The Saddle Boys of the Rockies; Or, Lost on Thunder Mountain

ed, during which time the ominous rumbling, accompanied by earth tremors

ave a b

my own ears, that the reds for a hundred years back have always declared the Great Man

been going on forever

wered. "They believe it's sure unlucky for any brave to be caught near the mountain after dark, and especiall

the game that hides along the slopes, and in the deep gullies, belongs to the Great Spirit, and that he'll punish any warrior bold eno

e heard some of our cowpunchers talking about it more'n a few times; and

in ghosts and all that sort of thing. If there ever came a time when something faced me that I couldn't u

in his game. The funny part about it is why I never thought of this racket b

he ranch would go with

Hank who taught me all I know about range life. He showed me how to shoot, throw a rope, and do heaps of other things a prairie

," assented the ot

never come here of his own accord; but to keep an eye on me, and, stand

might be over for ton

up at the dimly-seen outlines of the far-away crest of the r

e could have been some kind of stor

any sign of a cloud that would bring out all that noise. A mystery it's been these many years; and if so be we can learn

e of youth. "And as neither of us takes any stock in the fairy story about the Manitou's anger, we o

out of his blanket

olding up his hand, after wetting his finger, a method much in vogu

, I reckon," Frank remarked. "You notice we happen to be sheltere

right, Frank. But what has that got to do with

nswer; "but we want to know every little point as we go on. And Bob, just reme

rd your dad talk about this Thund

king after the stock, keeping tabs on the doings of those rascally Mexican rustlers, that have been running off batches of cattle every little while; and fighting

ust have heard him give an opinion about th

ared that once, hundreds of years ago, perhaps, old Thunder Mountain must have been a volcano; and that it sti

ome fine day, when the fires inside get to going out of bounds. Then the whole cap of the mountain will

d away by a little thing like that growl. Unless we hit a snag, or Peg Grant and his guides break up our game, a few day

to happen to knock us out. If that same Peg comes around, making a nuisance of himself, why, h

e dropped into the nest he had made in his blanket. "But say, did you

band, and pawing just like he does when he's worried. Reckon they didn't know what to make of it, either, seeing that there's n

and Bob lost no time in following his example, both confident that in the alert

ay. The hum of insects; the melancholy hooting of the lonely owl, in some willow or cottonwood tree near the base of the mountain; the far-off howl of the prairie wolf; or the more discordant voice of

he was once more galloping across the wide prairie on the back of his mou

he never knew

e fearful vibration of the ground that aroused

dy erect, and apparently listening as thou

in a whisper; "he's pawing the ground and sno

Indians from the days of the early pioneers along the Ohio down to the present time; since sound travels much better along

nnounced the prairie boy, almost immediately; "and

feet, snatching up his blanket as he did so. Together they were off on the jump

clutch the rope that held his restlessly moving horse; and hand over hand, the

n the blankets were arranged about their heads, and secured in such fashion tha