Jack in the Rockies

ildings 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 wa

the boat drew nearer and nearer, Hugh suddenly let his hand fall on Jack's sh

im where the two stood, he saw them; and springing up on the rail, and holding to a stanchion, he wave

f passengers had left the boat, the two old men and the boys went on board again and, mounting to t

there's lots of buffalo over on the Judith, or between the Judith and the Musselshell. I guess they'll be there all

Joe?" said Jack. "Have t

ew passing back and forth, between the lower count

ot to look out for those fellows; but they won'

s 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 a

en getting on yourse

r 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

you are doing well, and I think that yo

" said Baptiste. "Where are you going, and what

trong 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 you

are good. I like the Indian well. He came in here many days ago, and came

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

hat's what I want to do; I want to get out on the prairie onc

ning. 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 fa

ut 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

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

ich water trickled, they camped. They were careful to picket all their horses; and after this was do

seen. Only antelope, it is true, but of them there were plenty. Jack had a fair shot at a buck

ected 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 makin

are no use to people unless they understand them, and you boys must get used to your gun

o 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

, and at the hills on either side. Suddenly his face brightened, and he said, "Why yes I do, too. I know where we are.

e we came. I wondered if you'd recognize i

iers 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 to

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 lo

pack horses; and if you want me to I'll go off to-day and follow al

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

d 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

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 fou

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

hey would follow the trail around the point of the mountains, and would then strike the Carroll Road, and bend back toward the river

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

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

airie, and a long way from the rocky peaks, where he supposed they always lived. He made up

n line, which, although it was interrupted at times-and sometimes for long distances-he thought must be the Carroll Road. Then off

ehind. He watched them as they drew nearer, and at last could make out that they were Indians; and by this is mean