TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 139 



We left the bear where she was. She was poor, and 

 her hide was burned through in places. When we had al- 

 most reached camp we saw something upon a rock. 



"A sheep, by gracious!" said Stewart, and he bounced 

 on ahead. He raised his gun, stuck out his foot, took a long 

 aim and fired. His nerves must have been in a bad condition 

 after his fright, for there was no movement upon the rock. 

 He fired again, with the same result. I reinforced him 

 and we fired together. Down came a large buck, shot 

 clear through the chest. The ball was found in his backbone. 



"Cuss that pea-slinger of yours !" said Steward, as we 

 we were packing our game upon the mules. 



"You will fall in love with that pea-slinger before we 

 get through, mind what I tell you." 



"Oh ! ho ! They are good for boys to larn with," grum- 

 bled the old man. 



As we reached camp almost exhausted, the sun was hid- 

 ing below the western mountains. Its departing rays fell 

 upon the green hills dotted with pines, making a beautiful 

 picture. Meadow larks were singing their evening songs, 

 red squirrels were frisking and chattering in the pine-trees, 

 a bald eagle soared with steady wing high over our camp, 

 surveying both earth and sky. We gathered pine-knots and 

 soon had a blazing fire, which sent clouds of smoke far 

 above the pine-trees. Our supper was soon prepared and 

 eaten, and, when the things were cleared away, Steward sat 

 down, with a huge pipe between his teeth, sending forth 

 clouds of smoke now and then, which almost darkened our 

 camp. He was now perfectly happy, and could talk and 

 laugh about unearthing the bear without a volley of oaths. 



The next morning we made an early start for home, as 

 Hoskins had requested us to be back as soon as possible, for 

 he was almost out of meat. On the way we saw a deer 



