TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 267 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



AFTER ELK ON TEN SLEEP RIVER. 



In 1890, some time after I had abandoned hunting as a 

 profession, I was in Buffalo, Wyoming, where I had estab- 

 lished a dental office. One morning Gal Jennings, one of the 

 finest big game hunters of Wyoming, was brought into my 

 office by Mr. Chappell, and nothing would do but we must 

 all join in an old-fashioned elk hunt. I gave the subject 

 due deliberation and concluded to join them in a quest of the 

 old monarch of the mountains ; for it had been a long time 

 since I had seen him at large. 



Mr. Jennings declared he knew just where a band was 

 to be found, so we talked the matter over, and set the time 

 of our departure three days later. We secured a good out- 

 fit, and I finished up my work preparatory to leaving. As 

 the day approached I began to feel the old fever. We were 

 all busy in packing our provisions and camp fittings, but Mr. 

 Jennings had not yet made his appearance, and we were won- 

 dering what delayed him. 



Just at this moment we heard a rattling, and, looking 

 up the road, we saw four fine animals hitched to a light wag- 

 on, in which sat Jennings, his long whip sounding like fire- 

 crackers. 



Dashing up, he made a circle after the custom of an ov- 

 erland coach driver, and stopped to take aboard our groceries 

 and bedding. Our effects were piled into the wagon in a few 



