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diff --git a/44671-8.txt b/44671-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4f828e0..0000000 --- a/44671-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7994 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jack in the Rockies, by George Bird Grinnell - -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: Jack in the Rockies - A Boy's Adventures with a Pack Train - -Author: George Bird Grinnell - -Illustrator: Edwin Willard Deming - -Release Date: January 15, 2014 [EBook #44671] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JACK IN THE ROCKIES *** - - - - -Produced by David Edwards, Mary Akers and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - -Transcriber's note: - Spelling and punctuation inconsistencies been harmonized. - Obvious printer errors have been repaired. Italic text has been - marked with _underscores_. Please see the end of this book for - further notes. - - - - -JACK IN THE ROCKIES - - - - -_By the same Author_ - - - JACK THE YOUNG COWBOY - JACK THE YOUNG TRAPPER - JACK THE YOUNG CANOEMAN - JACK THE YOUNG EXPLORER - JACK IN THE ROCKIES - JACK AMONG THE INDIANS - JACK THE YOUNG RANCHMAN - PAWNEE HERO STORIES AND FOLK TALES - BLACKFOOT LODGE TALES - THE STORY OF THE INDIAN - THE INDIANS OF TO-DAY - THE PUNISHMENT OF THE STINGY - AMERICAN DUCK SHOOTING - AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING - TRAILS OF THE PATHFINDERS - - - - [Illustration: "THROWING HIS GUN TO HIS SHOULDER HE FIRED - AT THE ANIMAL." _Page 221_] - - - - - JACK - IN THE ROCKIES - - OR - A BOY'S ADVENTURES WITH A PACK TRAIN - - BY - GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL - - _Author of_ "_Jack the Young Ranchman_," "_Jack Among the Indians_," - "_Pawnee Hero Stories_," "_Blackfoot Lodge Tales_," - "_The Story of the Indian_," "_The Indian - of To-Day_," _Etc._ - - _Illustrated by_ - EDWIN WILLARD DEMING - - - [Illustration] - - - - - NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS - - - - - Copyright, 1904, - BY FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY - - - _All rights reserved_ - - _Thirteenth Printing_ - - - _Printed in the United States of America_ - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I THE INDIANS OF FORT BERTHOLD 9 - - II THE BATTLE OF THE MUSSELSHELL 27 - - III THE START FOR THE BLACKFOOT CAMP 43 - - IV OLD FRIENDS AND NEW 56 - - V BUFFALO HUNTING WITH THE BLACKFEET 73 - - VI AMID WONDERS OF THE YELLOWSTONE - PARK 86 - - VII GEYSERS AND HOT SPRINGS 97 - - VIII ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE 109 - - IX AN ELK HUNT UNDER THE TETONS 122 - - X TRAILING BLACK-TAILS 137 - - XI TRACKS IN THE SNOW 147 - - XII WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE ELK? 160 - - XIII A PACK HORSE IN DANGER 172 - - XIV A BIGHORN 180 - - XV A CHARGING GRIZZLY 189 - - XVI SOMETHING ABOUT BEARS 194 - - XVII THE STORY OF A MAN KILLER 202 - - XVIII JACK'S FIRST MOOSE 216 - - XIX WATCHING A BEAR BAIT 228 - - XX A PUZZLING TRAIL 240 - - XXI HUGH GOES "ON DISCOVERY" 248 - - XXII STEALING FROM HORSE THIEVES 257 - - XXIII "DIED WITH HIS BOOTS ON" 266 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - "THROWING HIS GUN TO HIS SHOULDER - HE FIRED AT THE ANIMAL" _Frontispiece_ - - "HE REACHED FAR FORWARD, AND GRASPED THE - LONG HAIR ON THE BUFFALO'S HUMP" 82 - - "ALMOST BELOW THEM, FEEDING, WERE TWO - GOOD SIZED RAMS" 183 - - "'HANDS UP'! HUGH CALLED" 268 - - - - -FOREWORD - - -At the time Jack Danvers journeyed through the Yellowstone National -Park, that wonderful country was little known. Since then it has -become famous, and people from all parts of the globe go to visit -it. There is no more delightful summer excursion possible than a -trip to the National Park where--if one can take a pack train and -journey away from the beaten roads and trails--it is still possible -to see elk and deer and many other wild animals, almost in their -old time abundance. - -In the spring of 1903 President Roosevelt did just this, and on his -return wrote a most interesting article about what he saw, telling -of the abundance of the elk, the familiarity of the deer, the -shyness of the antelope and the tameness of the mountain sheep. - -American boys and girls are happy in having in their own country so -lovely and so marvelous a region. - - - - -Jack in the Rockies - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE INDIANS OF FORT BERTHOLD - - -With noisy puffings the steamboat was slowly pushing her way -up the river. On either side the flat bottom, in some places -overgrown with high willow brush, in others, bearing a growth of -tall and sturdy cottonwoods, ran back a long way to the yellow -bluffs beyond. The bluffs were rounded and several hundred feet in -height, rising imperceptibly until they seemed to meet the blue -of the sky, so that the boat appeared to be moving at the bottom -of a wide trough. Hour after hour she pushed on, meeting nothing, -seeing nothing alive, except now and then a pair of great gray -geese, followed by their yellow goslings; or sometimes on the shore -a half-concealed red object, which moved quickly out of sight, and -which observers knew to be a deer. - -On the boat were two of our old friends. From the far East had -come Jack Danvers, traveling day after day until he had reached -Bismarck, Dakota, where he found awaiting him Hugh Johnson, as -grave, as white-haired, and as cheery as ever. At Bismarck they -had taken the up-river steamer, "Josephine," and the boat had -sailed early on the morning of July 5th. - -Hugh and Jack were on their way back up to the Piegan country. They -had separated at Bismarck the previous autumn, and while Hugh kept -on down the river, to take a west-bound train, which should carry -him back to Mr. Sturgis' ranch in Wyoming, Jack had gone East, to -spend the winter in New York. He had had a year of hard work at -school, for his experience of the previous winter had taught him -that it paid well to work in school, and to make the most of his -opportunities there. This made his parents more willing to have him -go away to this healthful life, and he found that if he did his -best he enjoyed all the better the wild, free life of the prairie -and the mountains, which he now hoped would be his during a part, -at least, of every year. - -His summer with the Piegans had taught him many things known to -few boys in the East, and given him many pleasures to which they -are strangers; and the more he saw of this prairie life the more -he enjoyed it, and the more he hoped to have more and more of it. -Sometimes, when he awoke early in the morning, or at night, after -he had gone to bed, as he lay between sleeping and waking, he used -to go over in his mind the scenes that he had visited, and the -stirring adventures in which he had taken part, and these memories, -with the hope of others like them, gave him a pleasure that he -would not have parted with for anything. - -Often when he was in New York, walking through narrow city -streets, looking up at high buildings, hearing the roar and rattle -of the passing traffic, and watching the people hurry to and fro, -each one absorbed in his own business, it was hard to realize that -away off somewhere, only a few days' journey distant, there was a -land where there was no limit to the view, where each human being -seemed absolutely free, and where it was possible to travel for -days and days without seeing a single person. Always interwoven -with his dreams and his imaginings about this distant country was -the memory of the friend Hugh, to whom he was so deeply attached. -It hardly seemed to him possible to go anywhere in the West, except -in company with Hugh, and until he had joined him, it never seemed -as if his journey had begun, or was really going to be made. - -All through the day the boat went on, turning and twisting, and -at different times facing all points of the compass. Sometimes -the sun would be shining on the port side of the boat, a little -later on the starboard side, then it would be ahead, and again -behind. Hugh and Jack spent their time chatting on the upper deck -of the boat, Hugh smoking vigorously, to keep off the mosquitoes, -while Jack, the edges of his handkerchief under his hat and tucked -inside his coat collar, to leeward of Hugh, took advantage of the -constant stream of smoke that poured from his pipe. They had much -to tell each other of the winter that had passed, and much to say -of the trip on which they were now starting. Fort Benton was their -destination, and until they reached there, and saw their friend -Joe, the Blackfoot Indian who was to meet them with the horses, -they were uncertain what they should do. - -There were not a few passengers on the boat. Some of them were -carefully dressed persons, wearing long frock coats, white shirts, -and a modest amount of jewelry, residents of the thriving towns -of Helena or Virginia City, Montana; others were army officers, -on their way to posts in the Northwest, or now starting out on -some exploring expedition; while others still were persons of -whose occupation and destination it was hard to judge from their -appearance. - -Among them was a middle-aged man who Jack thought, from his -conversation, had long been a resident of the plains, and who told -Jack something about a trade that he had long practised--that of -wolfing. - -"Why, young fellow," he said, "it is only a few years ago since -there was good money in wolfin', but I had to quit it down in the -southern country for wolves got too scarce when the buffalo got -killed off. Wherever there was buffalo there was plenty of wolves, -for the wolves made their livin' off the herds, just like the -Indians; and when I say wolves I mean big wolves, coyotes, foxes, -and swifts. - -"In the autumn, as soon as the fur began to get good, I used to -start out and find a herd of buffalo, and after shootin' two or -three of them, I'd skin them down, and rip them up, and put from -one to three bottles of strychnine in each carcass. After the blood -that lay in the ribs had been poisoned good, I'd smear that over -the meat on the outside. Generally I'd try to kill my buffalo -close to where I was goin' to camp, and after I had put out my -baits I went to camp and slept until near day. Then, before I could -see, I'd get up, cook my breakfast, hitch up, if I had a team, -and go round to all my baits. Likely, around each one I'd find my -half dozen to fifteen wolves, and sometimes it would take me two -or three days to skin them. Likely enough, if the weather turned -right cold, I got a good many more wolves than I could skin, and -had to stack them up, and wait till I got time. It was mighty hard -work now, and don't you forget it. Then, too, there was always a -chance that Indians might come along and make trouble for me. You -take a man out on the prairie, ten years ago, and even the friendly -Indians were likely to scare him a whole lot, or take his hides, -even if they didn't take away his gun and his horses. As for the -hostiles, if they got too close to a man it was all up with him. -But I never had no trouble with them, except once, and then I was -camped in the dug-out, with plenty of provisions, and there was -only three of the Indians. I saw them comin', and suspected who -they were, and managed to get my horses into the dug-out with me -and stood 'em off. They scared me bad though. - -"I should think so," said Jack. - -The man stopped talking to fill his pipe and after he had lighted -it puffed thoughtfully. Then he continued: "There's another way -I've wolfed it, and that is by draggin' a bait over quite a scope -of country, and droppin' pieces of poisoned meat along the trail. -I used to do that when I couldn't find animals to kill for bait. -This worked pretty well for awhile but it's no good any more down -in that country." - -"I've seen coyotes killed by putting poisoned tallow in auger -holes, bored in chunks of wood," said Jack. - -"Yes," said the man, "that's good sometimes, and they stay there -lickin' and lickin' up the bait until they die right there. You -don't have to look over much country to find your wolves." - -"What kind of meat did you use when you were dragging the bait?" -asked Jack. - -"Most any kind would do," replied the wolfer; "sometimes it would -be a piece of buffalo meat, sometimes a shoulder of a deer, but -the best bait of all is a beaver carcass; there's lots of grease -and lots of smell to that, and the wolves and coyotes are sure to -follow it. This draggin' a trail is good too, because the wolves, -when they go along and snap up the poisoned bait, don't go off, but -keep right on followin' the trail, and you find them there, maybe -quite a long way from where they pick the bait. - -"Where are you goin', young fellow; you and that old man I see you -talking with?" - -"We're going up to Benton," said Jack, "and I don't know where -we're going from there. I expect we'll meet a friend there, with -our horses, and then we're going to make a trip, off maybe on the -prairies, and maybe into the mountains; we can't tell yet." - -"Sho," said the man, "you're sure goin' to have a good time. I've -got to get a job when I get to Benton; somethin' that'll keep me -until it comes time for fur to get good." - -The next morning when Jack and Hugh left their stateroom a heavy -fog hung low over the river and the boat was not moving, but was -tied up to the bank, for it was so thick that there was danger of -running aground on the frequent sand-bars, and as the river was -now falling, the captain was unwilling to take the chance of such -delay. On the lower deck was a dug-out canoe, the property of a -temporary passenger, who was going only to Fort Berthold, and, -after breakfast, Jack suggested to Hugh that they should borrow -this canoe and go off a little way up the river, taking their guns, -and seeing whether they could kill anything. Hugh said this could -not be done, explaining that it would be easy enough to get lost, -which would be bad for them, and very irritating to the captain, -who might feel it necessary to wait for them; and besides this, -the fog might lift at any moment, when the boat would move onward -much faster than they could paddle. As it happened, the fog lifted -almost immediately, and the boat set forward; and a little before -noon the village of the Rees, Gros Ventres and Mandans, high up on -the bluff above the river, was seen; and soon after the boat tied -up, and all hands went ashore. - -The bluff rose steeply from the river, and up and down its face -were steep trails, worn by the feet of women passing up and down -as they carried water and the driftwood which they gathered, up to -the village. On the top of the bluff stood the bee-hive shaped gray -houses, which Hugh told Jack were much like those occupied by the -Pawnees. - -They began to climb the bluff toward the village, and Jack asked -Hugh about the Indians who lived here. - -"In old times," said Hugh, "these Indians were scattered out up and -down the river. The Gros Ventres lived furthest up, between here -and Buford, and the Rees and Mandans lived further down the stream. -A long time ago,--back maybe more than a hundred years,--the Rees -and the Mandans all lived together, away down below here; but then -they had some sort of a quarrel among themselves, and the Mandans -moved on up the stream, and for a long time camped near the mouth -of the Knife River. For a while after that there was some fighting -between the Rees and Mandans, but after a time they made peace, -and gradually the tribes came together again; and now for a long -time they've all lived together in this village of Berthold. In old -times each of these villages was a big one, but since the white -men came among them, and brought smallpox, and liquor, and all the -other things that the white men bring, they are dying off fast, and -I don't believe that now there is more than eight or nine hundred -of these Indians all together. You know these Rees here are kind -of kin to the Pawnees; they speak near the same language, so that -I can talk with 'em, and they call the Pawnees their relations. I -think they used to be a part of the Skidi band. Nobody knows just -when they separated from the Pawnees, but it must have been a good -while ago." - -Hugh paused, and Jack asked: "Does any one know how they came to -separate, Hugh? Is there any tradition about it?" - -"Yes," said Hugh, "there is. The old story is that all the Pawnees -were out hunting, and the Sioux got around some of 'em, and cut -'em off from the rest and kept fighting 'em, and driving 'em, and -fighting and driving, until they got 'em away up on the Missouri -River, so far from their friends that they had to winter there. -Then, along back, maybe about 1830, soon after the beginning of the -fur trade on the upper river, the Rees fought the white folks, and -were generally hostile. After that they went back and joined the -Pawnees, but they couldn't get along well with the Pawnees, and -quarreled with them, and finally the Pawnees drove 'em off. So they -came on back up the river. It was after that that they joined the -Mandans, and they've lived together ever since." - -By this time they had reached the top of the bluff, and were now -close to the houses, on whose curious domed roofs many people were -sitting,--women busy with their work, young men wrapped in their -robes, and looking off into the distance, and little girls playing -with their dolls or their puppies. The ground in the village all -about the houses was worn bare by the passage of many feet; Indians -were going to and fro, women carrying water and wood, men naked, or -wrapped in their summer sheets, little boys chasing each other, or, -with their ropes trying to snare the dogs, which were usually too -cunning for them. - -Jack was greatly interested in the houses, and wished to look -into one, and to this Hugh said there would be no objection. The -entrance of each house was by a long passage-way, closed above, -and at the sides, and passing through this, they found themselves -at the door. Jack expected to go into a room that was dark; but -this was not so. Above the center of the large room was a wide -open space, which answered both for chimney and for window. About -the fireplace, which was under the smoke hole, at the corners of a -square, stood four stout posts, reaching up to and supporting the -rafters of the roof. The floor of the house was swept clean, and -all around the walls were raised platforms, serving for beds, and -separated by screens of straight willow sticks strung on sinew, -from the adjacent bed on either side. In front of some of the beds -similar screens hung down like curtains so that the bed could -be cut off from the observation of those in the house. Over the -fireplace hung a pot, and two pleasant-faced women were sitting -near it, sewing moccasins. They looked up pleasantly, as the -strangers stood in the doorway, and Hugh spoke a few words to them, -to which they made some answer. Then the strangers withdrew. - -Keeping on through the village, they walked out on the higher -prairie, toward the tribal burying-ground, but not such a -burying-ground as Jack was accustomed to see. Here were placed the -dead, wrapped up in bundles, on platforms raised on four poles, -eight or ten feet above the ground. Evidently no attention was paid -to them after burial, for many of the poles which supported the -platforms had rotted and fallen down, and, in the older part of -the graveyard the ground was strewn with pieces of old robes and -clothing, and with white bones. - -Hugh told Jack that farther away, and down on lower ground, where -the soil was moist, the Rees, Mandans, and Gros Ventres had farms, -where they raised corn, beans, pumpkins, and squashes, and that in -old times they used to raise tobacco. - -It was now time to return to the boat, for the wait was to be only -a short one, and on their way back he told of something that had -happened not many years before in the Mandan village. - -"The people were hungry," said Hugh, "and there was no food in -camp. They sent young men off in all directions to look for -buffalo, but none could be found. As the people grew hungrier and -hungrier the White Cow Society made up their minds that they would -give a dance, and try to bring the buffalo. They did this, and -danced for a long time; but no buffalo were found, and there were -no signs that any were coming. Still the people of the White Cow -Society danced, and still the other people watched them, and prayed -that they might bring the buffalo. One day, after they'd danced -for ten days, suddenly a big noise was heard in the village, and -when the people rushed out of the lodges to see what was happening, -there, among the lodges, was a big buffalo bull, charging about -right close to the lodge in which the White Cow Society were -dancing. All the dogs in the village seemed to be about him, -barking at his head, and biting at his heels, and he was trying -only to get away, and paying no attention to the Indians that were -all about him. - -"Then everybody was glad, for all could see that the Master of Life -had sent this bull, to answer their prayers; and all believed that -he had come ahead of the main herd, which would soon follow him. -Before he had got out of the village, the bull was shot. The White -Cow Society came out of their lodge, and danced around the village, -and while they were doin' this, one of the scouts came in, and -reported that a big band of cows was not far off. Then everybody -was glad, and all wondered at the strong medicine of the White Cow -Society. The next day the men went out and made a surround, and -killed plenty of cows, and brought in the meat, and there came a -terrible storm, and when the storm cleared off the whole prairie, -beyond the ridge near Knife River, was black with buffalo. Now -there was plenty in the camp, and every one was happy. The men went -out and brought in fat meat, and it was dried, and no more that -winter was there any suffering for food." - -"That's a good story, Hugh," said Jack, "but do you suppose the -dancing of the White Cow Society really brought the buffalo?" - -"I couldn't tell you, son. The Indians believed it did, but I don't -suppose any white folks would. But I've seen so many queer things -follow these medicine performances that I don't know what to think -about them, myself." - -By this time they had reached the shore, and looking around, as -they passed over the gang-plank to the deck, they saw the captain -and purser coming down the trail just behind them. The deck hands -were already beginning to cast off the fasts, and a moment later -the whistle sounded, the boat's nose turned out into the river, and -the steady thump, thump of the paddle-wheel began again. On the -bank stood the three or four white men belonging to the agency, -and up and down the bottom, and clustered in little groups on the -bluffs, were Indians, dressed in buckskin, or in bright-colored -cloth, who stood motionless, watching the steamer as she slowly -moved away. - -"That's a mighty interesting place, Hugh; and I want to get you to -tell me all about it. Who are the Gros Ventres, and who are the -Mandans? You've told me about the Rees, but I want to know about -the others." - -"Well, son," said Hugh, "I don't know as I can tell you very much -about them, but I'll try. The Gros Ventres are close relations -to the Crows; in fact, many people call them the River Crows, to -distinguish them from the real Crows, that live up close to the -mountains, on the head of the Yellowstone. Those fellows are called -the Mountain Crows, and there's a good many more of them than -there are of these. These people, I suppose, got their name, Gros -Ventres, from the French, and I never heard why it was given to -'em. I never could see that they were any fatter, or had any bigger -bellies, than other Indians, and I never found out any reason for -the name. They don't call themselves by any such name as that; -their name for themselves is _Hi d[)a]t sa_, and that's said to -mean, willows. Anyhow, they used to be called Willow Indians; so I -have been told. - -"In old times, they say that there were three tribes of them, but -the other tribes have been lost, or forgotten, and now they're all -together--all one bunch of Indians. There's one thing you want -to remember, that there are two different outfits of Indians, -both called Gros Ventres; one of them, these people here, whom we -know as the Gros Ventres of the Village, or Gros Ventres of the -Missouri; the others are the Gros Ventres of the Prairie, whose -country is east of the Blackfoot country, and who used to be -friendly with the Blackfeet, and then fought them for a long time, -and now are friendly again. Those Gros Ventres of the Prairie are -no kin at all to these people, but are a part of the Arapahoes, -from whom, according to the old story, they split off a long, long -time ago. They talk the Arapahoe language, and call the Arapahoes -their own people, and still visit them back and forth. Nowadays -they have an agency along with the Assinaboines, further west, at -Fort Belknap, over on Milk River. Ninety-nine men out of every -hundred get these Arapahoes and these River Crows mixed up, just -for the reason that the French called them both Gros Ventres. Don't -you ever do that, because when a man makes that mistake it shows -that he don't know nothing about Indians. Try to remember that, -will you?" - -"Of course I will, Hugh. I don't want to make any mistakes, -especially now since I have been out and seen something of real -Indians. People back East, and especially all the fellows at -school, think that I know everything about Indians now. They're all -the time asking me questions about them, who they are, and where -they live, and I should hate to make any mistakes in my answers. -Now tell me, who are the Mandans?" - -"I don't know as much about the Mandans as I do about the Gros -Ventres of the Village," said Hugh, "and yet I've heard a lot about -them. They're a kind of queer people; lots of 'em used to have -yellow hair and gray eyes, and lots of 'em now have gray-haired -children, same as you have seen among the Blackfeet. I got hold of -a book once with lots of pictures of Indians in it; mighty good -pictures, too, they were. 'T was written by a man named Catlin, who -came up the river, painting pictures of Indians, a long time ago; -maybe fifty years. He said he thought the Mandans were Welshmen, -and told some story about some foreign prince that brought a -colony of Welshmen over here, and Catlin thought that maybe the -Mandans were descended from that colony. Anyhow they've lived by -themselves, so the story goes, for a great many years; but I've -heard the old men say that long, long ago the tribe came from -away back East somewhere. They followed down a big river that ran -from east to west, likely it may have been the Ohio River, until -they came to the Mississippi, and then they struck off northwest, -and camped on the Missouri, and they have been traveling up the -Missouri, a little way at a time, for an almighty sight o' years. - -"This book of Catlin's that I tell you about has got a whole lot -o' stuff about the Mandans, and it is mighty good readin'. You -had better get hold of it sometime when you get back East; it'll -tell you more about 'em than I can. The Mandans have always been -farmers, and raised good crops of corn, and that and their buffalo -give them a pretty good living. But now the buffalo are getting -scarce, and when they give out the Mandans will have to live on -straight corn, I am afraid. There's one thing about the Mandans -that's worth rememberin', they make the best pots of any people -that I know of on the plains. I expect that in old times maybe the -Pawnees made just as good pots, but since the white folks began to -bring brass and copper kettles into the country the Pawnees have -forgotten how to make pots; but the Mandans still keep it up, and -make some pots, big and little----" - -"Oh, Hugh!" called Jack at this moment, "Look at the buffalo!" and -he pointed toward the high bluffs on the south side of the river, -and there were three dark spots, running as hard as they could up -the hill. - -"Sure enough," said Hugh, "there's the first buffalo we've seen. -Don't they look like three rats scuttling off over the hills, as -fast as they can go. Before long, now, we ought to see plenty of -'em along the river; though we ain't likely to see many buffalo -before we get above Buford." - -The boat pushed slowly up the river's muddy current, and Hugh and -Jack continued to talk about the Indian village on the hill. - -"A mighty queer thing happened once at that village, son," said -Hugh. "You've heard, maybe, that in some tribes of Indians they -have sort of prophets, or men that foretell things that are going -to happen. I have seen a little of that sort of thing myself, -that I never could explain. Besides that, they've got some way of -learning news that we don't understand anything about. Of course it -may not be as quick as railroads and telegraphs, but its quick. -Let me tell you something that happened there at Berthold, some -years ago, and the man that it happened to lives in the upper -country now, and you may likely run across him some time when you -are up there. He is a Dutchman, and his name is Joe Butch. - -"Along in 1868, Joe was working at Berthold, for a trader there, -and the trader got into some sort of a quarrel about a horse with -old White Cow, chief of the Mandans, and I guess old White Cow was -pretty sassy, and maybe he threatened to do something, and Joe -killed him. Well, as soon as he had killed the old man, Joe he -knew that that wasn't no place for him, because the Mandans would -be pretty sure to kill him; so he hops onto his horse, and rides -as hard as he could for Buford, that's eighty miles up the river, -next place we stop at. When he got to Buford he found there a big -camp of Assinaboines, and they were having a big dance, because -the chief of the Mandans, their enemies, had just been killed. -Now, how do you suppose those Assinaboines knew that White Cow had -been killed? Joe didn't waste no time getting onto his horse, and -he rode as hard as he could to Buford; and its a sure thing that -nobody got there before him with the news. I never understood how -they found that out, and I never expect to." - -"That seems a wonderful thing, Hugh," said Jack. "I don't see how -they could have found it out if nobody told them, and if there were -no telegraphs." - -"Well, it's sure there were no telegraphs," said Hugh, "and I don't -see how anybody could have told them. Joe killed the man, and -started on his ride right off, and had a good horse. That's one of -the things that always beat me." - -The hours passed swiftly by for Jack and Hugh, as they watched -the river banks on either side. The boat had met a flood of water -just above Berthold, which, if it made progress against the strong -current more slow, nevertheless saved time by deepening the water, -so that they did not run aground on sand-bars. Several times during -the morning, antelope were seen feeding in the bottom, lifting -their heads to gaze at the boat, as it puffed and snorted along, -but not being enough alarmed to take to flight. After supper that -night, as they sat on the deck about sundown, Hugh, watching the -banks, pointed out no less than three distant spots on the wide -bottom, which he told Jack were bears digging roots. They were a -long way off, yet with his glasses Jack was able to make out their -forms, and to recognize them as bears. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE BATTLE OF THE MUSSELSHELL - - -Early next morning the boat stopped at Fort Buford, above the mouth -of the Yellowstone River. - -The wait was to be only a short one, and no one left the boat. Jack -was interested in looking from the upper deck at the post, where -there were a number of soldiers, and it looked like a busy place. -Away to the left was seen the broad current of the Yellowstone -coming down between timbered banks. As the two friends sat on the -upper deck and looked off toward the shore, Hugh, in response to -some question by Jack, said: - -"Yes, in old fur-trading days this used to be a mighty interesting -place. Just above here was one of the great trading posts of old -times, and pretty much all the tribes of the northern prairie used -to come here to get their ammunition, and whatever other stuff they -could buy. Old man Culbertson was here for a long time, and lots -of people from back east and from foreign parts used to come up -the river as far as this. Sometimes they used to have great fights -out here on this flat, when two hostile tribes would come in to -trade and would get here at the same time. I've heard great stories -about the way the Indians used to fight here among themselves -almost under the walls of the post; and, then, again, sometimes -the Indians used to crawl up as near to the fort as they could, -and try to run off the horse herd, which would be feeding right -out in front of the post. Sometimes they'd get 'em; sometimes they -wouldn't, but would get one of the herders. On the whole, however, -the place wasn't often attacked, because the Indians couldn't -afford to quarrel with the people who furnished them with their -goods. When 'twas Fort Union, 'twas a mighty lively place." - -"Why Hugh," said Jack, "do you mean to tell me that this is old -Fort Union?" - -"Sure," said Hugh. - -"Why," said Jack, "I've read lots about Fort Union. Don't you know -that in 1843 Audubon, the naturalist, and a party of his friends, -came up here to find out a lot about the Western birds and animals? -I've read a lot of Audubon, and he speaks constantly of Fort Union, -and about the things he used to see here, and the buffalo hunting, -and about Mr. Culbertson. Dear me! dear me! when I was reading -about it I never thought that I would see Fort Union." - -"Well," said Hugh, "this is the place; and if this man Audubon was -out here in 1843, that, I think, was just the year before they -had the big smallpox here. Men that were here at the time tell me -that there were two or three big camps of Indians here, and that -they got the smallpox in the fall, just before the ground froze, -and the Indians died off like wolves about a poisoned carcass; and -the ground was hard, and they could not dig graves for them, and -they just stacked up the bodies outside of the fort, in rows, like -so much cord-wood, and had to wait till the ground melted in the -spring before they could bury 'em. There must have been a pile of -Indians died." - -"Well, what did they do for smallpox, Hugh? How did they cure -themselves?" - -"Why, they didn't know anything about curing themselves, son. When -a man got smallpox, or got sick, he just went into a sweat-lodge, -and took a sweat, and came out and plunged into the river to cool -off, and the ice was running, and some of 'em never came up again, -and some of those that did come up were so weak from the shock that -they could not get to the shore, and just drowned. If we get to the -Blackfoot camp this summer, you ask old man Chouquette about it. He -was here then; he'll tell you about it, just the same as he told -me." - -While Hugh had been talking, the boat had cast off and had once -more started up the river. - -It was afternoon, and Hugh was dozing in his chair, tilted up -against the cabin, while Jack as usual was watching the river -banks, when suddenly from behind a little hill that formed the end -of a hog back, which extended well out into the bottom, he saw a -herd of seventy or eighty buffalo, come running as hard as they -could across the bottom, and plunge into the river just above the -boat. The great animals ran as if frightened, and seemed to regard -nothing but the danger behind them. As the boat went along, and -the buffalo swam to cross the stream, they came nearer and nearer -together, and at last it was evident that the buffalo would pass -very close to the boat. They swam rapidly, and with them were -many little calves, swimming on the down stream side of their -mothers, and going swiftly and easily. Jack shouted to Hugh, who, -with him, watched the buffalo, and in a very few minutes the boat -was actually in the midst of the herd. The animals did not attempt -to turn about, but swam steadily after their leaders, and some of -them actually swam against the boat, and, only then seeming to -understand their danger, turned about and, grunting, snorting, and -bellowing, climbed up on each other in tremendous fright. As they -came to the boat Jack at first had started to get his rifle, but -Hugh called him back, and they both descended to the lower deck, -where, with the other passengers, and the deck hands, they were -actually within arms length of the buffalos. The mate, forming a -noose with a rope, threw it over the head of a two-year-old, and -half a dozen of the roustabouts, pulling on the rope, lifted the -animal's head up on the deck, when the mate killed it, and it was -presently hauled aboard and butchered. As they returned to the -upper deck, having watched the buffalo, after the boat had passed, -swim to the other bank and climb out of the water, and then stop -and look at the boat, Jack said to Hugh, "Well, I saw a lot of -buffalo last year, but it sort of excites one to see them again as -close as those were." - -"Yes," said Hugh, "that's so; but there was no use in your getting -your gun, as you started to. I don't want you to act like all the -rest of these pilgrims that come up the river, and to be shooting -at everything you see that's alive. There'd have been no more fun -in shooting one of those buffalo in the water there, than there'd -be in shooting a cow on the range. Of course, if a man's hungry, -it's well enough for him to butcher; but if he just wants meat, -and there's somebody else to do the butchering, he might just as -well let him do it. I always used to like to hunt, and I do still, -but it's no fun for me to kill a calf in a pen, or to chop off a -chicken's head. - -"That's so, Hugh," said Jack; "it would have been no more to shoot -one of those buffalos in the water than it was for the mate to kill -that two-year-old." - -"That's so," said Hugh; "it would have been just the same thing, -and you don't envy him the work he did, I expect." - -"No indeed," said Jack, "not much." - -"Now, if you want to fire a few shots," said Hugh, "if you want -a little practice with your gun, get it out the next time we get -close to the bank, and shoot at a knot in some cottonwood tree. I -can watch with the glasses and see where you hit, and you can get -some practice with your rifle, but won't show up a tenderfoot." - -The sun was low that evening when they reached Wolf Point, the -agency for the Assinaboine Indians, and it seemed as if all -the Indians there must have clustered about the landing-place -to welcome the boat; men, clad in fringed buckskin shirts and -leggings, and with eagle feathers in their hair; bright-shawled -women, carrying babies on their backs; small boys, naked, save -for a pair of leggings and a breech-clout; and little girls, some -wearing handsome buckskin dresses, trimmed with elk-teeth, and -clinging to their mothers' skirts, made up the assemblage. Most -interesting to Jack were the many travois, each one drawn by a -dog. Some of these were very wolf-like in appearance; others might -have been big watch dogs taken from the front door yard of some -eastern farm house. All seemed well-trained and patient; and when, -a little later, some of them started off for the agency buildings, -dragging loads that had been piled on the travois, they bent -sturdily to their work, and dug their feet into the ground. - -"There's something, son," said Hugh, "that we are not going to see -much longer. The dog travois has seen its best days, and before -long dogs won't be used any more for that work. Why, I hear that -even up in the North, dogs are not used in winter for hauling half -as much as they used to be; and down here, the first thing you -know, all these Indians will be having wagons, and driving them -'round over the prairie. Why, do you know, it ain't so very long -ago since these Assinaboines had hardly any horses. They didn't -want 'em; they said horses were only a nuisance and a bother to -'em, and their dogs were better. Horses had to be looked after; -driven in and caught up whenever they were to be used, and then -they had to be watched to keep people from stealing them; but dogs, -instead of running away when you wanted to catch them, would come -running toward you; they never ran off nor were stolen. Nowadays, -though, the Assinaboines have got quite a good many horses, and I -expect to live long enough to see the time when dog travois will be -a regular curiosity." - -"Who are the Assinaboines, Hugh," said Jack. "What tribe are they -related to?" - -"They're Sioux," said Hugh, "and talk the Sioux language. Of course -it's a little different from that talked by the Ogallalas and the -down river Sioux; but still they can all understand each other, and -they call themselves Lacotah, which of course you know is the name -that all the Sioux have for themselves." - -"And yet," he continued, "they have been at war with the Sioux and -with the Sioux' friends for a good many years. I reckon there ain't -any one that rightly knows when the Assinaboines split off from -the main stock; it must have been a long time ago. But you talk -with the Assinaboines, and they'll tell you--just as most of the -other Sioux'll tell you--about a time long ago, in the lives of -their fore-fathers, when their people lived at the edge of the salt -water. I expect maybe that means that they migrated a long way, -either from the East or from the West, very far back." - -"My!" said Jack, "if we could only know about all these things that -happened, and what the history of each tribe was, wouldn't it be -interesting?" - -"It sure would," said Hugh. - -"Well, Hugh," continued Jack, "what does Assinaboine mean? Has it -any real meaning, like some of these other names of Indian tribes -that you tell me about?" - -"Yes," said Hugh, "it has a meaning, and I reckon it's a Cree word. -_Ass[)i]ne_ means stone in Cree, _poit_ means cooked, or cooking, -and the Assinaboines are called stone-cookers, or stone-roasters, -I suppose because they used to do their cooking with hot stones. -But of course that don't mean much, because pretty nearly all the -Indians that I know of used to boil their meat with hot rocks, -except those that made pots and kettles for themselves out of clay. -Nobody knows, I reckon, when the Pawnees and Mandans first learned -how to make pots. I expect that was a long time ago, too. But most -of these Indians used to boil meat in a kettle made of hide, or the -paunch of a buffalo, filled with water. Then they'd heat stones in -the fire, and put them in the water, taking them out as they got -cool and putting in others, until the water boiled and the food was -cooked." - -"But," said Jack, "I should think when they cooked the hide or -paunch it would break, and let the water spill out." - -"No," said Hugh. "It would of course, if you kept cooking long -enough; but one of these kettles would only last to cook a single -meal; you couldn't use it a second time, but it was all right for -one cooking. I have seen a hide kettle used, and eaten from it." - -Jack sat thinking, for awhile, and then he turned to Hugh and said: - -"I tell you, Hugh, if all you know about Indians, and about this -Western country were put in a book, it would make an awful big one, -wouldn't it?" - -"Well, I don't know, son," said Hugh, "maybe it might; but a man -has got to learn the life he's lived; if he doesn't, he won't -amount to nothing. I expect if all that you know about the East was -put in a book it would make quite a sizable one." - -"Oh," said Jack, "that's nothing. The things I know don't amount to -anything, and everybody else knows them a good deal better than I -do." - -"Well, I tell you," said Hugh, "the things that are new and strange -to you seem kind o' wonderful, but they don't seem wonderful to -me; but I remember one time you were telling me something about -catching fish down at the place called Great South Bay, and talking -about seeing the vessels sailing on the ocean, and to me that -seemed mighty wonderful." - -By this time the boat had left the landing-place, and the light was -growing dim. They turned and looked back, and there across the wide -bottom was moving toward the Post, a long string of people, men and -women and children and dog travois, so that it looked almost like -a moving camp. Hugh and Jack sat for a while longer on the deck -talking, and then, as the mosquitoes got bad, they turned in. - -The next afternoon the boat reached Fort Peck, then one of the -most important Indian agencies on the Missouri River. It stood -on a narrow bench, a few log buildings surrounded by a stockade, -and back of it the bluffs rose sharply, and were dotted with -the scaffolds of the dead. It seemed to Jack that there must be -hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, of these graves in sight. -From the poles of some of them long streamers were blown out in the -wind, which Hugh told him were offerings tied to the poles of the -scaffolds by mourning relatives. But few living Indians were seen -here, and there were only three or four white men seen about the -trading post. They did not leave the boat, which soon pushed on -again. - -"The Indians about here have been awful mean," said Hugh; "Lots of -things were brought in here that the Sioux took from the Custer -battlefield. Somebody told me that Custer's gold watch was brought -in here by an Indian, who wanted to know how much it was worth: -but so many questions were asked him about it that he just put the -watch in his sack and lit out, and has not been seen here since." - -As the boat passed the mouth of the Musselshell early next morning -Hugh pointed shoreward, and said: - -"Do you see that place over there where that creek comes in, son?" - -"Why, of course I see it, Hugh," said Jack, "and the timber that -runs along it. What creek is it?" - -"You ought to know," said Hugh, with a laugh; "you got scared in it -a whole lot last summer." - -"Why, Hugh, is that the Musselshell?" said Jack. - -"That's what it is," said Hugh; "and seeing the mouth of the river, -and them sticks there on the flat, reminds me of the big fight -that took place there some years back. I wonder if you ever heard -about it. I meant to tell you last summer, but somehow it slipped -my mind. It was there that Liver-Eating Johnson got his name. They -used to say that he cut out the liver of an Indian that got killed -in that fight and ate it. Of course he never did, but they tell the -story about him, and I rather think he was kind o' proud about it -after a little while, and liked the name. - -"I think it was in 1869 that the fight took place, along in the -spring. - -"You know the steamboats always have trouble in coming up to -Benton in the low water; and along about 1866, after the mines got -paying, and when the fur trade was good, some men at Helena formed -a company to make a road and start a freight line down to some -point on the river that the boats could always get to. These men -didn't know much about the river, and they chose the mouth of the -Musselshell for the point where their road, which began at Helena, -should end. - -"Now, I suppose if they'd raked the whole river with a fine-tooth -comb they couldn't have found a poorer place for a town, nor a -poorer country to travel through, than this one they pitched on. -The place chosen for the town was that little neck of land between -the Musselshell and the Missouri. The soil is a bad-land clay, -which in summer is an alkali desert, and in spring is a regular -bog, in which a saddle-blanket would mire down. Then, all along -the Musselshell was a favorite camping and hunting ground for the -Indians, and in those days Indians were bad. Well, they made up -their company, and started their town. There weren't many settlers, -but a few people, mostly hunters and wood-choppers, stopped there; -and of course, wherever there were a few people gathered together, -there was sure to be a store and a few saloons. - -"I think it was along in 1868 that a man came down there with a -fine train of mules. Likely he expected to get some freighting to -do when the boats came up the river. The stock was turned out, and -some men were on guard, when a party of Sioux charged in among -them, killed two of the men, and ran off every hoof of stock. The -thing was done in a minute; and before the men could get out of -their houses and tents the stock was gone, and the Indians along -with it: all except one young fellow, who, just to show what he -could do, charged back and rode through the crowd, making fun of -them as he went along. So far as anybody knew, not one Indian got -hit. - -"It was not very long after that that the Sioux came down and -charged into the Crow camp, and ran off eight hundred head of -horses. Of course that made a big excitement. The Crows jumped on -their horses an pursued and they had quite a fight, and some of the -Indians got killed. - -"During the Spring of 1869, the Indians used to attack the town -every few days; a Crow squaw that was living there got shot through -the body, and a white woman was wounded, knocked down, and scalped, -but I reckon she's living yet. Anybody that went out any distance -from the town was sure to be shot at and chased. It was a time for -a man to travel 'round with his gun loaded, and in his hand all the -time. The Indians didn't do much of anything, but they kept the -people scared up everlastingly. It got to be so, finally, that the -Indians would charge down near the town, and then swing off and run -away, and pretty much all the men would run out and run after them, -shooting as long as the Indians were in sight. - -"One morning there were a couple of Crow women out a little way -from town, gathering sage brush for wood, and the Indians opened -fire on them. The white men all rushed out and after the Indians, -who numbered sixteen. They ran on foot over toward the Musselshell, -and then up the bottom, not going very fast, and the white men -were gaining on them, and thinking that now they would force -them to a regular fight; when suddenly, from a ravine on the -Musselshell, a shot was fired, which killed a man named Leader. - -"That stopped the whites right off, and they turned to run; and if -the Indians had charged 'em then, I expect they'd have got every -last one of 'em. But Henry McDonald saw what would happen if they -ran, and, bringing down his rifle, swore he'd shoot the first man -who went faster than a walk. - -"They could see now that there was quite a body of Indians in the -ravine on the bank of the Musselshell, but they couldn't tell how -many. There was some little shooting between the two parties. Most -of the whites moved back to the settlement; but there were half -a dozen men who did not retreat; but getting under cover, within -thirty or forty yards of the Indians, held them there. They kept -shooting, back and forth, and presently a man named Greenwood got -shot through the lungs, and had to be carried back. The other men -stood their ground, and the Indians, knowing that they had to do -with good shots, did not dare to show their heads. - -"After two or three hours of this sort of thing, it began to rain, -a mighty lucky thing for the white men. They were all armed with -Henry rifles, or needle-guns, while the Indians, for the most part, -had bows and arrows, with some flintlock guns. They had stripped -themselves for war, and had no clothing with which they could -cover their gun-locks and bow-strings to keep them from getting -wet. After a little of this, the white men began to see that -the Indians were practically disarmed, and began to think about -charging them; but when they raised up to look, they saw that there -was a big party of men there, and that the only way to get them, -except in a hand to hand fight, was for some of the party to cross -the Musselshell, and get to a point where they could shoot into the -ravine, thus driving the Indians out and placing them between two -fires. Three men started to do this. - -"When the Indians saw what the white men were trying to do, they -ran down to the mouth of the ravine and tried to shoot at them; -but their strings were wet, and the arrows had no force and hardly -reached the men, and very few of their guns would go off. The -three men got across the river, and went down to a point opposite -the ravine, and began to shoot at the Indians; but by this time -all the men in the settlement had collected together, about eight -hundred yards behind the Indians, and seeing these three men on -the other side of the stream took them for Indians and began to -shoot at them; so that the three white men who had crossed had to -get away and re-cross the Musselshell. By this time half a dozen -other men got around on the lower side of the Indians, and then -again three men crossed the river and commenced to shoot up the -ravine. This was too much for the Indians: they jumped out of -their hole and started to get away, and everybody was shooting at -them as hard as they could. The fire from the body of men near the -town still continued, and obliged the men who were doing the real -fighting to keep more or less under cover. The Indians broke for -the Musselshell, crossing it where they could, and most of them got -away; but thirteen were killed, and it was said that a good many -more died on the way to camp, and only one of the ninety and more -who were in the fight escaped without a wound. The next day after -that, the white men found the place where the Indians had stripped -for the fight and left their things, and there over a hundred robes -and two war bonnets and a whole lot of other stuff were found. Most -of it was sold, and the money given to Greenwood, who was wounded. -Jim Wells and Henry McDonald, I heard, each got a war bonnet. - -"The freight road was given up, and pretty much everybody left the -place,--except some traders who stopped there a little longer. Then -Carroll was started, up near the Little Rockies, and in a very much -better place, and that was the end of Musselshell City. It was at -this same place that Johnson claimed to have made for himself a -razor strap from a strip of skin that he cut from an Indian's back: -but Johnson was always a good man to tell stories, and you never -could be quite sure when he was telling the truth and when he was -joking. - -"A few years ago there used to be lots of talk about that fight, -and the people called it one of the biggest lickings that the -Indians ever got in this part of the country." - -Pushing along up the river, the boat passed beyond the Musselshell, -and then up by Carroll, and the Little Rocky Mountain, and the -Bearspaw,--and at last one day, about noon, Fort Benton came in -sight. - -For the last two hundred miles they had seen a good deal of -game. Buffalo were almost always in sight on the bluffs, or in -the bottom; elk, frightened by the approach of the steamer, tore -through the willow points; deer, both black-tail and white-tail, -were often seen, and on several occasions mountain sheep were -viewed--once in the bottom and at other times on the high bad-land -bluffs. One of the herds was a large one, which Hugh said must -contain seventy-five or a hundred animals. - -As Benton was approached, Jack began to feel more and more excited. -Here he hoped to meet Joe, who had been warned some months before -by Mr. Sturgis that Hugh and Jack would be at Benton early in July: -and Joe would have with him the horses, a lodge, and all their -camp equipage; so that, if nothing interfered to prevent, the next -morning they could start out on their trip. