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drop； and the men likewise。
Camp was made in an open wood。 Darkness fell and the men
were resting on bough beds； feet to the fire； with Tom
curled up close by； and the horses still drooping where they
had been unsaddled。 Morning； however； discovered them
grazing on the long； bleached grass。 John shook his head
when he looked at them。
〃You reckoned to make Pine by nightfall。 How far is it
the way you'll go？〃
〃Fifty mile or thereabouts；〃 replied Dale。
〃Wal； we can't ride it on them critters。〃
〃John； we'd do more than that if we had to。〃
They were saddled and on the move before sunrise； leaving
snow and bog behind。 Level parks and level forests led one
after another to long slopes and steep descents； all growing
sunnier and greener as the altitude diminished。 Squirrels
and grouse； turkeys and deer； and less tame denizens of the
forest grew more abundant as the travel advanced。 In this
game zone； however； Dale had trouble with Tom。 The cougar
had to be watched and called often to keep him off of
trails。
〃Tom doesn't like a long trip；〃 said Dale。 〃But I'm goin' to
take him。 Some way or other he may come in handy。〃
〃Sic him onto Beasley's gang；〃 replied John。 〃Some men are
powerful scared of cougars。 But I never was。〃
〃Nor me。 Though I've had cougars give me a darn uncanny
feelin'。〃
The men talked but little。 Dale led the way； with Tom
trotting noiselessly beside his horse。 John followed close
behind。 They loped the horses across parks； trotted through
the forests； walked slow up what few inclines they met； and
slid down the soft； wet； pine…matted descents。 So they
averaged from six to eight miles an hour。 The horses held up
well under that steady travel； and this without any rest at
noon。
Dale seemed to feel himself in an emotional trance。 Yet；
despite this； the same old sensorial perceptions crowded
thick and fast upon him； strangely sweet and vivid after the
past dead months when neither sun nor wind nor cloud nor
scent of pine nor anything in nature could stir him。 His
mind； his heart； his soul seemed steeped in an intoxicating
wine of expectation； while his eyes and ears and nose had
never been keener to register the facts of the forest…land。
He saw the black thing far ahead that resembled a burned
stump； but he knew was a bear before it vanished； he saw
gray flash of deer and wolf and coyote； and the red of fox；
and the small； wary heads of old gobblers just sticking
above the grass； and he saw deep tracks of game as well as
the slow…rising blades of bluebells where some soft…footed
beast had just trod。 And he heard the melancholy notes of
birds； the twitter of grouse； the sough of the wind； the
light dropping of pine…cones； the near and distant bark of
squirrels； the deep gobble of a turkey close at hand and the
challenge from a rival far away； the cracking of twigs in
the thickets； the murmur of running water； the scream of an
eagle and the shrill cry of a hawk； and always the soft；
dull； steady pads of the hoofs of the horses。
The smells； too； were the sweet； stinging ones of spring；
warm and pleasant the odor of the clean； fresh earth
cutting its way through that thick； strong fragrance of
pine； the smell of logs rotting in the sun； and of fresh new
grass and flowers along a brook of snow…water。
〃I smell smoke；〃 said Dale； suddenly； as he reined in； and
turned for corroboration from his companion。
John sniffed the warm air。
〃Wal； you're more of an Injun than me；〃 he replied； shaking
his head。
They traveled on； and presently came out upon the rim of the
last slope。 A long league of green slanted below them；
breaking up into straggling lines of trees and groves that
joined the cedars； and these in turn stretched on and down
in gray…black patches to the desert； that glittering and
bare； with streaks of somber hue； faded in the obscurity of
distance。
The village of Pine appeared to nestle in a curve of the
edge of the great forest； and the cabins looked like tiny
white dots set in green。
〃Look there；〃 said Dale； pointing。
Some miles to the right a gray escarpment of rock cropped
out of the slope； forming a promontory； and from it a thin；
pale column of smoke curled upward to be lost from sight as
soon as it had no background of green。
〃Thet's your smoke； shore enough；〃 replied John；
thoughtfully。 〃Now； I jest wonder who's campin' there。 No
water near or grass for hosses。〃
〃John； that point's been used for smoke signals many a
time。〃
〃Was jest thinkin' of thet same。 Shall we ride around there
an' take a peek？〃
〃No。 But we'll remember that。 If Beasley's got his deep
scheme goin'； he'll have Snake Anson's gang somewhere
close。〃
〃Roy said thet same。 Wal； it's some three hours till
sundown。 The hosses keep up。 I reckon I'm fooled； for we'll
make Pine all right。 But old Tom there； he's tired or lazy。〃
The big cougar was lying down； panting； and his half…shut
eyes were on Dale。
〃Tom's only lazy an' fat。 He could travel at this gait for a
week。 But let's rest a half…hour an' watch that smoke before
movin' on。 We can make Pine before sundown。〃
When travel had been resumed； half…way down the slope Dale's
sharp eyes caught a broad track where shod horses had
passed； climbing in a long slant toward the promontory。 He
dismounted to examine it； and John； coming up； proceeded
with alacrity to get off and do likewise。 Dale made his
deductions； after which he stood in a brown study beside his
horse； waiting for John。
〃Wal； what 'd you make of these here tracks？〃 asked that
worthy。
〃Some horses an' a pony went along here yesterday； an'
to…day a single horse made； that fresh track。〃
〃Wal； Milt； for a hunter you ain't so bad at hoss tracks；〃
observed John； 〃But how many hosses went yesterday ？〃
〃I couldn't make out several maybe four or five。〃
〃Six hosses an' a colt or little mustang； unshod； to be
strict…correct。 Wal； supposin' they did。 What 's it mean to
us？〃
〃I don't know as I'd thought anythin' unusual； if it hadn't
been for that smoke we saw off the rim； an' then this here
fresh track made along to…day。 Looks queer to me。〃
〃Wish Roy was here；〃 replied John； scratching his head。
〃Milt； I've a hunch； if he was； he'd foller them tracks。〃
〃Maybe。 But we haven't time for that。 We can backtrail them；
though； if they keep clear as they are here。 An' we'll not
lose any time； either。〃
That broad track led straight toward Pine； down to the edge
of the cedars； where； amid some jagged rocks； evidences
showed that men had camped there for days。 Here it ended as
a broad trail。 But from the north came the single fresh
track made that very day； and from the east； more in a line
with Pine； came two tracks made the day before。 And these
were imprints of big and little hoofs。 Manifestly these
interested John more than they did Dale； who had to wait for
his companion。
〃Milt； it ain't a colt's thet little track；〃 avowed John。
〃Why not an' what if it isn't？〃 queried Dale。
〃Wal； it ain't； because a colt always straggles back； an'
from one side to t'other。 This little track keeps close to
the big one。