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not one of us said a word。 But Clarke kept talking。
〃Wild place this is hyar；〃 he said。 〃Seldom any one but horse wranglers gits over this far。 I've hed a bunch of wild pintos down in a canyon below fer two years。 I reckon you can't find no better place fer camp than right hyar。 Listen。 Do you hear thet rumble？ Thet's Thunder Falls。 You can only see it from one place； an' thet far off； but thar's brooks you can git at to water the hosses。 Fer thet matter； you can ride up the slopes an' git snow。 If you can git snow close； it'd be better； fer thet's an all…fired bad trail down fer water。〃
〃Is this the cougar country the Stewarts talked about？〃 asked Jones。
〃Reckon it is。 Cougars is as thick in hyar as rabbits in a spring…hole canyon。 I'm on the way now to bring up my pintos。 The cougars hev cost me hundreds I might say thousands of dollars。 I lose hosses all the time； an' damn me； gentlemen； I've never raised a colt。 This is the greatest cougar country in the West。 Look at those yellow crags！ Thar's where the cougars stay。 No one ever hunted 'em。 It seems to me they can't be hunted。 Deer and wild hosses by the thousand browse hyar on the mountain in summer； an' down in the breaks in winter。 The cougars live fat。 You'll find deer and wild…hoss carcasses all over this country。 You'll find lions' dens full of bones。 You'll find warm deer left for the coyotes。 But whether you'll find the cougars； I can't say。 I fetched dogs in hyar； an' tried to ketch Old Tom。 I've put them on his trail an' never saw hide nor hair of them again。 Jones； it's no easy huntin' hyar。〃
〃Well； I can see that；〃 replied our leader。 〃I never hunted lions in such a country； and never knew any one who had。 We'll have to learn how。 We've the time and the dogs； all we need is the stuff in us。〃
〃I hope you fellars git some cougars； an' I believe you will。 Whatever you do； kill Old Tom。〃
〃We'll catch him alive。 We're not on a hunt to kill cougars；〃 said Jones。
〃What！〃 exclaimed Clarke； looking from Jones to us。 His rugged face wore a half…smile。
〃Jones ropes cougars； an' ties them up；〃 replied Frank。
〃I'm if he'll ever rope Old Tom；〃 burst out Clarke； ejecting a huge quid of tobacco。 〃Why； man alive！ it'd be the death of you to git near thet old villain。 I never seen him； but I've seen his tracks fer five years。 They're larger than any hoss tracks you ever seen。 He'll weigh over three hundred； thet old cougar。 Hyar； take a look at my man's hoss。 Look at his back。 See them marks？ Wal； Old Tom made them； an' he made them right in camp last fall； when we were down in the canyon。〃
The mustang to which Clarke called our attention was a sleek cream and white pinto。 Upon his side and back were long regular scars； some an inch wide； and bare of hair。
〃How on earth did he get rid of the cougar？〃 asked Jones。
〃I don't know。 Perhaps he got scared of the dogs。 It took thet pinto a year to git well。 Old Tom is a real lion。 He'll kill a full…grown hoss when he wants； but a yearlin' colt is his especial likin'。 You're sure to run acrost his trail； an' you'll never miss it。 Wal； if I find any cougar sign down in the canyon； I'll build two fires so as to let you know。 Though no hunter； I'm tolerably acquainted with the varmints。 The deer an' hosses are rangin' the forest slopes now； an' I think the cougars come up over the rim rock at night an' go back in the mornin'。 Anyway； if your dogs can follow the trails； you've got sport； an' more'n sport comin' to you。 But take it from medon't try to rope Old Tom。〃
After all our disappointments in the beginning of the expedition； our hardship on the desert； our trials with the dogs and horses； it was real pleasure to make permanent camp with wood； water and feed at hand； a soul…stirring； ever…changing picture before us； and the certainty that we were in the wild lairs of the lionsamong the Lords of the Crags！
While we were unpacking； every now and then I would straighten up and gaze out beyond。 I knew the outlook was magnificent and sublime beyond words； but as yet I had not begun to understand it。 The great pine trees； growing to the very edge of the rim； received their full quota of appreciation from me； as did the smooth； flower…decked aisles leading back into the forest。
The location we selected for camp was a large glade； fifty paces or more from the precipice far enough； the cowboys averred； to keep our traps from being sucked down by some of the whirlpool winds； native to the spot。 In the center of this glade stood a huge gnarled and blasted old pine； that certainly by virtue of hoary locks and bent shoulders had earned the right to stand aloof from his younger companions。 Under this tree we placed all our belongings； and then； as Frank so felicitously expressed it； we were free to 〃ooze round an' see things。〃
I believe I had a sort of subconscious； selfish idea that some one would steal the canyon away from me if I did not hurry to make it mine forever； so I sneaked off； and sat under a pine growing on the very rim。 At first glance； I saw below me； seemingly miles away； a wild chaos of red and buff mesas rising out of dark purple clefts。 Beyond these reared a long； irregular tableland； running south almost to the extent of my vision； which I remembered Clarke had called Powell's Plateau。 I remembered； also； that he had said it was twenty miles distant； was almost that many miles long； was connected to the mainland of Buckskin Mountain by a very narrow wooded dip of land called the Saddle； and that it practically shut us out of a view of the Grand Canyon proper。 If that was true； what； then； could be the name of the canyon at my feet？ Suddenly； as my gaze wandered from point to point； it was attested by a dark； conical mountain； white…tipped； which rose in the notch of the Saddle。 What could it mean？ Were there such things as canyon mirages？ Then the dim purple of its color told of its great distance from me； and then its familiar shape told I had come into my own againI had found my old friend once more。 For in all that plateau there was only one snow…capped mountainthe San Francisco Peak； and there； a hundred and fifty； perhaps two hundred miles away； far beyond the Grand Canyon； it smiled brightly at me； as it had for days and days across the desert。
Hearing Jones yelling for somebody or everybody； I jumped up to find a procession heading for a point farther down the rim wall； where our leader stood waving his arms。 The excitement proved to have been caused by cougar signs at the head of the trail where Clarke had started down。
〃They're here； boys； they're here；〃 Jones kept repeating； as he showed us different tracks。 〃This sign is not so old。 Boys； to…morrow we'll get up a lion； sure as you're born。 And if we do； and Sounder sees him； then we've got a lion…dog！ I'm afraid of Don。 He has a fine nose； he can run and fight； but he's been trained to deer； and maybe I can't break him。 Moze is still uncertain。 If old Jude only hadn't been lamed！ She would be the best of the lot。 But Sounder is our hope。 I'm almost ready to swear by him。〃
All this was too much for me； so I slipped off again to be alone； and this time headed for the forest。 Warm patches of sunlight； like gold； brig