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -FOR THE BLACKFOOT CAMP - - -As the boat slowly drew near the wharf, Hugh and Jack, from the -upper deck, recognized first the old adobe fort and then, one after -another, the different buildings of the town. The arrival of the -steamer was always a great event in Benton, and pretty much all -the inhabitants of the town were seen making their way toward the -water's edge. The throng was made up of whites and Indians, with an -occasional Chinaman: for already Chinamen had begun to come into -the country. At first the two watchers from the steamboat could -recognize no faces, but, as the boat drew nearer and nearer, Hugh -suddenly let his hand fall on Jack's shoulder and said, "There's -Baptiste, and I believe that's Joe standing near him." - -"Oh, where are they, Hugh? I can't see either of them:" and then a -moment later, after Hugh had told him where the two stood, he saw -them; and springing up on the rail, and holding to a stanchion, he -waved his hat, and shouted out to Joe, who had already recognized -him and made joyous gestures in response. - -A little later, the four were cordially shaking hands on the shore: -and presently, when the crowd of passengers had left the boat, the -two old men and the boys went on board again and, mounting to the -upper deck, talked together. Jack's first question to Joe was as to -the whereabouts of the camp. - -"Down east of the Judith Mountains somewhere, I expect," said Joe -in reply. "They went down there to kill buffalo; there's lots -of buffalo over on the Judith, or between the Judith and the -Musselshell. I guess they'll be there all summer, and before I left -the camp I heard that they would make the medicine lodge somewhere -out in that country." - -"What about the hostiles, Joe?" said Jack. "Have they seen any -Sioux lately?" - -"No," said Joe, "but I've heard that there are a few passing back -and forth, between the lower country and Sitting Bull's camp, over -across the line." - -"Like enough," said Hugh, "like enough. We've got to look out for -those fellows; but they won't do nothing more than try to steal our -horses." - -Hugh had been talking quietly with Baptiste La Jeunesse, who told -him what had been happening in Benton during the winter. This was -not much: there was talk that a railroad was going to be built into -the country, one that might even pass through Fort Benton itself, -and this would make the town big and important, so people said--and -Fort Benton would once more become what it had been in the early -days of the fur trade, a populous and thriving place. - -"And how have you been getting on yourself, Bat?" said Hugh. - -"Oh, I've done well. I always have everything that I want, since -you people came in here last summer and gave me the gold. Every -month I go to the bank, and they give me the pay for the money -that you lent them for me, and so I live well. It doesn't make any -difference to me whether I've work to do or not, yet always it is -pleasant to be doing something, and so I keep on working. Also, -there are some people in the town who are poor, just as I used to -be; and now that I have money I can help them to live, just as your -boy has helped me." - -"Well, Bat, it makes me feel good that you are doing well, and I -think that you will continue to do well from this on." - -"And what are you going to do this season, Hugh?" said Baptiste. -"Where are you going, and what are you going to do--hunting or -trapping, or what?" - -"Well, Bat," said Hugh, "I am traveling 'round again with this boy -of mine. His uncle and his father and mother want him to spend the -summers out here, and get strong and hearty, and they've told me to -travel with him, and teach him about the way of living out here; -the same lesson that you and I learned when we were young; only he -will learn it in a better and easier way than we did. He's a good -boy: I like him better all the time. I should feel bad if anything -happened to him." - -"Yes, Hugh, I think he's a good boy," said Baptiste. "Both of those -boys are good. I like the Indian well. He came in here many days -ago, and came to me; and since he got here, he and I have lived -together. I like him." - -Hugh now turned to the two boys, who were busily talking, and -said; "Now, boys, if we're going to get off to-night we've got to -make a start right soon. I expect Joe has got all our stuff ready, -except the grub, and if you and he will hurry up and get the horses -together and get them saddled, I'll go and buy the grub, and put -it in the wagon, and come down here and get our guns and beds, and -we'll pack up and move out of town four or five miles and camp." - -Both the boys jumped to their feet, and Jack said; "Hurray! that's -what I want to do; I want to get out on the prairie once more, and -I don't want to see a town again until I have to." - -Jack and Joe started at once, and ran races with each other up the -street, to see which should get first to the stable. Joe beat the -white boy, who found that his winter's confinement, and his lack -of exercise in the big city had made him short of wind; so that at -last he got out of breath, and stopped running. When they reached -the stable, Joe took his rope and went out into the corral, and -caught a handsome little buckskin pony, and, saddling it, rode -out to get the animals which were pasturing on the bluffs above -the town. He was gone some little time, and then, Jack, who was -watching for him, saw the familiar sight of loose horses running -along the bluff, and then turning and rushing down its steep sides, -followed by a cloud of dust; and then Joe, with whoops and yells, -and quick turnings and twistings of his horse, drove them up to -the bars, through which they crowded, and then stood quiet in the -corral. - -Jack thought that he would try his old scheme of calling Pawnee, -and whistled sharply. The good horse threw up his head, and looked -about, and then seeming to recognize Jack, walked over to him, and -arched his neck over his shoulder in the old-fashioned way. Jack -was very much touched, and put his arms around the horse's head, -and leaned his head against his neck, thrilled with affection for -the animal that he had ridden so many miles. Presently they got -out the ropes, and tied up the horses, and one by one they were -saddled. They were all fat and in good condition, and some of them -objected quite strongly to being saddled. The dun bucked when the -flank cinch tightened on him, just as he had bucked the first time -Jack ever saw him packed, and so did the star-faced bay. The others -grunted and squealed and kicked a little, but on the whole took the -saddling very well. - -Not long after they had finished saddling up they heard a cheery -call from the front of the stable, and, rushing out, Jack saw the -wagon, piled up with food and beds, and Hugh and Baptiste, sitting -in it. It took some little time to make up the packs, but by late -afternoon this was done, the horses packed, and after shaking -hands with Baptiste, the little train, with Hugh in the lead, Jack -driving three pack horses, and Joe bringing up the rear, driving -two more, filed out of the town and climbed the hills toward the -upper prairie. - -That afternoon they traveled until the sun went down, and then -coming on a little coulee, through which water trickled, they -camped. They were careful to picket all their horses; and after -this was done, while Joe and Jack brought armfuls of willow brush -from up and down the creek, Hugh cooked supper. - -The next day they kept on. Now they were well away from the -settlements, and game began to be seen. Only antelope, it is true, -but of them there were plenty. Jack had a fair shot at a buck, at -about a hundred and twenty-five yards, but failed to kill him--to -his great mortification. - -"Ha!" said Hugh, "you've got to learn how to shoot again; you shot -too high, and missed him slick and clean. I remember the first shot -you fired last year, when you first came out; you shot high then, -just as you did now. When we get to camp to-night, you and Joe had -better go out and shoot three or four times at a mark. You have got -to learn your gun over again, and Joe of course has got to learn -his for the first time." Jack had brought out from New York a gun -for Joe, carefully selected from the stock of one of the largest -rifle manufacturers in the world, and as yet Joe had not fired a -shot out of it; but he seemed never to tire of looking at it, and -putting it up to his shoulder, and sighting at various objects. -That night they camped on a great swiftly rushing stream, near some -high hills, or low mountains; and while he was cooking supper Hugh -sent them off to try their guns. With the axe they shaved off the -outer bark from a thick cottonwood tree, and making a black mark on -the brown surface, each fired five shots at it. Jack's first two -shots were high, but the next three were clustered within the size -of a silver dollar, all about the mark. Joe did not shoot quite so -steadily, two of his shots being above, and two below, and one a -little off to one side. When they returned to camp and Hugh asked -them about their shooting, they told him, and he advised them to -fire a few more shots after supper, and, if necessary, a few in the -morning. - -"There's nothing, I hate worse than to hear a gun fired about -camp," he said, "but guns are no use to people unless they -understand them, and you boys must get used to your guns. It won't -take you more than a very few shots to do this, and you certainly -must do it." - -The next morning they started on again. No signs had yet been seen -of the Indians, but this day they saw a few buffalo, old bulls, -mostly off to the north of them. In the afternoon they passed by -the Moccasin Mountains, and camped on a little stream flowing into -the Judith River. After they had unpacked their animals and made -camp, Hugh said to Jack, "Son, have you ever been here before? Do -you see anything that you recognize?" - -"Why, no Hugh," said Jack, "I don't think I do;" and standing up -he took a long look about him, up and down the valley, and at the -hills on either side. Suddenly his face brightened, and he said, -"Why yes I do, too. I know where we are. This is just where we -came through last year, the second day after I got caught in the -quicksands in the Musselshell." - -"That's so," said Hugh, "this is just where we came. I wondered if -you'd recognize it. You ought to do so, and I'm glad you do. - -"Right over a few miles east of us is what we used to call old -Camp Lewis. There used to be a trading store there, and a camp -of soldiers, and a few men got killed there, mostly soldiers. I -remember coming through here not many years ago, the afternoon -after some soldiers got killed on the bank of the creek, right -close to the camp. There was a camp of Crows there then--about -three hundred lodges. The Sioux came down, and ran off some -government horses, and killed three recruits that were fishing here -in the creek, and the Crows took after 'em, and had quite a fight, -and Long Horse, the Crow chief got killed. They got seven of the -Sioux, I think. They had quite a time here in the camp then. I -remember Yellowstone Kelly was here, and three or four other men; I -think the Sioux set them all afoot." - -The next morning while Hugh was getting breakfast he said to Jack: -"Son, why don't you kill some meat? You are going through a country -where game is fairly plenty; anyway, antelope are, and there's a -few buffalo; and besides that, here are some mountains right close -to you, where there's surely lots of sheep. You boys had better -make up your minds to do something to-day; if you don't I'll have -to start out and hunt, to kill meat for the camp." - -"Well, Hugh," said Jack, "I certainly would rather hunt than -drive pack horses; and if you want me to I'll go off to-day and -follow along a little closer to the hills, and see if I can't kill -something." - -"Do so," said Hugh, "and then if you kill anything you can easily -overtake us. We will be traveling slow, and your horse is good and -fat and can catch us wherever we are. All the same, keep your eye -open for Indians, and don't let any strangers come up too close to -you. I'd rather have you two boys go off together, but I've got to -keep Joe with me, to drive these pack horses. You'd better throw -the saddle on your horse and start right off, and maybe you'll -catch us before we've gone very far." - -No sooner said than done. Jack saddled up, and having asked Hugh -the direction in which the party would move, rode away to the left, -toward the low foot-hills of the mountains. He had gone only a mile -or two when, passing over the shoulder of the foot-hills, he found -himself coming down into a narrow valley, in which pretty little -meadows were interspersed with clumps of cottonwoods and willows. -Three or four antelope were feeding in the valley not far off, but -there was no cover under which they could be approached, so he -rode straight along. As he drew near, the antelope ceased feeding -and raised their heads, and then, before he was within easy rifle -shot, trotted off to the other side of the valley, and stood on -the hillside watching him. After looking back for a few moments, -they started, in single file, and slowly walked up the hill. They -were by no means frightened, and it seemed likely that by taking a -little time, after they had passed on out of sight, he might get a -shot at them; but the brush above him on the stream seemed likely -to hold a deer, and he turned his horse that way and rode quietly -forward up the stream, among the groups of bushes. He had not -gone very far when from a clump of willows at his right a big doe -sprang into view, and moved slowly off by those high, long bounds -which make the white-tail, in motion, one of the most graceful of -animals. Jack's impulse was to jump off his horse and shoot at -her, but he saw that, if he did this, he would be so low down that -she could hardly be seen over the tops of the willows. He checked -Pawnee, cocked his gun, and rising a little in his stirrups, and -gripping the horse with his thighs, aimed carefully at the back of -the doe's head, just as she was rising in one of her leaps, and -pulled the trigger. - -Almost at the report, her long tail fell flat to her body, and -she began to run much faster. He knew he had hit her, and before -she had gone fifty yards, and while she was crossing an open bit -of meadow, she fell. Jack rode up to her, and on turning her over -found that he had made a good shot. A ball had entered her back, -just to the right of the spine, and had pierced both lungs and -heart. - -Turning her over, to get her ready to put on the horse, he was -glad to see that she was a barren doe, one that had not produced -a fawn that spring, and so would be fat and good eating. She was -pretty big, however, and Jack was a little uncertain just how he -was going to get her on his horse. Of course by cutting her up it -could easily have been done, for then the quarters would not be -too heavy for him to handle. At first he thought that he would -take in the whole animal, but considering the time that this -might take, and the fact that he had to ride a long way before -overtaking his companions, he determined to do things in the easier -way. He skinned the deer, therefore, cut off the shoulders and -hams, and tied them on his horse, and then taking out sirloins and -tenderloins, and some of the fat, wrapped this up in the skin, and -put that on behind the saddle. Now he had a fairly compact load, -which could be easily carried, and would not be a great additional -weight for his horse; while on the ground were left all the bones -of the deer, except those of the legs. This method of butchering he -had learned from the Indians the summer before. - -All this had taken some little time, and when Jack looked at the -sun he saw that the morning was half gone. Hugh had told him that -they would follow the trail around the point of the mountains, and -would then strike the Carroll Road, and bend back toward the river -again. This meant that if he could cross the point of the mountains -he would save several miles travel, and this he determined to do. - -Before starting, he tightened up his cinches carefully, for he knew -that the pieces of meat tied on his saddle would give it more or -less side motion, and he did not want it to chafe Pawnee's back. -Then he climbed into the saddle and started. By this time the sun -was pouring down hot upon him, and there was no breeze. From the -high ridges that he crossed from time to time he had a wide view -of the prairie, and of the distant mountains, the Little Belts -and Snowies, which rose from the plain a long way to the south. -Here and there on the prairie were black dots, which he knew were -buffalo, and other white ones, much nearer, which were antelope. -Occasionally, as he rode along, a great sage grouse would rise from -the ground near his horse's feet, or a jack-rabbit would start up, -and after running fifteen or twenty yards, would stop, sit up, -raise its enormous ears, look at him for a moment, and then settle -back on all fours, and flatten itself on the ground, so that if he -took his eye off it for a moment he could not find it again. It -seemed to him then, as it had so often seemed before, a wonderful -thing to see how absolutely this wild creature, like so many -others, could disappear from sight even while one was looking at it. - -As he rode over a high ridge, he saw on the hillside before him, -two white-rumped animals, that for a moment he thought were -antelope; but a second glance showed him that they were not, and, -to his very great astonishment, he recognized them as mountain -sheep--a ewe and her young one--which had been feeding on the -prairie, just where he would have expected an antelope to be. He -threw himself off his horse and, cocking his gun, jerked it to -his shoulder and then paused, and lowering it again, stepped back -and put his foot in the stirrup. As he mounted, the ewe, which -had been looking at him, started to run, passing hardly more than -fifty yards in front of him, closely followed by the lamb. A little -further on, she stopped again and gazed, and Jack sat there and -returned her look. The sight of the sheep had been almost too much -for him, and he had come near shooting her,--but before he pressed -the trigger he realized that if he shot her he should have to shoot -the lamb, and he could not conveniently carry either, and the old -ewe would be thin in flesh and hardly worth taking with him. The -temptation had been strong, but as he sat there and looked at the -graceful animal, which stood and stamped, while the lamb, close -beside her, imitated her motions, he realized that it was a good -thing to let them go. - -It seemed to him a mysterious thing, though, that these sheep -should be down here on the prairie, and a long way from the rocky -peaks, where he supposed they always lived. He made up his mind -that he would ask Hugh about this when he got into camp and get him -to explain it. - -At last he had crossed the point of the mountains and began to -descend. Stretching out toward the northeast he could see a dim -thin line, which, although it was interrupted at times--and -sometimes for long distances--he thought must be the Carroll Road. -Then off a long way to the east was a line of dark--the timber -along a stream's course--which he supposed was where they would -camp to-night. - -He had almost reached the level prairie, when suddenly he became -aware of two horsemen galloping toward him from behind. He watched -them as they drew nearer, and at last could make out that they were -Indians; and by this is meant that he saw that they had no hats on. -More than that, he could see, he thought, that one of them had red -leggings. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -OLD FRIENDS AND NEW - - -Of course there were no known hostiles in the country, but at the -same time he recalled Hugh's advice, not to let any Indians come -too close to him. These men were galloping along and would soon -overtake him; and if, by any chance they should happen to be Sioux, -from Sitting Bull's camp, or worthless Indians of any tribe that -he did not know, they might take his horse and gun, even if they -did nothing worse. He decided then that he would find out who they -were, and drawing up his horse on a little rise of ground, he -dismounted and stood behind it, facing them with his rifle barrel -resting in the saddle. The Indians were now only three or four -hundred yards off, but when Jack did this they at once halted, and -turning toward each other, seemed to consult. Then, one of them, -raising his hands high in the air, held his gun above his head, and -after handing it over to his companion, struck his horse with his -quirt and galloped toward Jack, while the other man remained where -he was. - -The swift little pony was soon within easy rifle shot, and as its -rider drew nearer and nearer, Jack seemed to recognize something -familiar in the look of the man, yet he could hardly tell what it -was; but when he was within speaking distance the man called out; -"Why, don't you know me, Master Jack? I'm Hezekiah;" and instantly -Jack recognized his negro friend of the Blackfoot camp. He called -back to him; "Hello, Hezekiah! come on; I didn't know who you -were." And Hezekiah, turning about, waved to his companion, who -started toward them. - -Jack and Hezekiah shook hands, and Hezekiah said; "You done mighty -well to stop us, Master Jack; you're making a good prairie man all -right, and I'm glad to see it. Plenty Indians traveling through -this country, back and forth, that would be willing to kill you for -your horse and gun; and it ain't far off to the line, and they'd -skip across and go to Sitting Bull's camp, and nobody'd ever know -who done it. It's just like what all the Piegans said last year, -after the Medicine Lodge, that you was sure goin' to make a good -warrior." - -"Well Hezekiah," said Jack, "I don't know as I'd have stopped you -if Hugh hadn't spoken to me about that only this morning. He said -that there were Sioux traveling back and forth, and that I had -better not let any Indians come up close to me until I knew who -they were. That's the reason I stopped you." At this moment the -other Indian rode up, and handing his gun to Hezekiah, shook hands -cordially with Jack. It was Bull Calf, one of his companions on -the trip to the Grassy Lakes, where Jack had shot the Assinaboine -who was trying to steal horses from the camp; a young man of good -family whom he knew very well, and with whom he had been on several -hunting excursions. - -"Where's the camp Hezekiah?" asked Jack. "Hugh and Joe have gone -on ahead with the pack train, and I stopped behind to kill a deer. -We're looking for your camp, and going to stay a little while with -you, and then we're going off south into the mountains." - -"The camp isn't far off Master Jack," said Hezekiah. "I expect it's -right over there on Muddy Creek; somewhere in that timber. Some -days ago they left Carroll, and are moving south now after buffalo; -but Bull Calf, here, and me, we came 'round by the mountains here, -to see if we couldn't kill some sheep. I want to get a couple of -shirts made, and my woman says she'd rather make 'em of sheep than -of antelope. - -"I expect we'll strike the camp this afternoon somewhere and maybe -we'd better be starting right along now." They mounted, and rode -on over the prairie. Jack had many questions to ask about what had -happened in the Piegan camp during the winter, for though Joe had -told him much, there were still plenty of matters to be discussed. -Hezekiah and Bull Calf wanted to ride fast, but Jack did not feel -like doing so with his load, so he put the two shoulders of the -deer on Bull Calf's horse, and tied down what he carried so that -it would not shake, and they went on at a good pace. An hour or -two of brisk riding brought them close to the stream; but before -they reached it they saw the trail where the camp had passed. There -were tracks of a great band of horses, and many scratches left by -travois poles; and in the trail there were a number of fresher -horse tracks, which showed where Hugh and Joe and the pack animals -had passed along after the camp. - -Jack had a feeling as if he were almost home. It seemed funny to -him to think how eager he was to meet all the brown-skinned friends -that he had left so many months before, and how much pleasure he -felt in having come across these two on the prairie. Two hours -before sundown they began to see horses dotted over the hills ahead -of them; and a little later they rode out into a broad open space -in the river bottom, where stood a circle of white lodges, which -they knew was the Piegan camp. - -"Where do you suppose Hugh will camp, Hezekiah?" said Jack, as -he ran his eye over the lodges, each one of which looked like -every other lodge. It was evident that he could tell nothing by -looking at the lodges, and he must look for the horses; and just as -Hezekiah replied, he thought he saw old Baldy tied in front of a -lodge on the opposite side of the circle. - -"Why, I reckon he'll camp with Joe's people, Master Jack," said -Hezekiah. "That's the Fat Roasters, you know, and they're over -there across the circle. I reckon that's the old man now, drivin' -pins for the lodge." - -"Yes, that's it, Hezekiah," said Jack: "I see him now. I'll ride -over there and get rid of my meat, and sometime to-night or -to-morrow I hope to come to your lodge." - -"Please do, Master Jack, and we'll be mighty glad to see you. I -want to have you see the childern, too; they've grown a heap since -you was here last." - -As Jack stopped in front of the lodge, Hugh looked up from his task -and said, "Well, you've got here all right, son. Killed somethin' -too, I reckon." - -"Yes," said Jack, "I killed a barren doe, and I reckon we've got -meat enough to keep us going for a few days. I gave the shoulders -to Bull Calf and Hezekiah, whom I met out here on the prairie, but -I've got the hams here. Shall I turn Pawnee loose, or shall I tie -him up here by old Baldy?" - -"Better tie him up here," said Hugh. "I want to make arrangements -with some young fellow to herd our horses; Joe's gone off now to -try to do that. We've got the lodge up, and now pretty quick we'll -have a fire and cook supper." - -The news of the arrival of the strangers had already spread through -the camp, and that night Hugh and Jack and Joe were invited to -feasts at several lodges. They saw many of their friends: old John -Monroe, Little Plume, Last Bull, and of course Fox Eye, and many -others. Old Iron Shirt came around to their lodge, and shook hands -cordially with Jack, from whom he accepted a plug of tobacco and -a red silk handkerchief. It was late before the festivities were -over, and when they turned into their blankets they were soon -asleep. - -While they were at breakfast next morning, Jack told Hugh about the -sheep that he had seen on the prairie the day before, and how he -had been about to kill the old ewe, and then had thought it better -not to do so. - -"You did just right, son," said Hugh; "I've said to you a good many -times never to kill anything that you don't want, and can't use, -and I believe that's the way to do. You were right not to kill the -old ewe also because she wouldn't have been good for anything; -she'd have been poor from suckling her lamb, and you'd have just -killed her without getting any good out of it. Besides that, the -lamb would have starved to death if you hadn't killed it, and if -you had killed it it would'nt have been no good. No, you did right; -you used good sense, and I like men, or boys either, to use sense." - -"Well, Hugh, I'm glad I didn't shoot. Of course, maybe I wouldn't -have killed the ewe anyhow, but I'd have tried. But what I wanted -to ask you about was what those sheep were doing down there on the -prairie. I supposed that sheep only lived on high mountains, or -else in the very roughest kind of bad-lands. They're called Rocky -Mountain sheep; that ought to mean that they live in the Rocky -Mountains." - -"Well now, son, you're like a good many people that think that -sheep ain't found anywhere except in the mountains, but that's a -big mistake. In old times sheep were found on the prairie just -about as much as they were found in the mountains. I expect they -were always in the mountains, and in old times they were always -on the prairie too. It has got so now that they're pretty scarce -on the prairie, because so many people traveling around all the -time shoot at them; but in old times it was no uncommon sight to -see sheep feeding right in among the buffalo, and we often used -to see them all mixed up with the antelope, on the flat prairie. -Of course, sheep always like to be somewhere within reach of the -buttes or mountains, or rough bad-lands, that they can run to if -they get scared, but as for them not being on the prairie, the -way some people think, that's all a mistake. Up here in Montana, -and in Dakota and Nebraska and Wyoming, I have seen them on the -prairie, a long way from any hills. Why, I've even seen them out in -the sand-hills, up not very far from the head of the Dismal River, -and south of the Loup, but I suppose they came from up the Platte, -where there are bad-lands and buttes, like Scott's Bluffs and -Chimney Rock. But if ever people tell you that sheep are found only -among the rocks, don't you believe them. I know you won't after -to-day, because you saw them on the prairie yourself." - -"Yes, Hugh, that's so; but just as you say, they started to run -back to the rocks when they were scared." - -"Why son, there's no better sheep country in America to-day, I -believe, than within a day's ride of here. You take the Missouri -River bad-lands, and the Little Rockies, the Judith Mountains, the -Little Belts, the Moccasins, and the Bear's Paw; they're all good -sheep countries, and always have been ever since I've been in the -country; and I reckon if you ask any of the old Indians they'll -tell you just the same thing. Why, years and years ago, before the -Indians got bad, there was no place where there were more mountain -sheep than right along the Yellowstone, where the bluffs don't run -more than a couple of hundred feet high, and there's a flat bottom -below them, and just rolling prairie above." - -"Well, I didn't know this at all, Hugh," said Jack, "and yesterday -when I saw those animals on that little ridge, I could not believe -that they were sheep. I thought I must be mistaken, that they must -be queer colored antelope, but then of course I saw the sheep horns -and I knew that I wasn't mistaken." - -"There's lots to learn about sheep yet, son; and you and I are not -the only people that don't know much about them. The fact is, I -don't believe anybody knows much about them. - -"I expect there's more than one kind of sheep in the country, too. -I have heard about a white sheep that they find away up north; and -then a great many years ago, once when I went up north to Peace -River, I killed a sheep that was pretty nearly black, and had black -horns. I never saw but one little bunch of them, and killed one out -of it, a yearling ewe; she was not like any other animal I ever saw -before." - -Not long after breakfast Hugh and Jack started out to make a round -of the camp, and to call upon their friends. As they were passing a -nice new lodge, a tall, slender, straight young man came out from -it, and after hesitating a moment as he looked at them, walked up -to Hugh, and extending his hand, said, "How d'ye do, Mr. Johnson. I -guess you don't know me, but I've heard of you pretty near all my -life. I'm Billy Jackson, a son of old Thomas Jackson, whom you may -have known a long way back, and the nephew of John Monroe." - -"Why yes, sure," said Hugh, "I've heard of you, and I used to know -your mother right well. I'm glad to see you. Ain't you the young -man that was with General Custer in the Black Hills, and afterwards -scouted for Miles, down on the Yellowstone? or was it your brother? -I think you're the man." - -"Yes, I'm the man" said Jackson. "Bob scouted for Miles, too, and -we both did a good deal of riding down there during the last of the -wars, and now I've come up here to live in the Piegan camp." - -"I'm glad to see you," said Hugh. "Let me make you acquainted with -Jack Danvers; he and I've traveled together now for two or three -years, and we spent last summer here in Piegan camp." - -Jack and Billy Jackson shook hands together, and they parted; but -Hugh asked Jackson to come round and eat with them that night, -which the young man said he would do. He was a handsome fellow, -lean and active; and after they had left him Hugh said to Jack, -"Take notice of that young man, and if you've occasion to go on the -prairie with him, do as he says. I've heard of him; he's a good -man, brave, and knows the prairie well, and, at the same time, he -has good sense, and isn't likely to get himself or his friends into -any trouble." - -At Little Plume's lodge they were made very welcome. His wife -had apparently thought that they would come around that day, and -as soon as they sat down in the lodge, food was set before them: -boiled buffalo heart and back fat, and berry pemmican, with stewed -service-berries, made a tempting feast, and Jack ate heartily of it. - -Little Plume told them that the next day the camp would move south, -and they hoped that before they got to the Musselshell, or if not, -soon after crossing it, they would find buffalo. Hereabouts near -the Missouri, there were but few, chiefly bulls. Further south, -between the Musselshell and the Yellowstone, scouts had reported -great numbers of buffalo. That evening, Last Bull, Iron Shirt, -and Fox Eye, Jackson and Little Plume, all came to the lodge, and -they had a feast; and after all had eaten, there was much general -conversation, but no formal speeches. Much of the conversation was -in the Piegan tongue, which Jack as yet could hardly understand, -but Jackson talked much to him in English, and told some -entertaining stories. Among them was one of an adventure that he -had had a year or two before, only a short distance from where they -were now, and which had in it something of humor, and a little of -danger. Jackson said: - -"In the fall of 1879, Paul Sandusky, Jo Hamilton and I built our -winter quarters on Flat Willow Creek, about twenty miles east of -the Snowy Mountains. The country was then still infested with -roving war parties from the different tribes, some coming from -Sitting Bull's camp on the Big Bend of Milk River. - -"As we intended to do some trading with the friendly tribes, -especially the Crows and Blackfeet, we built commodious quarters, -consisting of two buildings facing each other and about forty feet -apart, and containing altogether five rooms. Joining on to the -'Fort'--as we called it--we constructed a high stockade corral for -the horses. - -"Game of all kinds was very plenty, and bands of elk and antelope -could be seen almost daily within a mile or so of our place. Glad -to have company, we gave free quarters to all hunters and trappers -who cared to stop with us, and by March 1 we numbered eleven men, -including our cook, 'Nigger Andy.' - -"A few hundred yards below our fort a little creek, which we named -Beaver Castor, joined the Flat Willow. For some miles above its -mouth it flowed through a deep cut in the prairie, bordered with -sage brush and willows. At its junction with the Flat Willow, in -the V formed by the two creeks, was quite a high butte. It sloped -up very gently from the Flat Willow side, but was almost a cut bank -on the Beaver Castor side. - -"This butte was our watch tower. From its summit we could see miles -and miles of the surrounding country. - -"One morning in March most of the men went out antelope hunting, -leaving four of us in camp--Jo Healy, laid up with rheumatism; -Harry Morgan, the herder; the cook and myself. About ten o'clock -this morning I concluded to take a hunt, and before catching up a -horse I climbed the butte to see if I could spy a band of elk or -antelope near by. As soon as I reached the summit I saw some moving -forms on the prairie not far off, near Beaver Castor, and adjusting -my glass, I found that they were a large war party of Indians -afoot. They also saw me, for I saw several of them stop and level -their telescope at me. I took pains to let them know I was not an -Indian, for I strutted about with long strides and faced them with -arms akimbo. Finally, as they came close, I backed down from the -summit, very slowly, and placing a buffalo chip on top of a bush, -so as to make them think I was still watching them, I dashed for -the fort. - -"I found that the horse-herder had caught up an animal and gone -out hunting; so grabbing a lariat I ran out to drive in the band, -which was grazing nearly a mile from the house. I went down as -fast as I could run, but found that I couldn't get within roping -distance of a single animal. They had been in the corral all night -as usual, and in spite of my efforts they kept straggling and -feeding along, and every minute I expected the war party to swoop -down on me. However, I finally got them home and into the corral, -and, my clothing wet with perspiration, I sat down to get my wind. - -"In the meantime Andy had not been idle. He had placed all our -spare arms and ammunition by the loopholes, had dragged Healy, -bed and all, to a place of vantage, where he could shoot without -hurting his rheumatic legs, and had then gone on preparing our -dinner. So we waited and watched, expecting every minute to be -attacked. But no Indians came. We had our dinner, and as the -afternoon passed the boys kept straggling in by ones and twos, -until by five all were home. None of them had seen any Indians. - -"Finally I proposed that two or three of us get our horses and make -a reconnoissance. - -"'We don't want no horses,' said Sagebrush Charlie, 'just you and -me go up on the butte and take a look from there.' - -"I didn't like the proposition, for I surmised that the war party -were concealed in the brush on Beaver Castor, probably near the -butte. But on the other hand I didn't care to be bluffed, so I went -with him. - -"As we neared the top of the butte we proceeded very cautiously, -moving only a step at a time. Only a few yards more and we would -have reached the summit, when we saw that an Indian on the -opposite side of the butte was looking at us. We could see nothing -of him but his head, and of course he could see only our heads. -Thus we stood facing each other for what to me seemed a long -time. 'Shall we shoot?' asked Sagebrush. 'No,' I replied. 'If we -advance to shoot he will have the best of it, and if he advances -we will have the edge on him.' So we continued to stare at him. -After a while I saw that the Indian was beginning to back down -out of sight, so I did the same. I made only a step and he had -disappeared, but I kept backing away, watching the top of the -butte, with rifle cocked ready to shoot in an instant. When half -way down I turned to run and saw Sagebrush just disappearing around -the corner of the fort. Until then I had supposed that he was at -my side. So calling him some names I fairly flew down the hill, -expecting every minute to have a shower of bullets about my ears. -But I too reached the fort without any sign from the enemy. - -"When I got inside I found the boys joking Sagebrush about leaving -me, and seeing that he was ashamed of himself I said nothing to -him, although I was quite angry. - -"As soon as it was dark we put on a double guard, and kept -ourselves in readiness for an attack. Late in the evening we -concluded that the Indians would make a daylight raid on us, so we -arranged about guard duty and slept by turns. However, we heard -nothing of our dusky friends, and at six o'clock the cook called -breakfast as usual. The horses had now been in the corral nearly -twenty-four hours and were very hungry, so four of us saddled up -and went out to make a big circle and find out if our friends had -left us. We went down Flat Willow a mile or more, then swung up -onto the prairie, crossed Beaver Castor and headed home, but could -see no Indian signs. Finally we went up on top of the butte, where -Sagebrush and I had seen the Indian the night before. There in the -loose shale we found his tracks, and saw that after backing down -a little ways he had, like us, turned and run by mighty leaps to -the bottom. There we found a great number of tracks and a lot of -moccasins, some meat, etc., and following the trail we found that -the Indians had crossed Beaver Castor and gone up on the prairie, -where in the thick dry grass we lost all traces of them, and -concluding that they had left we went home and turned the horses -out to feed, with a herder and one other man to herd them. - -"After dinner, perhaps two or three o'clock, we saw a person on -foot come down to the creek from the prairie, about half a mile -below the house. I went down to see who it was, and found to my -surprise that it was a lone Indian woman, and as soon as I came -up to her she began to talk to me in a language which I at once -knew to be Nez Percés, but which I could not understand. I replied -to her in Sioux, and found that she understood and could speak a -little of that tongue, and by piecing it out with signs we got -along very well. I told her to go up to the fort with me and get -something to eat, and afterward she could tell us her story. When -we reached the place the boys all crowded around and stared at her, -and asked all sorts of questions, but I told them to wait, and we -would hear what she had to say. - -"The woman didn't seem to be at all embarrassed. She sat at the -table and calmly and slowly ate the food the cook set before her, -not heeding the ten or eleven pairs of eyes that were intently -watching her. After she had finished eating I asked her to tell us -where she had come from, where she was going and all about herself, -and I interpreted her tale, sentence by sentence, to the boys. She -said: 'I came from Sitting Bull's camp on Milk River, where some -of my people, Nez Percés, are living with the Sioux. Two years -ago, my son went with some Sioux and Nez Percés to war against the -Crows. They had a big fight on the Yellowstone, and it was supposed -that my son was killed. But not long ago I heard that the Crows -had captured my boy, and that he is still living and in the Crow -camp. Having no relatives and no husband, I made up my mind to go -and live with my son, and started out; this is the twenty-third day -since I left Milk River. I have been starved most of the time and -am very tired.' - -"'Hush!' said one of the boys, 'That's too durned thin. I move that -we hang her right now.' - -"At this, every one began to talk at once. Some said she was a spy, -others that she was all right. - -"Finally I said to her, 'The boys, some of them, think you are not -telling the truth. Yesterday a big war party was here, and they -think you belong to that outfit.' - -"'How they lie,' she interposed. 'I haven't seen an Indian since I -left Milk River.' - -"'That may be,' I replied, 'you cannot blame the boys for being -a little suspicious. However, they will not harm you. You are as -safe here as you would be among your own people. Just as soon as -this snow goes, one of our men will start for the Yellowstone with -a four-horse team after some provisions, and you can go with him. -From there it is only a short distance to the Crow camp. In the -meantime you can stay with us here and rest up. Throw off your robe -and make yourself at home.' - -"'I like what you say,' she replied, 'but I am afraid of all these -men. Let me stay close by you.' - -"Wherever I went that afternoon she followed me, and when it came -time to turn in I made her a bed of buffalo robes behind the -counter. Some of the boys spread down in the room and others in the -cook house. - -"'I don't like this,' the woman said to me. 