The Last of the Plainsmen 



sides of the ravine. Frank, energetic and tireless, 

 kept the pack-horses in the trail. Jim jogged on 

 silently. And so we rode down to Oak Spring. 



The spring was pleasantly situated in a grove of 

 oaks and ^inons, under the shadow of three cliffs. 

 Three ravines opened here into an oval valley. A 

 rude cabin of rough-hewn logs stood near the spring. 



&quot; Get down, get down,&quot; sang out Frank. &quot; We ll 

 hang up here. Beyond Oak is No-Man s-Land. We 

 take our chances on water after we leave here.&quot; 



When we had unsaddled, unpacked, and got a 

 fire roaring on the wide stone hearth of the cabin, 

 it was once again night. 



&quot; Boys,&quot; said Jones after supper, &quot; we re now on 

 the edge of the lion country. Frank saw lion sign 

 in here only two weeks ago; and though the snow is 

 gone, we stand a show of finding tracks in the sand 

 and dust. To-morrow morning, before the sun gets 

 a chance at the bottom of these ravines, we ll be up 

 and doing. We ll each take a dog and search in 

 different directions. Keep the dog in leash, and when 

 he opens up, examine the ground carefully for tracks. 

 If a dog opens on any track that you are sure isn t 

 a lion s, punish him. And when a lion-track is found, 

 hold the dog in, wait and signal. We ll use a signal 

 I have tried and found far-reaching and easy to yell. 

 Waa-hoo! That s it. Once yelled it means come. 



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