair and always getting into mischief. The children had + heaps of fun around the big farm, and had several real adventures in + the bargain. + +Four Little Blossoms at Oak Hill School + + In the Fall Bobby and Meg had to go to school. It was good fun for + Miss Mason was a kind teacher. Then the twins insisted on going to + school too, and their appearance quite upset the class. And in + school something very odd happened and all the boys and girls + wondered what it meant. + +Four Little Blossoms and Their Winter Fun + + Winter came and with it lots of ice and snow, and oh! what fun the + Blossoms had skating and sledding. And once Bobby and Meg went on an + errand and got lost in a sudden snowstorm. And once Twaddles slipped + through a hole in the ice, but the others went quickly to the + rescue. + +GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY, Publishers, New York + + + + +THE "DO SOMETHING" SERIES + +By HELEN BEECHER LONG + +12mo, cloth, illustrated, and colored jacket + + A series of books for girls which have been uniformly successful. + Janice Day, the "Do Something" girl, is a character that will live + long in juvenile fiction. Every volume is full of inspiration. There + are an abundance of humor, quaint situations, and worthwhile effort, + and likewise plenty of plot and mystery. + + An ideal series for girls from nine to sixteen. + +JANICE DAY, THE YOUNG HOMEMAKER. + + Janice Day at Poketown. + The Testing of Janice Day. + How Janice Day Won. + The Mission of Janice Day. + +GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY, Publishers, New York + + + + +THE NAN SHERWOOD SERIES + +By ANNIE ROE CARR + +12mo, cloth, illustrated, and colored jacket + +In Annie Roe Carr we have found a young woman of wide experience among +girls--in school-room, in camp and while traveling. She knows girls of +to-day thoroughly--their likes and dislikes--and knows that they demand +almost as much action as do the boys. And she knows humor--good, clean +fun and plenty of it. + + Nan Sherwood at Pine Camp, + or The Old Lumberman's Secret. + + Nan Sherwood at Lake View Hall, + or The Mystery of the Haunted Boathouse. + + Nan Sherwood's Winter Holidays, + or Rescuing the Runaways. + + Nan Sherwood at Rose Ranch, + or The Old Mexican's Treasure. + + Nan Sherwood at Palm Beach, + or Strange Adventures Among the Orange Groves. + +GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY, Publishers, New York + + + + +"These books should interest every girl who loves the open."--Chicago +Evening Post. + +THE LUCILE SERIES + +By ELIZABETH M. DUFFIELD + +12mo, cloth, illustrated, and colored jacket + + Lucile, The Torch Bearer. + Lucile Triumphant. + Lucile, Bringer of Joy. + Lucile on the Heights. + +"Out of door" stories for girls, of vital interest and compelling +charm. The wholesome spirit and beautiful aims of the "Campfire Girls" +have never been more attractively described, and the fun and merriment +of the outings will prove fascinating to every live girl. The heroine, +Lucile, is a most spirited and striking character and one will not +wonder at the almost adoring affection in which she is held by her +companions. + +GEORGE SULLY & COMPANY, Publishers, New York + + + + +About this book: + + Original publication data: + Publisher: George Sully & Company, New York + Copyright: 1921, by George Sully & Company + Series: part of the _Girl Scouts Mountain Series_ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Girl Scouts in the Rockies, by +Lillian Elizabeth Roy + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GIRL SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES *** + +***** This file should be named 38018.txt or 38018.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/0/1/38018/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from images made available by the HathiTrust +Digital Library.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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