'I am afraid to sleep -there; let me make my bed down beside yours.' - -"'Don't fear,' I replied, 'no harm will come to you. No one in this -place cares for you or wishes to harm you.' - -"'Well, then,' she said, 'if that is so I will step out a minute -and then go to bed.' - -"Now the door to this room was fastened from the inside, when we -wished it, by two wooden bars; outside we closed it merely by a -rawhide thong and pin. Some of us were always at home, and when -we all left this room we fastened the door with the thong to keep -the dogs and the cold air out. As the woman started to go out I -went up to the counter and took my six-shooter, intending to -follow her out, but quicker than a flash she darted through the -door, and closed and fastened it with the thong and pin. Of course -all the boys in the room made a rush, and two of us getting our -fingers between the door and the jamb gave a strong jerk, snapped -the fastening and we all ran out. The woman had disappeared in the -darkness, but we could still hear her footsteps as she ran toward -the brush. Suddenly she gave a peculiar kind of a whistle and from -all around in the brush she was answered by the hooting of owls. We -all rushed back into the fort, put out the lights and made ready -for an attack. - -"After an hour or so the boys began to talk. 'I knowed,' said one, -'that she was a spy.' - -"'Didn't I say to hang her,' exclaimed another. 'You fellers that -thought she was all right are sure soft.' - -"We all sat up until long after daylight, and not until eight or -nine o'clock did any one turn in. But we were not attacked, nor did -we see the woman again. - -"Several weeks afterward, when Hamilton went to the Yellowstone -after supplies, he learned that this woman had stopped at the -'Circle N' ranch and that they had lost one hundred and forty -horses." - - - - -CHAPTER V - -BUFFALO HUNTING WITH THE BLACKFEET - - -Early next morning the camp was in motion, and they travelled south -all day, making a long march. Hugh left the pack horses in charge -of Fox Eye's people, who drove them along with their own, while -he and Jack and Joe joined the flankers, who marched off to one -side, and who killed a few antelope, a few bulls, and hunted out -the stream bottoms that they passed. Each day these hunters killed -just about fresh meat enough to support the camp, which as yet had -plenty of dried meat, so that there was no suffering. That night -Hugh told Jack that the next day they would strike the Musselshell, -and very likely buffalo, but if not, they would cross the river and -move on down toward the Yellowstone, where, on the Dry Fork, or -Porcupine, they would be sure to get what they wanted. - -"We can't stop very long with these people, son," he said; "not -if we're going into the mountains, and going to work our way down -through them back to the ranch. Of course we've got lots of time, -but then we don't want to stay up here too long, and be rushed at -the last, so that we'll have to hurry along and make our horses -poor, and keep ourselves tired all the time. We can stop here for -a while and kill buffalo, and then we'll leave the people, and -strike west into the mountains." - -The next night they camped on the Musselshell, and word was brought -that about twenty or twenty-five miles to the south buffalo were -plenty. Orders were given that from now on no one should kill -buffalo, and camp was moved a day's march still further south, -to the neighborhood of the herd. The next day a bunch of buffalo -was located in a place suitable for a surround. That night the -old crier, as usual, rode around through the camp, telling all -the people to get in their horses, to tie up their running horses -close, ordering the women to sharpen their knives, and the men to -whet their arrow-points, because the next day they were going to -chase buffalo. The following morning, very early, Jack heard him -shouting through the camp, calling to the people to "Get up! get -up!" It was still black night; the stars shone brilliantly in the -sky, the light of the fire showed through the lodge-skins, and -sparks were rising with the smoke, when Jack went out to saddle up -Pawnee. Hugh had had offers of buffalo runners from several of his -friends. Last Bull had asked him to ride the spotted horse that he -had several times used the year before, while Jackson had pressed -upon him a beautiful buckskin that he declared was the best buffalo -horse in the camp. The excitement which always precedes a buffalo -chase pervaded the camp, and every one seemed to be hurrying in the -performance of whatever task was at hand. It was still long before -daylight when Jack and Hugh, following the men who were starting -out, found at a little distance from the camp the group of hunters -who were being held there by the soldiers. - -The sky was just becoming gray in the east when the soldiers -started off, and the hunters followed; and just after the sun had -risen, the halt was made behind a hill which hid the herd from -them. After a little pause, and a few low-voiced directions, horses -were changed, the line spread out, and at first going slowly, rode -up to the crest of the hill, pushed over it, and hurried down -toward the unfrightened buffalo. These were slow to see their -enemies, and the horsemen were close to them before the herd got -started. Jack held back Pawnee until the word came for the charge, -and even after that he still restrained him, not wishing him to run -too hard at first, for the horse was fat, and might lose his wind -if pushed at the start. - -He gave no thought to the whereabouts of his friends; Joe and Hugh -would no doubt take care of themselves. Just before he overtook -the last of the bulls, however, he was aware of a man riding close -to him, and turning saw Billy Jackson, riding the little buckskin, -without a saddle, and carrying in his hands a bow and some arrows, -while he had a quiver on his back. - -Jack laughed at him, and signed to him that he was armed with good -weapons, and Jackson nodded. A moment later they were mixed up -with the dust of the flying herd, and surrounded by buffalo, and -Jack bent his energies to killing a couple of cows. The bulls were -soon passed, and Pawnee, running free and easily, forged up to -the cows. Two fat ones were running just ahead of him, lumbering -heavily, and with their tongues out, yet getting over the ground -with surprising speed. He drew up alongside of one, and shot it, -and it turned a somersault; then touching Pawnee with his heel, he -was soon riding close to another, which also he killed by a single -shot. Then turning, he rode back to the last cow, and looked at -her. She was quite dead. - -The task of butchering seemed rather a heavy one, but he went to -the cow first shot, and, with some trouble split her down the -belly, and then re-mounting, went back to the other cow, which he -treated in the same way. Then he sat down on the ground in the -shade of his horse, and waited. - -An hour later the women and girls and children were seen coming -over the hills with their travois, and scattering out to look at -the dead buffalo, over many of which men who had returned were now -working. When Fox Eye's family came along, Jack spoke to the wife, -and made her understand that these two were his buffalo, and with -two of the other women she set about skinning and cutting them up. - -That night in the lodge, as they were getting ready for bed, Hugh -said to Jack, "Son, have you ever been through this country before? -Do you see anything that you recognize?" - -"Why yes, Hugh, of course, we came through it last year when we -were coming north, but I haven't seen anything to-day that I knew." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I'm not very much surprised at that, but right -along here somewhere is where we passed last year, the second or -third day after we crossed the Yellowstone River, coming north. -Now, I ain't never forgot that sheep's head that we left up in the -tree down there. As I told you then, it's a better head than most, -and likely a better one than you'll ever kill again, and I was -thinking that it wouldn't be a bad idea for you and me to ride down -there and get it. We can go in a day, and come back in another, and -we can easily enough carry the head with us, and take it back to -the ranch. What do you say?" - -"Why, sure Hugh;" said Jack, "I'd like to do that mighty well. I've -always felt sorry that we lost that sheep head, and felt that I -wanted it to take back east. I never thought of our getting it this -year; in fact I never expected to see it again. I'd like very much -to get it, if you feel like it." - -"Well, say we do it. We can start to-morrow or next day; the -Indians'll be here now two or three days at least, killing and -drying meat, and we can easily enough go there, and come back and -catch them before they leave these parts. You and I can go alone, -or we can take Joe; or if you like, we can ask anybody else that we -want to go down there with us. It'll be a nice little trip." - -So it was arranged that within a day or two they should start for -the Yellowstone River, to get the sheep's head. - -It was the second day after that they finally got away. Joe wanted -to go with them, and when they told Jackson what they intended -doing, he said that he too would like to go. This made a party -of four capable men, to whom no danger could come. They took a -couple of pack horses, to carry their bedding and provisions, but -no shelter, for the weather was bright and dry, and there seemed -no prospect of rain. On their way to the Yellowstone they rode -constantly through buffalo and antelope, tame and unsuspicious, and -just moving aside from the track of the travellers as they passed -along. That night they camped on the little stream just where Jack -had killed the sheep, and reaching camp before sundown, Hugh and -Jack rode up the stream to the tree where the sheep's head had been -placed, took it down and brought it to camp. The ashes of the fire -of the year before, and the bones of the sheep from which they had -cut the meat called up old memories. Even the places where the -lines had been tied for drying the meat were remembered. - -Jack was glad enough to get this head again. As Hugh had said, it -was a very fine one. The great horns swung around in more than a -complete curve, and although near the base they were more or less -bruised and battered by the battles the old ram had fought, the -tips of the horns were very nearly perfect. The skin of the head -and neck had been picked by the birds and bleached by the weather, -and Hugh said; "I'm not sure that it will do to use in covering -the skull, son; but even if it is too hard and sunburned to make -anything out of, I'd take it along. If we get another good ram on -the trip you can take his scalp; but if we don't, maybe the man -that puts up your head can make something out of this." - -The next morning before starting back, they rode down to the -Yellowstone River, and looked up and down the valley. There were -some buffalo here too, and a few elk; but there was nothing to -keep them, and they turned about and returned to the Piegan camp, -which they reached that night. - -For some days longer the camp remained here, killing buffalo and -drying the meat. Then they moved east, one day's journey, to -another little stream, and again hunted from here. By this time -many buffalo had been killed, and many robes made. The parfleches -were full of dried meat and back fat; and now presently the chiefs -began to consult as to whether they should not go north again to -the neighborhood of the mountains, for the women wished to gather -roots and berries for the winter. - -One evening when Jack came in from the hunt he saw a great crowd -of people, men, women and children, gathered just outside of -the circle. They seemed to be having a good time, for shouts of -laughter and shrill screams from the women told that something was -happening which amused them all. - -Riding up to the edge of the crowd, Jack saw in the midst of it a -little buffalo calf, standing there with its head down and tail in -the air, facing with very determined attitude two or three small -boys who were trying to approach and get hold of it. Every now and -then one of the little fellows would get up his courage and venture -close to the calf's head, when the calf would charge him and the -boy would jump out of the way; but just as Jack came to a place -where he could see, one of the boys went slowly forward toward -the calf, and just as the calf began to charge, one of the boy's -companions gave him a push forward, so that instead of dodging the -calf he met its charge, and was knocked sprawling on the ground. -Then everybody screamed with laughter, and the boy scrambled out of -the way as fast as he could. - -At one side of the ring of people, Jackson was standing, evidently -much amused at what was going on. Jack called out to him, "What are -they doing, Billy?" - -"Why, I roped this calf to-day and brought him in to try to take -him back to the river, where there are some cows, and raise him, -but some of these small boys got bothering and teasing him, and -I told them if they didn't let him alone I'd turn him loose, and -let him take care of himself, and now it seems to me he's doing it -pretty well; he's knocked a half dozen of 'em out of time already, -and once in a while, if he gets real mad, he charges into the -crowd, and I tell you they scatter." - -The fun went on for a little while longer, and then Jackson, after -speaking to the people, put a rope about the calf's neck, and with -the assistance of two young men, dragged it away to his lodge, -where it was picketed to a stake firmly driven into the ground. - -That night, Joe said to Jack, "Say, Jack, do you want to see some -fun to-morrow?" - -"Of course I do," said Jack. "I always want to be around when -there's any fun going on." - -"Well," said Joe, "there's going to be some fun to-morrow; at least -I think there is. Some of the young men have been making fun of -Eagle Ribs; they say that there's something he dare not do; to -jump from his horse to the back of a bull, and ride it. When they -said that, Eagle Ribs said, 'Why do you talk about doing that? -You should talk about something that is really dangerous. I should -not be afraid to jump on a bull's back and ride him; but it's too -easy; I do not care to do little things like that. It would be a -trouble to me, and could not do any one any good.' The others kept -teasing him, and making fun of him, and at last, after they had -bothered him a good deal, Eagle Ribs said, 'It will be a little -trouble to do this, but if you want to see me I will do it. I will -ride a bull; the fastest and strongest that I can choose. Watch me -to-morrow, and see whether I do it or not.' So to-morrow we're all -going together, to see whether Eagle Ribs will ride the bull." - -"But isn't there danger that the bull will throw him off, and catch -him and kill him?" - -"No," said Joe, "I guess he can stick to it; or, if he can't do -that, why he'll have to be quick on his feet if the bull does throw -him; they can't turn very quickly, you know, and Eagle Ribs, if -he's smart, can get around and keep out of the way of his horns. -Besides that, there'll be a lot of us there, and we can tease the -bull, and get him to chase us, if Eagle Ribs should be in any -danger." - -"Well," said Jack, "it's going to be a regular circus, I guess, and -I'll have to be there." - -"Yes," said Joe, "you want to be there if you can; and a lot of us -young fellows are going to keep pretty close together, and I think -we'll have a real good time, even if we don't kill any buffalo. The -camp has got about all the meat now it wants, anyhow." - -The next morning before the chase began, Jack and Joe found -themselves among a lot of boys about their own age, many of whom -were making fun of and teasing Eagle Ribs. When the chase started -the boys did not ride as usual to try to catch cows, but instead of -that singled out some old bulls that made up the rear of the herd, -and turned them off on to the prairie. - -Then they all began to whoop and yell, and call out Eagle Ribs' -name, and say to him, "Now is the time to show us what you can do. -Here is your horse; now ride him." Eagle Ribs was riding a good -horse, and at once accepted the challenge. He pressed the animal -close up to a bull, and when he was so near that his horse's side -almost touched the buffalo's side, he reached far forward, grasped -the long hair on the buffalo's hump, and threw himself from his -horse onto the bull's back. The bull was frightened, and for a few -minutes it ran faster than all the horses; and then forgetting that -it was being chased, and only anxious to get rid of the terrible -burden that it was carrying, it stopped, and began to plunge and -buck, and skip around, and acted as if it were a calf instead of a -huge old bull. Eagle Ribs clung to it with both hands, and with his -legs, but the bull jumped so high, and came down so hard, that two -or three times he was shaken from his seat. The boys all about him -were shouting with laughter, some of them calling out encouraging -words to the bull, and some to the rider. - - [Illustration: "HE REACHED FAR FORWARD, AND GRASPED THE LONG HAIR - ON THE BUFFALO'S HUMP."--_Page 82._] - -The bull seemed very strong, and for a long time did not get tired, -and two or three times Jack feared that the boy would be thrown -from his back. Presently, however, the bull stopped, and stood -with his head down, glaring at the horsemen about him, as if he -wanted to fight. Now the boys began to ask Eagle Ribs why he had -stopped; why he did not ride further; and one of them threw his -quirt to him, telling him that he should use this to make his horse -go better. Others ran their horses close by, in front of the bull, -trying to make him charge. Toward one of these horses he rushed -furiously, and as he did so, Eagle Ribs slipped from his back and -ran away in the opposite direction, and got behind a horse ridden -by one of the boys. Jack rode up to him, and signed to him to get -on behind him, and then they went back to where Eagle Ribs' horse -was feeding, and he mounted him. Meantime, the bull had run on, and -some of the boys had killed him. - -The next evening the old crier rode about the camp, shouting out -the orders of the chiefs; telling the people that the next day, -early, the camp would move back to the great river. - -On the evening of that day Jack was awakened by a shot in the camp, -and then another, and then a rush of people, followed by a swift -pounding of horses' hoofs on the prairie. He scrambled from his -bed, put on his moccasins, and seizing his gun and cartridge belt, -rushed out-of-doors. Joe was standing in front of the lodge, having -just come out, and Jack asked him what was the matter. "I don't -know sure," said Joe, "only horses have been stolen." - -"Well," said Jack, "why don't they go after the thieves?" - -"Oh," said Joe, "that would not do; that is too dangerous. Suppose -we were to run out onto the prairie, chasing the thieves, they -could stop behind any sage brush, or the edge of any hill, and -shoot us as we came up to them, before we could see them. We'll -have to wait until to-morrow, until it gets light, and then take -good horses and try to catch them." - -The whole camp was now thoroughly awake, and the fires were made -up in every lodge, while people went about visiting each other, -and trying to find out what the extent of the loss had been. It -appeared that only three good horses had been taken; but more would -have been stolen if it had not happened that a man coming back -late from a gambling game, and seeing somebody cutting the rope of -a horse in front of his lodge, had shot at him with a pistol that -he carried. The enemy threw himself on the horse and rode swiftly -away, and at the sound of the shot a half dozen men rushed from -their lodges and fired at the retreating sound. - -It was several hours before the camp quieted down again, and before -daylight next morning forty or fifty men on good horses were -prepared to follow the trail, and try to overtake the thieves. -Both Jack and Joe wished to accompany the pursuing party, but Hugh -advised them not to. He said, "If we had come up here to spend the -summer with these people, maybe there'd be no harm in your going -off, but now in the course of a few days we're going to leave them -and go into the mountains, and if you run your horses down, or if -either of you should get hurt, why it might spoil our whole trip -back to the ranch. These Indians ain't likely to overtake those -fellows, and 'twill just be a long hard ride for nothing. We'd -better stop at the camp for two or three days more, and then strike -out for the mountains, just as we intended to, and go on down -there and see that place they used to call Colter's Hell, and then -go on down through it, and back to the ranch." The boys, rather -unwillingly, agreed to do this. - -Three days later the Piegan village was once more camped not far -from the Judith Mountains, and all the pursuing warriors had -returned, not having overtaken their enemies. Dire were the threats -that they made against the Crows who had stolen the horses, and a -number of war parties were made up to go south and make reprisals -on that tribe. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -AMID WONDERS OF THE YELLOWSTONE PARK - - -It was toward the middle of August that Hugh and Jack and Joe, with -their little pack train, started southwest, to strike the Carroll -Road, to go to the place once known as Colter's Hell, and now as -the Yellowstone Park. Their animals carried only their provisions, -messkit and bedding, and a skin lodge which Hugh had purchased -from Fox Eye's wife. Their way led them through the beautiful -Gallatin Valley, crossing the surveyed line of the Northern Pacific -railroad, then being built westward, and then over the mountains -to the valley of the Yellowstone, which they followed up to the -cañon. Before they reached the Gallatin Valley they had seen plenty -of buffalo, and had killed one for fresh meat, while in the Valley -there were many antelope. In the Bridger Mountains, by which they -passed, elk and deer were abundant; and one morning in the trail -which they followed were seen the tracks of an enormous bear and -two small cubs. - -In the mountain streams which they crossed, trout were abundant, -and they greatly enjoyed the delicious fish which were so easily -caught. - -A wagon road had been built through the cañon into the Yellowstone -Park, and here a number of white people were travelling back and -forth, and wagons were hauling material for hotels and other -buildings that were to be put up near the Mammoth Hot Springs. They -reached these one night, and spent the next day wandering about -them, marveling at the floods of hot water which poured over the -many tiny falls, and deposited the lime which had built up the -terraces of what the people there called "the formations." From an -old German, Jack purchased three or four articles: a horse shoe, a -nail, and the twig of a tree which had been suspended in the water -until coated with a beautiful white covering of lime. - -The next day they climbed the hill to the right and came into -a level park-like country, which they followed south. It was a -picturesque region, with grand mountains showing on every hand, yet -nearby, a green level meadow, spangled with wild flowers, and a -little further back dotted with clumps of pines and spruces, which -were very beautiful. - -At every step there was something new to be seen: new birds, -new animals, and new scenery. The trail led up a fork of the -Gardiner River, and then, crossing over, struck one of the heads -of the Gibbon River, down which they passed, and then suddenly -found themselves in a country of hot springs, which steamed, and -sometimes threw up boiling water to a considerable height. This was -the recently discovered Norris Geyser Basin, and here they camped, -and spent the day walking about among the hot springs, which at -first were very awe-inspiring. In many of them there were old tree -trunks and branches of trees, which, when taken out and examined, -seemed to be partly turned to stone. Fine particles of a flinty -material seemed to have penetrated all the pores of the wood, and -while the branches were not hard, the woody matter in them seemed -gradually to be changing to stone. As they sat eating their supper -that night, Hugh said to Jack, "Well, son, I don't wonder that the -mountain men in old times used to call this Colter's Hell. It is -surely a place where the flames down below seem to be mighty close -to the surface of the earth." - -"It makes me afraid," said Joe. - -"Well," said Jack, "it does me too a little. This morning I was -afraid pretty nearly every minute that I'd fall through the ground -and get into hot water below." - -The next morning they moved camp, and rode over toward the river -intending to look at the Grand cañon, and the wonderful falls of -which they had heard. - -Although the Yellowstone Park had been known for more than ten -years, few people had as yet visited it. Nevertheless, they saw -a number of visitors, some travelling with teams, and some with -pack trains, and altogether the Park seemed quite a bustling -place. That night they camped on the head of Alum Creek, and the -next day, leaving their pack horses picketed and hobbled at the -camp, rode over to see the falls. They rode first down toward the -river, passing the Sulphur Mountain, a great barren hill, full of -hot springs and sulphur vents, about which much sulphur had been -deposited. Many fragments of the bright yellow mineral were strewn -on the ground, and at one place Hugh noticed where two or three -grass blades had fallen across one of the vents' and calling the -boys' attention to this, they all dismounted to look at it. About -these blades of grass, and on their slender heads, most delicate -and beautiful crystals of sulphur had collected. These were so -fragile that a little motion made them loose their hold, and drop -from the grass, or else break, so that it was impossible to carry -them away. Near here, at the foot of the hill, was a large spring, -six or eight feet in diameter, and boiling violently. The water -was sometimes thrown up eight or ten feet high, not in jets, but -seemingly by impulses from the center of the pool, so that the -spray was sent outward in all directions. - -They then followed down the river for two or three miles. It was a -broad stream, swiftly-rushing yet smooth, and nowhere interrupted -by rocks or rapids until the upper falls were almost reached. Here -were short rough rapids and then the tremendous falls. The great -mass of dark water glided rather than plunged into the depths -below, and just below the crest of the cataract was broken into -white foam, which, further down changed to spray. The falls are -162 feet high, and clouds of white vapor constantly rose from the -water below, and hid the view. Looking down the stream, they had a -glimpse of the wonderful cañon below. - -The roar of the falls was so tremendous that conversation was -impossible, and nothing was said; but presently they left the upper -falls and rode on north to the lower one. Here was repeated the -marvelous impression which they got from this tremendous body of -water falling 150 feet sheer to the great basin below, and from -under the mist cloud that hid the foot of the fall came out the -narrow green ribbon of the river, winding and twisting, hardly to -be recognized as a river, dwarfed by distance, and creeping with a -slow oily current. On either side the stream rose the walls of the -cañon, five or six hundred feet to the pine-fringed margin above. - -Looking down the stream, Jack saw a cañon a thousand feet deep, and -perhaps twice as wide, extending for miles to the northward. Its -sides were curiously sculptured and carved into fantastic forms. In -one place a vertical cliff supported lofty cones of rock, ranged -side by side upon the same horizontal ledge along its face. Again, -a narrow buttress arose from the river's level in a series of -pinnacles and turrets overtopping one another, until the summit of -the cañon wall was reached. At one place that wall was so nearly -perpendicular that it seemed as though a stone dropped from the -edge of the cliff would fall at once into the water of the river. -In another, the decomposing rock had been eaten away above until -a talus of fallen rock and earth arose in a steep slope half way -to the top. But to Jack's mind the glory of the cañon was in its -color. The walls glowed with a vivid intense radiance which is -not less wonderful than beautiful. Browns and reds and pinks and -yellows, and delicate grays and pure whites had painted these hard -rocks with a wealth of coloring hardly to be described in words. -In the sun the cañon walls shone with brilliancy. When the clouds -passed over the sky they grew duller and softer, but were hardly -less beautiful. Down close to the river were the most vivid greens, -and in the mist which rose from the foot of the fall were seen, -when the sun was shining, all the hues of the rainbow. - -The travellers sat long watching this wonderful sight, and then -pushing along the margin of the cañon, below the falls, walked out -on a projecting point of rock, and looked up and down the river. -The more they gazed, the more wonderful it seemed, the harder to -take it all in, and the harder to put into words. - -On a pinnacle of rock, rising from the end of the point on which -they had walked, was a great nest, in which the boys noticed two -large and downy young birds. Flying up and down over the river, -sometimes low over the water, again far above the heads of those -who stood on the edge of the cañon, were great hawks--eagles, -Hugh afterward said they were, but Jack recognized them as -fish-hawks--and while they were standing there, one of these great -birds brought a fish to the nest, and tearing it to pieces with its -beak, gave the fragments to its greedy young. Jack noticed, also, -little sparrow-hawks flying about the edge of the cañon, and, far -below at the edge of the river, saw little birds flying from point -to point, which he thought must be dippers. - -The whole day was spent here, for no one seemed to wish to return -to the camp; but at last, as the sun swung low, and the pangs -of hunger began to be felt, they returned to their horses, and -mounting them, were soon at camp once more. - -The next morning they set out up the river to go to the lake. On -the way they passed two well known places. The Mud Volcano, a huge -hot spring of gray clay, which steamed, and bubbled, and thumped, -and sometimes spouted, throwing up its mud to a great height. Jack -in his mind compared the boiling mud to mush boiling in a kettle, -but as this pool of mud was fifty feet in diameter, the comparison -was not a good one. All about, the trees were splashed with mud, -which had dried on them, showing that at some time, not long -before, there had been an eruption. Nearby, on the hillside, was -a steam spring in a little cavern, which they had heard of as the -Devil's Workshop. From this cavern came constantly great volumes -of steam, while within it were heard hollow bubbling noises, which -sounded like the clang and clash of great pieces of machinery -turning. It was a mysterious place, and neither one of the three -cared to go very close to it. There were boiling springs and -sulphur vents hereabout in great plenty, and the place seemed an -uncanny one. - -The way to the lake was attractive: it led through forests, -sometimes of living green, and at others killed by fire. -Occasionally they passed through pretty grassy meadows, and from -them had charming views of the river, which grew wider as they -approached the lake, and seemed to spread out over wide flats. -To the right the mountains rose sharply, forming the "Elephant's -Back," a thousand feet in height. - -Presently they came to a broad opening, and saw before them the -lake. At the outlet the grass grew thick and rank, and in the -marshes, pond-holes and sloughs here, they saw many flocks of wild -ducks and geese; and sand-pipers and beach birds fed along the -shore. Some swans were seen, and a few great white pelicans. - -Their fresh meat was now exhausted, and for a day or two they had -been living on trout, of which great numbers were caught in the -streams that they had crossed, for fish are abundant everywhere in -the mountains. When they made camp that night, Jack got out his -line, and cutting a pole, went down to the shore to catch some -fish, while Hugh and Joe made the fire. - -Jack had hardly thrown his hook in the water when it was seized, -and he dragged a large fish to shore. As he was taking it off the -hook however, he noticed a bunch on its side, and after examining -it for a moment, cut into this bunch with his knife, and drew from -it a long white worm. He got a dozen trout, but all of them seemed -to be afflicted with this parasite, and finally putting up his line -he carried them to the fire, and showed them to Hugh. Both Hugh and -Jack agreed that these fish were not fit to eat, and that night -they supped on dried meat and back-fat. - -As they had made camp that night they had noticed, just beyond -them, two white tents, and had seen some horses feeding near the -lake shore. Shortly after their supper, a man walked into the camp, -and after saluting them, sat down by the fire. A little talk showed -that he was a member of the geological survey that worked in the -Park, and he had been attracted to their camp by the fact that -they had an Indian lodge. He was a pleasant man, and seemed quite -willing to talk, and to answer all their questions, and very much -interested in his work. After he and Hugh had talked together for -a while, Jack ventured to ask some questions about the Park, and -especially about the place where they now were. "Won't you tell me, -sir," he said, "what you can about this big lake that we are on. -It looks to me awful big to be up here high in the mountains. Of -course I know it isn't anything like the Great Lakes; still it's -the largest lake I ever saw." - -"It is a large lake," said their visitor, "for it contains about -150 square miles of water, and there is probably no lake in North -America of equal size at so great an elevation. You see, we are -about 7700 feet above the level of the sea. Roughly speaking, the -shape of the lake is like that of an open hand which lacks the -first and middle finger; the wrist is the northern end of the lake, -the west arm answers to the outstretched thumb, and the south and -southeast arms to the ring and little finger. If you are going to -travel around it, you will feel that it is a lovely sheet of water. -It is very picturesque, and in fair weather it lies here like a -great sapphire beneath the unclouded sky. But when the storms come -up, and the wind rolls down along the mountain sides, the lake can -get up a great sea, and one would not care to be out on it. But in -fair weather it is very beautiful--to me the loveliest spot in all -the park. And what is more, I never get tired of it; the more I see -it, and the more familiar I become with its scenery, the lovelier -it is. From every promontory and every bay, and from every -hillside above it, one has always a different view, and each view -has a charm that is all its own." - -The geologist sat there long with them that night, talking to them -in a most interesting way about the Park and the geysers and the -cañons. He told them that all this country was volcanic in origin, -and that for some reason or other, which he did not know, the heat -still remained close to the surface of the earth; and that this was -the reason that there were so many hot springs and geysers here. - -"It's one of the most interesting regions in the world," he said, -"and one of the most beautiful. As yet, people do not appreciate -it. Many people do not even know that it exists; but the time -will come when thousands will gather here each summer, from all -quarters of the world, to see its beauties. Geologically, it is -most interesting, and already geologists from all over the world -are coming to see it, or are making plans to come. I predict that -the time is coming when the Yellowstone Park will be acknowledged -to be the most wonderful place in the world." - -As the visitor rose to go, he looked about the lodge and said, -"So this is an Indian lodge, is it? I've often read about them, -but this is the first one I've ever seen. They seem warm and -comfortable, but are they not rather smoky?" - -"No," said Hugh, "they're not smoky; but you must remember they're -not made to stand up in; people in the lodge are expected to sit -down, or to lie down. If there's a fire burning, and no wind -blowing, or if the air is damp and heavy, smoke often gathers in -the top of the lodge, and a man standing in it finds about his -head more than he likes. Stoop down a little bit and you will see -that the smoke no longer troubles you." The geologist did as Hugh -advised, and seemed to be greatly interested by the discovery that -it was as he had said; and then bidding them good night, he left -the lodge. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -GEYSERS AND HOT SPRINGS - - -They were afoot before the sun had arisen next morning, and the -outlook over the lake was beautiful. Away to the east and south -were many mountain peaks, the names of which they did not know; but -all grand and majestic, and far away to the south was one larger -than any of the others, and covered with snow. As Jack looked at -them, he saw these snowy crowns take on a glow of pink, and then -grow brighter and brighter, and then could see the sunlight creep -down the sides of the mountains, and finally it was broad day. The -islands in the lake interested him, and he thought them beautiful. - -As they passed the geologist's camp, they saw him standing with his -back to the fire, and he called out good morning to them; then, -signing to Hugh to draw near, he said, "Excuse me for asking you, -but I suppose you have been to the Upper and Lower Geyser Basins?" - -"Well," said Hugh, "we've been to one geyser basin; that one on the -way to the falls, but that's the only one we've seen." - -"Well," said the geologist, "of course you know your own affairs -best, but it seems to me you will make a great mistake if you do -not get to the Upper and Lower Geyser Basins, because it's there -that the most wonderful geysers are to be seen." - -"Well," said Hugh, "we're travelling through here to see the -sights, and I'd be mightily obliged to you if you'd tell me what -we'd better do. We are strange to the country, and don't know -anything about it." - -"I shall be very glad to help you in any way that I can," said the -geologist, "and you certainly should not miss the geyser basins. -You can follow the trail along the lake here for about twenty -miles, and then turn to your right, at the end of the Thumb, and -strike northwest across through the timber, to the streams running -into the Firehole River, and follow them down, and that will take -you to the Lower Geyser Basin; then from there you must travel -up the Firehole to the Upper Geyser Basin. Then, if you want to, -you can cross over to Shoshone and Lewis Lakes, and go on south, -following Snake River, to Jackson's Lake. From there you can go -wherever you please, but if you choose to follow up Pacific Creek, -and pass through Two Ocean Pass, that will bring you back on the -upper Yellowstone, and then you can come down to the lake again." - -"Well," said Hugh, "we want to go south, and to get down on the -streams that run into the Platte. I reckon we might as well go -down to Jackson's Lake the way you say, and then strike across the -country, over into the Wind River drainage, and then over onto the -Platte." - -"Yes, I guess that is one very good way to go if you know the way -across the range," said their friend. - -"Well," said Hugh, as he started on, "we'll try to find a way, and -anyhow we're mightily obliged to you for telling us about those two -geyser basins, and we'll sure see them before we go south;" and -saying goodbye to their acquaintance, they rode on. - -A few miles further along the trail, they came to a natural bridge, -spanning a brook which now carried little water, but showed that -in the spring it was much larger. The stream had burrowed its way -beneath a dike of lava, at right angles to its course, and was -bridged by a nearly perfect arch of rock, about six feet thick -above the keystone. From the top of the bridge on its lower side -to the bed of the stream is about sixty feet, and the bridge is -twenty-five feet long, and the arch fifteen feet in width. The lava -stands in upright layers, from one to four feet in thickness, and -seems to have separated into these thin plates in cooling. - -Beyond the bridge, the dim trail which they followed led for the -most part through the pleasant green timber, but at midday they -passed over several hog-backs, from which the timber had long ago -been burned off, most of the tree trunks had rotted away, and only -a few charred fragments of the roots remained on the ground. No -young growth had sprung up to replace the old, and the ground was -bare: not merely bare of timber, but bare even of underbrush, weeds -and grass. Exposed for years to the full force of the weather, the -rains and melting snows had swept away all the rotted pine needles, -twigs and fallen branches which had formed the old forest floor and -soil, leaving only the fine lava sand and gravel, without any soil -to support vegetation. Dry, thirsty and desolate, these hog-backs -resembled the desert, a barren waste in the midst of the green pine -forest. - -Hugh turned to Jack and said, "You see, son, what the forest fires -may do in these mountains. When the timber burns off, unless there -are seeds in the soil to spring up at once, the snow, melting -quickly, washes away the soil, and leaves the rock, whether it is -solid or broken up fine like this here, uncovered and without the -power to support anything. Every year the snow melting quickly -washes off a larger tract, and so these little deserts increase in -size. The time is coming, I am afraid, when these mountains will -all be burned over, and then what the ranchmen down on the prairie -are going to do for water for their hay meadows and their crops I -don't know." - -"But, Hugh," said Jack, "aren't there laws forbidding people to set -the timber on fire?" - -"Yes," said Hugh, "there's plenty of laws, but the trouble is -nobody pays any attention to them." - -Toward evening they camped on the shores of the lake, at what Hugh -supposed was the Thumb, and he told the boys that the next day he -was going to start off northwest through the timber, and try to -strike the streams leading down to the Firehole. - -Making an early start, they rode up the hill, following a deep -ravine through the cool green timber, over ground covered with -feathery moss, where the hoofs of the animals made no sound as they -struck the ground. Soon the lake was lost to view, and then, on -all sides of them rose the tall straight boles of the pine trees. -There seemed not very much life. A few small birds were seen in -the tops of the trees. Some gray jays gathered near them when they -stopped at midday to eat, and uttered soft mellow whistles, and two -came down very close to Jack and Joe, and picked up little bits of -dried meat that they threw to them. - -Soon after they started on, they came to a stream, and following -that down, about three or four o'clock rode into the Lower Geyser -Basin. - -Here was a large wet meadow, with green grass, and plenty of -good camping spots; and before long they had the lodge up, and -closing the door, started out to make a tour of the basin. The -many geysers, large and small, and the wonderful hot springs of -surpassing clearness and deep blue color astonished and delighted -Hugh and the boys. Many of the springs were very hot, seeming to -boil from beneath, bubbles of steam following one another to the -surface, and then exploding. One of these large springs, about -twenty-five feet long and more than half as wide, gave a vigorous -display, beginning first to boil at the middle, and then to spout; -at length throwing the water about in all directions, from twenty -to forty feet in height. The margins of all these geysers and hot -springs were beautifully ornamented with yellow gray and pinkish -deposits of stone, which took the form of beads and corals and -sponges, and all the tree trunks and branches seen in and near them -were partly turned to stone. Close to the geysers were what are -called the paint-pots. These are boiling pools of finely divided -clay of various colors. The air seemed to be forced up slowly -through the thick fluid, making little puffs, much like those -that one would see in a kettle of boiling indian meal. Some of -these paint-pots were very large, others small, and they were of -a variety of colors--some red, some white, some yellow, and some -softly gray. The clay was exceedingly smooth to the touch. - -The Geyser Basin was long, and contained a great many wonderful -springs and geysers, of which some, like the Grotto, had built up -great craters for themselves, twelve or sixteen feet high. - -The Grotto was at the end of the Lower Geyser Basin, and from here -they turned back to go to their camp. Much talk was had during the -evening of the wonderful things that they had seen, and of what -they expected to see in the morning. - -An early start brought them to the Upper Geyser Basin not long -after the sun had risen. Not far from the Grotto which they had -seen last night was the Giant, with an enormous crater, from which -great volumes of steam were escaping, and where the water could be -heard boiling below the surface, and occasionally rising in great -jets which splashed over the top. They camped near at hand, and -turning out their horses, proceeded on foot to see Old Faithful, -the Bee-hive, the Giantess, the Grand, and many other large -geysers, besides many hot springs wonderful in color and in the -purity of their waters. - -Just before they reached Old Faithful, the roar of its discharge -was heard, and its wonderful shaft of water was seen rising, by -two or three rapid leaps finally to a height of over one hundred -feet, with clouds of steam reaching far higher, and drifting off -with the wind. The great column of water maintained its height for -fully five minutes, and then, dropping by degrees, it sank down -and disappeared. All about the crater the naked shell of silica -which surrounds it was flooded with water, so hot that Jack and -Joe, who tested it with their fingers, shook them violently and at -once thrust them into their mouths. The crater of this geyser is -very beautiful. It stands on a little mound and is four or five -feet high, and its lips are rounded into many strange and beautiful -forms, beaded and shining like glistening pearls, while all about -it are little terraced pools of the clearest water, with scalloped -and beaded borders. The margins and floors of these pools are -tinted with most delicate shades, white, buff, brown and gray, -and in many of them are beautiful little pebbles, which are also -opalescent. - -Many cruel hands had been at work breaking down these beautiful -borders, to carry them away, and people who had visited the place -had scrawled their names on the smooth pebbles and in the beautiful -flooring of the pools. - -Hugh said to Jack, "Well, we come from the Indians, and we belong -in a cow camp; but we ain't low down enough to spoil pretty things -like these, by writing our names on 'em, are we, son?" - -"No, Hugh, we're not," said Jack, "and I'm mighty glad of it. I -don't think anybody that had any love for pretty things would want -to spoil them in this way, or take any of this beautiful bordering -away with them. You get these pretty things away from their -surroundings, and they are not pretty any longer. It's like picking -a beautiful flower and carrying it away with you; before you've -got far, it's all faded and gone, and good for nothing except to -throw away." - -During the day, which seemed to them all too short, the geysers -were good to them. The Bee-hive played, throwing up a slender shaft -of water to a height of about 200 feet; the Grand Geyser sent up a -stream eighty feet in height; the Castle played, but its exhibition -was not very showy compared with the others that they had seen. But -toward afternoon, the greatest of all the geysers, the Giantess, -gave an exhibition of her power, throwing up a vast quantity of -water, sometimes to a height of one hundred feet. While the geyser -was playing, Jack and Joe brought a large tree stump and threw it -into the basin, and it was instantly whirled to a height of 200 -feet, looking at the last like a tiny piece of wood. The wind, -which was blowing, kept the steam and water from going nearly as -high as the stump went. The roar of the geyser was tremendous, -and its force shook the ground all about, so that those who were -looking on were almost afraid. - -As they returned to camp that night they saw a party of tourists -moving about among the geysers, and passing near they could see -that they were busy with axes and a pick, cutting away and prying -out the borders of some of the geyser pools. It was an irritating -sight, but they could do nothing, and much of the way back to camp -was devoted to talking of the wickedness of destroying the beauties -of this place, and declaring that the government ought to do -something to protect the wonders of the region from the destruction -which constantly threatened them. - -At night, after supper, they sat in the lodge talking about what -they should do to-morrow, and for the following days. Generally, -their idea was to travel in a southeasterly direction, and finally -to bring up at Mr. Sturgis' ranch; but just how they should go was -uncertain. Neither Jack nor Joe had ever before travelled in the -mountains, and they were therefore quite dependent on Hugh for -advice. Jack said, "Of course, Hugh, we want to get back to the -ranch, but then, too, we want to see as much as we can of what -there is in the mountains; but I suppose we'll have to travel -by some trail or some road, because we can't