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down； with Dale and Roy riding bareback。
By the time all was in readiness to start the sun was up；
melting the frost and ice； so that a dazzling； bright mist；
full of rainbows； shone under the trees。
Dale looked Ranger over； and tried the cinches of Bo's
horse。
〃What's your choice a long ride behind the packs with me
or a short cut over the hills with Roy？〃 he asked。
〃I choose the lesser of two rides；〃 replied Helen； smiling。
〃Reckon that 'll be easier； but you'll know you've had a
ride；〃 said Dale； significantly。
〃What was that we had yesterday？〃 asked Bo； archly。
〃Only thirty miles； but cold an' wet。 To…day will be fine
for ridin'。〃
〃Milt； I'll take a blanket an' some grub in case you don't
meet us to…night；〃 said Roy。 〃An' I reckon we'll split up
here where I'll have to strike out on thet short cut。〃
Bo mounted without a helping hand； but Helen's limbs were so
stiff that she could not get astride the high Ranger without
assistance。 The hunter headed up the slope of the canuon；
which on that side was not steep。 It was brown pine forest；
with here and there a clump of dark； silver…pointed
evergreens that Roy called spruce。 By the time this slope
was surmounted Helen's aches were not so bad。 The saddle
appeared to fit her better； and the gait of the horse was
not so unfamiliar。 She reflected； however； that she always
had done pretty well uphill。 Here it was beautiful
forest…land； uneven and wilder。 They rode for a time along
the rim； with the white rushing stream in plain sight far
below； with its melodious roar ever thrumming in the ear。
Dale reined in and peered down at the pine…mat。
〃Fresh deer sign all along here；〃 he said； pointing。
〃Wal； I seen thet long ago；〃 rejoined Roy。
Helen's scrutiny was rewarded by descrying several tiny
depressions in the pine…needles； dark in color and sharply
defined。
〃We may never get a better chance；〃 said Dale。 〃Those deer
are workin' up our way。 Get your rifle out。〃
Travel was resumed then； with Roy a little in advance of the
pack…train。 Presently he dismounted； threw his bridle； and
cautiously peered ahead。 Then； turning； he waved his
sombrero。 The pack…animals halted in a bunch。 Dale beckoned
for the girls to follow and rode up to Roy's horse。 This
point； Helen saw； was at the top of an intersecting canuon。
Dale dismounted； without drawing his rifle from its
saddle…sheath； and approached Roy。
〃Buck an' two does；〃 he said； low…voiced。 〃An' they've
winded us； but don't see us yet。 。 。 。 Girls； ride up
closer。〃
Following the directions indicated by Dale's long arm； Helen
looked down the slope。 It was open； with tall pines here and
there； and clumps of silver spruce； and aspens shining like
gold in the morning sunlight。 Presently Bo exclaimed： 〃Oh；
look！ I see！ I see！〃 Then Helen's roving glance passed
something different from green and gold and brown。 Shifting
back to it she saw a magnificent stag； with noble spreading
antlers； standing like a statue； his head up in alert and
wild posture。 His color was gray。 Beside him grazed two deer
of slighter and more graceful build； without horns。
〃It's downhill；〃 whispered Dale。 〃An' you're goin' to
overshoot。〃
Then Helen saw that Roy had his rifle leveled。
〃Oh； don't！〃 she cried。
Dale's remark evidently nettled Roy。 He lowered the rifle。
〃Milt； it's me lookin' over this gun。 How can you stand
there an' tell me I'm goin' to shoot high？ I had a dead bead
on him。〃
〃Roy； you didn't allow for downhill 。 。 。 Hurry。 He sees us
now。〃
Roy leveled the rifle and； taking aim as before； he fired。
The buck stood perfectly motionless； as if he had indeed
been stone。 The does； however； jumped with a start； and
gazed in fright in every direction。
〃Told you！ I seen where your bullet hit thet pine half a
foot over his shoulder。 Try again an' aim at his legs。〃
Roy now took a quicker aim and pulled trigger。 A puff of
dust right at the feet of the buck showed where Roy's lead
had struck this time。 With a single bound； wonderful to see；
the big deer was out of sight behind trees and brush。 The
does leaped after him。
〃Doggone the luck！〃 ejaculated Roy； red in the face； as he
worked the lever of his rifle。 〃Never could shoot downhill；
nohow！〃
His rueful apology to the girls for missing brought a merry
laugh from Bo。
〃Not for worlds would I have had you kill that beautiful
deer！〃 she exclaimed。
〃We won't have venison steak off him； that's certain；〃
remarked Dale； dryly。 〃An' maybe none off any deer； if Roy
does the shootin'。〃
They resumed travel； sheering off to the right and keeping
to the edge of the intersecting canuon。 At length they rode
down to the bottom； where a tiny brook babbled through
willows； and they followed this for a mile or so down to
where it flowed into the larger stream。 A dim trail
overgrown with grass showed at this point。
〃Here's where we part；〃 said Dale。 〃You'll beat me into my
camp； but I'll get there sometime after dark。〃
〃Hey； Milt； I forgot about thet darned pet cougar of yours
an' the rest of your menagerie。 Reckon they won't scare the
girls？ Especially old Tom？〃
〃You won't see Tom till I get home；〃 replied Dale。
〃Ain't he corralled or tied up？〃
〃No。 He has the run of the place。〃
〃Wal； good…by； then； an' rustle along。〃
Dale nodded to the girls； and； turning his horse； he drove
the pack…train before him up the open space between the
stream and the wooded slope。
Roy stepped off his horse with that single action which
appeared such a feat to Helen。
〃Guess I'd better cinch up；〃 he said； as he threw a stirrup
up over the pommel of his saddle。 〃You girls are goin' to
see wild country。〃
〃Who's old Tom？〃 queried Bo； curiously。
〃Why； he's Milt's pet cougar。〃
〃Cougar？ That's a panther a mountain…lion； didn't he
say？〃
〃Shore is。 Tom is a beauty。 An' if he takes a likin' to you
he'll love you； play with you； maul you half to death。〃
Bo was all eyes。
〃Dale has other pets； too？〃 she questioned； eagerly。
〃I never was up to his camp but what it was overrun with
birds an' squirrels an' vermin of all kinds； as tame as tame
as cows。 Too darn tame； Milt says。 But I can't figger thet。
You girls will never want to leave thet senaca of his。〃
〃What's a senaca？〃 asked Helen； as she shifted her foot to
let him tighten the cinches on her saddle。
〃Thet's Mexican for park； I guess；〃 he replied。 〃These
mountains are full of parks； an'； say； I don't ever want to
see no prettier place till I get to heaven。 。 。 。 There；
Ranger； old boy； thet's tight。〃
He slapped the horse affectionately； and； turning to his
own； he stepped and swung his long length up。
〃It ain't deep crossin' here。 Come on；〃 he called； and
spurred his bay。
The stream here was wide and it looked deep； but turned out
to be deceptive。
〃Wal； girls； here beginneth the second lesson；〃 he drawled；
cheerily。 〃Ride one behind the other stick close to me
do what I do an' holler when you want to rest or if
somethin' goes bad。〃
With that he spurred into the thicket。 Bo went next and
Helen followed。 The willows dragged a