Cattle-Ranch to College

to it, I should say," said John,

even after the familiar furniture was in position, the b

us, it was warm in winter and cool in summer, the earth protecting it from extremes of both heat and cold. The bare ground packed hard served for a

his was being done, the men looked up their own habitations, and found that other dug-outs, not so large or well finished, but fairly comfortable, were all ready for o

great interest. The idea of living in a hole in the ground struck them for qui

e retreated to its present narrower channel. This "bottom," for years and years the stream's bed, was well supplie

path to the creek, "this is something like. Why, I can see bottom-and

r explain it-he suddenly found himself splashing in the clear stream. John caught hold of his heels and dragge

d John, as soon as he could get his b

ded with laughter. "Maybe you think it's funny," spurted the younger boy, "but wait

ter a while succeeded-as long as his brother

s of the positions in

found, and as they drew near, one of those clever, industrious little beasts shot down the slide they had constructed, with a kerflop into the pool. Here was sport indeed. The boys wo

rs. Their skins are worth money." And so they vowed to remember the sp

beaten hard) was indented with small hoof prints of deer and antelope. They saw, too, the c

An inviting pool was noted, however, that would serve for a swimming hole, and Ben unhesitatingly dubbed this "plumb bully." John prevented him from plunging into it

ng meal were in full swing: the clatter of tin dishes mingled with the clatter of tongues, and the sm

ng. "We could have got one of those du

and a repeater, too," return

ent he jumped to his side and pulled him violently back. Ben almo

d, breathless

h they had been walking, on the exact spot where he had been about to plant his bare

"You want to keep a sharp lookout when you go b

t his eyes on the trail after that. The rest of the way was covered in almost ab

bunks were anything but soft and the surroundings unfamiliar, the exertions of the da

r from the good feed that the creek bottom afforded. All was silent without and only the heavy breathing of the sleepers disturbed the quiet within. "

at sounded through the low roof as if the thing that caused it must be in the room its

uld not explain. John, his head stuck out of the berth abov

r father got up, took the rifle from the two pegs that supported it, and went to the door. His evident calmness reassured them. As

olves, howling at a man's

gray prairie wolf at close quarters the firs

four and five was to round up the stock and drive it in. This was not such easy work as it sounds. The journey in search of the animals was long, and was made on an empty stomach in the cold, raw morning air. Even when they were found, it was difficult to get them moving towards the camp. The animals seemed at times to be endowed with diabolical perversity, a

ad been brought to the camp. They got this out and made up a pack containing several steel traps (having strong jaws armed with sharp teeth and set off by pressure of the anima

ld about such sport. So they started with a fair knowledge at least of the habits and ways of the beaver whom they were to outwit. Their journey down to the dam led them along

edition. "You chop down some brush," he ordered, "while I go over and punch a few holes i

h for?" questioned Ben, as he shou

e houses; then after we go away the beaver will get to work to build it up again, and will

he prospect, and he ra

ed, and it took all his strength and skill to tear it open. He pushed his stick in vertically, in order to get a good purchase, and, encountering an unexpected obstacle, put his whole wei

was composed mostly of slippery mud, which gave him no hold, and burdened by his soaked clothing, he could not swim to the bank. The

o keep on top, he sank a third time, but this time barely below the level of his eyes. His work on the dam had accomplished its purpose and the water w

as able to keep his mouth above water by standing on

his feet slipped into holes that let him down until he was entirely under water. Reac

ever, and in a short time was able to

with his brother on his mishap; but after Joh

ey then moved up the creek to the fishing hole they had noted, to await developments and at the same time try their luck at fishing. Ben took the line while John stripped off his water-soaked clothes, hung

and hung over the fire with a forked stick. The meal which followed was enjoyed to the full, and by the time it was finished John's wet clothes were fairly dry. Ben was fo

searching (for they had neglected to chain the traps fast to a log) they found one. In it was a beaver's foot, well provided

er C

hat don't beat all. Don't you wish yo

y. Besides, there are three other traps, and there must

e traps fast. Finally they bethought them of the possibility of the little animals' dragging the crue

ver, a scientific blow on the nose. That maltreated and indignant organ began to bleed freely, and it did not console John to any great degree to learn that the little beast had turned on Ben and that he had come within an ace of having a finger bitten off by its long yellow teeth. He was so alarmed at this savage

o accept with equanimity all taunting references to his injured member, such as, "Your nose is out of joint," and "What a black look you have," for he had tu

villages, and the pile of salted skins grew to quite respecta

snow that had drifted during the night, and this work was added to the boys' regular tasks. The drawing of water had now become more difficult, for a

LOSELY AGAINST HIS

WHERE THE GAME

, long strips of wood curved up at the front, the bottom slightly concave to give a purchase on the crust and prevent them from slipping sideways, the top convex and risin

trips that John and Ben saw for the first time a herd of buffalo, their great, brown, closely-packed bodies looking like an undulating sea of fresh earth against the whiteness o

les were levelled, Mr. Worth kicked a lump of snow as a signal, and five guns barked out together. John and Ben dashed forward in wild excitement to find three antelopes lying dead. Without stopping, the hunters pressed on after the fl

winter clothing, like that of the boys, was made of deerskin, his cap of the pelt of the musk-rat-even his hands and feet were covered with deerskin soled with buffalo hide. The deception had been complete, all too complete, Charley thou

re spent on their skees. They learned many new things and many ways of getting along under their new conditions. For instance, a snow house had been dug in a big drift which extended out over the ice-covered creek, and a fire wa

their footprints on the snow about the house, and especially under the row of frozen deer which swung from a high support-the winter supply of meat killed after freezing weather set in. Both night and day the coyotes howled and answered each other from the high points round about, with their wuh, wuh, wuh-aou-u-u-u-u-wuh-wuh. On moonlight nights the scene from the front door was entrancing. The wide, white val

p s