take the horses -everywhere." - -"Well, that's so," said Hugh; "we can't go everywhere, but then -again, when you are travelling with a pack train there's mighty -few places where you can't go; you're mighty free and independent -when you're packing. Of course you can't take a pack train up a cut -cliff; but, on the other hand, the rough mountains and down timber -don't cut much figure; you can pretty much always go round, and -keep your general direction. You can go and come about as you want -to." - -"Well," said Jack, "of course I never travelled before with a pack -train in the mountains, but I tell you I like it. It's a mighty -pretty sight to see the white packs winding in and out among the -timber, or to see them following one another along a narrow ridge, -or zigzaging up and down a steep hillside, as we've seen them since -we've been here in the Park." - -"Yes," said Hugh, "it's a nice way to travel; of course it's a -little slower than a wagon, and it takes you some time to load and -unload; but then again you can often go straight, instead of going -a long way round, and I like it." - -"I tell you," said Joe, "I like to watch these horses. I don't know -whether they've ever been in the mountains before, but it seems -to me they're smart. They seem to know a whole lot, and I notice -that when they're going along among the trees, sometimes I see a -horse start to go between two trees, where I think there isn't -room enough for the pack, but generally they get through. Then, -sometimes, going under branches it seems to me that the pack has -got to strike the branches, but the horses generally get under them -without touching. Of course if they follow old Baldy close, there -is always room enough; but now and then that dun horse tries to -cut off a corner, and get in ahead of one of the others, and then -sometimes I think he's bound to get caught. He only did so once, -day before yesterday, and then he went between two trees where -there wasn't room enough; then he pushed and pushed and pushed for -a long time, and I had to run round in front of him and drive him -back, and then he got out." - -"Yes," said Hugh, "horses that are used to the mountains, or mules -or burros, get to be mighty smart in going through thick timber, -and if the packs are properly put on, there isn't likely to be much -trouble, unless you strike down timber. Of course, down timber is -bad." - -"Well, what is down timber, Hugh?" said Jack. "I've heard of places -in the woods back east where a hurricane goes along and tears up -all the trees in a strip for miles in length. They call that a -wind-fall there. Is that the way down timber is made here?" - -"No," said Hugh, "we've plenty of wind here, but it don't often -act that way. Down timber comes like this: say that you have a -rough and rocky mountain side, where the timber stands thick, -most of the trees will be from six to ten inches in diameter, but -they'll all be pretty near of a size. Now, suppose a fire passes -over this, and kills all these trees; likely it doesn't burn them -to amount to anything, but it's hot enough to sort o' cook the -sap, and kill the trees. They'll stand there naked, with the bark -gradually drying up and peeling off them, maybe for twenty, thirty -or forty years; and likely while they're standing there, there'll -be a new growth of young pines springing up among them, and grow to -quite a height. But after a while these dead trees get white and -weathered, and the dead roots that hold them in the ground keep on -rotting and rotting, and at last these roots become so weak that -there's nothing to support the tall trunk that stands there, and -then with every big wind that comes blowing along, some of the -trees get blown over, and fall to the ground. They don't all fall -at once, but some may fall to-day with a south wind, and some may -fall next week with a west wind, and some the week after with a -north wind. In this way they're falling all the time, and in all -sorts of directions, and presently the timber will lie piled up on -the ground there, criss-cross in all directions. Now, if the logs -are not more than a foot or two above the ground, and don't lie -too close together, you can take your train through them, but if -they lie three or four feet high, of course the horses can't step -or jump over them, and you've either got to go winding round among -them, picking out the low places where the animals can get across, -or else you've got to chop your way through, or else you've got to -back out and go round. That's down timber." - -"But Hugh," said Jack, "I should think it would be kind of -dangerous to ride through one of those patches of dead timber when -the wind is blowing; they might fall on you." - -"Well," said Hugh, "so they might. I've sometimes had to ride -through a patch of that timber when the trees were falling all -about, but I never happened to have one fall on me, nor on any -animal that I was driving. The chances are mighty few that you'll -get hit. I mind one time a big tree fell, with the top about twenty -feet from one of my animals, and threw dirt and splinters all about -him. The horse was scared a whole lot, and ran away; but of course -I got him again." - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE - - -The next morning they made an early start, and following up the -Firehole, turned up a branch coming in from the east, only a -short distance beyond Old Faithful. They purposed to go over to -Shoshone Lake, and camp there, and to do this they must pass over -the Continental Divide, for the Firehole finds its way through the -Madison River, and the Missouri, to the Atlantic Ocean, while the -waters of the Shoshone Lake fall into Snake River, then into the -Columbia, and so at last reach the Pacific. - -The way was pleasant, through park-like openings and green timber, -and the distance not great. There was no trail, but they followed -up a narrow grassy valley, whose slopes on either side were clothed -with pines. - -At last, when Hugh thought they must be near the Divide, they -found down timber, and began to wind about among the logs. Little -by little, however, matters grew worse, and presently a stick was -encountered over which old Baldy could not step, but on which he -caught his foot and almost fell. Here all hands dismounted, and -getting an ax out of a pack, Hugh and the boys went ahead, and by -lifting some of the larger sticks, and breaking smaller ones, and -a little chopping, a way was soon made by which the horses could -pass along. - -Beyond this timber was an open and almost level country, which Hugh -declared was the Divide, and passing along a little further, they -began to go down a gentle hill. Here there were park-like meadows -and low wooded hills on either side. There were a few little -gullies, but no water; and in the dry stream-beds and water-holes -were many tracks of elk, all made in the spring when the ground was -soft. From the summit of this Divide, when snows are melting in -the early summer, little trickles of water pour down the opposite -sides of the mountains, some to the north, to find their way into -the Firehole; others south toward Snake River. Hugh followed the -general direction of one of these water-courses, which constantly -grew larger, and presently turned into one still wider, whose sandy -bottom was dotted with great blocks of black lava. Hugh pointed out -these to the boys, and said to them, "That's the stuff that in old -times many of the Indians used to make their arrow points from. It -must have been a great article of trade, for away up north of the -boundary line I have seen little piles of chips of that black glass -lying on the prairie, where men have been making arrow-heads, and I -know that there wasn't any of the rock within 400 miles." - -All along the valley of this dry stream was a beautiful park of -gently rolling country, with timbered knolls and open grassy -intervales. Some of the trees were very large--two or three feet in -diameter. - -It was early in the afternoon when they reached Shoshone Lake, -and riding along its smooth, firm beach, camped in a little point -of spruces. The lake was large, and looked as if it should have a -fish in it. Jack got out his rod and put it together, and standing -it against a tree, went back into the open meadow where the horses -were feeding, to catch grasshoppers. He caught half a dozen, and -then, returning, fished faithfully for quite a long distance along -the shore, but without success. Neither could he see anywhere that -fish were rising, and he wondered whether it could be possible that -this beautiful lake, which seemed an ideal home for trout, should -have none in it. Joe, on the other hand, as soon as camp had been -made, had taken his rifle and started out on foot, working along -the edge of the lake and looking for game. He found many old elk -tracks and a very few made by deer, but went quite a long distance -without seeing anything. Then, turning away from the shore of the -lake, and taking the hillside at some distance from it, he began to -work back to the camp. Here there were more deer tracks, but none -that seemed worth while for him to follow, and he began to feel -discouraged. When he had come almost opposite the camp he crossed -a wide dry water-course, going now rather carelessly, though still -making no noise, yet not trying to keep out of sight. As he climbed -the gentle slope, after crossing the little valley, and had almost -reached the top, he stopped, and turned about and looked backward, -and there to his astonishment saw, projecting above a patch of low -willows and weeds, the heads of two fawns. They were staring at him -most innocently, but the camp needed meat, and bringing his rifle -to his shoulder he fired at the neck of one of them, and the little -deer disappeared, while the other turned about and raced away -through the brush. - -Going to the place Joe found the fawn quite a small one, though it -had already lost its spotted coat. He dressed it, and then throwing -it on his shoulders walked quickly to the camp. As he came in front -of the lodge, Hugh said to him, "Hello, Joe, what have you got -there, a jack rabbit?" - -"Well," said Joe, "it is not much bigger, but it's the only thing -I have seen except another of the same size, and that I could not -shoot at." - -That night as the sun went down the wind began to blow a fresh dry -wholesome breeze from the west. The wind raised quite a sea on the -lake, and big waves tumbled up on the beach one after another, -so fast that it was not an easy matter to get a bucket of water -without at the same time getting a wet foot. Jack and Joe walked -along the beach a little way. - -"Do you know, Joe," said Jack, "this looks to me just like the -seashore; the wind blows in the same way, and the waves have the -same white-caps, and the surf roars as it pounds on the beach; and -there is the moon on the water. Why it seems to me just like some -nights I have walked on the beach, back east on the Long Island -shore." - -"Well," said Joe, "it's not like anything I ever saw before. Up in -our country we don't have sand beaches like this, though we do have -the lake, and the waves and the wind." - -The animals were packed early next day, and they followed the -shores of the lake southward. In some places they could see where -elk had passed along recently, and there were tracks of bulls and -cows and calves. In some places, too, along the beach the pines, -which were small yet looked old, were all bent toward the eastward, -and had no branches on the western side. Joe pointed these trees -out to Hugh and said, "Why is it Hugh that these trees seem all -bent one way, and have no branches on the other side; is it the -wind?" - -"Yes," said Hugh, "the wind. You'll see that in lots of places, -especially on mountain tops, and along big waters like this, where -the wind blows mostly from the west and northwest, and gets a wide -sweep." - -The wind was still blowing hard, and the lake was in a turmoil. The -air was cold, and all hands wore their coats as they rode along. - -A day's journey took them by Shoshone Lake and Lewis Lake, and -they camped below it on Lewis Fork. For much of the distance the -trail passed through an attractive open country, full of streams -and springs, and dotted with clumps of thick willow brush; while on -the higher lands were the ever-present pines. To the left was the -lofty ridge of the Red Mountain Range, down which half a hundred -beautiful cascades hurried toward the river. To the right was the -stream, and beyond the steep sides of the Pitchstone Plateau, so -called from the black glossy fragments of the lava rock, of which -the soil is largely made up. It was evident that this would be -a hard trail in the early spring, for it was low and wet, and -animals would have trouble in passing over it at any except the -dry season. - -A few miles below the camp they began to look for a ford. The -stream looked deep and difficult, yet it was necessary for them to -cross it, for on the east side the mountains came down close to the -river in a steep and impassable jumble of slide rock. Just above -them they could see a great water-fall, not far below the lake. -It was now getting toward night, and Hugh was a little uncertain -whether to cross this stream, or to camp on this side. However, he -determined to cross, and stopping, had the boys catch up the pack -animals, while he rode into the stream to prospect for a ford. He -kept diagonally down the river, going very slowly, and feeling for -the shoalest places, but at last, reached the opposite bank and -climbed out. Then, turning about, he recrossed, and telling the -boys to keep the horses close to him, he led them into the stream. -The ford was rather deep, the water coming more than half way up -the horses' bodies, so that they all tucked their feet up behind -them on the saddle, and rode along with some anxiety, lest a false -step or a stumble over the great stones which formed the river -bottom should throw down one of the animals, and so wet either a -pack or a rider. However, the crossing was made safely, and then -climbing the steep hill, they kept on through the timber, soon, -however, camping by a little spring, in an opening where there was -food for the animals. - -By the time camp was made, the sun had set and it was too late to -hunt. The little deer had all been eaten, and once more they made -their meal on dried meat and back-fat. - -The next day they kept on through the green timber, riding over -ridges and at a distance from the stream, though now and then they -had glimpses of its dark hurrying waters. To the right were seen -some little lakes, one of them covered with water-fowl. Across the -trail that they were following--if it could be called a trail--was -some fallen timber, but nothing that delayed them. Jack noticed -that some of the living trees were curiously bent in their growth, -sometimes at right angles to the vertical a foot or two from the -ground, the trunk growing six inches or a foot horizontally, and -then turning once more straight toward the sky, the remainder -of the tree being straight as an arrow. In some cases the bend -was more than this, the tree growing straight up for a foot, and -then turning over, growing down for a few inches or a foot, and -then making another curve, and growing upright once more. Some of -these curves were almost shaped like the letter S, and Jack kept -wondering what caused these bends. As they stopped at midday to -unsaddle and let the horses feed and to eat something themselves, -Jack asked Hugh about the curious way in which these trees grew. - -Hugh smiled and said, "I don't much wonder you ask about that, son. -I remember that I used to think about that a good deal, and wonder -how it happened. But it is easy enough to explain if you once get -onto it, and you can easily enough get onto it if you travel around -through the mountains enough. - -"You know I told you the other day," he continued, "that when a -country has been burned over, the trees stand for a good many -years, and then they commence to fall in all directions. Likely -enough before they begin to fall, a whole lot of young trees and -sprouts have started from the ground, and are growing among them. -Now, nothing is more likely than that some of these falling trees -may happen to fall upon these young saplings and sprouts. Some of -them they smash down flat, and the sprout dies; but sometimes they -fall so as just to bend a sprout over, or so that a little small -sprout just growing is bound to grow up against the log as the -sprout grows larger. These young trees are springy and bend easily. -Of course the ones that are smashed down and broken off short are -killed; we never hear anything more of them. But likely enough -there are some young and hardy plants caught beneath the tops or -branches of the fallen trees within a foot or two of the ground, -and not much hurt but just held down. Sometimes these little trees -are pressed flat to the ground, and when they are, they usually -die. But if they are only bent over a few inches, or a foot or two -from the ground, they don't always die. Instead of that they keep -on growing, and of course the top of the growing tree keeps on -reaching up all the time toward the light. No matter if it is bent -flat, it tends to turn upward, so that all of it beyond the place -where the dead tree is pressing on it grows straight, just like all -the other trees around it. Then, after a while the dead stick which -is holding the young tree down, rots, and at last disappears. The -injured tree grows larger and larger, and at last gets to be a big -tree; and there is then nothing to show how this big tree should -have grown in such a bent, queer fashion." - -"Well now, Hugh, that's mighty interesting," said Jack, "and I -ought to have worked it out for myself, for three or four times -to-day I saw dead trees pressing little green sprouts over to one -side; but I never thought about that being the reason for the bends -in these big trees. The fact is, I never thought of them bending -while the trees were young, but supposed it must be some accident -or disease that had struck the trees after they were big." - -"Well," said Hugh, "you see it's all simple enough, if you -understand it." - -"Simple!" said Jack, "Why it's simple as rolling off a log; but -you've got to understand the reason." - -"Well," said Hugh, "you keep your eyes open as you ride through -the timber, and you'll see the very thing I've been talking about, -happening before your face all the time." - -The wind blew fiercely all day long, though when they were in -the timber they hardly felt it, and only the sighing of the -pines and occasionally the crash of some distant tree told of -the force of the gale. They crossed Snake River about noon, and -kept on southward. During a halt at the river all hands went to -the fishing, and caught some splendid trout, which they promptly -cooked and which gave them a delicious meal. A little more fishing -furnished them with enough fish for two or three meals more, and -Jack was hard at work trying to catch a big one that he had seen -rise, when he saw two great shadows on the water, and looking up, -saw only a few yards above him a pair of great sand-hill cranes. -They were not in the least afraid, and flying on a little further, -alighted in the meadow where they fed, walking about in most -dignified fashion until the train started on again, and alarmed -them. - -As they went into camp that afternoon at a little spring, Hugh said -to the boys, "Now, look here; if one of you don't go out pretty -soon and kill something, I'll have to do that myself. This camp -needs fresh meat. Dried meat and back-fat is good; fish are good; -but we want either a deer or an elk; or, better still, if you can -find it, a buffalo; but I reckon these bison here in the mountains -are a little too smart for any of us. They're pretty scarce, and -they're pretty watchful." - -"Well," said Jack, "which one of us shall go? We can't both go, -because one has got to stay and help drive the animals. I'll toss -up with you, Joe, to see which shall hunt to-morrow morning." - -"All right," said Joe, "I'll toss up;" but as no one of them had a -coin, Jack took a fresh chip, and rubbing some black earth on one -side of it, said, "We'll call that black side heads, and the other -tails; and Hugh will throw the chip. You call, Joe." Hugh tossed -the chip into the air, and Joe called heads. But the chip came down -the clean side up, and so Jack was to go hunting next morning. - -As soon as the animals were packed, Jack started off, keeping to -the right of the trail and up the hill. He knew, of course, that -at this time of the year the elk were likely to be found high up, -and the deer, too; for the flies and mosquitoes were bad. The -underbrush was thick, and there were many marshy places, and once -this hillside had been covered with a great forest, for it was -strewn with logs. The underbrush seemed higher and thicker than he -had been accustomed to, and he saw many sorts of plants that he -did not remember to have seen before; and at last it struck him -that perhaps as he was now on the western side of the Continental -Divide, the rain-fall might be greater, and that this might make a -difference in the vegetation. Willow and alders, and other brush, -made riding rather difficult, and besides that, the hillsides -grew steeper and steeper, until at last Jack dismounted, and -clambering up on foot, left Pawnee to follow, as he had long ago -been trained to do. Getting up on a high ridge, bald now, though -once forest-grown, for the ground was strewn with great charred and -rotting tree-trunks, long before killed by fire, he followed the -ridge toward higher land, and gradually climbing, at last reached a -commanding height, from which he saw the beautiful Jackson's Lake, -and its lovely surroundings. - -To the eastward the Red Mountain Ridge, rising above him, cut off -the view, but northeast he could see the valley of Snake River, -broad near at hand, but narrowing further off, until the mountains, -closing in, hid the silver ribbon of the stream's course. To the -west were the splendid gray and white masses of the Teton range, -low and rounded toward the north, with long easy ridges of moderate -steepness, and crowned with great fields of snow. Toward the -southward the mountains became more and more abrupt, until at last -the highest peak of all, Jack knew must be the Grand Teton. From -this pinnacle the ridge gradually sank away again, becoming lower -and lower in the blue and misty distance. Immediately under the -ridge, and south of where Jack stood, was Jackson's Lake. He had -often heard Hugh speak of Jackson's Hole and Jackson's Lake, spots -for many years hardly known to white men, and about which most -marvelous stories were told. Here, men used to say--the miners that -the streams were paved with nuggets of gold, the trappers that the -rivers and forests abounded in fur, the hunters that game was so -abundant and so tame that there was always plenty to eat, and the -camp never starved; and now this wonderful region lay before him. - -And yet he knew that within the past few years many people had -passed through this place. He knew that the miners had washed the -sands of the rivers, but found that they did not pay; that trappers -had caught the beaver and the marten, and had soon trapped almost -all of them. Now it was for him to find whether the game was as -plenty as had been said. - -At all events, Jackson's Lake with the wide meadows that surrounded -it, and the superb mountains that walled it in on one side, made -this a lovely spot. The lake shone in the sunlight like a sheet -of silver, and was dotted with pine-clad islands. On the west its -waters flowed close beneath the great mountains which rose above -it, but on the other three sides a belt of forest grew close to -the water, and back of this belt, broad meadow lands, with groups -of trees and low rounded clumps of willows, looked almost like a -park. Further to the eastward bare ridges rose higher and higher, -forming the foot-hills of the main range, and still further to the -east and southeast were massive mountains, more distant--and so -seeming lower--than the Teton Range, but which were the Continental -Divide. Jack looked, and looked, and enjoyed this beautiful view; -but after a little he realized that time was passing, and that he -must move on, and do his hunting, and get to camp. - -He crossed the ridge, and began to ride down the side of the -mountain toward the south, following the crest of a hog-back, which -would take him down to the valley of the lake by a gentle slope. -Below, and to his left, was a narrow valley, in which stood green -timber, and among the green timber much that was dead and much that -was down. - - - - -Chapter IX - -AN ELK HUNT UNDER THE TETONS - - -He was riding along slowly, letting Pawnee make his own way among -the loose rocks and tree-trunks, when he caught sight of an animal -standing with its tail toward him, in a little opening among the -trees. For an instant he thought it was a buckskin horse, and -the idea flashed through his mind that there must be a camp down -there. Almost before the thought had taken form, the animal moved -a little, and he saw that it was an elk. He slipped off his horse -on the side furthest from the animal, and led Pawnee out of sight -behind a clump of pines, and left him there. Then he crept back -to the ridge. In the timber below he soon made out half-a-dozen -elk, and as he watched, he could see quite a large bunch of cows -and calves. He lay there, watching and waiting. The drop down the -hill into the valley was very steep, and he was hoping that the elk -might move into some position where he would not have to go down to -them. They seemed uneasy and suspicious, and presently something -startled them, and they ran a little way, and then stopped, looking -back up the valley. Two big heifers stood almost side by side -facing opposite ways, with their shoulders close together, and -their heads in such position that their necks seemed to cross. -Jack raised his gun and took a careful sight at the necks, just -below the heads, and pulled the trigger. One of the cows dropped -instantly, while the other, standing a moment to look, turned -and ran off. He heard the elk crashing through the timber of the -valley, and then saw them climbing the bald hills on the other -side, stopping every little while to look back, and at last walking -slowly off over the hills. - -A convenient side ridge gave Pawnee a good road down to where the -cow had fallen, but she had rolled far down the hill, and finally -had stopped on a little level place. She was quite dead. The animal -was rather large for Jack to handle, but with some trouble he -managed to cut off her hams and sirloins, and tying the two hams -together by the gambrel joints, he balanced them on his saddle, and -then tying the sirloins on behind, set out on foot for camp. There -was much scrambling up steep hillsides, and down others quite as -steep, and some working through the thick underbrush, before he -came out into the open lake valley. Here progress was more rapid. -Jack walked swiftly, and Pawnee followed close behind. After a time -he came on the trail made by the pack train, some hours before, -and hurrying along this, presently saw in the distance what looked -like a house. Before he reached it, however, the trail that he was -following turned sharply to the right, and led down toward the -river, two or three miles below the lake. - -As he approached the tall cottonwood timber, which he supposed grew -on the shores of the river, he saw the horses feeding close to it, -and before long the cone of the lodge showed through the leaves, -and a little later he stopped by the fire. - -"Good boy," said Hugh. "I'm mighty glad to get that meat. That'll -keep us going for quite a while, and now that we've got fresh meat, -and dried meat and fish, we're bound to live well." - -"Animal's in good order, too," he continued, as he began to lift -the meat from the saddle. "I expect you picked out a heifer, didn't -you?" - -"Well," said Jack, "I tried to, but I wasn't sure that it wasn't an -old cow until I put a knife into her. The only thing I was sure of -was that she had no calf." "Well," said Hugh, "it's a nice piece of -meat, and I'm mighty glad you got it." - -"What's that house that I see up there, Hugh? Nobody lives here -now, does there?" - -"No," said Hugh, "I reckon that's some kind of a shelter or stable, -built by hunters or prospectors, for their horses in fly-time. -Flies are pretty bad here now, and I reckon close about this lake -the greenheads must be enough to drive the horses crazy. I noticed -to-day when we were crossing some points of that meadow up above -that they were bad. If it hadn't been for that, I reckon we'd have -camped up there by the lake. It's an awful sightly spot, but there -were too many flies." - -Supper was almost ready, and they feasted royally that night on -trout and the fat sirloins of the elk; and after the meal was over, -it was pleasant to sit round the big camp-fire that Jack and Joe -built out in front of the lodge, and watch the blaze, and listen to -the murmur of the river as it hurried over the stones, just beyond -the camp. Every stick tossed on the burning pile sent a great cloud -of sparks soaring upward to disappear among the dark green foliage -of the spruces, which here grew among the taller cottonwoods. The -warmth of the fire was grateful; the willows and cottonwoods and -spruces all about their camp sheltered them from the strong wind -which still blew down the valley; and Jack, as he lay stretched out -on the ground between Joe and Hugh, thought that he never could -have a happier time than that very moment. - -"Now, boys," said Hugh, "I don't know how you feel about it, but -it strikes me this is a terrible nice place to stop for a day or -two. This is a good camp, and these mountains right opposite to us -are things I like to look at. What do you say to our stopping here, -say for one day, anyhow; and maybe to-morrow we'll take a little -ride across the river, and get closer to these mountains, and see -something of what they look like. I'd like mighty well to look at -them long enough to kind o' carry a remembrance of them back with -me to the ranch." - -"Well," said Jack, "let's do that. There's no reason for our -hurrying; we've got plenty of grub, and I think we'd all like to -stay here for one day, anyhow." - -"Now, there's two things we can do," said Hugh. "We ain't made up -our minds how we'll go home; but we can cross the range in a whole -lot of different places. We can either follow down Snake River for -a way, and then work up one of the creeks, and go over and strike -the head of Wind River, and follow that down, or we can go back to -the park, and then cut across, and get down onto Stinking Water, -and then go back on the prairie. My idea is that we'll do better to -keep on south, and try to go straight on our course. We can either -go up Buffalo Fork, and then strike across to the head of the Wind -River, and follow that down; or go down and follow up the Gros -Ventre, and get across some way there. We don't have to make up our -minds to-day; we can settle that to-morrow night. Let's agree that -we'll stop here to-morrow, and then to-morrow night decide what -we'll do." - -"All right," said both boys. - -When the three friends got up next morning, and went to the -stream to wash, they could see nothing of the great range beneath -which they were camped, for the tall spruce trees which grew on -the opposite bank cut off the view of everything beyond. After -breakfast they saddled up and having picketed two of the pack -horses, set out to cross the river, and to get nearer to the -mountains. The river was wide, and so deep that the water came -almost up to the saddle blankets, but they crossed comfortably -enough, and riding through the open dry timber of the bottom, -before long were approaching the high bluffs which formed the first -terrace above the river. In the bottom were many tracks of deer -and elk, some of the deer tracks quite fresh; and they almost rode -over a huge old porcupine, which waddled awkwardly to one side, -and then stopped among some low rose bushes, with its head between -its forefeet, its quills erect, and its tail thrashing about in a -threatening way. Jack stopped his horse and said to Hugh: - -"Hugh, is there anything in that story that porcupines throw their -quills? I've heard lots of people say it is so, and then other -people say it isn't." - -Hugh drew his horse up, and turning in his saddle said, "Why no, -son, there's nothing in that; though I've heard plenty of men who -ought to know a heap better say that there was. Take a stick and go -right up close to that fellow, and poke him with it, and then bring -it to me." - -Jack picked up a dead branch, and going to the porcupine, poked him -in the sides and back, and when he did this the porcupine thrashed -his tail about more vigorously than ever, and two or three times -struck the stick. Leaving him, Jack went to Hugh, carrying the -stick in his hand, and Hugh said, "Look at the end of that stick -now, and see those quills." The end of the stick was pierced by a -dozen or twenty sharp, strong quills, and Jack, taking hold of one -and trying to pull it out, found that the point was firmly fastened -in the wood, so that it required quite a little effort to pull it -out. - -"Now, son," said Hugh, "a porcupine, as you have seen, is slow, and -can't run away. His back and sides and tail are covered with these -quills, which are mighty sharp, and which have little stickers -pointing back toward the root, so that if a quill gets fast in the -flesh, it is a very hard matter to pull it out again. If a quill -gets stuck in an animal's head or foot, it keeps working forward -all the time; it never works backward and comes out; it has to go -through to the other side. Most animals know that it isn't good to -fool with a porcupine. The only way to kill him is to turn him -over on his back, and get at his throat and belly, which are not -covered with quills. When a porcupine sees an animal coming he -holds his body close to the ground, makes his quills stand up all -over him, and thrashes around with his tail, which is pretty well -covered with quills too. His tail is strong, and he can hit a hard -blow with it; and so you see he's pretty well defended. The quills -are not set deep in the skin; they are loose, and they pull out -mighty easy; you see that just by poking the porcupine you got that -stick full of quills. Sometimes when he thrashes hard with his tail -he may hit a piece of wood, or may knock loose some of the quills -on his tail so that they may fly a little distance; but as for -throwing them any distance from his body, or with any force, why he -can't do it. - -"I have had dogs that would tackle porcupines, and when they did, -it was a terrible job to pull the quills out of them." - -"Well," said Jack, "I'm glad to hear all that I've been told of -dogs tackling porcupines, up in the Adirondacks, but I never saw -one that had been pierced by quills." - -"Most dogs," said Hugh, "soon learn never to bother porcupines, -but some seem never to learn, and will go for one every time they -see it. Bears sometimes tackle them, and so do lynx and panthers, -but they say the greatest animal of all to kill a porcupine is a -fisher. I've seen two or three panthers with their jaws full of -quills. I've heard people say that the fisher kills them by turning -them over on their backs and then jumping onto the belly, but I -never saw this done. What I have seen is fishers with lots of -quills in their bodies: some in the legs, some in the belly, and -some in the sides. And the Indians say that these quills don't -bother them at all; that is to say, that a fisher full of quills -don't swell up the way a dog or a panther does. The porcupine is -a pretty stupid beast, but its effect on its neighbors is quite -interesting." - -Jack listened with much attention to this lesson in natural -history, and they mounted and rode on again. - -Soon they came to a great slough, evidently an old beaver meadow, -and as Hugh drew up his horse and looked at it, he shook his -head:--"Too soft for us to cross, I reckon, we'll have to go round -some other way. There's plenty of sloughs and mud-holes in there -where our horses would go out of sight." - -They turned northward, and for the next two hours were occupied -in trying to make their way out to the high prairie. At frequent -intervals they came to what looked like a tongue of hard dry land -extending out to the bluffs, but after following it for a little -distance they found at its end a mud-hole, which obliged them to -turn back and take another road. At length they reached a strip -of hard ground which led them to the bluffs; and just before they -rode up the steep ascent, Hugh's horse started from the ground a -brood of grouse, which scattered in all directions, many of them -alighting on the willows and spruce branches close to them. They -were singularly tame, almost as much so as the fool hens they had -seen farther north, and Jack rode up to within three or four feet -of one, and then reached out his gun to touch it, but before the -muzzle was within a foot of the bird, it flew away. - -When they reached the higher prairie they rode off toward the -range, which was now plainly to be seen. There were three principal -peaks, the names of which Hugh gave them. One, he said, was Mount -Moran, a great square-topped mass of granite, with two or three -vast snow or ice banks on its north face. To the south of that were -the three pinnacles of the Tetons, whose slender summits ran far -up into the blue sky. The prairie over which they were now riding -was uneven:--here cut by dry, grassy, ancient water-ways, there -with mounds of great extent rising above the general level. There -was much gravel--some of it very large--which looked as if it might -have been carried down by the water. Long ridges composed wholly -of this gravel ran for long distances out from the foot of the -range, and were now for the most part bare of timber, having been -burned over. On some of them the fire had spared many of the pines, -and young aspen timber grew on their slopes. The terraces of the -river's flood-plain rose one above another, and on the highest of -all, on the west side, were groups of evergreen trees, and now and -then a single pine standing alone in the wide sage-plain. Scattered -about over the prairie were many antelope. - -They rode on toward the mountains, trying to get up high enough -so as to look down on Jackson's Lake, which runs in close to the -foot of Mount Moran; but the ridges became higher and higher, more -and more timber grew on them, and cut off the view, so that at -length they gave up the effort and turned off to one side to ride -through the timber. Here were many fresh elk tracks and trails, -some made the night before, and some since daylight; and here, -quite unexpectedly, as they rode over a ridge a little higher than -any that they had yet passed, a fine view was had of the southern -end of Jackson's Lake. It seemed to wind and twist about among its -points and islands, and sent out long and narrow finger-like bays -into the hills in a most curious way. A little further on they saw -from a hilltop another lake, not nearly so large as Jackson's, -but still perhaps two miles long. It was surrounded by dense -forest, and reflected the great peaks which overhung it. Here they -dismounted for a while to look at the range, which was now plainly -seen. - -"Big mountains, ain't they, son?" said Hugh, as they sat there -looking up at them. - -"Yes, Hugh," said Jack, "they're awful big, and how bare and gray -they are. There seems to be a little timber in small patches, but -except for that, there doesn't seem to be anything growing on them -at all; they are just rocks with snow on top and in the ravines." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I expect for the most part that rock is so -steep that the snow can't lie there. Even if the wind don't blow, -just as soon as any weight of snow falls on the rocks it slips off. - -"Have you got your glasses with you, son?" he continued, and when -Jack had handed them to him, he looked through them and said: "I -thought so. Do you know, son, that snow up there in those highest -ravines isn't snow at all, it's ice; just like them glaciers that -we have up there in the mountains to the north. Look through the -glasses, and you can see the cracks on the lower border, and you -can see too that it is blue, and not white like snow." - -Jack and Joe both looked through the glasses and saw what Hugh -meant, and both were reminded of the masses of ice that they had -seen in the mountains of the north, the year before. - -It was pleasant sitting in the warm sun and looking up at this -wonderful scenery, but at last they caught up their horses, and -mounted and rode back to the camp. As they were going along side by -side, down the wide point of a ridge, a great brown deer bounced -out from an aspen thicket on Joe's side and ran down the ravine. -Joe sprang from his horse and raised his gun to shoot, but just as -he did so she sprang into a little gully, so that Joe could see -only her ears as she raced along. She followed the ravine down and -was not seen again. - -Hugh and Jack both laughed at Joe, and told him that he should have -stayed on his horse, for from their point of view on horseback, the -doe's body had been in sight for quite time enough to shoot. - -When they reached the level bottom, they rode out close to the -river, and keeping along the bank found firm ground all the way to -the camp. There remained still some hours of daylight, and both -boys got out their lines and began to fish, catching a number of -fine and heavy trout. Just as they were about to go to camp with -their catch, a flock of seven wild geese flew up the river, calling -loudly, and after they had passed a little beyond the boys, Joe -began to honk in response, and presently the great birds turned -about and came back, flying directly over the boys, looking down -at them, as if to see who it was that was talking to them. The air -was cool and damp after dark and they sat about the fire in the -lodge. A great horned owl a little way down the river was hooting -regularly, and Joe said, "We're going to have a storm." - -"Yes," said Hugh, "I hear him now, and I heard him last night. I -reckon we're going to have change of weather." - -"What do you mean, Hugh?" said Jack, "has the owl anything to do -with the weather?" - -"Well no, son, I don't know that he has; but some of the Indians -say that if you hear an owl calling it means a storm's coming." - -It was raining the next morning when Jack thrust his head from -under his blankets, and as the fire had not been started, and -nobody seemed to be moving, he knew that this day also would be -spent in camp. When he went out of the lodge the ground was covered -with an inch of very wet snow, and the weather seemed to be trying -to make up its mind whether it would rain or no. Big wet flakes -were falling in a mixture of rain and snow, and moisture was -everywhere. - -After breakfast, Hugh cut some crotches and poles, and with the -ropes and two of the mantas made a very good shelter, under which -they built an outdoor fire. By this they sat for a long time, -discussing various matters, and then, since the rain had stopped, -Jack went down to the stream and began to fish. He caught a few -fish weighing from three quarters of a pound to a pound, and there -were enough of them to make it interesting. The small ones seemed -to trouble his hook very little, and one or two little ones that he -caught he shook off before getting them to shore. Suddenly, after a -long cast that he had made out toward the middle of the stream, a -huge fish rose to his fly, but in its eagerness, missed and sprang -over the fly showing its full length out of the water. This was -such a fish as Jack had not seen before, and he was very anxious to -get it. He cast again over the same spot, and this time drew in his -line a little more slowly. The great fish rose again, and just at -the right moment Jack struck, and had him fast. - -For a moment the fish did nothing, but then came a fight the like -of which Jack had never witnessed. The fish made a strong rush -toward the deepest water of the rapid, and twice on his way there -he sprang into the air, shaking his head savagely to rid himself of -the steel that was biting his jaw. Then he turned about and rushed -back toward the bank, again throwing himself out of the water. Jack -was excited, but was trying to keep cool. Whenever the fish gave -him an opportunity he took in line, and when the fish ran he gave -him as little as possible. - -Suddenly the trout started down the river at great speed, so fast -that Jack was afraid to check him, and started racing after him, -running over the slippery stones of the beach, and through the -pools of water left by the river. Presently the fish stopped, and -refused to move, and Jack recovered all the line that he could, and -then began to try to move the fish. Now it began to give a series -of tugging jerks on the line, as if it were bending itself from -side to side in the water; then it began to throw itself over and -over, as if trying to twist the line; and then it would rush off, -as if striving to break it. As the splendid fish grew tired, Jack -worked it nearer and nearer to the beach; but he had no net and -of course could not lift it from the water. After looking about a -little he found a place where the beach was shelving, and laying -down his rod, he drew the fish out by the leader and soon had it -safely in his hand. It was a handsome fish, deep and thick, and yet -graceful in all its lines, and it seemed to Jack as big as a North -River shad. As soon as it was killed, Jack took his rod and started -back to the camp for he wished to show them there the biggest trout -that he had ever seen. - -White clouds hung low over the valley and hid the mountains on -either side; but as Jack walked along the beach the western sky -grew lighter, and for a few moments the sun struggled to shine -through the clouds. Then suddenly, far down the valley the white -wall that shut out the view broke away, and Jack could see the -great mountain mass of the Teton Range. He stopped and gazed, -waiting for the rent to close up again. Through it he could see, -like a picture in its frame, the mountains, not dark and gray -as they had been yesterday, but white now, in all the purity of -new-fallen snow. As he looked, the break in the clouds moved -rapidly northward, exposing one mountain after another, each -seeming more beautiful than the one seen just before. A wreath of -mist hung around and concealed the needle peak of the Grand Teton, -adding to, rather than taking away from its height. The rift in the -clouds passed northward, and after it had shown him Mount Moran, it -closed again and the white vapor cut off the view. Jack had seen -the glories of the Tetons, snow-clad. He returned to camp. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -TRAILING BLACK-TAILS - - -It was pleasant that night after supper was over, as they lay about -the bright fire in the lodge. During the afternoon, while Jack had -been fishing, Joe had split fine a lot of dry cottonwood sticks, -and a good pile of them lay within the lodge door, just to its -left. The fire blazed and crackled merrily and the draft was good, -so that there was no smoke even in the top of the lodge. - -Joe said to Jack, "Jack, have you seen all this old beaver work up -north of the camp?" - -"No," said Jack, "I have seen plenty of small beaver cuttings. -There have been lots of beaver here, but I haven't seen any big -work." - -"Well," said Joe, "you'd better go up fifty yards from the camp, -and you'll see there bigger trees cut down by the beaver than I've -ever seen, and I've seen some beaver work in my day. Why, there's -cottonwood logs there cut down by the beaver that are bigger round -than my body, and I believe they're more than a foot through. You -surely ought to see them." - -"Well," said Jack, "I will in the morning." - -"This used to be a great place for fur, didn't it Hugh?" - -"Yes," said Hugh, "I expect when the white men first came in here -that beaver were awful plenty. Wherever I've been since I came into -this valley I've seen lots of old work but not much new work. All -the same, these sticks that Joe is talking about are not very old; -they were cut down only a few years ago. I guess 'twas a great fur -country. But, Lord! I've told you about the stories that people -used to tell about Jackson's Lake. They used to say that pretty -nearly everything good in the mountains was to be found here, and -plenty of it. - -"Do you know, boys," Hugh continued, "I've about made up my mind -what we'd better do? Now, we don't know the country here, none of -us, but I expect we can find our way around pretty well with the -pack-train. I think the best thing we can do is to go back to that -last big creek that we crossed, and follow that up to its head; -then cross the mountains there, and get over onto Wind River; -and then we can follow Wind River down; and then over and strike -Sweetwater, and follow Sweetwater down to the Platte; and then, you -know, we're pretty near home. What do you say? Would either of you -rather go any other way, or will you leave it that way?" - -The boys sat silent for a little while, and then Joe said, "I think -it will be good to do as Hugh says; he is the leader, and we will -follow him." - -"I think so, too," said Jack. "Neither of us boys knows anything -about the country, and we want to do just what you think is best, -Hugh." