Bert Wilson in the Rockies

est T

remarked Bert as he was dre

," acquiesced Dick as he looked out of the wi

an enthusiast on the subject. "I'd like nothing better

amended Bert. "He says there are some whopping big fellows up there

broached and met with the he

nd on a hazy day like this they'll keep you busy pulli

n, and we can get plenty of bait for the bass right out here in the garden. Let's hurry up, fellows,

ake. But I've got a date with a horse dealer to-day, who's coming up to look at some of my bronchos, and I can't get off

lied Bert. "But we'll be pretty well loade

ou may have no use for it. Chances are that you won't. But it's a mighty wise thing to have a good rifle al

t was necessary to lure the finny prey from their lurking places, but each as well carried o

ey were to follow to find the lake, which lay in the hollow

I guess it's safe enough. If not, you'll have to take your chance in fishing from the shore. There's an island a little way out in the lake, and you'll find the pike thick around there if you can

port, and, stowing away in their basket the toothsome and abundant

gan to ascend and soon the trees that clothed the slopes shut them in, and

orest primeval,

ines and the heml

undred feet. "I suppose this looked just as it does now ten thousand years ago. The only thing that suggests man is this

Squirrels chattered in the trees and chipmunks slipped like shadows between the trunks. As they w

inted to a place on the bark abo

about it?" d

the trunk," said Ber

row consisted of five marks at an equal distance apart. It was as though two gigantic rakes ha

onder. Then they peered into the s

rt at last. "And, what's more, there's

grizzly bear

hey could hear the beating of their hearts. Then Tom measured again w

ld do it. A horse even couldn't stand on his hind legs and strike with his fore hoofs the place where those scratches begin. Some of those pre-histo

g," suggested Dick. "He might have slipped in coming

don't climb,"

e than nine or ten feet from the nose to the root of the tail. Allowing a couple of feet more for his reach, and you have eleven or twelve altogether. How

ith Tom, but Bert, although he had no

isted. "The beast, whatever it was, had a tremendous purchase to dig so deep.

about with them when strolling in the woods. Come along, old man," he bantered, "or these squirrels will think you're a nut and carry you

it, then?" asked

tion. What I do know is that we're losing time and that I'm fairly aching to bait my hook and fling it into the water. We've

that the "ghost" of the grizzly had been "laid." But Bert answered only in monosyllables. He would have been as relieved as they had he been able to convince himself that

," he exclai

ntradicted Dick. "You

u got?" mocke

wer," sa

," challe

ouri," said To

especially the trick they have of standing on their hind legs and clawing at trees as high as they could reach. But I remember he said they did this only in the spring. They've

ly," confe

urmured Tom, "I d

untains here the snow is often four or five feet deep in the early sprin

l his self-assurance vanishi

ye," cried Dick. "Bert,

d miles off by this time. Still, it won't do a bit of harm to keep our eyes peeled and make sure that our guns are in good working or

it at all likely, as there had been no rumors for some time past of a grizzly having been seen in the locality, nor had the mutilated body of some luckless steer borne traces of his handiwork. Still it was "better to be

more than three-quarters of a mile wide, and the expanse was broken by a small wooded island about half way across. Nothing living was in sight, except a huge fish hawk that waited expectantly on a dead branch overhanging the water. Even while they looked, it

Tom. "That fellow would make a

o have him at the end

used to fasten a ring about the throat so that they couldn't swallow them? It always

for the taking," said Tom. "I'll hunt up that canoe while you get the rod

t the spoon bait and try for pike and pickerel. You and Bert c

rections they had received enabled them to find it. It was in good condition, about eighteen feet in length and two paddles lay in the

he frail bo

etter do. Let one of us fish from the shore for bass, while the two others in the canoe troll for pickerel. Two lines can be put out over the stern and one can paddle gently while the other keeps a sharp eye on the lines. Between us all we ought to get a mess in less than no time. We'll toss up to see which shall do the loneso

in decreed that Tom and Dick should do the trollin

er of the lake. Bert carefully baited his hook and cast it far out from shore. Then, w

line dipped violently, and, hauling it in rapidly, he yanked in a big pickerel. He did not dare to shout, for fear of scaring the

e had hooked a fighter. Back and forth he darted, until it seemed as though the slender rod would break under the strain. Bert's fighting blood responded to the challenge, and he played his op

f an hour they had caught more than they could eat and carry home, and Tom, whose appalling appetite was clamoring for satisfaction, suggested that they wind up and pull for shore. Dick was nothing loath, an

y brush and burned it until they had a glowing bed of embers. They had no frying pan, but Bert improvised an ing

ent, had nothing to do, stretched himse

, affecting a languid drawl. "And you, my good fellow," he

Dick threw at him. It whizzed by his ear, and h

," he muttered, regaining his equilibrium.

d Dick, throwing

Tom hurriedly, "no

his leisurely attitude and "rustle" the good things out of the basket. They made a royal meal and feasted so full and long that, when

arth, I forgive him,"

said Tom. "Isn't he the fellow that tel

fully. "You haven't any soul

on me," groane

shadow of the trees that came down almost to the water's edge. A brooding peace enveloped them, and the droning of ins

a moment to realize where he was. His eyes fell on his sleeping companions,

self. "There's plenty of time be

now the desire for sleep had left

"I'll take a little spin across to the isla

the water's edge, unfastened t

an exhilarating sense of flying as his light craft shot away from the shore. Almost before he kn

wooded. There was a dense tangle of undergrowth, and in order to avoid this he ski

ndred feet in width, but he noticed that there was a very distinct path that had been beaten through the undergrowth. The discovery for a moment startled him. Then he realized that t

have perhaps been just as well if he had put his rifle in when he started. He listene

t had never misled him. It was something like the second sight of the Highlander. His nature was so highly organized that like a sensitive camera it regist

the canoe and saw that it was undisturbed. He looked across and saw his

k again. It was not simply a friendly greeting. There was terror, panic, wi

what he saw made his heart