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I guess that is best, and if you say so, we'll -do it; and we'll start to-morrow morning if the weather is good -and the things are dry." - -"All right," said both boys. - -The next morning saw the little train following its back trail up -Snake River for a few miles, when Hugh turned off to the right, and -entered the valley of a great stream which rushed down from the Red -Mountain Range. The hills were low and rounded and composed of sand -and gravel, covered with grass and sage-brush. On either side, from -time to time, the stream had cut into the hills and washed away -the gravel, and its bed was full of huge boulders; so that it was -necessary for them to keep back on the ridge, at some distance from -the water. The river was so large and along it there were so many -evidences of a vast body of water running down through this valley -in the spring, that it seemed evident that it must be a very long -stream, and must drain a wide area of country. Before they had gone -very far, the sun, which had been shining, went behind clouds; it -began to rain hard; and before long they began to get wet. Early in -the day, therefore, Hugh drew up his horse in the shelter of some -spruces on a little bench about thirty feet above the valley, and -said, "Let's camp, boys, and get out of this wet." It took but a -little time to put up the lodge, to unsaddle, get things covered -and a fire in the lodge, and also one outside under a shelter of -manta, so that they were soon dry and comfortable again. Jack tried -the fishing, but the fish would not bite. The rain continued, and -by the middle of the afternoon had changed to snow, and before dark -the ground was white. When they went to bed at night the snow was -still falling and the weather was growing colder. - -The next morning the snow had stopped, but it was two or three -inches deep on the ground. Everything was wet, and it looked as if -it might snow again at any time. Jack got tired of sitting round -the fire, and watching Hugh fill his pipe, and light it and smoke -it out, and then fill and light it again, and presently he proposed -to Joe that they should go out and try to kill a deer. Joe was -ready and they started. For a short distance, they followed the -trail up the river, and then turning to the left, took the first -ridge and began to climb the hill on the north side of the valley. -It was pretty wet. It had begun to rain again, and the snow was -damp, and under the snow there seemed to be an inch or two of -water. When they had to pass through willows and other underbrush, -these wet the upper parts of their bodies. The ground was soft and -slippery, and the down timber and the loose stones made walking and -climbing quite hard work. Nevertheless, they pushed on, and having -reached the top of the ridge, could see beyond other ridges toward -which they climbed. - -They crossed one or two elk tracks, made since the snow had stopped -falling, but the animals were going pretty fast and they did not -follow them. A few deer tracks, made while the snow was falling, -tempted them; but they did not follow them and continued to climb. -The higher they went the harder it seemed to rain, and every little -while a heavy fog would rise from the valley, and creeping slowly -along the mountains would shut out from sight one hilltop after -another, until it reached them and hid everything from their sight. -There was a little breeze blowing from the west, and these fogs did -not last long; but while they were about them the boys could only -stand still and wait for the mist to lift. - -As they climbed they saw a good many birds: flickers, robins, and -blue snow-birds, as well as some other western birds that Jack did -not know. - -The boys climbed hill after hill for several hours, but saw nothing -but tracks, and none of these seemed worth following. At last Jack -turned to Joe and said, "What do you say, Joe, shall we go any -further? It's pretty cold, and we can't see far, and perhaps we -might as well go down the hill again and get back to camp." - -"Well," said Joe, "it's pretty cold and wet up here and we don't -see much." - -They turned and followed the ridge they were on for some little -distance, trying to see down into the valley, and to determine -just where the camp was. As they were doing this, all at once -the fog lifted, and Jack saw, a little way before them, a green -timbered ridge leading down into the valley, pretty near where the -camp should be. As he looked down into the valley, Jack heard Joe -whisper, "Hold on!" Jack stopped, slowly turned his head and threw -a cartridge into his gun, and then stood motionless; for over the -crest of the ridge just above them had risen the horns, head and -body of an enormous black-tailed buck. Almost at once, two others, -much smaller, followed him, and in a moment more two others, one -nearly as large as the leader, and the other smaller, came up to -the top of the ridge and looked over. They were a long way off, -perhaps three hundred yards, and neither boy dared move for fear of -startling them, for two or three jumps would have taken them out -of sight. The great leader had seen the boys at once, but could -not make out what they were, and perhaps for ten minutes he stood -there and watched. He was not alarmed or suspicious, but these -two upright objects, which might be stumps or might be something -else, excited his curiosity, and he kept looking at them. The deer -stood on the very crest of the ridge, with only a white sky for -a background; so that the outline of his graceful form and large -branching horns was plainly visible. - -While he stood there watching, the other deer wandered about, -now taking a bite of grass and again giving a long look over the -country. One of the smallest came a few steps down the face of the -ridge to a low pine, three or four feet in height, against which he -began to rub his horns and head, just as a deer or an elk does when -ridding the antlers of the velvet, or, as it is termed, "shaking." -The large one, next in size to the leader, came still further down -the bluff and began to feed at a bush that grew there. A third, the -smallest of all, was very playful and frisked about almost as a -fawn might do. - -At length, after his long, long stare, during which the boys -scarcely breathed, the big leader seemed satisfied. He shook -himself, and then turned and gave a long look to the east and one -to the west; then he lowered his head, took a bite of some weed, -and stepping proudly along the ridge for a few yards, turned away -and walked out of sight. While he was doing this, two of the young -deer, like boys when the schoolmaster's back is turned and they -feel that they can begin to play, backed away from each other, and -then charged each other, coming together vigorously, head to head. -It did not seem to be done angrily, but rather in sport, and one of -them, being evidently much the stronger of the two, as he was the -larger, pushed the other a few feet backward, when the smaller one -sprang lightly out of the way, and both turned and walked off after -the big buck. - -Four of the deer had now moved out of sight, and there remained -only the large one feeding on the hillside. A couple of dead -trees, one leaning against the other, stood sixty or seventy yards -in front of the boys, between them and the deer, and it seemed -possible by moving up behind these to approach within rifle-shot. -He was busily eating, and when he had his head down the boys -whispered to each other. Jack said, "Let us sneak up behind those -trees, and we can get near enough to kill him, I guess." - -"Better wait," said Joe, "pretty soon he'll go off over the hill, -and then we can follow him, and get one sure." - -But Jack had not yet learned the patience which makes an Indian -so certain of his game; he began to make a slow approach, but had -taken only a few steps when suddenly the deer stopped feeding, -looked about him, walked briskly up to the top of the ridge, -and then pausing for a moment to see where his companions were, -followed them over the ridge and out of sight. - -At last the coast was clear; the boys hurried toward the ridge, -and clambered up its steep face with breathless haste. When they -reached the crest they cautiously looked over, but saw nothing, -and still as they slowly advanced in the direction which the deer -seemed to have taken, the game was not seen. They were just about -to go back and take the deers' tracks, when suddenly, without an -instant's warning, a mountain hurricane of hail, rain and snow -swept down upon them, blotting from view every object save those -directly at their feet. The wind blew cold, and the rain and hail -pelted them. There was no shelter, and all they could do was to -turn their backs to the blast and stand there waiting. The storm -lasted but a few moments, and as soon as it was over they started -back, and soon crossed the tracks of the deer, not far from the -ridge. All had been walking slowly, except the last one, who was -trotting to catch up with the others. The trail led over the -rolling ground, toward two little groups of spruces, and when the -boys saw these, and could not see the deer on the open ground -beyond, they looked at each other and nodded, each feeling sure -that the animals would be found in this timber. - -They were still a hundred yards from the nearest clump of trees -when Joe's eye caught sight of something moving just beyond them, -and almost at the same time Jack saw something dark move against -the snow. They made themselves very small, and keeping the thick -foliage of the trees between themselves and the deer, crept -carefully up almost to the timber. Suddenly, through a little -opening in the branches, Jack saw three deer standing close -together--the big leader and two of the yearlings. He wanted the -leader, of course, and yet he could see only his head and neck, -and hesitated to shoot at the neck, for he was chilled and shaking -with the cold. However, he determined to risk it, and looking round -at Joe saw that he was ready, and that he nodded. Jack fired, the -leader disappeared, and a moment later four deer ran out over the -snow, beyond the trees, and stopped; and as they turned to look -back, Joe fired, and killed the other big deer. - -"Hurrah!" said Jack, and he shook Joe's hand, "we've surely got -plenty of meat now." - -"Yes," said Joe, "good meat, too." - -They found the big leader lying on the snow just beyond the trees, -his neck broken, and the other big deer not more than fifty yards -beyond him. - -"Now, Jack," said Joe, "I tell you what we'd better do: you go -back to camp and get two pack horses, and fetch 'em up here, and -I'll butcher these deer, and then we can take 'em back to the camp -to-night. We don't want to make two trips." - -"That's so," said Jack, "I'll either go back for the horses or -butcher, whichever you like." - -"No," said Joe, "you go back, and when I get through butchering -I'll make a little fire here and dry off, and wait for you." - -"All right," said Jack, "I'll do it. I don't believe it'll take me -very long to get back to camp, and I'll be back here in an hour or -two, anyhow." - -He at once started, and was soon following the green timbered -ridge down to the stream. When he reached there he found that -camp was only a short distance further down the creek, and he was -soon standing by the fire. Hugh had heard the shots, and was not -surprised when Jack told them that they had two deer. Jack went -out to look up the horses, and soon returned with two of them, and -putting saddles on them, mounted one, and rode off up the hill -leading the other. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -TRACKS IN THE SNOW - - -Meantime Joe had proceeded with his butchering and after he had -finished, gathered some wood and made himself a little fire. It -took some time to do this, for almost everywhere the wood was wet; -but by looking carefully he found some dry branches that were -sheltered by the foliage above them, and others that lay under a -fallen tree, and presently he had a good fire lighted, and one -that was so strong that he could throw wet wood on it and it would -soon dry and burn. He built his fire in a sheltered place, and the -light breeze drifted the smoke off down the stream. Before long he -was warm and dry. After he had waited a while, he went out beyond -the trees and looked off toward the ridge where Jack had gone, -to see whether he was not yet coming back, but he saw nothing. A -little later he went out again and Jack was not yet in sight, but -as he turned about he saw coming down the hill about half a mile -off, thirteen elk, mostly cows and calves, but one spikehorn, and -following last of all and keeping the others together a monstrous -bull with a great pair of horns. Of course when he saw them Joe -stood still. The elk had come down from some higher hill, and -when they came to where the snow was not very deep they began to -scatter out and feed. When most of them had passed behind the point -of hill which backed the next ridge above the one Joe was on, he -began to move very slowly and cautiously toward the shelter of a -clump of trees. Every now and then, one of the old cows would lift -her head, and as she munched the grass that she had just plucked, -would look all around the horizon, and when she did so, Joe stood -without moving a muscle. Then when all the heads were down again, -he very slowly moved a little toward his cover. At last only one -of the elk was in sight, and when she put her head down he could -see nothing but her back and hips, and two or three steps took -him out of sight even of these. Still he did not run, but walked -slowly, watching closely the sky-line above him, for at any moment -one of the elk might walk up there to look over the country. None -appeared, however, and in a very few moments he was hidden by the -trees. - -Now he did not know what to do. His first idea was to creep up to -the ridge and kill some of the elk, but before he determined that -he would do this he considered. He remembered how Hugh often spoke -of not killing anything more than they needed to eat, and he knew -that these deer that they had would last them for a long time. -He did not wish to do anything that Hugh would not like, and so, -instead of deciding that he would kill anything, he took his gun -and walked over to the ridge, to look at the elk. He had crept up -to the top of the hill and peered over, and was watching the elk -feeding not far in front of him--half a dozen of them within easy -rifle-range--when he heard a faint whoop behind him, and turning -his head saw Jack coming with the pack-horses. Slowly creeping back -a little way, Joe waved to him to come on, and to hurry, and Jack -galloped the pack horses over to the foot of the ridge, and at a -sign from Joe, dismounted. Then he crept up to Joe and they both -lay there on the hill and watched the elk. - -It was a pretty sight, and an interesting one, too. The bull, -although all the time feeding, seemed to keep close watch of his -companions. Once in a while one of the cows would stray off to -a little distance from the others, and the bull would walk over -toward her, shaking his head as he approached, and when the cow saw -this she turned back to the bunch and joined them again. Then the -bull began to feed once more. - -"Watch him," said Joe, "he's a pretty good herder, isn't he? He -won't let one of those cows wander away; he's afraid that somewhere -there might be some other old bull looking for cows, that would -take her and carry her off. Pretty smart at this time of year they -are." - -While they were watching the herd as they fed along a little beyond -them, presently some eddy of the wind brought their scent to the -cows farthest down the stream, and they lifted up their heads, -and looked for a moment; then turned and trotted swiftly away up -the hill. As soon as they did this, the other cows began to look, -and then to move off; but the bull seemed to understand at once -that there was danger near at hand, and rushed around the cows, -thrusting at them with his horns, so that in a moment they were -all in motion, and swiftly trotting away. At the top of the hill -the cows paused to look back; but the bull, which was laboring -along behind, shook his head at them, and they began to run again. -When the elk had disappeared, the boys rose to their feet, and then -realized that they were both of them chattering with cold. The -breeze was blowing harder now, and lying on the hillside exposed -to it, they had both become chilled. They went down to the horses -and took them over to where the deer lay and then built up the fire -and got warm again. Then they packed the deer on the two horses, -but the animals were so large that they could not lift them without -cutting them up into quarters. At last the loads were arranged, the -ropes tightened, and they started down the hill toward camp, which -they reached just before dark. - -Supper was ready, and as soon as the boys had hung up their meat on -the branches of a tree, and had washed their hands in the brook, -they fell to eagerly. Not much was said during the meal, but after -it had been cleared away and Hugh had filled his pipe and was -sitting by the fire comfortably smoking, Jack said to him, "Hugh, -we had a mighty nice view of a bunch of elk this afternoon, and -watched them for quite a while, and saw the old bull gather up the -cows and drive them away when they found that we were there." - -"Yes," said Hugh, "haven't you ever seen a bull do that before?" - -"No," said Jack, "I've seen plenty of elk but I never happened to -see that." - -"Well," said Hugh, "you know the bull elk is mighty rough with his -cows, after he has gathered them and got a bunch, and what is more, -when he is looking for them in the early fall, just about this -time, he is mighty systematic in the way he hunts for them. I've -sat on a hill and seen an old bull hunt out a lot of ravines in the -elk country just as systematically as a cow-puncher would hunt them -out for cattle. He makes a regular business of it, and after he's -got them together he don't allow any straggling, and if a cow don't -mind what he says, and he can catch her, he gives her a terrible -thumping with those old horns of his." - -"Well, Hugh, did you ever see two bulls fight?" - -"Yes," said Hugh, "I've seen 'em do that a good many times. I -reckon I've told you about that before. They don't fight quickly; -they're not active like an antelope when they're fighting: but -they're mighty powerful, and they come together pretty hard, and -then they just push and push, and at last, if the footing is good, -the biggest one is pretty sure to push the other out of the way, -and if the smaller one doesn't hop round pretty lively, he gets -a good punch with the horns. I've heard tell of elk killing each -other when they fought; but I never saw anything like that, and I -never even saw an elk get cut up with the horns of an animal that -he was fighting with. Of course I never had a chance to look close -at many elk that I saw fighting, but I never could see any blood -or any cuts. An elk-hide is pretty thick, and I guess they just -scratch and bruise each other. - -"I've heard of elk-horns being locked, same as deer-horns often -are, but I never myself saw but one pair; they were locked and you -could not pull them apart. I heard that some chap bought them, up -on the Missouri River, to send back east to some museum." - -"Well, I tell you, Hugh," said Jack, "I don't think much of elk, -anyhow, except to eat. You remember that tame one we had down at -the ranch? There wasn't anything interesting or nice about him; he -was awkward and clumsy and mean. Of course he looked nice, but that -was about all." - -"No," said Hugh, "that's so; elk meat is good, but that's about all -elk are good for--to eat." - -The next morning the sun came out bright and strong, and the snow -began to melt rapidly. Lines were strung among the trees, and all -the blankets, ropes and saddles, which had been more or less wet -during the last day or two, were hung up to dry. The flesh of the -deer was sliced into thin flakes, and hung up on scaffolds made by -Joe and Hugh, and under this a small fire was made, and the smoke -passing under the flakes of meat partially dried it. The hams and -saddle of one of the deer were kept for fresh meat. - -"I'd like to get off this afternoon," said Hugh, toward midday. "Of -course it's early in the season yet, and no heavy snow is likely to -fall; but often we have a storm late in September that might stop -us for a week, and I'd be pleased if we could get over the ridge -before that comes. We must start as soon as these things get dry, -and as soon as that meat will do to pack; it's pretty fat, and it -won't dry fast in this kind of weather; this air is too damp." - -In the effort to hurry up the drying process they built a large -fire near the wet things that were hung up, and as the heat from -the fire and from the sun grew strong, the steam rose from them. A -little after noon, Hugh, who had been inspecting the things, said, -"Come on, now; let's saddle up. The robes and blankets are dry, and -we'll shove this meat in a sack and give it another steaming when -we get to a good place. The weather is cool enough now so that it -will keep until we get over the range." Before long the packs were -lashed, and all the members of the party were in the saddle and -pushing their way up the stream. - -There was now no visible trail. The snow covered everything, and -though it was dripping fast from the trees at their level, they -could see that on the higher hills it still hung thick upon the -branches. From time to time the stream narrowed, so that they were -obliged to leave it and climb the ridges, which often afforded much -better going than the creek bottom. As they climbed higher and -higher, everything was draped in white; but now the sun went behind -the clouds, and the glare of the white snow was not uncomfortable. -Hugh had said as they started, "You boys better take and blacken -your faces; I am going to do it;" and taking some charcoal from the -fire, each of the party rubbed the black over the upper parts of -the face, the cheeks, the bridge of the nose, and around the eyes, -to keep the glare from the snow from affecting the eyes. - -They climbed higher and higher, and as they climbed, the stream -grew smaller. From time to time they reached some point from -which there was an extended view, showing far-reaching, snow-clad -mountains and evergreen forests; and ahead of them the high peaks -of the main divide, with precipices of bare black rock, to which -the snow could not cling. As they passed along, Jack noticed -frequent tracks of deer and elk, and others of smaller animals -which he did not recognize, and which there was no time to stop -and ask about. Hugh rode fast, and the boys kept the animals close -behind him. Often for a little distance through an open valley, or -along a bare ridge, Hugh would trot or gallop. He was evidently -anxious to get on. - -It was growing dark when, at the head of a pretty, open valley, -Hugh turned his horse into the timber, and after looking around for -a moment, said, "We'll camp here, boys. Bring the horses right up -close to Baldy." They did so, and soon had the loads on the ground. -Poles were quickly cut, the lodge was put up, and the ground within -it was soon cleared of snow, and a fire started. Then, under Hugh's -direction, the boys went out and broke several armfuls of spruce -boughs, which they brought in and placed around the walls of the -lodge where the beds would be spread, to keep them off the snow. -Two of the horses had already been picketed and the others hobbled. -There was danger that night they might desert, and take the back -trail for the lower ground, where, of course, they well remembered -that there was good grass, while up here to get anything to eat -they would have to paw through the deep snow. - -"You boys had better cook supper," said Hugh. "I'm going down to -the end of this valley, to see if I can't stop it up in some way so -that the horses can't get away to-night; they're likely to leave -us, and if they do, we'll have to hunt them to-morrow." - -Before entering this valley they had passed up through a narrow -cañon, riding for a short distance in the stream-bed, and Hugh, who -had noticed two or three spruce trees standing on either side of -the stream, took an axe, went down there, and felling two of the -trees across the stream, made a fence that the horses could not -surmount. They could possibly get around by climbing high on the -hillside, but as all the loose ones were hobbled, it was not likely -that they would go very far up hill. - -When he returned to the camp supper was ready, and before long they -were all fast asleep. - -The next morning was bright and cold. No more snow had fallen. -The horses were all there, but those that had been hobbled looked -gaunt and hungry. Hugh was up before daylight and took off their -hobbles, and when the sun rose they were all busily at work getting -what must have been their supper and breakfast. When their front -feet were tied together, they could not paw through the snow to the -grass beneath. - -"Now boys," said Hugh, as soon as breakfast was over, "let's saddle -up and get along. I'd like mightily to get over the range to-day, -if we can." It took but a short time to get started, for the three -had now been working together so long that they wasted no time, and -made no unnecessary motions. - -Neither of the boys had noticed the night before how deep the snow -was; but to-day they could see that down here under the trees it -was eight or ten inches deep, though perhaps in the open where it -had a chance to melt or to blow off there was not so much. - -As they went forward, Jack was more and more interested in the -tracks. Down at the foot of a cañon wall in the valley he saw a -series of tiny parallel dots in the snow, which he thought must -have been made by a little striped squirrel, which had run out -from the broken rock-fragments where he had his home, down nearly -to the water's edge, and then, frightened by some sight or sound, -had turned and hurried, with long bounds, back to his rocky home. -Higher up on the hill, about every weed-stalk that showed above the -surface of the snow were numbers of long parallel depressions, and -scattered about on the snow were fragments of the seed-cases of the -plants, and strips of the bark of the stem. Here the birds had been -at work, and so hard pressed for food that they had visited almost -every projecting plant. - -There had been killing during the night; death had been abroad, -travelling over the barren hills, and pushing his way among the -thickly clustered pines. There had been battles and ambuscades, and -stern unrelenting pursuits; fierce struggles; resistance, feeble -and unavailing; despair, and, at last, yielding, when the hope of -escape was lost. More than one life had gone out that night on the -hillside. Here, close to the margin of a little brook, was a pile -of bright blue feathers, telling its story of death, and near it -in the light snow, long, light strokes, which told of some fierce -bird, that, in the gray light of the morning, had crushed in his -strong crooked talons a little blue-bird which was just beginning -his journey toward the south. There were tracks of a fox winding -about on the hillside, often quartering the ground like a well -trained hunting dog. He had covered much ground, and had visited -every spot that might give shelter to his prey. In one place Jack -saw the tracks of a grouse, and those of a fox following them, then -suddenly the tracks of the grouse were seen no more, the last two -sunk deep in the snow, showing where the bird had sprung from the -ground and had darted away among the snow-laden trees. A few feet -from these, Jack could see where the fox had stopped when the bird -took flight, and he could fancy how angrily the sly fellow gazed -after it as he saw his wished-for breakfast disappear. A little -further on the fox had been more lucky, and a hole dug in the snow -and a tuft or two of bluish fur showed where the keen-nosed hunter -had caught a mouse. - -At the border of a grove of pines, Jack saw the impress of the -great pads of the snowshoe rabbit, scarcely sinking into the -light snow. For the most part, the rabbits kept close under the -evergreens where the snow was less deep, and food most easily to -be found; but if startled by fox or wolf, they could readily run -over the drifts, where the heavier pursuer must sink into them, far -behind. - -As they climbed higher and higher, the trees grew larger, and -now they began to see, through the valley and coming down from -the higher hills on either side, the tracks of elk. The heavy -snow-fall, warning these animals of the near approach of winter, -had set them in motion down from the peaks, and everywhere trails -were seen leading from the hillside into the valley. They saw none -of the animals, for the footfalls of the pack-train clambering over -the rocks, the sound of dead branches rattling against the packs, -and the calls to the horses alarmed the elk at a distance, and they -retreated to the timber, out of sight. - -Presently the climbing seemed at an end for the present, and the -valley became more open and nearly level. Not far ahead off to the -southeast they could see a low pass in the mountains, which seemed -likely to be the one they were trying to find. As they ascended, -the stream continued to grow smaller, large branches, almost equal -in size to the main brook kept coming into it, and often it was -uncertain which was the main fork. Hugh gave no hint of what was -passing in his mind, but pushed on, and the boys kept the animals -close behind him. - -In this broad level valley there were more elk tracks than ever. -These, seen at a distance, were very pretty, often looking like two -delicate chains laid side by side, and running for a long distance -almost in a straight line. Sometimes the animals seemed to have -wandered about, biting off the heads of the grass and weeds that -stood above the snow; but always at last the tracks turned and kept -on down the valley. In the middle of the great meadow stood an -old pine stub, and a number of the tracks converged to this, and -then went away from it in one path. It seemed that the elk, coming -along, had gone to this stump, and rubbed against it, and then all -followed the same trail going away. - -As the afternoon advanced, the valley grew narrow again and they -entered the timber, and soon afterward came on what was evidently -a trail that had been travelled both by whites and Indians. Some -of the trees were blazed with an axe, but many years ago, for the -bark had partly grown over the old blazes; there were later marks -where little three-cornered patches of the bark had been knocked -off, showing where the hard corners of packs had struck against -the trees. On one or two of the trees were seen little woolen -threads, white and red, showing where some Indian's blanket had -rubbed against the trunk and left a little sign, to remain there -for years. At length, the trail again passed out of the timber into -a narrow valley, and a sharp climb brought them to a place where -water seemed to be flowing down hill both before and behind them. -Hugh stopped and waved his hand and pointed ahead; and beyond they -could see a valley, steep-walled and full of timber, stretching off -toward the southeast. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE ELK? - - -"Here we are, boys; this is the divide--the top of the range," -said Hugh. "Now if we can only get down this hill and find decent -travelling in the valley, we'll soon be out of this snow. I expect -this is one of the heads of Wind River, and I hope we can make it -down below the snow to-morrow." - -The way down the new stream was steep, and for a while progress -was slow. There appeared to be no trail, and several times Hugh -dismounted and went ahead slowly on foot, to pick out a way for the -animals down steep rock slides. At last, however, they came to a -point where the stream had a little bottom, thickly overgrown with -timber, but all of it green; and working their way along through -this they came, shortly before sundown, to a little open park -surrounded by willows, where they camped. - -There was a little daylight left after camp had been made and -supper eaten, and Jack, with Hugh, walked out to the edge of the -stream. There was a good deal of water flowing in it, for ever -since they came into the valley they had been crossing rivulets -and brooklets, tumbling down from the high hills and pouring -their current into the valley. The little river flowed among the -close-set pines, and its bed was composed of great blocks of -stone. Just opposite the camp it opened out into a pool twenty -feet long, and half as wide; and, as they stood here, they saw two -little dippers at work in the stream. - -Although Jack had often seen these birds in the northern mountains, -they constantly interested him. He knew that, although living -always in and about the water, their nearest relations were not -water-birds, such as ducks or snipe, but instead were thrushes, -of which the common robin is one. Yet as many times as he had -seen them diving into the water, swimming about on it, and again -disappearing beneath its waves, he could never quite get over his -astonishment at seeing a bird walk down the shelving rock or smooth -beach into the water, and keep on walking, without attempting to -swim or to dive, until it had disappeared. - -He spoke about this now to Hugh, and said, "Those are the queerest -little birds I ever saw, and I don't know of any like them -anywhere." - -"Yes," said Hugh, "they are queer; but they're mighty -cheerful--mighty good company if you're alone in the mountains. -They stay here, you know, all summer and all winter, wherever the -water is open, and they've got a real nice little song, and they -sing, too, at all seasons of the year. There, listen to that one," -he said, as a dipper appeared from under the water in the pool -before them, and then flying to an old dead stick that projected -from the bank, alighted on it and began to warble a simple but -pleasing song. After it had finished, it flew part way across the -pool, and then dived from the wing, and came to the surface again -some distance below where it had entered the water. Then flying to -a rock it seemed to batter to pieces some small object which it had -brought up from the bottom, which it then devoured. - -"Don't it seem queer, Hugh," said Jack, "that they never get wet; -their plumage seems light and fluffy, like that of a land bird, and -not close and compact like that of the duck or grebe. They must -have a big oil-sack, and must oil up their feathers pretty often." - -"I reckon they do," said Hugh, "but I'm sure they never get wet. -I've often wondered what it is they feed on; I suppose it's insects -that live at the bottom of the water. Anyhow, I've often seen them -bring up one of those little worms that build sort of houses for -themselves out of sticks and little bits of sand, and take it to a -rock and pound it to pieces, and then eat the worm that's inside of -it. You've seen those things, haven't you? I don't know what they -do, or what they're good for, without it is to feed the birds and -the fish." - -"Oh yes, Hugh," said Jack, "I've often seen those. Mighty queer -little houses they are, but I don't know any more than you do -what the insect in them lives for. I expect he may turn into a -dragonfly, or maybe some kind of beetle or other. I know I've -heard that there are lots of insects that lay their eggs, and live -part of their lives in water, and then finally, coming up to the -surface, change their shape and become perfect insects." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I expect likely that's the way it may be." - -Jack noticed that the dippers seemed to dive into the upper part of -the pool, and to be carried down by the swift current close to a -little point of rocks, and slowly walking out there, and standing -perfectly still, he soon saw one of the birds drop down from a -large stone near him, and disappear under the water. He could see a -sort of a flying shadow under the surface, and in a moment the bird -came up a little below him, and flew off to the other side of the -stream. As it grew darker, the dippers disappeared, having probably -gone to their roost; and as the two returned to camp, Hugh said to -Jack, "Son, did you ever see one of the nests made by these birds?" - -"No, Hugh, I never did," said Jack. - -"Well, we must be on the lookout for that. They're mighty queer -little nests. On the outside they seem to be made of green moss, so -that the nests look just like a bunch of moss growing on a rock. -Often they build them close under some little water-fall, and I -expect maybe it's the mist from the fall that keeps the moss wet -and growing; but if the outside is damp and wet, the inside is just -as dry as can be, and the young birds have a good warm place, and a -good roof over their heads. It's kind of fun to watch one of these -nests and see how hard the old birds have to work to keep the young -birds quiet. They come with an insect, and give it to some one of -the young ones, and then dart off, and are not gone more than a -few minutes, and then come back again, so both the old birds keep -travelling back and forth; and all the time the young ones are -making all the noise they can, only you can't hear'em for the sound -of the water--they're a hungry lot, I tell you. Of course, the -breeding season is past a long time now, and maybe if we keep our -eyes open we'll be able to see a nest and get it for you to take -home with you, though often they're in a place where it's mighty -hard to get at them." - -The little circular meadow in which they had camped was not large -enough to give good feeding for their horses, even if the ground -had not been covered with snow; but Hugh felt certain that the -horses would not try to follow the back trail up the hill again, -nor did he think that they would venture away down the stream -into country unknown to them. However, he picketed two horses and -hobbled most of the others, and when morning came they were most of -them in sight, though one or two had strayed away into the timber. -The snow on the ground made it an easy matter to follow them, and -soon after sunrise the train had started on again. - -The travelling was better than had been expected. Although -sometimes the walls of the valley drew so close together that there -was hardly room for the stream to flow, they managed to get along -without very much climbing, and were all the time going down hill. -The next night when they camped, the snow had almost entirely -disappeared from the valley, only patches lying in some of the most -shady spots. There was abundant sign of game here, but they saw -none, nor did they look for it. The next afternoon however, Hugh -stopped as they were crossing a meadow, and, calling Jack to him, -pointed out some tracks in the soft ground, which Jack at first -supposed were elk tracks, but on more careful examination found to -be quite different; and after thinking for a moment, he asked Hugh -if they could be moose tracks. - -"Yes," said Hugh, "that's just what they are. This was a good bull, -and he crossed here early this morning. Follow his tracks a little -way and see if you can make out anything special about them, and -then come on after us and tell me what you saw." - -Jack followed slowly along on the tracks until they entered the -timber. Then he returned to take his position in the pack train. -By this time the way was so open that it was not necessary to -travel in single file, and Jack, riding up to Hugh said, "Well, -Hugh, those tracks are about twice as long as an elk's track, and -only a little bit wider; that makes them look long and narrow. -Then, besides that, I noticed that whenever the animal went over a -soft spot, and his foot sank in a little, there seemed to be two -marks behind the main track, and I suppose those are the dew claws -sinking in. Is that so?" - -"That's it," said Hugh, "I'm glad you took notice so carefully. -Maybe we'll get a chance to kill a moose before we get down out of -these mountains. We don't really want one now; but you've never -seen a moose, and I expect if one should show up, why maybe you'd -want to shoot at it." - -"Well, Hugh, I guess I would," said Jack; "but I suppose as long -as we're travelling here with the pack train, and making so much -noise, there isn't much chance of our seeing one." - -"No, not much," said Hugh. - -As the valley became wider, and the stream larger, there seemed -to be more life in the bottom. Several broods of ruffed grouse -had been noticed during the day, and all were so tame that they -scarcely moved out of the horses' way as they passed along. In -the river there were a few ducks, of the kind that breed high up -in the mountains; and the next morning, when Jack was down at the -water's edge, just after he had risen, he saw a hawk make a dash at -a family of ducks. The ducks were flying down the river when the -hawk came out of the timber and darted toward them. They all fell -into the water, with loud splashings, and the hawk swooped at one -of them which was a little apart from the main flock; but the duck -made a rush to one side and easily avoided it. Then the hawk gave -up the chase, and flew into a tall tree, where he watched the ducks -as they swam swiftly down the stream. Jack was amused at a little -spotted sandpiper that had been flying up the stream when the hawk -darted for the ducks. The bird was very much frightened, thinking -that the hawk was after it. It dropped into the water as if it had -been shot, and sat there with its head cocked to one side, watching -the enemy, and prepared to dive at a second's warning, if the hawk -should dash at it. - -The weather was bright and pleasant, and they kept on down the -stream, which constantly grew wider. Now there was some sage-brush -on the benches above the bottom, and often the trail kept away from -the stream, and close under these benches, in order to avoid the -frequent wet and miry places which would have troubled the horses. -As Jack was riding along he suddenly heard a shot behind him, and -looking about, saw three deer running near the top of a ridge, -and just below the timber. Joe had shot at one of them, and just -after Jack looked round, two of them disappeared over the ridge. -The last one stopped almost at its crest, and looked back, and Joe -fired again. The doe fell, and Joe rode up to where she lay. The -train was halted, and when the deer had been brought down to the -trail she was put on one of the packs and they started on again. As -the bottom became wider it was evident that beaver had been much at -work here, and although they had long deserted it, the marshes and -sloughs and mud-holes caused by their damming of the stream still -remained as pitfalls for the traveller. - -Ever since they had left Snake River they had heard from time to -time the shrill bugling call of the elk, though near the top of the -range where the snow was deepest they had not heard them whistle. -Now, however, they frequently heard elk, and on this day an old -bull came out of a point of timber near which they were travelling, -and stood and looked at them. He was but a short distance off, -and might easily have been killed; but they had meat enough, and -there was no reason for shooting him. He was but forty or fifty -yards distant, and seemed disposed to come even nearer, making -some threatening demonstrations with his head, and advancing a few -steps; but no attention was paid to him, and presently he turned -about and disappeared in the timber. Hugh said that very likely the -elk took some of the pack animals for cows, and wished to gather -them in. - -That night they camped on an enlargement of the river, which almost -seemed like a little lake. Behind them and on either side were -timbered hills, before them the water, and beyond the mountains -rising steeply. The lodge stood in a little grove of pine trees, -which furnished shelter and fuel, and the hungry animals fed on the -rich grass behind it. The bright fire in front of the lodge lit up -the trees and the lodge and the pack saddles, and as it flamed and -flickered, curious shadows peeped out from the dark caverns that -stretched back beneath the pine branches to the gloom beyond, and -sometimes creeping stealthily forth, danced for a moment within the -circle of the firelight, and then chased one another back into the -darkness, and were swallowed up in it. The soft murmur of the river -over its stones came to the campers in a monotonous undertone, -while now and then from the nearby trees came the plaintive call of -some bird, and the mountain sides echoed at intervals to the fierce -shrill challenge of the angry elk. - -"This is a great elk country, isn't it, Hugh?" said Jack. "It seems -to me that elk are 'most everywhere, and I suppose they'll always -be here, won't they?" - -"Well, I don't know, son," said Hugh; "it's pretty hard to say -about that. They'll likely be here until the white folks come; -but as soon as they come, why the elk are bound to go. I've heard -they're talking about passing a law not to let them be killed in -the Park we came through--that place where the hot springs and -spouting fountains are. But just as soon as mineral is discovered -in these hills, the game will go. I reckon, too, that this law -they're talking about passing for that Park back there won't amount -to much, for I talked with two hunters there who said that they -expected to get the contract this winter to kill meat for all them -fellows that's working on those buildings that we saw. Of course -what two men'll kill in a winter won't amount to much; but just -as soon as many people begin to come into this country, the game -will all get killed off. I've seen places down in the south, in -Colorado, where twenty or twenty-five years ago game was so plenty -that you could kill all you wanted right close to camp, any time; -and now that country is full of settlers, miners and ranchmen, and -they've killed off the game for the mining camps and tie camps and -every settler has to go and get three or four wagon loads for his -winter's meat, and the first thing they know there won't be a hoof -left in the country." - -"Well, but Hugh," said Jack, "what's going to become of all the -game? Isn't there going to be any left after a few years?" - -"You can't prove it by me, son. I don't know; but I expect there -won't be any game left, unless they pass some laws, and enforce -them, to stop the killing of it. Of course laws don't mean anything -without they're enforced, and as far as I can see, these laws -protecting the game never are enforced." - -"But, Hugh," said Jack, "that seems to me all wrong. Do you mean to -say that if I come out here twenty years from now there won't be -anything for me to hunt?" - -"Looks that way to me, son," said Hugh. - -"And if I should have a son, and ever want to bring him out here -and show him the things that I saw when I was a boy, he could not -see them?" - -"I don't believe he could. I tell you, son, this country has -changed an awful lot since I first saw it, and it seems to me it's -changing more and more all the time, and quicker now than it used -to. I used to think that the time would never come when I couldn't -go out and kill meat if I wanted it; but my ideas have changed a -whole lot in the last year or two, and I believe now that the time -will come when there won't be any game left for a man to shoot with -a rifle. I used to think that the buffalo could never be killed -off, but I've seen 'em killed off over part of the country, and I -may live long enough to see 'em killed off everywhere." - -"Well," said Jack, "it seems as if there ought to be some way to -stop that." - -"Yes, there ought to be," said Hugh, "but you see, every fellow -that comes out into the mountains, he's just like you and me; we -think the other fellow oughtn't to kill game, but we ought to kill -it. We claim that we don't kill anything more than what we want -to eat, and these other fellows claim, maybe--if they're buffalo -skinners or elk skinners--that they don't kill any more than they -want to skin. Each man thinks that what he'll kill won't do any -harm; but when they're all at work killing as hard as they can, the -upshot of it is that there's no game left." - -"I see," said Jack; "each one of us is thinking about himself and -about nobody else, and yet each one of us is likely to talk about -what the other people do. You must have seen lots of game in your -life, Hugh," he added. - -"Yes, son," said Hugh, "I've seen a heap of game. Why, at one time -men used to travel day after day, and never be out of sight of -game; and most times the game was not afraid at all. Buffalo or elk -or antelope would just move out the way, and a man never thought -of shooting at anything until he needed meat to eat. Of course in -those times we never took anything but the best parts, and so it -often happened that we killed an animal every two or three days. -But we never thought, up to within a very few years ago, when -railroads began to come into the country, that things would be much -different from what they were then; but when the railroads came, -they brought a heap of people, a good many of them hunters, and a -good many of them men who came to live on the land where the game -had always roamed without being bothered by anybody, except maybe -once a year when Indians happened to pass that way and perhaps -camped in the neighborhood for a few weeks. Of course the time has -been when a man could easily enough kill a car-load of game in a -day, but in the old times no one had any reason for doing that. We -could only eat about so much meat, and wear about so much buckskin; -and ammunition cost money, and nobody wanted to waste it." - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -A PACK HORSE IN DANGER - - -They had not gone far down the river the next morning when the -mountains on either side drew closer together, and the valley -narrowed greatly. Before they had gone far Hugh stopped, and, -turning, said to the boys as they came up, "I don't like the looks -of things ahead; I reckon we'll have to go up on the hillside down -below here. Looks to me like we were coming to a cañon." - -A little farther along it proved so; and Hugh, after going ahead -and making a little investigation, called out to the boys to bring -on the animals. They found him on a narrow game trail, which began -to climb the hill among thick timber, where the trees stood so -close on both sides of the trail that it was evident that there -might be trouble in getting the packs along. Hugh got an axe out -of the pack, and, going ahead on foot, began to chop the branches -on either side, so as to make room for the loaded horses. Two or -three times he found small trees fallen across the trail, and, as -it was extremely steep, it was necessary to cut out each one of -these. Progress was slow, but after two or three hours they emerged -from the timber and could see ahead of them the trail leading -along a very steep hillside. Immediately below the trail grew -underbrush, and below that the rocks fell off sharply to the river. -From the hillside a number of little brooks and springs trickled -down, making slippery, muddy places in the trail over which it -was necessary to go carefully. Hugh several times called back to -the boys, saying, "Go slow along this place, and don't crowd the -animals; let each one take its time, and you boys go on foot. The -horses will follow all right." - -There was nothing on the trail that was difficult for a man on foot -or for a careful horse, and for some time they went on very well, -and made good time; but in crossing a little brook which ran down -over the trail, and where there was a mud-hole, the bay horse, -pausing and putting down his head to investigate the trail, was -crowded upon by the dun and kicked back at him with both heels, -and when his feet came down they were over the edge of the trail, -and, trying to recover himself, he clumsily fell down and rolled -over once or twice. Just below the trail at this point there was -a big patch of stiff alders growing close to the steep hillside. -Jack saw the horse begin to fall, and, dropping his own bridle rein -and placing his gun on the hillside above the trail, he slipped by -the dun, and before the pack horse had turned over twice he had -caught it by its hackamore and checked it. In a moment Joe was by -his side, and the two hung on like grim death, and held the horse -there on its side, with its head a little up the hill. Meantime -Hugh had left his horse and come back along the trail, and in a -moment he too had hold of the horse's head. Fortunately, the horse -lay perfectly quiet, and neither slid nor rolled, his hips being -more or less supported by the alders. Hugh quickly unfastened the -hackamore, which gave all hands a better hold, and then said to -Jack, "Slip down there now, behind the horse, and see if you can -loosen that lash rope. If you can't, cut the lacing that holds it -to the cinch. We've got to get that pack off, or else lose the -animal. Don't get where the horse can hit you with his feet; reach -over his back." - -The horse was lying on its off side, and it was impossible to -loosen the lash rope, but reaching over the back, Jack cut the -lacings of the lash cinch, so that the whole lash rope fell off. -"Now," said Hugh, "come back here and hang on to the hackamore." -Jack took Hugh's place, and Hugh quickly loosened the sling ropes, -and removing the packs from the saddle, carried them up to the -trail, and then along it a little distance until he reached a place -where the ground on the upper side sloped more gradually. Here he -deposited the packs one by one; then he took hold of the hackamore -again and said to Jack, "Go and get your rope and bring it here, -and tie it round this horse's neck in a bowline." When this had -been done, the end of the rope was passed round a small spruce -tree, which grew just above the trail, and then all three held the -rope, so that now the horse could not possibly roll down the hill, -unless the tree gave way, or the men let the rope go. While two of -them held the rope, Jack led the horses along the trail, until a -place was reached where it came out on a wider ledge, and leaving -them there returned. Then the pack horse was made to rise to its -feet, and without very great difficulty, assisted by the rope about -its neck, it climbed back to the trail and was led along to a place -where there was more room. Now, while Hugh mended the lash cinch, -the boys carried the packs along the trail to where it was wider, -and at length the horse was re-packed, and they started on. - -While they were at work, Jack said to Hugh, "I want you to -understand, Hugh, that I didn't drive the dun onto that horse. The -dun came up behind him and stopped, and the bay kicked at him, and -lost his footing, and went over the side of the trail." - -"I know," said Hugh, "I know; I was watching. It wasn't anybody's -fault, but the fool horse that tried to kill himself. You did -mighty well to get hold of him as quick as you did, and if it -hadn't been for that, if he'd made one more roll, he'd have gone -over the rocks, and we'd have lost him, and likely a lot of the -load he's carrying. - -"We've got to look for things like this when we're travelling with -a pack train, and I'm mighty surprised that we've had as little -trouble as we have." - -It was near sundown when Hugh stopped as they came out on a bench -of the hillside, and said: "I reckon we'll have to camp up here -to-night, boys. There don't seem to be any place where we can get -down to the river. There's good grass here for the horses and a -place where we can picket two or three of them, but I don't see any -water just here. Jack, you ride up the hill, and see whether you -can find anything that looks like a spring. Joe and I'll stop here -with the horses." - -Jack had not ridden far, when, passing over a little ridge, he -found, issuing from a ledge of rock, a good spring, which ran down -into a little ravine, and calling to the others, they came up -there, unsaddled, and made camp. It was dark when supper was over, -and their talk was chiefly of the difficulties of the day, and the -narrow escape had by the pack horse. - -"A man is bound to lose an animal in the mountains now and then," -said Hugh, "not always through his own carelessness, but because -there's always some horses and mules that are fools. After all a -horse is nothing but a bundle of nerves, and if he gets scared and -loses his head, why he doesn't do anything but jump round and kick -and make things worse for himself. Now, that's where a good man -has the bulge on any dumb beast that ever was. A man, if he's got -sense, will stop and think, and reason, and try to find some way -out of his difficulty; but a critter doesn't do that. That's the -reason horses and mules and cattle stampede, and that's the reason -often that human beings stampede too; they lose their senses, and -become no better at all than just so many animals. We've always -got to keep our wits about us, be ready, and when anything happens -do the right thing, and do it right off--like you did to-day, son, -when you ran to grab that horse's head, and like you did too, Joe; -for I saw that you were both ready. You saved us the horse, and a -mighty good job it is. - -"I remember one day, years ago, we lost our whole kitchen outfit -just through the foolishness of a mule. It was near Henry's Fork of -Green River, and I was guiding a lot of soldiers and bug hunters -up from the Unita agency. To get down into the valley we had to -follow down a mighty sharp crest that ran out between two deep -ravines. It was mighty narrow, and a terrible long way down on -either side, but there were no bad places in it; but a big bay mule -that carried the kitchen, in two big baskets, tried to turn round -and look at the rest of the train that were coming, and somehow -she caught her hind legs over the edge, and they slipped down, -and she hung a little while with her forefeet, but before any one -could get to her she let go, and she fell. She was dead long before -she struck the bottom, I guess, and the kitchen was all smashed -and broken up. I believe we did get some knives and forks and tin -plates out of the mess, but the plates were all battered, and had -to be hammered out on a tree with an axe before they would set on -the ground. It was one of the worst falls I ever saw an animal -take." - -The next morning the horses were seen scattered all along the -hillside above the camp, and it took the boys some time to gather -and bring them in; and while they were doing this, a big doe, -followed by two little fawns, jumped up out of a patch of quaking -aspen, ran a short distance up above them on the hillside, and then -all three animals turning round stood looking at them, with their -great ears thrown forward. The boys stood for a few moments and -looked at her, and then she turned again and clambered still higher -up, only to stop again for another look. Neither felt any desire to -shoot at her. - -The greater part of the day was devoted to working down stream -along the hillside. They found that they could travel with some -comfort on the benches, except when these were interrupted at -frequent intervals by deep ravines, cut out by streams coming down -from the hills, and the plunge down into these, and the subsequent -climb up the other side, was tiring to the animals. Also they had -to stop frequently to adjust the packs and tighten the saddles. - -That night they camped again on the benches, and Hugh said, "I -believe we'll do as well to stop somewhere, if we can find a good -camp, and rest up for two or three days. These horses have been -having hard work now for some little time, and they'll get poor. -Besides that, this up and down work is awful hard on their backs, -and I think it would be a good idea to given 'em a rest. If we -can find a good camp to-morrow, any time in the day, as we're -travelling along, I think we better stop and rest up, or we can -stop right here. You boys might want to take a hunt or a fish. It's -nice weather now, and we're low enough down so that there's no -danger that the snow will catch us, and I think we can spare the -time." - -"Well, Hugh," said Jack, "I think that's a pretty good idea. I'd -like to look over these hills and see what there is in them, and I -guess we'd all like to rest for a day." - -The next few days were spent in this camp. Hugh was busy mending up -saddles and riggings, fixing blankets, and getting things in good -shape for their further journey, while Jack fished a good deal in -the river and took many trout. - -One day while working around the edge of a large pool, and trying -to cover it all with his line, he found himself close to a steep -rocky wall, over which poured a fall six or eight feet high. He had -fished here for some minutes, when suddenly his eye caught a round -brownish-green bunch of something, resting on a little ledge close -to the falls and over deep water; and as he saw it he thought that -this must be a nest of the dipper. It was impossible to get close -to it, and remembering that it was now autumn and that the nest by -no possibility could contain anything, he reached over with his -pole, and pushing it from its position, it fell to the water and -was soon in his hand. He found it just what Hugh had described: a -bunch of moss, containing a chamber within, lined with dried grass -and a few feathers, and with a round hole at the front for the -passage in and out of the birds. It was a beautiful piece of bird -architecture, and he determined to take it with him and to try to -carry it back east. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -A BIGHORN - - -While Hugh had been working and Jack fishing, Joe had been roaming -the hillsides. He had found some signs of game and killed another -little fawn, but had not been higher up than the first bench above -the camp. From there, however, he had seen higher mountains rising -beyond, and one night he said to Jack, "Jack, why don't you quit -catching these fish, and let's go up high on the hills here, and -see if we can't kill something?" - -"That's a good idea, Joe," said Hugh, "the meat of these -black-tails is about gone now, and it's a good idea for you boys -to go out and kill something more. That last fawn that you got is -almost gone, too. We don't want to keep eating fish all the rest of -the trip. - -"Good enough," said Jack. "I'll go you; and we'll start early -to-morrow morning. Shall we take horses, Hugh?" - -"Why, no," said Hugh, "if I were you I'd leave the horses here to -rest, and go afoot. You can hunt better afoot, and then if you kill -anything that's too big for you to pack in, you can come down and -get a horse for it." - -The next morning the two boys started early, and for a long time -scrambled up the hill. When they reached the top of the bench -above camp, they found before them a plateau, more or less level, -and beyond that rose another ridge, which cut off the view. They -climbed and climbed for a long time, passing over one bench after -another, and at length, a little before noon, Joe saw far off -on the hillside, at about the same level with themselves, three -mountain sheep. They were on quite another mountain, for there were -two wide gorges between them and the boys; and, what was more to -the point, the sheep had already seen them and were looking. So the -boys kept on climbing. - -At last they reached the rocks, a great brown slope of broken -weathered lichen-covered stones, which rose steeply before them; -but the going was not bad, and they climbed up, heading always for -a place where the precipices above seemed broken away, so that they -could get through. It was now noon and the sun shone warm, but a -cool breeze was blowing along the hillside, and the air was fresh -and invigorating. Jack said, "Now, Joe, when we get to the top of -this cliff we'll find a sheltered place, and sit down there and -eat." - -"That will be good," said Joe; "I'm hungry." They had now climbed -quite high, and looking across at the mountain on the other side of -the stream, could see that the timber was small, and that a little -higher up it seemed to stop. Joe said, "We ought to see sheep up -here, it seems to me." - -"I should think so," said Jack, "but we'll have to wait until -we get to some place where we can get a good look along the -mountain." Before long they reached a ravine, and clambering up it -for some distance came out on a rocky hillside, from which both -to the north and south they could see a long way over ground that -for the most part was open and steeply sloping. Above them the -mountains rose in a series of narrow benches--a bench not more than -fifty feet wide, and then a cliff as high, then another bench, -and another cliff, and so on up. Here, choosing a place which was -sheltered from the wind, they sat down and rested for a while, at -the same time eating their bread and dried meat, which tasted very -good. When they had finished, Jack said: - -"Now, Joe, you know more about the mountains than I do. What shall -we do? Shall we keep on climbing, and try to get up to the top, or -shall we walk along one of these benches? I suppose if we do that -we might easily enough run across some sheep, for at this time of -the day they'd be likely to be lying down in just such places." - -"Yes," said Joe, "that's so; but if they're lying down there, -they're looking 'round all the time, and pretty sure to see you -before you see them. Then maybe they'll make one jump out of sight, -going up the hill, or down, and you don't get a shot." - -"Well, then," said Jack, "let's go higher." - -"All right," said Joe, "we'll go ahead." - -The climb was steep and rough and hard, but they kept at it for -sometime longer, and at last found themselves up above the benches -and on a gentle rounded rock slope, where little grass grew. There -were no trees or tall weeds. - - [Illustration: "ALMOST BELOW THEM, FEEDING, WERE TWO GOOD SIZED - RAMS."--_Page 183_] - -"Now," said Joe, "I think we've got to the place. Now we can work -along and look down into these ravines, or little basins, or onto -the ledges, and maybe if we see sheep we'll be above them and can -get to them." - -They followed the ridge down the stream, and in the first ravine -that they came to they saw a big drift of snow. They headed that, -and as they went on, found that in all the low places on the -mountain top there was more or less snow. They had gone more than -half a mile when, peering over a crest of rock, they looked down -into a pretty little basin in which there was a good deal of snow, -but above the snow grew green grass, and almost below them feeding -were two good sized rams. The animals did not see them, and they -drew back. - -"Now, Joe," said Jack, "which of us shall shoot? I guess you'd -better, because I don't think you have ever killed a big ram, have -you?" - -"No," said Joe, "I never killed a ram as big as this, but then I've -killed sheep, and I'll have plenty of chances to hunt when maybe -you won't. You'd better shoot." - -"No," said Jack, "I'd rather have you." - -"No," said Joe, "you shoot." - -"Well, I tell you," said Jack, "let's toss up for it, the way we -did before," and picking up a small flat stone he spat on one side -of it, and said, "we'll call the wet side heads. Now, you call," -and throwing it up in the air, Joe called "Head" and "tail" came -uppermost. - -"All right," said Jack, "that settles it." He stepped forward and -shot, and Joe stood beside him, ready, in case Jack should miss. -At the crack of the gun the two sheep jumped a little, but did not -run away but stood looking in all directions. Jack said to Joe, -"Now you give him another," and Joe fired at the sheep Jack had -shot at. Almost as the gun cracked, the sheep sank to his knees, -and its head fell down. The boys reloaded their guns, and began -to pick their way down the rocks to it. The other ram stood until -they had approached quite near to it, and then suddenly seeming to -become very much frightened, rushed away along the mountain side, -and was soon seen climbing the cliff. - -They could see that the ram that had fallen was big and fat, and -knew that they could not take the whole of the meat into camp with -them, and both felt quite sure that they could not bring an animal -up here. At least, if they could do so, it would take all day to -do it. On turning over the sheep and examining it, they found that -the bullet holes made by the two shots were only two inches apart. -Both were shots that would have killed the sheep in a few moments. -This merely meant that Jack's had not given the animal a shock -sufficient to throw it to the ground. - -When they had butchered, they found the sheep very fat, and neither -Jack nor Joe liked the idea of leaving the greater part of it up -here on the mountain to waste. "I'll tell you what we'll do, Jack," -said Joe, "let's each of us take one of the shoulders and try to -carry that down to camp, and then to-morrow we can come up here -with the horses and see if we can get the rest of it down. We can -tell as we go home what sort of a trail there will be up here for -a horse. Of course we can't get him up here over these cliffs that -we climbed, but maybe by following down the stream that runs out of -this basin we can find a horse trail." - -When the boys got into camp that night they were both pretty tired. -They told Hugh what they had done, and that it was impossible to -get a horse up as they had gone. Of course there might be some -other way of climbing the hills. - -"Well," said Hugh, "now I'll tell you what we'll do to-morrow: -we'll take a pack horse, and all of us go up there on foot, and -we'll take the horse as far as we can, and when we can't get him -any further, why of course we'll have to leave him. Then we can -bring the meat down, or most of it, on our backs, and when we get -to the horse, put it on him, and so get it all to camp." - -"Well, Hugh," said Jack, "let's do that; but I tell you, that sheep -is awful heavy. I had all I wanted to carry one of those shoulders -down, and of course the hams will be twice as heavy as the -shoulders. I don't believe either Joe or I can carry those hams." - -"Oh, well, we don't any of us know what we can do until we try. I'd -like to stretch my legs on the mountains, and I'll see what we can -do toward bringing in the meat to-morrow." - -While breakfast was being cooked next morning Hugh told the boys -to go out and bring in the dun horse, for he was the stoutest and -toughest animal in the bunch, and besides that, Hugh thought him -the best climber. - -Before starting, Hugh had the boys point out as nearly as possible -the direction from which they had come the night before, and then -swinging off down the hill, he worked up on the mountain, the -others following close behind. Studying each steep ascent as they -approached it over the more or less level bench below, he avoided -a number of the rock climbs that the boys had made the day before, -and several times led the horse up through ravines where Jack would -not have supposed it possible for any animal except a sheep or a -deer to pass. Jack noticed, too, Hugh's method of climbing. While -he walked briskly across the level and gently sloping country, he -climbed steep ascents rather slowly and stopped frequently. The -boys, of course, did just as he did, and Jack noticed that he was -not nearly so tired or so out of breath as he had been during the -climb of the day before. - -During one of the rests which they made just after reaching a -bench, Jack said, "I wonder why it is, Hugh, that I can climb so -much better to-day than I could yesterday. Yesterday I lost my wind -all the time, and it took me a long time to get it back. Every -time I climbed up one of these steep places, when I got to the top -I gave out, and had to throw myself down and pant for a long time -before I could go on. I suppose it's because I've been riding so -much, and doing but little on foot." - -"Yes," said Hugh, "I reckon that has something to do with it; but -how did you climb yesterday? Did you hurry on and try to get to the -top of each cliff quick, going as fast as you could, and then stop -and rest for a long time?" - -"Yes, that's the way we did. We wanted to get up to the top as -quickly as we could, and see what was over the next hill." - -"Well," said Hugh, "that's natural, but I don't think that's the -way to climb 'round among the mountains. You get along as fast, -and I think easier, if you go more slowly and make frequent stops, -but have them short ones. If you go hurrying all the time, you get -all blown by the hard work you're doing, and then when you have to -stop, you have to stop a long time, and after you've rested for a -long time you don't feel much like getting up and going on again; -you're all tired out. - -"It always seems to me," he went on, "better to climb a little way -and then stop and take a few deep breaths, and then go on a little -way further, and then stop and breathe again. In that way you are -not nearly so tired at any time, and the whole climb is easier for -you. I have scrambled 'round considerable in the mountains myself, -and that is the way I've learned to climb. You watch through the -rest of the day, and see if you don't find it easier on you than it -was yesterday." - -"I will," said Jack. "It seems a good deal easier so far, but -then we haven't climbed anywhere near as steep places as we did -yesterday." - -"That's another thing you want to learn," said Hugh: "when you're -climbing the mountains, try always to pick the easiest road; it's -a good deal less trouble to go 'round and take the easy slopes, -even if it's twice as long, than it is to buck right against the -steep face of a hill. Of course there's lots of places where there -are no easy slopes, and you've got to go up over bad steep sliding -shell-rock, and to climb up straight cliffs; but when you can do -it, it pays to take the easy ways." - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -A CHARGING GRIZZLY - - -They were now getting high up in the mountain, and pretty near, -Jack thought, to where the sheep was. The horse was still with -them, and it astonished Jack to see that Hugh found a means of -getting him up or around every cliff or rock slide that they met. -At length they were so near the top that, after speaking with Joe -about it, Jack told Hugh that he thought they were pretty near the -game. One more high cliff should bring them to the little basin in -which the sheep lay. - -"Well, boys, if you're sure of that," said Hugh, "we'll leave -the horse here, and maybe we can pack the meat down to him. It's -getting to be pretty steep and pretty rocky under foot, I don't -want to take him any further than we must." - -"Well," said Joe, "I think we're right close now--that it's just -over this little bluff ahead of us." - -Hugh twisted the horse's rope around a little bush that grew on the -hillside, and then turning to Joe said, "Well, Joe, go ahead, and -take us up to it." Joe started, and they were soon at the ridge; -but just before passing over it, Joe made a motion with his hand, -and sank back out of sight, and whispered to Hugh, "There's a bear -at the sheep." - -"Sure?" said Hugh. - -"Sure," said Joe. - -"Well, how can we get at him?" asked Jack, who had pushed up beside -Hugh. - -"The same way we did at the sheep, I guess," said Joe. "It don't -look very far from here. You take a look, Hugh." Hugh climbed -up, and cautiously raising his head, looked for a few seconds, -and lowering it again said, "Well, boys, we've got more than we -bargained for; there's two bears there, a big one and a little one. -Now, let's go 'round to the left here, and get behind those rocks -and a little above them, and then we'll have a chance to look at -them and see what we'll do." - -They went back down the ravine, and then a little way around and -again climbing the rocks, found that they could see the basin in -which the sheep lay, and hurrying forward, they soon reached its -rim and looked down on the spot. - -Sure enough, there were two bears, tearing away at the sheep's -carcass, and seeming greatly to enjoy themselves. They looked like -mother and cub, and to Jack the mother looked pretty big. They had -mauled and partly eaten the fore part of the sheep's carcass, and -had dug into its belly, gnawing the flanks. - -The cub paid no attention to anything, and was eating greedily, but -the larger bear stopped feeding every few moments and looked in all -directions, and throwing up her head seemed to snuff the breeze. -Fortunately, the wind was blowing from the southeast, and so up the -stream, and there was no danger that the animal would detect the -presence of human beings; yet she seemed uneasy, and more or less -suspicious. - -"Well, boys," said Hugh, "what do you want to do? I expect you want -to kill them bears." - -"Yes, indeed, Hugh," said Jack, "of course we want to kill them." - -"Hide's no good now," said Hugh, "they're in summer coat, and all -sunburned, and the winter coat isn't started." - -"Oh, Hugh," said Jack, "you don't mean you want to let those bears -go. Why look how they've torn our sheep to pieces. Why they ought -to be killed for that, if for nothing else." - -"Well, well, well," said Hugh, smiling, "you are an unreasonable -creature. Do you expect if you leave meat out on the mountain that -bears, or wolves, or Indians, or white people either, are going to -pass it by and not use it? How do you suppose those bears knew that -you were coming back?" - -Jack saw that Hugh was making fun of him, and said, "Well, how -shall we take them, Hugh?" - -"Fix it any way you like. Suppose you take the old bear and Joe the -cub; and I won't fire until I have to." - -"All right," said Jack, "but wouldn't you rather fire? I've had -some hunting, and so has Joe since we've been out, and you haven't -had a shot. Wouldn't you like to kill the old bear?" - -Hugh laughed again, as he said, "No, I'll give that up to you. You -take the old one, and Joe'll take the young one; but I tell you, -the young one's hide is better than the old one's." - -"Oh, I don't care about that," said Jack. "What do you say, Joe, -does that suit you?" - -"Yes," said Joe, "it suits me all right." - -"All right then, let's shoot at the word; and you count, Hugh; when -you say three we'll both fire." - -"All right," said Hugh, "get ready. Are you ready?" - -Both boys grunted in assent. One, two, three! the two guns cracked -at the same instant. The smaller bear fell over, and then sprang -to its feet, screaming dismally, and ran along the hillside. The -larger one turned her head quickly and bit at the place at which -Jack had fired, and then, without a moment's waiting, came rushing -toward the spot over which the smoke of the two rifles still hung. - -"Hurrah, boys!" said Hugh, with more interest than Jack had ever -seen him show. "Here she comes; get ready, and shoot again." The -two boys, having reloaded, fired, but both hurriedly, and the bear -made no pause, but kept galloping toward them at tremendous speed. -She was now within thirty or thirty-five yards, and Hugh, saying, -"Scatter out if she keeps a-coming, and keep shooting," raised -his rifle to his shoulder and fired; and as he did so, the bear -crumpled up and fell to the ground, and after a few struggles, lay -still; but for several moments all three stood with loaded guns, -waiting to see what she would do. - -"She was a tough one," said Hugh, "but I reckon that neither of you -boys hit her a second time to do any harm to her. You were a little -excited, I guess, and shot before you got your sights rightly -drawed. I tell you when a bear is coming for you, that isn't the -time to get excited. If you get excited when a deer or antelope is -running away from you, that's all right, but when a bear is coming -to you, you want all your wits. - -"But what became of your bear, Joe," he continued. - -"I don't know," said Joe; "last I saw of him he was going over that -ridge, squealing a whole lot. I know just where he went over, and I -can go there and look for him." - -"Well, you'd better," said Hugh. "But first let's see if there's -any life left in this old lady down here." They slowly approached -the bear, and threw stones at her, but she did not move. Moreover, -much blood was running from her mouth and nostrils, and she was -evidently dead. When they turned her over to skin her they saw that -she was not a very large bear, but a grizzly. Her coat, as Hugh had -said, was not in good order, being faded and sunburned, and with -many thin patches. Still, Jack thought it would be worth taking -home with him, and he and Hugh proceeded to skin her, while Joe -went off to look for the small one. - -"Keep your eyes about you, son," said Hugh, as the boy started. -"Even a little bear can scratch and bite a whole lot, if he gets -hold of you. If you find the bear lying down, don't go up to him -until you're sure either that it is dead or alive; and if it is -alive, kill it." - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -SOMETHING ABOUT BEARS - - -As they began to skin the bear, Jack said, "I want to find out why -I didn't kill this bear, Hugh; I thought I held all right on it, -and yet my shot never seemed to faze her." - -"Well, I'll tell you what I think, son. I noticed where she seemed -to snap at where you hit her, and I reckon you forgot you were -shooting down hill, and shot a little high, and perhaps hit a -little far back. Now, when we get her hide off we'll see." - -Jack thought for a moment, and then said, "Hugh, I bet you're -right. She made a kind of a step to one side just as I was pulling -the trigger, and I never thought one thing about holding low -because we were above her on the hillside. I guess if we open her -we'll find that that shot of mine went nearer her liver than it did -her heart." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I wouldn't be surprised. Of course the liver -is a pretty deadly shot after a while, but it isn't so good as the -heart, and, as I've told you I guess more than forty times, it's -always better to shoot under than over." - -"Well," said Jack, "that was a pretty bad blunder. I feel pretty -badly about that. I ought to have known better than to have done -such a thing. I wonder if Joe shot over, too. I hope he'll get his -bear, so that we can know about it." - -The work of skinning the bear was long and slow, and Hugh said, -when they drew the skin out from under the animal, "Now we've got -it, it ain't worth anything." - -It was found that Jack's ball had struck the bear much too far -back, and so that it passed just under the spine, yet not quite -high enough to cut the great vein that passes along close beneath -the vertebrae. The bear might have lived a number of days, or even -have recovered, with this shot alone. The heavy ball from Hugh's -rifle had struck her in the back of the neck, and had smashed two -of the vertebrae, and lay there flattened in the muscles of the -neck. As Jack looked at the wound made by Hugh's ball, and then cut -the flattened lead out and held it in his hand, he said, "Well, -Hugh, it's mighty sure that you didn't get excited, anyhow. That -was an awful good shot, even if it was close, and a mighty hard -shot when you think how fast the bear was coming." - -"Yes," said Hugh, "of course in a case like that a man's got to -figure close. I took the chance of striking her on the top of the -head, or breaking her neck, or breaking her back right between the -shoulders; but I hit just the place I wanted to hit. I don't hear -anything of Joe," he went on; "let's walk over to that ridge and -see if we can see him. I'd like to see the trail left by that bear, -and maybe call Joe back if he's going too far." - -They walked quickly over to the ridge, and had just reached its -top when they saw, a little way below them, the figure of Joe -bending over something which they knew must be the bear, and going -to him they found that he had nearly finished skinning it; and a -few minutes help by Hugh and Jack completed the job. - -"That looks like good meat, Hugh," said Jack. "Is it worth while -taking any of it along?" - -"Do as you like," said Hugh. "I don't go much on bear meat, myself. -I've had to eat it, but then I've had to eat lots of other things -that I didn't hanker after. If you like, we can take those hams -along. The horse will have all he can carry, with the sheep if any -of it is worth taking, and the bear skins. They've mauled that -animal a whole lot, I reckon, and it may not be fit to carry to -camp." Folding up the little bear skin, Joe put it on his back, -while Hugh cut off the hams of the bear, which he said was a -yearling, and he and Jack each taking one, they started back to -look at the sheep. This was found in bad shape, but the greater -part of both hams was uninjured, and cutting these off, and cutting -away the part where the bears had gnawed, they were ready to start -on their return. - -"Jack," said Hugh, "do you suppose you can carry both of these -little bear hams? If you can, I'll take both the sheep hams, and -then come back here and get the bear skin. But one of you boys'll -have to come back to carry my rifle, for I reckon I can't tote both -the skin and the gun, at least not without a rope to tie the skin -up with." - -"I guess we've got to make two trips anyhow," said Jack, "there's -too much to carry, and anyhow it isn't far." - -"No," said Hugh, "it isn't far." The two trips were made, and all -the things carried to the edge of the cliff, and then Hugh said: -"Now, I'll go and get the horse. I'd rather get him myself, for the -smell of the bears'll maybe scare him, and I may have to fool with -him a little. You boys get these things down; get the bear skins -down first, and then the meat. We're likely to have some trouble -packing that horse. I don't think he'll mind the meat, but the -smell of the bear is likely to scare him." - -It proved as Hugh had said, the dun made a great fuss when -approaching the pile which constituted the hunters' spoils, and -after he was close to it it was necessary for Hugh to take off his -coat and put it over the animal's head, and tie it there; and then -Joe held the horse's rope, while Hugh and Jack packed the load. -After the ropes were all tied, Hugh said. - -"Now boys, you want, both of you, to get hold of that rope, for I -expect when I get this blind off the horse he'll buck plenty, and -if he bucks down the hill, he's likely to turn a somersault, and -roll, and break his neck before he stops rolling." - -The boys, having put their guns well up above the horse on the -hillside, took the rope, prepared for anything. As Hugh had said, -when the coat was taken from the horse's head he partly turned his -head, and giving a frightened snort at the load on his back, began -to buck. If he had gotten his head down the hill he would certainly -have fallen, but the boys, and with them Hugh, kept his head from -turning down the slope, and he soon tired of bucking, and though -once or twice he staggered as if about to fall over, they managed -to keep him on his feet. Though he bucked no more that day, he was -still much alarmed by what he was carrying, and they were obliged -to handle him with great discretion while going down some of the -steep places; for, as the load pressed forward toward his neck he -would snort loudly, and roll his eyes, as if he felt that he must -do something to get rid of the terrifying burden. - -They reached camp just before dark, and all were glad to get there. -When they stopped before the lodge, Hugh again put his coat over -the horse's head until he was unpacked and unsaddled, and when it -was taken off, the dun threw head and tail into the air and trotted -out to the other horses, looking back and snorting fiercely, -showing that his alarm was not yet over. - -"Well," said Hugh, "I believe if I had that job to do over again -I'd rather carry the stuff down on my own back than fool with that -horse. If I'd known we were going to have bear skins to pack, I -wouldn't have taken the horse along." - -Before doing anything else, Hugh sent the two boys with the axe -down into the timber, and told them to get a slender pole, like a -lodge pole, and trim it, and bring it up to him. Then resting the -ends of the pole on the branches of two trees, about six feet from -the ground, he spread the bear hides over it. - -After supper that night the talk turned to what they had seen and -done that day, and from that to bears. Jack had many questions to -ask about them, some of which Hugh could not answer. - -"I thought bears almost always had two cubs," said Jack; "but this -one only had one, and that you say is a yearling." - -"Well," said Hugh, "they do 'most always have two cubs, and -sometimes three, and sometimes four. I've heard of five, but I -never saw more than four, and those only once. I expect this old -bear started in with two cubs, but that something happened to one -of them. You see, when cubs first come out they are pretty small, -and lots of things are likely to happen to them. This old she-bear -very likely lost one of her cubs when it was a little one. You -notice, the one we killed is pretty good size for a yearling, and -fat and in good order. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd had all his -mother's milk now for over a year, and that's maybe what makes him -so fat." - -"When are the cubs born?" asked Jack. - -"Most people think they're born about the middle of the winter," -said Hugh. "I know the Indians think that, and I've had one or -two men tell me that they've come across bear dens in winter, and -killed the mother, and found the cubs in there mighty small--no -bigger than a young pup. Anyhow, by the time they get to travelling -round, in May and June, they're still right small, not near so big -as old Shep, down at the ranch. They say that if you catch the -black-bear cubs when they're right small, they make nice pets for -a while; but I never heard of anybody that got very friendly with -young grizzlies. - -"I remember once, years ago, Joe Kipp had a couple on the -Blackfoot Reservation, that one of the Indians had caught and -brought in when they were right small. Joe put collars on them, and -then forgot to take them off, and long toward the end of the summer -both bears were like to choke to death, the collars were getting so -small for them. I helped Joe and Hi Upham take 'em off, one day, -and 'twas a regular circus. Those little cubs--they weren't more'n -a foot or fifteen inches high--were awful mean, and regularly on -the fight. They were hard to catch, too, and if you did get hold of -them they'd turn quick as a wink and bite or scratch you. Finally, -we cornered one of 'em, and Joe grabbed it by the ears and held it -between his legs, while Hi held the forepaws and I loosened the -collar; but it came pretty near scratching Joe's overalls to pieces -with its hind feet. We did the same thing with the other one. I -tell you they were mean little cusses. - -"The Indians don't like bears much; ask Joe," continued Hugh. - -"No," said Joe, "Indians don't like bears. Afraid of 'em. Bears -are powerful medicine, you know, and some people won't speak about -a bear, or won't sit down on a bear skin, and of course they -won't eat bear meat. There's lots of stories about bears among -the Piegans. In old times, you know, bears used to kill lots of -Indians; and the Indians had only stone arrows, and couldn't do -anything. If a bear took after a man, maybe the man would shoot -three or four arrows into him, and they wouldn't much more than go -through his hide, and just make him madder and madder all the time, -and at last he'd just catch the man and tear him to pieces. One -story my grandfather told me a long time ago, and I heard my uncle -tell it again last winter. Would you like to hear it, Jack?" - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -THE STORY OF A MAN-KILLER - - -"Yes," said Jack, "this is bully; I'd love to hear it." - -"Well," said Joe, "this happened a long time before the white -people came. In those days we didn't have any guns. I expect the -bears knew that they were stronger and better armed, and they -weren't a bit afraid of the people. Often they wouldn't move out -of the road if they saw people coming; but the people were always -afraid of them and willing to let them alone. Very few men ever -killed a bear, and those that had done so were thought brave. It -was more to kill a bear than it was to kill two or three of the -enemy, and a man who had killed a bear used to string its claws, -and make a collar that he wore about his neck. - -"In those times we had no horses, and the only animals that we -packed, or that hauled the travois, were the dogs; and so the -people did not wander far over the prairie as they do to-day; they -used to stop in one place for a long time, and did not move camp -except for some good reason. You see, the people could pack some -of their things on the dogs, but besides that, men and women, and -sometimes even the children, had to carry heavy packs on their -backs whenever they moved. In those days, a great place for -camping in summer was the valley of Two Medicine Lodge River. You -know where it is, Hugh?" - -"Yes, I should say so," said Hugh. - -"That was a good place. Berries grew there, big and sweet; and -along the river were high steep bluffs, over which the hunters used -to lead the buffalo, which were killed by falling on the rocks -below. - -"One summer the people were camped there, as usual. It had been -a good summer. All about the lodges, whichever way one looked, -you could see only red, the red of meat hanging on the trees and -bushes, and scaffolds, drying, above the reach of the dogs; and -all over the ground, spread out so thick as to cover almost all -the grass, were the skins of buffalo, elk and deer, on which were -heaped berries, curing in the sun, to be used during the winter. No -wonder the people were happy, and that you could hear laughter and -singing all through the camp. They had plenty of food; they feared -nothing. No enemies were near at hand; the Stonies of the north, -the Kutenais and Flatheads of the west, ran away when the Piegans -came in sight; they did not dare to wait to fight them. - -"It was a very hot day; there was no wind, and the sun burned down, -so that no one could work. The lodge skins were raised, and all -the people sat or lay in the shade, some smoking, some talking and -others sleeping. Even the little children had stopped playing, and -the camp was quiet. Suddenly, at the west end of the village, a -great noise was heard, cries and screams, and wailing by women; and -from all directions men and women and frightened children began -running to the place, crying to each other, 'What has happened? -Who is it that is suffering?' About two women who were seated on -the ground a crowd had gathered. These women were mourning and -crying and sobbing as they wailed, 'Our husband! our husband! a -great bear seized him, and carried him away into the bushes. Oh, we -shall never see him again.' - -"The chief talked to them; their relations and friends tried to -help them, and little by little in broken words the women told what -had happened. Early that morning, with their husband, they had gone -up the river to pick berries. They had gone far, and the sun had -reached the middle by the time they came to the bushes where the -berries hung ripe and red. There were so many that it had taken -but a little time for them to gather all they wished, and they -had started toward home along the game trail which followed the -stream. The women were walking ahead, their husband following, and -were crossing a grassy opening between two points of trees, when -suddenly the husband shouted to them, 'Run, run fast to the nearest -trees; a bear is coming.' - -"Looking back, they had seen their husband running as fast as he -could, and behind him a whitish colored bear, so large that it -seemed almost as great as a full grown buffalo bull. Its mouth was -wide open, and they could see its long white tusks as it raced over -the grass with great jumps. The women dropped their berry sacks and -ran as fast as they could. Their husband was now close behind them, -and kept urging them on; but fast as they ran, the bear ran faster, -and the husband, seeing that it would soon overtake them, had -once more shouted to them to 'run fast,' and then had stopped to -face the bear, calling out that he would try to save them. Just as -they reached the trees they heard a fierce growl, and looking back -saw that the husband had shot an arrow into the bear, but before -he could shoot another, the beast was upon him, threw him down, -and taking him by the shoulder dragged him to the timber near the -river. The women had continued to run, and had come to the camp as -fast as they could. - -"When they had told their story, a Kutenai woman, a captive, -who had learned to speak Blackfoot, spoke and said, 'This bear -is surely he whom my people have named Man-eater. He is a great -traveler. One summer he may be living in the valley of the -Beaverhead, and the next season perhaps he will be found on the -Elk River of the north. The Kutenais, the Flatheads, and all the -mountain people know him too well. He likes the flesh of human -beings better than that of game, and has killed many of us. In vain -the hunters have pierced his sides with their sharpest arrows. -They cannot harm him, and we think that he possesses some strong -medicine, and cannot be killed. Indeed, now they no longer try to -kill him, but as soon as he appears, they move camp, and travel a -long distance to some other place. Listen to my words: tear down -your lodges now, pack the dogs, and move away at once, before he -shall kill more of you.' - -"That night the chief and all his warriors talked together about -all this, and after they had counciled for a long time, they said, -'We are not Kutenais, to run away from a bear. We will go to hunt -this animal, and avenge the death of our friend.' The next day -they started, many brave warriors, and when they reached the park -they placed some of the strongest and best bowmen at the upper end -of the bottom, while the rest went through the timber to drive it -toward them. They found the body of their friend, partly eaten, -but there was no sign of the bear; he had disappeared. It seemed -as if such a large and heavy animal must leave behind him a plain -trail of weeds crushed down, grass flattened, deep marks of feet in -soft and sandy places; but from where he had eaten that poor man no -signs were seen. - -"Why did they not listen to the Kutenais woman's words! The very -next day, almost at the edge of the camp the great bear killed two -women and carried one of them away to feast upon, as he had before -done with the man. In the camp the screams of the poor women were -plainly heard, but before the men could arm themselves and rush to -the place, they were dead. - -"Now the whole camp turned out, every man; and making a ring about -the point of timber, they all drew toward its center. They moved -slowly, carefully, each man with his arrow fixed on the string, and -said to each other, 'Surely now this bear will not escape.' - -"A thicket of close-set willow stems grew beneath the great -cottonwoods, and from a clump of these willows the bear sprang on -one of the men, and crushed his head with a single blow of his -paw. 'Here he is,' cried those nearby, and they let fly their -arrows into its sides, as the bear stood growling and tearing the -dead person; but when the arrows struck him the bear sprang here -and there among the men, turning like a whirlwind of fur, while -his claws cut and his jaws snapped; and four more men fell to the -ground dead or dying. The people all ran away. - -"Now there was great sorrow and mourning in the camp. After a -little time some of the men ventured back into the timber, and -brought away the bodies of their companions; and the women, -wrapping them in robes, lashed them on scaffolds in the trees, as -was the old way. Then at last they listened to the words of the -Kutenai woman. The lodges were pulled down, everything was packed -up, and the tribe moved southward, to the banks of the Big River. -Six long days they were on the trail, and the man-eater did not -trouble them again. Perhaps he did not wish to follow them; perhaps -some one of the arrows shot into him had killed him. So the people -talked; but the Kutenai woman laughed. 'You may be sure,' she said, -'that he is not dead. The arrow has not been made that will reach -his heart. His medicine is strong.' - -"All through the winter the people talked of what had happened, and -of the camping place under the cliffs of Two Medicine Lodge River. -There was no place where it was so easy to kill meat as there, and -when spring came they moved back there once more. The day after -they had camped, the hunters went out, up and down the valley, and -found the buffalo and elk and deer as plenty as ever; but they saw -no sign of the great bear. - -"The next day the chief's son went out with his mother and sister, -to watch for them while they dug roots, and as they were going -along, without any warning the great bear sprang from a thicket by -the trail, struck the young man before he could draw an arrow, and -carried him away without a glance at the women, who stood silent in -their fear. - -"When the chief was told what had happened, he was almost crazy -with anger and sorrow. He ordered all the men in the camp to -go with him to the place. But not one of them would go. 'It is -useless', they said; 'we are not fools to throw away our lives -trying to kill an animal whose medicine is so strong that he cannot -be killed with arrows.' The chief begged and threatened them, but -no one would go with him to recover the body of his son. All feared -the bear. That day camp was broken, and the people once more moved -away from the place that they loved best of all their camping -grounds. It was no longer theirs. The bear had driven them from it. - -"From that day the chief seemed different. Now he no longer laughed -and made jokes and invited his friends to feast with him. Instead, -he kept by himself, seldom speaking, eating little, often sitting -alone in his lodge, and thinking always of the dear son who had -been taken from him. One day he took his daughter by the hand, -and went out to the center of the camp, and called all the people -together. When all had come, he said to them, 'My children, look -at this young woman standing by me. Many of you here have tried to -marry this daughter, but she has always asked me to allow her to -remain unmarried, and I have always said that she should do as -she wished. Listen: I am still mourning for the death of my son. -Now, I call the Sun, who looks down upon us, and who hears what I -am saying, to hear this: whichever one of all you men that shall -go out and kill that bear, to him I will give my daughter for his -wife.' Then he turned to the girl, and said to her 'Have I spoken -well, my daughter? Do you agree to my words?' The girl looked at -him, and then said aloud, 'Since you wish it, I will marry the man -who will kill that bear, and will thus wipe away our tears.' - -"Then the girl hurried back to her father's lodge. - -"All through the camp now the only thing talked about was the offer -the chief had made, and the young men were trying to think how it -might be possible to kill this bear; yet none of them said that he -intended to try to marry the girl, for they all believed that the -bear could not be killed. - -"There was one young man who, when he heard the words of the chief, -was glad. Ravenhead was very poor, he had not a single relation, -and as far back as he could remember he had lived as best he -could. That means that he had been often hungry, and had worn poor -clothing, and had often lain shivering through the winter nights; -that he had run errands for every one, and had often been scolded. -Now he was grown up; he had gone out to dream for power, and had -become a warrior. His dream had been good to him, and in his sleep -there had come to him a secret helper, who had promised to aid him -in time of danger and of need. For a long time the young man had -loved the daughter of the chief, but he knew that one so poor as -he could never hope to marry her. Sometimes when he happened to -pass her on the trail, as she was going for water or as she walked -through the camp, she seemed to look at him kindly and as if she -were asking him something; yet she never spoke to him, but hurried -by, and he was always afraid to speak to her; yet sometimes he used -to ask himself what her kind looks meant. - -"But now, since the chief had spoken, it seemed as if Ravenhead -might hope. Those words had rolled away the clouds that hung over -him, and if he could only kill the bear, he could marry the girl. -He determined that he would kill the bear; some way could be found -to do it, he felt sure. Now, for a little while Ravenhead kept -by himself, praying, thinking, planning, trying to devise a way -by which he might kill the bear, and yet himself not be hurt. -Four days passed, and yet in all the camp no one had said that he -intended to try to marry the girl. This made Ravenhead glad. - -"And there was another thing. For four nights he had dreamed the -same dream. In his sleep he saw the picture of a great bear, -painted as large as if alive, upon the side of a new lodge. It was -painted in black; the long claws, and open jaws, with their great -white tusks, showed plainly; and from the mouth ran back the life -line, a green band passing from the mouth back to the heart, which -was red. Ravenhead was sitting by the river, considering his dream -reaching out dimly with his mind for its meaning when suddenly he -sprang to his feet as if he had been stung, for all at once there -had flashed upon him what seemed to be the way of success. The -dream had shown it to him. - -"He turned toward the village, and there, only a step or two away, -stood the chief's daughter, holding her water-skin, looking at him -as she had looked before. Ravenhead stepped forward and stood near -her. Twice he tried to speak, but the words would not come. Then he -looked at her, and as she smiled at him, he said, 'I am going to -hunt the great bear, and if I return I shall come to you.' The girl -dropped the water-skin, and put her arms about his neck, as she -said, 'I have tried to make you see, so far as a girl can, that I -love you.' They kissed and clung to each other, there by the river; -but soon the girl sent him from her, telling him to take courage; -to go, and to return safe and successful. When he had gone she -stood there by the river, and not able to see before her for the -tears which filled her eyes, as she prayed to the Sun to protect -the young man. - -"Ravenhead travelled for four days before he reached the old camp -grounds, near the Two Medicine Lodge cliffs. He had left the -village alone; no one but the girl had known his purpose. He came -out into the valley, and looked up and down it, seeing nothing -except the game, feeding peacefully, and, lashed on their platforms -in the branches of the trees, the silent forms that the bear had -killed. He wondered if he, too, was to become a prey of this -medicine animal. - -"All that day Ravenhead walked about the valley, looking for the -bear, keeping in the open timber or along its borders, where he -could look over the parks and the slopes of the valley. He did not -pass close to the thickets of brush, or to sloughs of tall grass, -where the bear might lie hidden. On his back, in case and quiver, -were his bow and his arrows; only three of these, for he had been -too poor to trade for more, and he would not beg for any. He -carried also a pouch of dried meat, that he had killed and roasted -the day before, and a little bag of small stones. - -"Although he kept looking until dusk, he did not see the bear, and -then, building a platform of poles in a tree, he lay down on it and -slept. That night, in his dream, he again saw the picture of the -bear; and as he was looking at it, his secret helper came to him, -and pointing at it said, 'Thick fur, tough hide, hard muscle, and -broad ribs may stop the sharpest arrow. The easy way to reach the -heart is down through the throat.' - -"This was what had come to him so suddenly the day he sat thinking -and planning by the riverside back of the village. He did not -believe that this bear had powerful medicine, or that he could not -be killed. If he only could shoot an arrow down its throat, he -believed that he would be successful. - -"As soon as day had come, Ravenhead climbed down from the tree, and -again began to search for the bear, hopefully now, yet constantly -praying to the Sun to grant him success. - -"It was yet early in the morning when he saw the great bear, lazily -walking across a little park toward the river, and stepping out -from the shelter of the timber, Ravenhead shouted to attract its -attention. The bear reared up at the sound; then Ravenhead first -saw how great he was; and as the bear stood there on his broad hind -feet, he turned his head slowly, this way, that way, smelling the -air. Ravenhead waved his robe, and shouted again, calling the bear -coward and other bad names; and presently the bear slowly dropped -down on all fours and came toward him. The young man had gone out -some little distance into the park, but now he began to go back -toward the timber, and as he went faster, so did the bear, until -both were running very fast, and the bear was gaining. To the -young man, looking back, it seemed scarcely to touch the ground; -and it drew nearer and nearer, though he was running as fast as he -could. Presently, he could hear the bear pant, and just as he did -so he reached the foot of the nearest tree. Almost in an instant -he was up among the branches, but he was not too soon. The claws -of the bear almost grazed his heels, and tore away a great piece -of the bark. From the limb on which he sat, Ravenhead, panting for -breath, looked down at the bear as it sat at the foot of the tree. -The beast was huge, its head monstrous, its eyes little and mean, -and from its mouth, in which the long white teeth showed, the foam -dripped down over its neck and shoulders. - -"The young man drew his bow from its case, and fitted an arrow -to the string, and then taking a stone from his sack, threw it -down, hitting the bear on the nose. The bear jumped up, growling -with rage and pain, and then came a shower of stones, one after -another, hitting him on the head, the body, and the paws, and each -one hurting. He bit at the places where they struck, growled, and -tore up the ground, and at last rushed to the tree, trying to drag -it down, or to climb up it, reaching up as far as he could, in his -attempt to seize his tormentor. - -"Here was the chance that Ravenhead had been planning for, praying -for, waiting for. He bent far over toward the bear, and drawing -the arrow to its head, drove it with all his might down the bear's -gaping throat. The great jaws shut with a snap, the growl died away -to a wheezing cough, and then, after a moment, while the blood -streamed from his nose and his lips, the great bear sank back to -the ground. His gasping breath came slower and slower, and then, -with a long shudder which almost frightened Ravenhead, so strong -was it, he died." - - * * * * * - -"There was great excitement in the village; people running to -and fro and calling to one another; women and children standing -in groups and pointing to a young man who was entering the camp. -Ravenhead had returned, weary, bloody, and dusty, and staggering -under the weight of the head and part of the hide of the great -bear. The people gathered about him, calling out his name and -singing songs of what he had done, and followed him to the door of -the chief's lodge, where he threw down the heavy burden. The chief -came out, and put his arms about him, and led him inside, and gave -him the seat at his left hand. The chief's daughter set food before -him; she did not speak, but her face was happy. The young man told -the chief how he had killed the bear, and while he was talking, -the women hurried to make a sweat lodge for him, and when it was -ready, with the chief and the medicine men, he entered it and took -a sweat, purifying his body from the touch of the bear. Then, -after the sweat had been taken, and the prayers said, and he had -plunged in the river, they all returned to the lodge, just as the -sun was setting. The chief pointed to a new lodge, set up near his -own. 'There is your home, my son; may you live long and happily.' -Ravenhead entered and saw his wife. - -"Without, the people were dancing around the scalp of the bear. -They were happy, for the death of the bear had wiped away the tears -of those whose relations he had killed." - -"That's a splendid story, Joe," said Jack. "That's about the best -story I ever heard. I wish I could remember it to tell it when I -get back east, the way you tell it." - -"Yes," said Hugh, "that's a mighty good story, and mighty well -told. Who did you hear it from, Joe?" - -"I heard it first from Four Bears, and then afterwards I heard my -uncle tell it." - -"Well," said Hugh, "you told it mighty well, but I don't wonder -much, for Four Bears is about the best story teller I ever heard. -But you remember it mighty well, and tell it well. It's a right -good story. - -"Now, boys," he added, "I think to-morrow we'll pack up and go a -day or two further down the creek here, and then see what turns up. -These horses of ours have filled themselves up pretty well now, and -are able to go along all right, and we might as well go on a little -further. So, say we pack up to-morrow morning." - -"All right," said the boys, and they went to bed. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -JACK'S FIRST MOOSE - - -Travel down the stream next day was easy. The valley widened out, -and the hills on either side grew lower. Twice during the march -they came to broad meadows, partly overgrown with willows, old -beaver meadows, Hugh said; and instead of going through them they -went around close to the hills, so as to avoid any possible trouble -from miry spots. - -After supper that night at camp Hugh said to the boys, "I reckon -pretty quick we'll turn off south and follow up some creek, so as -to get over to the Divide, and cross down onto Sweetwater. If I -ain't mistaken, before we get much further along we'll strike a big -stream coming in from the south, and when we do, we've got to turn -and follow that up. I've heard tell of a little town off here to -the south, but I don't know where it's at, and we don't want to go -to it, anyhow." - -About noon next day they began to see a wide valley opening up to -the south, and Hugh told them that this must be the creek he had -been looking for. They did not follow the stream down to where -the river from the south joined it, but cutting across southwest, -climbed the hill, and journeyed through beautiful green timber -in the direction in which they wished to go. Several times they -came on beautiful mountain lakes lying in the timber, and while -passing one of these Hugh stopped and pointed to the ground, and -when Jack came along he saw there a track which he knew must belong -to a moose. He wished that he might get a shot at a moose, and -kept his eyes wide open as they journeyed along, but saw nothing. -Two or three times during the day they rode near enough to the -river they were following up to hear its rushing, and the noise of -water-falls, but they could not see them. Hugh did not seem to be -following any road at all,--there was not even a game trail,--but -he wound in and out among the timber, keeping in the general -direction from which the river came. About the middle of the -afternoon he turned to the left, and worked down into the valley -of the stream, which, though often narrow, sometimes spread out -and showed charming little park-like meadows, in one of which they -stopped to camp. After camp had been made, the horses attended to, -and supper eaten, Jack said to Hugh, "Are there many moose in this -country, Hugh?" - -"Well," said Hugh, "I don't know exactly what you call many. There -used to be plenty here, and I expect if a man was hunting he might -run across one once in a while. Of course moose stick close to the -timber and the brush, and you don't see them as easily as you do -the elk, that feed on the bald hillsides or on the prairie." - -"I'd like mighty well to get a shot at one," said Jack. - -"Well," said Hugh, "it might be such a thing as you could do that, -but you're not likely to, unless we stop for a day or two to hunt. -We can do that most any time now, if we feel like it. We've got -over the ridge, and there's no danger of any snow falling, to stop -us, but of course it's getting cooler all the time. If you're going -to kill an animal for meat you'd better kill a cow. On the other -hand, if you want a big head, why of course you'll kill a bull; -but the bulls are pretty poor eating now; they were better two -weeks ago, just like the elk was. We've got quite a little way to -go yet, and of course we've got to have meat to eat; but, on the -other hand, we've got the hams of that sheep, and the piece of that -little bear, and we're going through a good game country all the -way, so that I wouldn't kill anything more until we need it." - -"Well, Hugh, we've had lots of hunting; let's not kill anything -more until we need it. Maybe there'll be a show down on the -Sweetwater to get a moose." - -"Well," said Hugh, "maybe there will be; yet this is a better place -than that. But we'll be in good moose country for quite a way yet, -and maybe you'll get a chance to kill a moose, if you want to very -bad." - -The stream that they were following up grew smaller and smaller, -yet Hugh continued to follow it, and in the same southerly -direction. He told the boys that this stream headed in the Divide, -between Wind River and Sweetwater, and that when they came to the -head of this creek it was only a short distance over to others -running into some of the heads of the Sweetwater. - -"It ain't far, and it ain't a high climb," he continued, "and -after we strike the Sweetwater, it's a plain trail right down to -the Platte, and then across that is home. I don't rightly know how -far it is, but I reckon it's not far from two hundred miles." - -"That means ten days then, Hugh, does it?" - -"Well," said Hugh, "you might call it ten days. Of course that -means if we don't have any trouble. If we should get into any -difficulties, or lose a horse or two, or something of that kind, it -might take us longer." - -Three days later they had crossed over the Divide, between the Wind -River and Sweetwater drainages, and were making their way through -the timber down toward the Sweetwater. Camp had been made early. -One of the pack horses had hurt its foot during the day, and had -gone lame, and Hugh wanted to rest the animal for a day or two; -otherwise it might become so lame that he would have to leave it -behind. About the middle of the afternoon, Joe and Jack started out -from camp to hunt, Joe taking the hills to the right of the camp, -and Jack those to the left. - -It was pleasant going through the green timber so quietly as to -make no sound, and watching constantly between the tree trunks, to -see the motion of any living thing that might appear. There were -a few birds in the upper branches of the trees, and now and then -a grouse walked out of the way. Jack entered one of those level -pieces of forest where the trees stand a little apart and the -ground is covered with the pale green stems of the little mountain -blueberry, which in fact is not blue in color, but red. This little -fruit is very delicious, and a favorite food for birds and beasts. -Jack came to a patch where the berries were thick, and sitting down -began to strip them from the stems and eat them. Now and then he -could hear the whistle of a meat-hawk, the harsh grating cry of a -Clark's crow, and the shrill scream of a hawk that soared far above -the forest. Jack thought it most pleasant, and he liked to be there -alone and just look about him, and see and listen. It seemed to -him a place where at any moment some great animal might step into -sight, and begin to feed or to go about any of the operations of -its daily life, not knowing that he was there watching and enjoying -it all. - -And just as these thoughts were passing through his mind, something -of this sort happened. It was not a very large animal, but the -sight was a pretty one, none the less. He saw the slender stems of -the huckleberry bushes shake, thirty or forty yards from him, and -the shaking came nearer and nearer, and presently he was able to -distinguish that a dozen grouse were coming toward him, feeding on -the berries. He sat still, hardly daring to breathe, and before -very long the birds were close to him, and in a moment more were -all about him. He could see the old hen, larger than all the rest, -and with frayed and faded plumage, while the young birds, but -little smaller, were much more highly colored,--bright brown and -white and bluish. They seemed sociable little creatures, for they -were talking all the time, calling to each other much as a flock -of young turkeys would call, and seeming uneasy if they became -separated. There was one bird that wandered off quite a little to -one side, and as the cries of its fellows became fainter as they -passed along, the bird stood very straight, with its head much -higher than usual, and erected the feathers of its head and neck so -that they stood on end, giving it a very odd appearance. As soon -as it had located the brood, the bird smoothed down its feathers -and ran quickly toward the others. When the group got to where Jack -was sitting, they paid no attention to him whatever. One of them -stopped immediately in front of him, and looked carefully at his -face, but at once resumed its feeding; and passing on both sides of -him, they went on. - -Jack did not wish to frighten them, and so turned his head and body -very slowly to look after them, and he did it so carefully that the -birds were not alarmed, but finally passed out of sight and hearing -without being frightened. - -This small adventure gave Jack very great pleasure, and he felt -as if he had already been well repaid for his walk. Keeping on -through the forest, he went down a gentle slope, and presently -found himself at the edge of a little meadow, surrounding a very -pretty lake. Nothing was to be seen there, and he stepped out of -the bushes to go down to the water. - -He was going along rather carelessly, holding his rifle in the -hollow of his left arm, when from a bunch of willows just before -him a huge black animal with horns rushed out, and trotted up -the meadow toward the timber. Instantly Jack knew that it was -a moose, and throwing his gun to his shoulder, he fired at the -animal just before it reached the fringe of willows at the edge of -the meadow. It seemed to him that the creature flinched a little -and then went faster, but he could not be sure. What was certain -was that it did not fall. Taking up the track, he followed it for -some distance through the timber--not a difficult task, for the -moose was trotting rapidly and throwing up dirt at every stride. -At length, however, he came to a piece of rocky ground, where the -tracks were much harder to follow, and presently he lost them and -had to circle two or three times to find them, and from that on the -work of picking them out was slow. Soon, too, he noticed that it -was growing darker, and looking at the sky he concluded that the -sun had set. He had a mile or two to go, and as he did not wish to -lie out during the night, he reluctantly left the moose track and -started back for the camp. He hurried as fast as he could, and made -good progress; but after it really got dark it was impossible to go -very fast. He did not feel like firing his gun, because that would -be as much as to say to the people in the camp that he was lost, -and he did not wish to do this. He worked his way along, therefore, -keeping toward camp as nearly as he could, but more by guess than -anything else, because the trees stood so close that the stars -could not be seen. However, the little light that still lingered in -the west gave him some idea of direction. - -At last the ground began to slope in the direction in which he -was going, and before long he saw in the sky the glare of a -fire. He made sure that this was the camp, and hurrying along as -fast as possible, frequently stumbling over rocks and sticks and -occasionally running his face into the twigs of a dry spruce limb, -he at last found himself near the bottom of the hill, and could see -the gleam of the fire through the tree-trunks. Before long he was -close to camp, and saw that Hugh and Joe had built quite a bonfire -in front of the lodge. It was the reflection of this that he had -seen in the sky. - -As he walked up to the fire, Hugh said, "Well, here you are, eh? We -didn't know but you calculated to lie out all night." - -"Well," said Jack, "I didn't know but I'd have to do that; but I -didn't want to, and so I kept going. I think perhaps I would have -stopped and built a fire back in the timber if it hadn't been that -I saw your fire, and kept coming." - -"What kept you?" said Joe. - -"Why, Joe," said Jack, "I saw a moose, the first moose I ever saw; -and I had a good shot at it, running nearly straight away from me, -and I ought to have killed it, but I didn't. I think I must have -hit it; anyhow, I thought I saw it flinch when I shot, and it went -through the timber in great shape. I followed the tracks quite a -long way; but then it got dark, and I had to give it up and come -back. - -"I'd like to go out and look for it to-morrow, and I will, too, if -we stay here." - -"Well," said Hugh, "we'll stay here, all right enough. I want to -rest up this horse's foot for a day or two. If I stay here and -bathe that horse's foot, and keep him quiet, he's likely to be all -right in two or three days. If we make him follow us over these -hills now, he may get so that he can't use the foot at all. - -"Pity you didn't kill your moose," he continued; "what do you think -was the matter?" - -"I don't know," said Jack. "I had as good a chance as I ever had at -a running animal, but I think maybe I wasn't careful enough, and -didn't hold low enough. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if I shot -high on him. That seems to be my trouble often." - -"Well," said Hugh, "you'd like to go to-morrow and see if you could -follow him up and find him. Of course he won't be good for anything -if you do find him, but you'll have the satisfaction maybe of -knowing that you killed him." - -"Won't be good for anything," said Jack; "how do you mean? You -don't mean he'll spoil, just lying out for one night." - -"Why, son, didn't you know that? Is it possible you've travelled -with me all these months and haven't learned that unless you dress -an animal as soon as it's killed it's going to spoil? It don't make -any difference whether the weather's cold or warm, but if you leave -a critter with the entrails in for four or five hours it is no -good; the meat gets tainted." - -"Well," said Jack, "That's news to me. I never heard that before." - -"Oh," said Joe, "everybody knows that." - -"Yes," said Jack, "everybody but me." - -After Jack had put his gun in the lodge, he brought out the coffee -pot and frying pan, and ate some food, and then sat there by the -fire, very melancholy, because he had not got his moose. - -"He had horns, Hugh," Jack said, "and if I should be able to find -him to-morrow, I could bring those in, couldn't I?" - -"Yes," said Hugh, "the horns won't be spoiled. It's only that the -meat wouldn't be good to eat. Were his horns big?" - -"No," said Jack, "I don't think they were very big; they stuck out -on both sides. You see, I didn't get much of a look at him, except -when he was running away. Then I could see his horns, but I wasn't -looking at them; I was trying to pick out the place to shoot, and I -didn't pick it out very well." - -The next morning Hugh told the boys that they had better go out and -see whether they could find the moose, or another one, but warned -them to watch the sky, and keep their direction, so that they would -be sure to get back. He warned them also to notice carefully, and -not get over the Divide. So long as they stayed on this side, the -streams running down toward the Sweetwater would always help them -to find camp; but if they crossed the Divide and got into the -Wind River drainage, then the streams would only confuse them, -especially as the timber was thick, and the sky could not be seen, -and so the direction could not be told from that. Jack did not -attempt to go back to the point where he had lost the moose tracks, -but instead kept off to the south, in order to cross the tracks -again, and pick them up where they were plain. He felt sure that -he and Joe would have no trouble in following them up to the point -where the darkness had obliged him to give them up. - -They soon found the tracks, and Jack, from his memory of the -country passed over the night before, was able to follow them quite -rapidly to the place where he had finally left them. Beyond here -the trail was not hard to follow. The timber was thick and the -ground damp; there was much moss, and the great hoofs of the moose -tore this up, so that the trail was plainly visible; and here Jack -had the first confirmation of his belief that he had hit the moose, -for Joe called attention to a bush against which the animal had -rubbed, and showed on it a little smear of dried blood. - -By this time the moose had stopped trotting and was walking; and -after a while they saw before them lying on the pale soil, among -the tree-trunks, a dark object stretched out, which they presently -recognized as the moose. He had lain down here and died as he lay. -The body was rigid now and somewhat swollen. Although the moose was -not a large one, to Jack he seemed enormous--much taller, longer, -and deeper through than an elk, and with a huge ungainly head and a -swollen upper lip. - -"Well, Jack," said Joe, "what are you going to do now? You killed -the moose, and you know it, but we can't take any of the meat. You -might come up here and get the horns, if you want to pack them back -with you, but it's no use to butcher the animal; you can see for -yourself that the meat is spoiled." - -"Yes," said Jack, "I suppose it is. I'm awfully sorry; I hate to -see a great big lot of meat go to waste like this, but there's -nothing to be done now. I ought to have shot better." - -"Well, I'll tell you what let's do," said Joe: "let's go back to -camp, and catch up our horses, and come up here and get those -horns. In fact I guess we may as well bring a pack horse with us. -Horns are awful unhandy things to carry on a saddle, but we can -put the head on a pack so that it will ride well." - -"Well," said Jack, "we may as well do that, I think," and they rose -to go. - -"I'll stick a knife in this carcass," said Joe, "and if I do that -it will be pleasanter to work about when we get back." - -He plunged his knife into the animal's side and there was an -outburst of gas; then the two boys went back to the camp. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -WATCHING A BEAR BAIT - - -"Hello, Hugh," said Jack, as they walked up to the lodge; "we found -the moose." - -"Well, you've done pretty well," said Hugh. "I thought maybe he'd -go so far, even if you'd hurt him bad, that you wouldn't find him -at all." - -"No," said Jack, "we found him easily enough. He didn't go very far -beyond where I had to leave the trail last night. But it is just as -you said; the meat is spoiled; he's no good to eat. - -"His horns are not very big, but Joe suggested that we should come -back here and get our horses and a pack horse, and go up and bring -in the head and horns." - -"Why, sure," said Hugh; "why not do that? I expect you'd like to -take it home, seeing it's the first moose you ever killed." - -"Yes," said Jack, "I should like it." - -"Now, I'll tell you what you do," said Hugh. "Do you remember how I -cut off that sheep's head?" - -"Why, yes," said Jack, "I remember that you cut it off close down -to the shoulders, but I don't remember just how you cut the skin." - -"Well," said Hugh, "look here now; I'll show you," and sitting down -on the ground he drew a little diagram with the stick, explaining -to Jack that he should stick the knife into the moose's head -immediately behind the horns, split the skin down on the nape of -the neck to the shoulders, then make a cut at right angles to the -first one, running down outside of one shoulder, across under the -chest, and up outside of the other shoulder. Then, by skinning -away from the top of the neck, the hide of the whole neck could be -drawn forward; the head cut from the neck where the first vertebrae -joins the skull; and afterward, by cutting the skin from where -the neck-cut began between the horns, out on each side to each -horn and around its base, the whole skin of head and neck could be -taken off, and the skull cleaned, with the horns attached to it. -Afterwards in mounting, the skin could again be stretched over the -skull, so that the head could be hung on the wall. - -It did not take the boys long to saddle up their riding horses and -a pack animal, and when they were on horseback the distance to the -moose was not great. When they reached it they tied their horses, -and walked up to the carcass to begin the skinning. But before they -did anything, Joe said, "Hold on, Jack! look a-here! There's been -a bear here since we've been gone;" and sure enough, the tracks of -a middle-sized bear were seen about the carcass, and the hole made -by Joe's knife was wet around the edges, as if some animal had been -licking it. Jack looked all around, but of course nothing living -was to be seen now. - -"Now, I tell you what," said Joe; "let's get this head off, and -go away, and I wouldn't be surprised if we could come back here -to-morrow and get a shot at a bear. You know, Hugh said we -weren't going to move for two or three days, and if that's so, why -shouldn't we come back here and watch." - -"It isn't a very good place for that, is it?" said Jack, "right -in here among the timber; we'd have to be close to the moose, and -likely enough a bear would see us or smell us, before we could see -it." - -"That's so," said Joe; "it's a pretty poor place, but before we go -we'll look around and see if we can find any way to hide." The boys -were somewhat excited at this prospect, and at once set to work to -skin the moose head. A long slit was made down through the thick -hair on the nape of the neck, back to the shoulders, and then a -cross cut down to the moose's chest; then both the boys, getting -hold of the head, tried to turn it over, but they were not strong -enough to do that. Then they tried to lift the moose's head up in -the air, in order to get under it, and to make the cross cut on -the other side close to the ground. They did not succeed very well -in this either; but finally, after raising the head as high as -they could, Joe got a stick and propped it in this position. Then, -getting a longer stick they tugged, strained, and kept raising -the head higher and higher, until finally the fore part of the -shoulder was pretty well exposed. They made the cross cut, but for -six or eight inches it was quite ragged. However, they succeeded in -completing the cut, and then worked more rapidly, and before very -long had the skin off the whole neck and turned so far toward the -head that the back of the skull could be seen. Then, Joe cutting -down close to the skull so as to sever the ligament of the neck, -they twisted the skull, disjointed the neck, and after that it was -a mere matter of cutting through the flesh. After the head had been -cut off it was pretty heavy, much more than one boy could lift, -besides being unwieldy and hard to handle. - -They dragged the head a little way from the moose, and then stood -looking at it, for both were a little tired. - -"Now, look here, Jack," said Joe, "what's the use of packing all -this stuff back to camp; why not finish the job here, and take the -skull back pretty clean?" - -"Yes," said Jack, "it's a pretty long job, but we've got to do it -either here or at the camp, and we might as well do it here. I -guess we'd better use our jackknives to cut around these horns." -Sitting down on the ground they did the work of making the crosscut -to the horns, and then they cut round the horns, close up against -the burr. The hide was thick and tough, and the blades of the -knives were small; but, on the other hand, the knives were sharp, -and before very long they had completed this. Then they both worked -at skinning the hide down over the head, cutting through the -gristle of the ears, and going very carefully about the eyes; and -at last, after midday, the skin of the head was free from the skull -and was dragged off to one side. - -"There," said Joe, "that's a good job, and now we'll cut off all -the meat we can from the skull, and pack the horse, and go back to -camp. I'm getting hungry. I don't believe this tongue is spoiled; -we may as well take that with us." The remaining work was not -long, and lashing the skull on the pack saddle, they set out for -camp. - -Hugh hailed them, when they got in, with an expression of surprise, -saying, "Why, you done the whole job, didn't you? I supposed I'd -have an afternoon's work over that head, skinning it out, and -cleaning the skull." - -"Well," said Jack, "Joe suggested that we should not make two bites -of the cherry, so we did the work right there. But, say Hugh, a -bear had been 'round that moose, between the time we left it and -the time we got back, and Joe says maybe we can get a shot at him. -What do you think?" - -"Why, I don't know," said Hugh; "maybe you could. What sort of a -place is it to wait?" - -"Not very good," said Jack; "it's right in the thick timber, and -there's no hill, and no hiding-place anywhere nearby. We looked -when we were coming away. But I tell you what I think, Hugh; I -believe we could go back there, and get up into a tree, and watch -from there; then the bear won't be likely to smell us, and maybe -we'll be able to get a good shot." - -"Yes, that's so," said Hugh; "but there's one bad thing about -getting up into a tree: it's awful noisy, and if you move much, the -bear's pretty sure to hear you. When did you calculate to watch?" - -"Why, I don't know," said Jack; "we were going to ask you. It -ought to be either early in the morning or late in the evening, I -suppose. That's the time bears come out, isn't it?" - -"Yes," said Hugh, "that's the time; but in here where they're not -much hunted, I suppose maybe they'd feed any time of day. - -"I tell you what I believe I'd do," he continued, "we're going -to stop here for a day or two more and see if that horse's foot -will get better, and suppose you don't do anything now until along -about the middle of the day to-morrow; then you can ride up there -and see if the bears have been working at the carcass, and if they -have, why you can wait there until about dark, and if you don't -get a shot you can go back again the next day, right early in the -morning." - -"Well, let's do that then," said Jack. - -"Now," said Hugh, "take your moose-head down to the creek and put -it in there to soak and drain, and then this afternoon you can take -the brains out and sort of scrape the skull, and after it soaks -there for a couple of days it'll be in good shape to dry right up." -The next day, a little before noon, they set out to inspect the -bait. As they started out to catch their horses, Hugh told them to -drive in old Baldy as well, and that he would ride up there with -them and see how the prospect looked. - -When they reached the moose they found a great hole torn in its -side, and from the tracks around about, it seemed that several -bears had been feeding there. The day, though bright at sunrise, -had now become overcast and dull, and the air felt like rain or -snow. Hugh surveyed the ground about the moose with some care, and -finally said to the boys: - -"I don't see anything for you to do except to climb up into a -couple of these trees; and if I were you I'd watch this afternoon, -and if you don't get a shot, quit pretty early, at least before it -gets plumb dark, come back to camp, and then try it again early in -the morning. I'll take your horses down here a half a mile, and tie -them in that little open park that we passed, where they can feed, -but where they'll be far enough away so as not to scare the game. -If you don't get a shot, try to get to your horses before it's -right dark, and then you can get back to camp all right." - -Hugh waited until the boys had climbed the two trees, one a little -distance to the north of the moose, the other about as far to the -south of the carcass. He told them to cut away all the twigs that -were close to them and would rustle if they moved, and advised them -that they must keep absolutely still, "for" he said, "there is no -animal so shy as a bear, and none that's more careful in coming -up to a bait. If a bear comes, don't try to shoot at it too soon, -let it come on until it gets right close to you; then shoot as -carefully as you know how, and try to kill it dead, for I don't -want you to wound a bear, and then go following it through the -thick timber and the brush; that's dangerous, and I think foolish." - -The hours, after Hugh departed, seemed pretty long to the boys -as they sat on their perches. They could not see each other, and -of course could not talk. Both were occupied in looking over the -ground that they could cover with their eyes, and in listening for -any noise. The weather grew colder, and toward the middle of the -afternoon flakes of snow began to sift down through the tree-tops. -Then they stopped; then began again. There was snow enough to see -as it fell, but not enough to show upon the ground. - -Joe was glad when he saw the snow, for he believed it would bring -the bears out soon; but Jack did not know this, and thought only -of the discomfort of the cold. A little breeze was blowing from the -south, and that gave Joe the unpleasant benefit of the odor of the -decaying moose meat; but he thought little of that, and sat there -and watched. For a long time nothing was seen. Then suddenly, from -behind a dead log, fifty or sixty yards from Joe, he saw the head -of a black bear rise, and the animal stood there screwing its nose -in all directions and snuffing the wind. It remained there for a -long time, and then the head drew back and disappeared. Joe's rifle -was loaded and cocked. He had fixed himself in as good a position -as possible for shooting, and he waited. For a long time nothing -happened, and then suddenly the bear appeared, stepping out from -behind a tree quite close to him,--not more than thirty or forty -yards away--and stood there, looking at first toward the moose, and -then slowly turning its head and looking in all directions. It was -a black bear, not very large, and yet not by any means a cub. Joe -thought the best thing he could do was to shoot it. It stood nearly -facing him, and when it turned its head away to the right, he aimed -for its chest, just to the right of the bear's left shoulder, and -pulled the trigger. The animal gave half a dozen bounds, and then -commenced to jump into the air and come down again, and to roll -over, and turn somersaults; while Joe kept his eyes rolling in all -directions, to see whether there were any others. - -The bear's position had been such that Jack had not seen it at all. -He was cramped and stiff, cold, tired and hungry by this time; but -at the shot he forgot all his discomforts, and sat watching to -see what should happen. For a moment he saw and heard nothing, and -then, off to his left, he heard a stick break, once or twice, as if -some heavy animal were stepping on it, and then all became silent -again. Presently Joe appeared, walking by the moose, and came and -stood under the tree in which Jack sat. "Well, Jack," he said, -"I've got a bear, and I don't suppose any more will come now. We -may as well go over and skin it, and go back to camp." - -"How big is it, Joe?" said Jack. - -"Well," said Joe, "it's small. It looked pretty big to me when I -first saw it looking out through the trees; but when I shot it, and -saw it lying on the ground, it didn't seem very big." - -Jack scrambled down from the tree, and the two boys went over -to the bear. It was not large, but, on the other hand, it was -better than no bear at all, and its coat was quite good: not long, -but full, and black and glossy, and quite worth having. Jack -congratulated Joe, and they set to work to skin the bear. - -Joe's shot had been a good one; he had hit exactly in the right -place, and the ball had cut the great artery of the heart, and the -lungs, so that the bear died almost at once. - -The work of skinning the animal took some little time, but it was -not nearly dark when Joe, with the skin on his back, and Jack, with -one of the hams in his hand, started to go to the horses. The other -ham they hung up in a tree. The horses took them speedily to the -camp, and they greatly enjoyed their dinner that night. Both boys -were tired and were glad to turn in at an early hour. - -The next day the whole camp arose late. Hugh reported that the -horse's leg was better, and that he thought they might as well move -on the next day. "Now," he said, "do you boys want to go up and -watch for bear again to-night?" - -"I don't know, Hugh," said Jack; "what do you think the chances -are? Will any of them come back after one being killed last night?" - -"Yes," said Hugh, "I think maybe they might. Of course you can't -tell. Maybe they might come back now, or perhaps they'll leave the -bait alone for three or four nights, and then come back." - -"Well," said Jack, "I'd like to get a shot; but it's paying pretty -dear for it to have to sit up in a tree for five or six hours, and -pretty nearly freeze to death. I like to be doing something. I -wouldn't mind trailing a bear or a deer or a sheep for half a day, -but this sitting on a thin branch in the cold, and waiting for a -bear to come to you, isn't what it's cracked up to be." - -"No," said Hugh, "you're right there. I don't think much of it. -However, we might get on our horses about midday, and go up and see -whether any bears came last night after you left. The carcass'll -show that plain enough." - -When they looked at the carcass they found that a number of -bears had evidently been there; and not only had they eaten a -considerable part of the moose, but they had also partly eaten the -bear that Joe had killed the night before. - -"Well," said Hugh, "this seems to be a regular bear playground! -I've a good mind to come up here myself to-night, and sit in one -of these trees, and see if I can't get a shot. It's quite a while -since I've killed a bear, and I sort of need a bear-skin to spread -on my bed. What do you say boys, shall we all watch here to-night?" - -"Yes, Hugh, let's do that; that'll be great fun,--to see who gets -the shot, or whether any bears come." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I'm no way certain they'll come; they're awful -keen-nosed, and if they should smell that we've been around here -during the day, they won't show themselves. Now, I'll tell you what -we might do: suppose we go off down to where we're going to leave -the horses, and stop there for two or three hours,--nothing will -come here very much before sundown,--and then about three o'clock -we'll come up here, and you two boys can ride your horses right -under the trees you're going to get into, and just climb into them -without touching the ground at all; and I'll take the horses back -and come up afoot, and get up into my tree. In that way there'll be -only one set of tracks for the bears to smell." - -Accordingly, about three o'clock they rode back; the boys climbed -from their horses directly into the tree; and then Hugh, taking the -bridle reins, led the horses back and picketed them in the park. -Then he returned, and choosing a tree about half way between the -boys, clambered up into it, and they all sat there, patient and -still. - -The boys watched and waited as carefully as the day before; but -nothing happened until, just before sundown, the heavy report of -Hugh's gun rang out on the silent air, and a moment later they -heard the branches crackle as he clambered down from the tree. -"All right, boys," he called out: "come along." - -The boys descended from their branches, and joining Hugh, they -all went forward a little way, to a small open spot where a brown -bear lay stretched on the ground, with the blood flowing from its -nostrils. - -"This fellow," said Hugh, "has been fussing 'round in sight for -about twenty minutes. He wanted to come awful bad, and yet he was -awful scared to. I thought one time that maybe he was going around -Jack's way, and so I didn't bother with him; but presently he came -back and commenced to go right toward the bait, making little runs -forward and then little runs backward, but always getting closer, -until finally I made up my mind that I'd have to kill him. Now, -Joe," Hugh continued, "you help me skin him, and, Jack, you go and -fetch the horses." - -Not long after Jack had returned, the skin was off the bear, rolled -up and tied behind Hugh's saddle, and they returned to camp. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -A PUZZLING TRAIL - - -The next morning Hugh put a light load on the lame horse, and they -started down the stream. The going was fairly good, through open -timber, and at last they came to what Hugh said was the main river, -and followed that down. There was a good game trail all the way, -and they went pretty fast, but Hugh stopped early because he did -not want to tire his cripple. The horse, however, was in good heart -and fed eagerly, and Hugh said that it was all right. - -For several days their journey down the Sweetwater was without -incident. They reached the open country, where there were many -antelope, and saw two or three bunches of elk. Several times Jack -tried fishing in the river, but without success, as Hugh had -prophesied, saying: "You won't find any trout in this stream, -nor in any other stream that runs into the North Platte, without -they've been put there. There's lot's of trout in the South Platte, -and just as soon as you strike the tiny little creeks that run from -springs on the other side of the Divide you can catch from them all -the small trout you want; but there are none in the North Platte." - -"But why is that?" said Jack. - -"You can't prove it by me," said Hugh. "I don't know. I've heard -tell that the trout in all the streams on this side of the -mountains come from the other side;--that is, that they really -belong on the west slope, but that somehow they got over on this -side. Now, you take a place like Two Ocean Pass, that we heard -about up in the Park, and other places that I have seen like that, -where there's a low place on the Divide,--a place that often holds -water, and from each end of which a little creek runs down, one -going east, the other west. If the trout ran up the creek that -goes west into this little pond on the Divide, why it might easy -enough be that some of them would run down the creek that runs -east. Anyhow, it's a sure thing that there are no trout in any of -the North Platte waters that I ever saw, while in the South Platte, -and in the Wind River, and the Bighorn, and the Yellowstone, and -pretty much all the streams to the north, there are lots of trout. -It always seemed queer to me that the North Platte don't have any." - -One night in camp, as they were sitting around the fire after -supper, Jack said, "Hugh, tell me a bear story. We've seen a lot of -bears this trip and killed quite a lot. Were you ever badly scared -by a bear? Of course that old bear charged us the other day, but I -don't suppose you were scared by it, and I wasn't; but I'd like to -know if you were ever really scared by a bear." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I reckon I have been. I remember one time that -a bear made me run pretty lively for a ways." - -"How was it?" said Jack. - -"Well," said Hugh, "it wasn't so very long ago, and I was up on -the mountains back of the ranch trying to kill some meat. I had -left my horse and gone quite a way without seeing anything, when -I came over a ridge and looked down into a piece of timber. About -a hundred yards off, lying at the foot of two or three trees, just -in the edge of the timber, I saw a kind of a black pile, and for -a little while I could not make out what it was. I stopped and -looked, and presently a part of the pile got up, and a bear began -to walk around, and then another, and then a third got up, and they -all walked around the others that were lying there, and looked as -if they were snarling and wanted to fight. I saw in a minute that -there were too many bears for me to tackle and was just about to -back off over the hill and clear out, when one of them saw me and -started running toward me as hard as he could. I knew then it was -no use to run, and I sort of braced myself, and got a half a dozen -cartridges in my hand, and waited until the bear got up within -fifteen or twenty steps of me, and then fired at it, and turned and -ran as hard as I could. I didn't hear anything following me, and -presently looked over my shoulder, and saw that there was nothing -in sight; but I kept on running until I got out of wind, and then I -went to my horse as quickly as I could. When I had mounted I went -back, went round a little way, and rode up over the hill in another -place and looked down, and there was nothing alive in sight. I went -pretty carefully along the ridge until I got to the place where I -had stood, and then I went down to where the bear had been when I -shot. There was plenty of blood there, but that was all. Then I -went down to the tree and found that these bears--and there must -have been a half-dozen of them--had dug down into the ground under -the trees and had been lying there, as a dog sometimes digs in the -dirt and lies there to get cool. - -"The bears had started off together, but it was hard to tell -just what they had done. I followed them for quite a way, and -some of them must have left the bunch, for when I got to a big -snow-drift--it was toward the end of June, and there were plenty -of big drifts that hadn't melted yet--there were only three of the -bears together. The snow-drift was hard, and I walked along over -it, leading my horse and following the tracks. The horse hardly -sank in at all, and my feet made no impression on the snow; but -the big bear,--the one that was bleeding,--sank in about six or -eight inches every step, while the two others only sank in a half -an inch. That must have been a big one. I followed them into the -timber, and finally they went into a place where the spruces grew -low and so thick that you could not see through them, and there I -gave up the trail. I didn't want that bear bad enough to follow him -into that place." - -"Well, of course you never knew anything more about it than you do -now," said Jack. - -"No," said Hugh, "I never knew anything about it except what I -learned from following the trail. The bear was hit somewhere in the -breast or neck or head; he was bleeding from the front part of the -body; and I expect the bullet must have knocked him down, or else -he would have followed me and likely caught me. But it was about -the longest and fastest run that I've made in many a year." - -For some days they travelled down the Sweetwater, having an open -easy road and making good progress. They passed the cañon at the -mouth of the river where it enters into the Platte, and now felt -that they were getting near home. - -One morning as they were riding along, Jack noticed the trail of -a big bunch of horses, driven fast, going the opposite way from -themselves and turning off into the hills to the north. He asked -Hugh who would be driving a bunch of horses through that country, -and where they were going; but Hugh could not tell him. - -"I don't know anybody, son," he said, "who would be taking horses -through here, and I don't know where they'd be taking them to, -without it's up to some small town north, or up to the new -railroad, and then I don't see why they should be coming this -way, unless perhaps they wanted to get over on Powder River and -follow that down. The railroad, I hear, is pushing west from the -Missouri, and it may be that some contractor came down here to get -horses. And yet that don't seem right either. These are not work -horses,--you can see that from their tracks,--and besides that -there are lots of colts with them. If it was a few years back, I -should think that a bunch of Indians had gone through; but then -there are no travois trails, and I don't know what it is. Might -be horse thieves; it's been so the last few years that people are -stealing stock some." - -The trail came from down the river, and they had followed it for -some miles when a dark spot seen on the bottom showed a large -animal lying down. Hugh rode over and found it to be a dead horse. -He waved to the boys, who followed him, and they sat there on -their horses, looking down at it. The animal had been dead perhaps -a day; it lay on its side, and the brand was plainly visible. As -Jack looked at the brand he recognized it as his uncle's, and he -looked at Hugh in perplexity to see what this could mean. For a -time Hugh said nothing, and then getting down from his horse, he -looked more closely at the brand, and then, re-mounting, said to -the boys, "We'll camp right here; over in that bunch of timber." - -It was but little after midday, and Jack knew that something -important must have happened, but he asked no questions, waiting -for Hugh to speak. After they had unsaddled, and put up the lodge, -Hugh told the boys to picket the three riding horses while he got -dinner. Jack had told Joe about the brand, and both boys were a -good deal excited, wondering what was coming next. - -After they had eaten, Hugh filled his pipe and said: "Now boys, I -don't know what all this means, but to me it looks as if a gang of -horse thieves had been riding our range and had driven off a bunch -of horses, and among them some of ours. - -"I know that three-year-old filly lying over there perfectly well. -She had her first colt this spring. It looks to me as if she had -been run so hard that it killed her. Maybe she got a chance to fill -herself up with water, somewhere back. But anyhow, there she is, -and she came from the ranch, and what is more, she never was sold -to anybody. She's been driven here, and driven so hard that it -killed her. Now I am going to find out, if I can, what this means. -I am going to see if I can find this bunch of horses, and see -whose they are and who has got them. If they, or any part of them, -belong to us, or came from our country, why we'll get them back if -we can. Of course if we can't get them back, why they've got to go -on. I don't think there are enough horses in Wyoming to pay for -the life of either of you two boys; but if these horses have been -stolen I reckon we can get them back, and I am mighty sure we'll -try. - -"Now, presently, as soon as the horses have eaten, I am going off -on the trail of this bunch. I want you boys to stop right here -until I come back, and if I should not come back in the course of -three days, I want you to go to the ranch and tell them what you've -seen. It will be no trouble to get back home. You'll know when you -get to Casper or to Fetterman, and you can cross the river most -anywhere there, and then it's pretty nearly a straight shoot south. -You and me have ridden enough around the country, Jack, so that -you know the principal hills, and I'm sure you'll know Rattlesnake -Mountain when you see it. You know where the ranch lies from there. -You've got plenty of grub, and it's only a little more than two -days hard ride to get home. - -"But I expect that you'll see me back here about day after -to-morrow, in the morning, and then I'll have something to tell -you:--either that I haven't found the stock, or else that I have: -and what it is; and who it belongs to. - -"Now, I want some grub--just some of that dried meat. I won't have -a chance to kindle a fire while I'm gone, and I've got to ride -pretty fast and can't carry much. One thing I must have though, -and that is your glasses, son." - -Jack rose and went into the lodge and brought out his glasses and -gave them to Hugh, who opened them, looked at the clasp of the -case, and then, shutting it and seeing that the spring was in good -order, tied a buckskin string around it. As the sun fell toward the -west he sent one of the boys to bring in a horse and said to him, -"Let old Baldy stay out there, and fetch the dun; he's stronger, -and fatter, and tougher than any of the rest. - -"Now, boys," he said, after he had mounted, "this next two or three -days will be business; you want to forget you're boys, and think -that we may have to do something pretty hard and pretty active -before long. Don't go off hunting; don't neglect your horses; stay -'round camp, and keep a good lookout during the daytime. If you see -anybody coming, get your horses in close and tie them among the -trees. Keep your riding horses on picket all the time, and at night -keep them pretty close to the lodge." Then he rode off. - -"Well," said Jack, as Hugh's form grew smaller and smaller in the -distance, "what do you suppose this means, Joe?" - -"I don't know," said Joe, "except what Hugh said. If he finds these -horses belong to your uncle, why I expect maybe he'll come back, -and we'll have to go up there and kill the man that stole them, and -take them back." - -"Oh, nonsense, Joe, Hugh didn't mean anything like that. Don't you -know, he said there weren't horses enough in Wyoming to pay for our -lives? That means that there isn't going to be any fighting." - -"Well," said Joe, "maybe then if he finds they're your horses, -we'll have to go up there and steal them, and take them back that -way." - -Jack slapped his thigh with his hand, as he said, "That would be -bully, wouldn't it? It would be real fun to steal horses, and have -all the excitement of it, and yet know that you were not doing any -harm, only getting back your own. - -"Well, anyway," he continued, "we've got to look out mighty sharp -for things, for whatever Hugh said has got to be done. I remember -one time when I failed to do as he told me, and I got the worst -scare that I ever had in all my life. That was the time when -Hezekiah and young Bear Chief caught me in swimming." Joe grinned -appreciatively, as he said, "I heard about that a good many times." - -"I suppose you have," said Jack; "that's always been a good joke on -me." - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -HUGH GOES "ON DISCOVERY" - - -Meantime, Hugh was loping fast up the bottom of the Platte, on the -trail of the horses. It seemed to him to have been made the day -before; and this would agree very well with the length of time that -the mare bearing Mr. Sturgis' brand seemed to have been dead. It -was not easy to tell, out here in the open under the hot sun and in -the dry wind, just when the tracks had been made. - -An hour or two of hard, fast riding brought him to the point -where he had come upon the trail that morning, and he could see, -looking ahead, that here it turned off and struck in toward the -hills, apparently to go up one of two valleys. There was water in -both,--not much down here on the dry bottom, but further back in -the hills and among the timber he knew that these streams were -running brooks, and that on both there were wide grassy meadows -and places very likely to be chosen by people driving a bunch of -horses, in which to stop and let them feed and rest. If he had been -following Indians who had driven off a band of horses that they -had stolen from an Indian camp, he would have gone carefully, for -Indians would have left behind scouts who, from the top of some -high hill, would have watched the back trail for at least a few -hours; but he did not think that white men would do this. He had -reason to think that if these were rustlers--horse thieves--they -had gone over the range after the horse round-up was over, and -gathering these horses, had driven them slowly, perhaps by night, -until they had got beyond the last ranch, and then had hurried them -along, hoping to get them out of the country without observation. - -On the other hand, these might not be horse thieves, but might be -people who were driving their own stock in a legitimate way, for -some purpose of their own; but he could not understand how this -should be, and the presence in the bunch of an animal with Mr. -Sturgis' brand made him feel that he must investigate. - -The trail led toward the westernmost of the two valleys, and Hugh -followed it. The sun was almost down when he got well into the -valley, but he could see that the horses were still going fast, and -he hurried the dun along, for he was anxious if possible to find -the herd that night. It grew dark rapidly, but still he rode on, -galloping fast over the grassy bottom, and going more slowly only -when he came to the crossings of streams, or to rocky ground, where -his horse's hoofs made some noise. Of course the dun, like all -the other horses, was unshod, so that there was no clink of iron -against stone, to be heard at a distance. - -After he had ridden for three or four hours in the dark, he -stopped, took off his saddle and bridle, and holding the rope which -was about the dun's neck in his hand, let the animal walk about. -It took a few bites of grass, and then lay down and rolled three -or four times, and then getting up, shook itself. Then Hugh put -the saddle on, re-mounted, and went forward. All the time he was -looking and listening as hard as he could. He had gone but a little -distance beyond this place, when suddenly he heard the whinney of a -little colt, and stopped. - -Taking his horse by the bridle he walked forward, and before he had -gone very far saw a horse standing near him, and then another, and -presently a number of horses, and knew that he was in the midst of -the bunch. He took a long look on every side. The valley here was -wide, but on either side he could see the black mountains rising, -and he did not know just how far the timber came down into the -valley. Now he wanted to find where the camp was, and mounting his -horse he took a long look up and down the stream on both sides, and -there on his right, and not far off, he detected what he thought -was the glow of a fire. - -Passing on north, until he had gone well above the place where he -supposed the camp must be, he tied his horse to a little bush, and -then walking over to the edge of the valley, close to the stream, -he silently drew nearer to the camp. Before long he was close -enough to see the dim light of the fire, and knew that some where -near it must be lying the men who had the horses in charge. This -was enough for him. He went back, got his horse, and going further -up the stream, crossed it, and finding an open place sat down, -holding his horse's rope in his hand until the animal had eaten its -fill. Then, still on foot, he climbed the mountain, tied up his -horse in a thick bunch of brush where it could not be seen, took -off the saddle, and after eating some dried meat, went along the -mountain side back to a point opposite the camp, and finding a -smooth place, lay down, wrapped himself in his saddle blanket, and -went to sleep. - -It was still dark when he awoke, but he sat up, stretched himself, -and involuntarily felt in his pocket for his pipe, and then smiled -a little as he recollected that now he could not smoke. He folded -his blanket, and laid it behind the trunk of a tree, and then very -slowly began to make his way down the mountain side toward the -camp. Before he had gone far, he began to hear the calls of early -waking birds, and to be conscious that in the little patches of -sky that he saw from time to time the stars were growing paler. -He went very slowly and carefully, feeling his way with hands and -feet, never brushing against the branch of a tree, or stepping on -a stick which might crack. The men in the camp below were probably -fast asleep and would not notice the sounds that he might make, but -the matter was too important for him to run any risks. After a time -it grew lighter, and presently he could hear below him the rattle -of the water as it flowed over the stones; and as it grew more and -more light, the dim shadows of the horses in the open, and the dark -outlines of the bushes on the stream were seen. The mountain side -just over the camp was steep and thickly clothed with spruces, -most of them of large size, but with many small ones growing among -them. If he had himself chosen a place for these men to camp, he -could not have selected one that would have been better suited to -his purpose. As the light grew stronger, he worked down closer and -closer to the camp, until he was as near it as he dared go. Then -he began to look about for a place from which he could see it, -for first of all he wished to discover who the men were who had -the horses. It might be that this would at once explain the whole -matter. - -After a little manoeuvering he found a place where, through the -thin branches of a young spruce, he could look directly down into -the camp. There were the ashes of a fire, and not far from it, on -the smooth dry grass, were three piles, two of them covered with -canvas such as cow punchers commonly use to wrap their beds in, and -the other with a gray blanket. He knew that he might now have to -wait a long time, and was prepared to exercise patience. He had set -his gun on the hillside, against a tree, where it would not fall -down, and at the same time would be in easy reach of his hand if he -should need it. - -He sat there for an hour, occasionally looking at the sleeping men, -but for the most part studying through the glasses the horses that -fed not far from him. - -After the light grew strong but a glance was needed to see that -this was not a bunch of work horses, but was range stock, picked -up anywhere. He could see the fresh brands on colts and yearlings, -and could recognize some of them without his glasses. Through the -glasses these fresh brands, many of which had as yet scarcely -begun to peel, stood out very plainly, and in many cases the old -brand could readily be distinguished. Besides this, there were -many horses which he perfectly well knew, without seeing the -brands,--animals that he recognized as occupying the range which -he was accustomed to ride over. He chuckled to himself as he saw -these, and thought, "My, my, wouldn't Mr. Sturgis and Powell and -Joe be hot if they were here;" and then he thought, "I wish they -were here, for if they were we could take in these three fellows -mighty easy." - -From what he had already seen Hugh had made up his mind that this -was a bunch of horses stolen from the range about the Swiftwater -ranch, but he wished to wait a little longer in order to be sure -who the men were who had them. - -After a while, one of the heaps that he was looking down upon -stirred, and a few moments later the covering was thrown off, and a -man sat up. - -He rubbed his eyes sleepily, and stretched and yawned, and finally -put his hand under the edge of his blanket, pulled out his shoes, -and then put them on and stood up. Hugh chuckled as he recognized -Red McClusky, a man whom he well knew as living along the railroad. -He was a cowboy who had come up from Texas and had worked at odd -times on the range, but who spent most of his time in the town, -consuming bad whiskey and occasionally disappeared for a few weeks, -and then turned up again. - -McClusky filled his pipe and lighted it, and then going over to the -fireplace, began to kindle a fire, at the same time calling out, -"Here, get up, you lazy cusses; the sun's high, and we want to get -breakfast." Soon after this the other two men sat up. One of them -was Black Jack Dowling, another bad character along the railroad, -well known to Hugh; but the third was a boy or young man, whom Hugh -did not know, with a pleasant but rather weak face, who seemed a -little bit afraid of both his companions. - -Dowling seemed in rather bad temper, and as he walked toward the -creek growled at McClusky, asking him why he hadn't let them sleep -longer. "We've had an awful hard ride," he said, "and I feel as if -I could sleep all day, and all to-morrow too." - -"Pshaw," said McClusky, "that's no ride; if you're goin' to let a -little pleasure gallop like that tire you out, you'd better stick -to holding up trains. I feel as fresh to-day as if I hadn't been in -the saddle for a week; don't you, Pete?" he laughed, speaking to -the young man. - -"Yes," said Pete, "that wasn't no ride. I guess Jack here aint much -used to the saddle." - -Dowling snarled out "Used to the saddle or not, you don't stir me -out of this for two days more." - -"Well," said McClusky, "it don't make much difference when we go -on, but I want to get these horses up north before snow comes, and -we've got quite a ways to go. We ought to leave here to-morrow, -sure; anyhow, the day after to-morrow." - -The fire was now burning, and operations for breakfast went on. -The coffee-pot and frying pan were brought out from beneath the -willows; Pete brought some water, and McClusky cooked, while the -other two sat by the fire and smoked. Hugh had now seen enough, -and began very slowly to work his way up the mountain. It was not -long before he was out of sight and hearing of the camp, and taking -up his blanket on the way, he went on up the stream. Gradually -descending the hill, he at length reached the valley's level, and -spent some time in the willow and alder bushes, studying the -horses that were within sight. As nearly as he could figure, there -were about a hundred head of horses, and most of them seemed pretty -tired. After feeding for some time, they lay down and were seen -resting all over the meadow. - -Returning to his horse, he led him for a long distance up the -stream, to a point where the timber on both sides reached out well -into the valley, and here crossing a little open spot, which was -almost out of sight of the horses below, he turned down the stream, -and keeping himself always well back from the valley in the timber, -again stopped opposite the camp. From here, for a time he watched. -The men loafed about the camp; but toward the middle of the morning -the boy walked out among the horses, and catching one that was -evidently picketed, took it back to camp, saddled it, and rode up -the stream. He was not gone long, and indeed did not pass out of -Hugh's sight. His only purpose was to round up the horses, driving -those up stream down opposite the camp, and when he had done that -he rode down stream and started the animals that were feeding there -up to the others. - -Hugh could now make a close estimate of the number of the animals, -and after having counted them a number of times, he made up his -mind that there were between ninety and a hundred. Of these three -seemed to be picketed, and he took careful note of their location, -for he had already made up his mind what he intended to do. - -After the boy had rounded up the horses he caught A fresh horse, -put it on picket and then riding back to the camp, unsaddled and -turned loose the horse he had been riding. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -STEALING FROM HORSE THIEVES - - -Hugh now knew all that he was likely to learn, and starting down -stream, still well out of sight in the timber, he kept along the -mountain side until the camp had been left two or three miles -behind. Then mounting, he passed out into the open valley, and -keeping close to its border, rode hard to the Platte River. It was -but little after noon when he rode into the Platte bottom, and -two hours more brought him in sight of his camp. The boys saw him -while he was yet a long way off, and he could see them standing and -watching him, and talking together as he approached. - -As he rode up to the lodge he said, "Well, boys, here I am. Now, -I wish you two would go out and catch up old Baldy and your two -riding horses, and bring them in and put them on picket. We've got -to pack up, too, before very long, and get ready for a quick move -and a long ride. When you get your horses we'll have something to -eat, and I'll tell you what's happened." - -Hugh unsaddled, filled his pipe, started the fire, and began to -cook some food, for by this time he was pretty hungry. While he was -cooking, the boys came in and picketed the horses, and then Hugh -said to them, "We'd better get our packs together, and pull down -the lodge, and get everything ready for a move. I went up there -and found the camp of these fellows. They're horse thieves, all -right enough, and they've about a hundred head of horses, most of -them Mr. Sturgis', but some are Powell's, and some belong to other -neighbors of ours. Of course I could not see the brands on all the -horses, but I saw the men that were driving them, and that's enough -for me. I don't know, son, if you ever saw Red McClusky or Jack -Dowling; but they're the men up there with the horses, with a boy -not much older than you two, and I expect they've run 'em off and -are going to take 'em up north. - -"Now, I figure that we can do one of two things. We can go up there -and kill those fellows, and drive the horses back, or we can go up -there and steal the horses from them, and leave them afoot, and -just take the horses back on the range. - -"I feel some like killing the thieves, but I don't want you boys -to be mixed up in anything of that kind; it might be bad for you. -I reckon the best thing we can do will be to go up and steal the -horses; steal 'em all if we can, so as to leave them fellows afoot. -But if they've got sand to follow us, why then we've got to fight; -because I know mighty well that they've no right to this property." - -The boys said nothing for a time, but when Hugh spoke of stealing -the horses they looked at each other and grinned, with a delight -that they could not conceal. - -"What are you fellows laughing at?" said Hugh, when he saw them. -"This ain't no joke; this is serious business." - -"That's so, Hugh," said Jack, "but I guess we were both laughing -because Joe suggested that if these were horse thieves, the best -thing we could do would be to go and steal the horses." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I reckon that's what we've got to do; but I -do hope that we can get 'em all. Now, to do that, we've each one -of us got to do his part, and to do it the best way we know how. -I'd rather have done it last night than do it to-night, because -last night those fellows were tired, and to-night they'll sleep -lighter; they may hear the horses walking off; but all the same, I -don't believe they will. Now, you boys better saddle your horses, -and we'll make up the packs and put 'em all together here, and put -hobbles on the pack animals, so that there'll be no time lost in -catching them, when we come back. You see, if we have to stop here -it'll take quite a time to pack, and if we leave any horses up -there for those fellows to ride, they may follow us for a way, and -there's no saying what may happen. I don't want either of you boys -to get shot, and I'm sure I don't want to get shot myself." - -After the meal was eaten, the packs were quickly made up, the pack -horses were driven in, caught and hobbled, and the afternoon was -not half gone when the three were riding back up the valley. - -Jack and Joe were somewhat impatient, but Hugh checked them. -"There's no hurry," he said, "we can't do anything till the middle -of the night. Those fellows may sit up round the fire for quite a -while, and they might notice if the horses were moving much. I am -in hopes that Joe and I can go up there afoot, and cut loose their -riding horses, and then just slowly and quietly shove the whole -bunch down until we get them well below the camp, and then we can -start them at a good gait. There'll be no trouble about keeping -them going fast, for we've got plenty of riding horses in the bunch -there, and we can change often." - -The sun had not set when they entered the valley. They followed -it up for what seemed to the boys a long distance, but at length -Hugh stopped and dismounted, saying, "The camp is only about a mile -above here." - -It was now dark night. Hugh sat down on the ground, holding his -horse's bridle, and began to fill his pipe, and the boys sat close -to him. - -"Now," he said, "I am going to take you boys up just where I came -down this morning, and we'll get around these horses at the upper -end of the valley, and work them down slowly on the other side from -the camp. I'll go over and cut loose the horses that are picketed, -and then we'll work on slowly until we get down well below this. -Then we can go. I don't want either of you boys to shoot unless -you have to; and if you have to, I'd rather have you shoot not -to kill, but to cripple. If you get a chance, shoot at the man's -shoulder, so he can't use his gun. On the other hand, I've heard -that Dowling is handy with a gun in either hand. We've got to take -some chances, of course. I don't expect we'll see anything of those -fellows without we leave them a horse or two. If we do that, why -then to-morrow morning they'll come on. You boys keep right close -after me, and try to make as little noise as you can. Don't let -your horses call. They may want to when they smell the others, but -keep them from doing it if you can." - -Keeping well to the left, and close in under the timber, Hugh rode -slowly along, and after a time they saw the light of the fire -flickering on the other side of the valley, and occasionally could -see shadows passing in front of it. As they moved along, they saw, -from time to time, horses feeding, and once rode close to an old -mare, whose little colt, not seeing them until they were near, gave -a great bound into the air and rushed away for a few yards. - -Hugh kept on up the valley until it narrowed, going almost to the -point where he had crossed in the morning. Then he stopped and said -to the boys: - -"Now get off your horses and lead them. I reckon we're above all -the horses, and now we'll go back down stream. Keep on the side -away from the camp; keep spread out some; and when you come to any -horses just walk toward them and get them to move along slowly. -I'll keep out toward the middle until we get down near the camp; -then, if the fire's gone down, I'll try to cut loose the horses, -and I'll try to push them and all the others down the stream. It -may take longer than we think, and you boys when you get down where -we went into the timber, on the way up, get off your horses and lie -down on the ground together and wait. See that you don't make any -noise; see that you don't shoot me; keep your wits about you; and -don't get excited or scared." The boys listened without a word. - -"Now," Hugh continued, "we'll start. Jack, you go over next to the -timber, but keep fairly well out from the edge, and try to see all -the time that you don't miss any of the horses. Joe, you keep out -nearer the middle, and get all the horses you can, and both of you -work as slow and careful as you know how." - -The three separated and set about their task. To Jack it seemed -sort of shivery work, being off there alone. He wondered if -anything would happen to Hugh or Joe; whether the thieves would -find out what was being done, and would attack them; whether Hugh -and Joe would meet him down at the end of the valley, and what in -the world he would do if they did not. He had not much time for -thoughts like these, however, for he had to watch the sky-line of -the timber, and to figure how far he was from it; to look out for -horses in front of him, and to travel along without stumbling, or -running into little low bushes, or doing anything that would make a -noise. - -Before long he saw his first horse, an old mare with a colt. He -walked toward her, and as he approached, she began slowly to walk -away. Then there were other horses off to his right and to his -left, and he walked back and forward across the valley, sometimes -seeing that the horses to his left were moving slowly along down -the valley, which told him that Joe was doing his work, sometimes -coming to a large bunch of brush, around which he had to pass in -order to be sure that no horses were hidden there. All the time he -kept a good lookout across the valley, to see if he could see the -fire of the camp, and at length, after he had gone, as it seemed, a -very long way, he recognized, under the opposite hills, a dim glow -on the bushes, which told him of a fire burned down. This he was -glad to see, because it made him feel sure that the thieves had -gone to bed and were asleep. - -By this time he had in front of him a good many horses, all going -quietly and feeding as they went. Now and then two or three would -lag behind, and he was obliged to cross over and walk behind them, -but they at once started on, and Jack felt pretty sure that, so -far as his side of the valley was concerned, the horses had all -been gathered. As he approached the place where they had entered -the timber he began to hope that before long he would see Joe; -and it was not very long after that that he saw one horse lagging -behind all the rest, and as he went over to drive it along, he saw -that someone was walking by it, and knew that this must be Joe. He -wanted to go over and speak to him, but remembering that he had his -own horses to look after, he restrained himself and kept on down -the valley. At the same time he was glad to be sure that Joe was -close by. Now, if only Hugh would appear, he should feel that they -were all right. Now the valley grew more and more narrow, and the -boys were closer together, and presently, as the horses bunched up -to pass through a narrow place between two points of timber, Jack -and Joe were almost side by side. - -"Everything all right, Joe?" said Jack. - -"All right," said Joe. "We've got a good bunch of horses." - -"Have you seen anything of Hugh?" said Jack. - -"No," said Joe, "I ain't seen Hugh, but the horses off to my left -are moving along; I reckon he's there somewhere." The words were -hardly spoken when suddenly, apparently from a horse that was -walking just in front of them, Hugh's voice said: - -"All right, boys; I believe we've done the trick. I think we can -mount now and go ahead. Don't start 'em up yet, we'll go two or -three miles further, and then we'll let 'em sail." Both boys were -delighted to hear Hugh, and they mounted and crowded close to him. - -"O Hugh," said Jack, "do you think we got 'em all?" - -"Well," said Hugh, "I don't know about that, we've got the most of -'em. They may have riding horses cached in the brush somewhere. -I was afraid to go right close to the camp, for fear some of 'em -might be awake; but I got two picketed horses; there may be one -hidden somewhere else; but I don't believe they've got horses -enough to ride to-morrow, and I'm almighty sure they haven't got -horses enough to catch us." - -"What time is it, Hugh, do you think?" said Jack. - -"Well, I don't know," said Hugh, "but it's considerable after the -middle of the night. We've got plenty of time to get these horses -down to camp, and pack, and start the whole outfit on before it -gets day; and pretty soon I'm going to begin to hurry 'em. I want -you two boys to drive the horses, and when we get out of the -valley, I'm going to ride round them, and go ahead of them and -lead them. Keep them going well until you hear me whoop; or if you -can't hear me, until you see me. I shall ride pretty hard until -we get near the camp, but we must stop the horses before we get -there; otherwise they'll frighten our pack animals, and we won't -be able to catch them. Now," said Hugh, as they came to a little -enlargement of the valley, "I'll go ahead, and you give me a few -minutes to get around them, and then start them up. When I hear -them beginning to gallop, I'll go just ahead of them, and they'll -all follow me." - -The cavalcade proceeded at a walk for ten minutes more, and then -Joe and Jack began to hurry the animals, and before long they -were galloping at a good rate of speed down the valley. When they -reached the Platte bottom the horses turned off, following the -trail by which they had come up, and swung steadily along at a good -gait. Now and then Jack recognized, even in the darkness, a place -that they had passed before, but for the most part the country all -looked strange to him. It seemed as if they had been going for a -long time when he thought he heard a faint whoop from in front, and -at the same moment Joe called out to him: - -"Hold on, Jack; drop back. Hugh called, and we must let the horses -stop." - -They drew their horses into a walk, and before long the animals -they were driving also slowed down. Then, after a little while they -heard Hugh, not far in front of them, calling out: - -"Come round here, boys, and help catch the pack animals, and put -the packs on." - -They rode through the horses, which had now stopped and begun to -feed, and it took but a short time to catch their pack horses, and -saddle and pack up. Then turning loose the packs, they all three -rode round behind the herd, and started it on again. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -"DIED WITH HIS BOOTS ON" - - -It was now growing light, and they drove the horses hard. Hugh rode -steadily behind the bunch, while the boys were out on either flank, -keeping them straight, and not permitting any lagging. Once they -stopped for a little while and caught three fresh horses which Hugh -pointed out, put their saddles on them and turned loose their own -horses. - -The morning passed, and it was now the middle of the afternoon. -The boys had noticed that Hugh often turned about and looked -back up the level valley, and they themselves were also watching -the back trail to see whether there was any pursuit. The sun was -getting low, when far back up the valley was seen a speck of dust, -which gradually grew larger, and underneath it they could see a -black spot that was constantly growing nearer and nearer. It was -evidently a man on horseback. After they had watched it for some -time, Hugh motioned both boys to come over toward him, and riding -there side by side in the thick dust kicked up by the hurrying -herd, Hugh said to them: - -"Boys, there's one man coming, and he's on a good horse, and we've -got to kill him, I expect. Let these horses stop now, and catch up -three other animals and change the packs onto them, and by that -time this fellow will be close up to us, and we can see what he -wants." - -They slowed down their horses, the willing herd stopped and began -to feed. - -Jack and Joe rode through it, and one by one caught the pack -horses, which they brought back to Hugh. Then Hugh, sitting on his -horse, pointed out to them other animals to catch, and they roped -them, brought them up, and one by one the packs were transferred -to the new horses. The horses did not like it very much, and one -or two of them bucked, and to Jack it seemed rather nervous work -to be doing this when the approaching horseman kept growing larger -and larger, and when, for all he knew, before long bullets would be -flying. The work was finished before the horseman was near them, -and then Hugh told the boys to start the herd on again. But Jack -demurred, and said: - -"Hold on, Hugh; are you going to stay here and meet this man? I -think we all ought to stay, because something may happen." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I don't like the idea of your stopping. I'd -rather have you go on and start these horses. Nothing's going to -happen to me; I feel pretty sure of that. I shall be on the ground, -and have every advantage over this fellow, if he wants trouble." - -"Hugh," said Joe, "how will this do: suppose Jack gets off twenty -steps one side of you and I get off twenty steps on the other, and -we won't do anything unless it looks like you were going to get -hurt; then we can shoot." - -"All right," said Hugh, "if it will make you boys feel any easier; -but I tell you nothing is going to happen. If that fellow don't -stop when he gets within good rifle shot I'll stop him, and I won't -hurt him either. If he's got so much sand that he won't know when a -man's got the drop on him, I may have to hurt him, but I don't look -to." - -The man came on; his horse was a great powerful beast and had been -ridden hard, for it was covered with dust and foam. When he got -within a hundred yards, Hugh dismounted, and stepping out in front -of his horse, raised his rifle to his shoulder, and pointed it at -the man. The man paid no attention to the motion, save to put his -hand behind him and jerk from his holster a six-shooter. He called -out something as he came on, but they could not distinguish what he -said. - -"Hands up!" Hugh called; but the man paid no attention, and the -distance between the party and the rider grew smaller. - -"Hands up!" Hugh shouted again, and then a third time; and still -the man came on. Hugh fired, and the horse plunged forward on his -knees throwing the rider far before him. It was Dowling. - -He struck on his head and hands and slid a little way along the -earth, and then springing to his feet, with his left hand he pulled -another six-shooter from his belt; but as he raised it, Hugh's -rifle sounded again, and the man fell. - - [Illustration: "'HANDS UP!' HUGH CALLED."--_Page 268_] - -"Look out for him, boys! Don't go near him; he's like a grizzly -bear; likely to be playing possum." Hugh watched the man with -a wary eye, and was not surprised to see him after a moment -raise himself on one elbow and feel about over the ground, in the -effort to recover the pistol which he had dropped. Hugh had seen it -fall, and knowing the man's quickness with the pistol, watched him -carefully. In a moment, however, the man sank back and seemed to be -breathing hard, and Hugh called to the boys: - -"Watch him, now, and I'll step up to him and get that gun; I'll be -ready for him if he moves." - -Hugh stepped carefully but quickly forward, with his gun ready, and -had almost reached the man, when he moved slightly, and Hugh sprang -swiftly to one side, as the pistol was discharged without being -raised. In a moment Hugh was on the man, and had taken the arm from -him and thrown it to one side. - -Dowling was badly wounded, and it was evident he could not live -long. When his pistols had been secured they did what they could to -make him comfortable. Joe went to the river and brought water in -his hat, and after a little, Dowling opened his eyes and spoke. - -"Well, you've got me," he said; "I was in hopes I'd get you. I -couldn't stand it to have those horses taken, but I wish you'd -taken this one, instead of leaving it for me to ride. However, we -made a good try to get the stock, and we would have got it if it -hadn't been for you. Where did you come from? We never saw anything -of you." - -"We were just travelling down the river," said Hugh, "and saw the -tracks, and I knew there wasn't any reason for a bunch of horses to -be driven through this country; so I went back to look up and see -what it meant, and I found that you'd got our horses." - -"Well," said Dowling, "a fool for luck! Anybody else coming through -the country wouldn't have paid any attention to that horse trail, -but you just had to do it. - -"I reckon I've got it," he went on; "and I expect it's about time -too, but I hate almightily to be downed by an old man. I'd a heap -sight rather have had one of them young fellows kill me." - -"Well," said Hugh, "I expect when a man's time comes, it don't make -much difference how he gets killed." - -"No," said Dowling, "I expect maybe it don't. I always allowed I -die with my boots on, anyhow, and here I am." - -During the few moments that had elapsed since he had received his -wound his voice had grown much weaker. He was not bleeding much, -but Hugh shook his head as he looked at the wound. - -"Have some more water, Dowling?" he said. - -"Yes, a little," said Dowling; but as Hugh raised him up to drink, -he began to choke, and in a moment, after a shudder or two, lay -dead. - -"Well, boys," said Hugh, "we've got to bury him, and then move -along. Suppose you two go over onto the edge of that bluff and -scrape away the clay, as much as you can with your knives, and I'll -bring the body over, and put his saddle-blanket over him, and we'll -cover him up." - -It had all happened so quickly, and there had been so much -excitement about it, that Jack hardly understood or realized what -had happened. He and Joe walked over to the bluff, and scraping -away the soft yellow clay, soon made a place six or eight feet -long, and presently Hugh came over, carrying the man on his -shoulder, and they laid him in his shallow grave. Hugh took off his -belt, and looked through his pockets to see if he had any papers by -which he might be identified, but found none. They covered him with -the earth, and brought flat stones that had fallen down from the -top of the bluff, and piled them upon the grave, to protect it from -the wolves. - -Then Hugh went back, and picking up the two pistols that Dowling -had dropped, shoved them in the holsters, and holding out the belt -to Jack, he said, "You want to wear this, son?" - -"Why, yes, Hugh, I'd like to have it to remember this day by, -though there are some things that I don't much care to remember." - -"Well," said Hugh, "this is the way things used to be in the far -west, but I thought we'd about got through with it by this time. -However, some of the old spirit seems to crop out now and then." - -They mounted, and started the herd along again. They had not gone -far before Hugh said, "I want you boys to drive these animals on -three or four miles down the creek, and leave them there; but cut -out the pack horses, and we'll camp right here." - -Camp was made in a bunch of cottonwood brush, but the lodge was not -put up. The pack horses were hobbled, and then the boys drove the -loose horses some distance further down the stream, and returning -found the camp dark, but supper ready. - -"I thought," said Hugh, "that there was just a chance that those -two other fellows might follow us down and try to take some of the -horses back again; so we had better stop here, without any fire, -and with the horses kept close, and make an early start in the -morning." - -Hugh had them up long before day. They built no fire, but ate some -dried meat, and started on. The tired horses were found just where -they had been left, were pushed along at a good gait all day and -crossed the Platte; and the next night they drove them into Mr. -Sturgis' ranch to the great astonishment of all there, and later of -Powell, and the other men from whom horses had been stolen. - -Great was the credit received by all three of those who had brought -back the stolen horses. Mr. Sturgis gave to Jack and Joe each three -good riding animals; and to this day Jack talks of the only horse -stealing expedition he was ever on. - -Transcriber's note: - In Chapter I there is the word "Hi d[)a]t sa" which contains an - "a" with a breve accent mark above it which is rendered as [)a]. - In Chapter II is the word " Ass[)i]ne" which contains an "i" - with breve accent mark above, [)i]. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Jack in the Rockies, by George Bird Grinnell - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JACK IN THE ROCKIES *** - -***** This file should be named 44671-8.txt or 44671-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/6/7/44671/ - -Produced by David Edwards, Mary Akers and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -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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