274 ADV 7 ENTURES OF DR. ALLEN. 



climbed the mountain toward the south. Finally we came to 

 the divide, where we dismounted and looked over the coun- 

 try. As we were remounting, Cal caught sight of a moving 

 object. After a careful scrutiny we discovered several oth- 

 ers, and, as Cal knew there were no cattle in that country, 

 we felt sure that our long time of hunting was now to be re- 

 warded. We led our horses down the mountain, and com- 

 menced stalking in earnest, for we could see fresh signs, 

 which made us more confident that our chances for fresh 

 meat were good. 



When we reached the creek, we watered our horses, 

 drank of the cold stream, and found that the water reeds 

 had recently been eaten close to the earth. Elk signs were 

 abundant and the band had gone directly toward our place of 

 discovery on the mountain. We mounted and started on the 

 run around a foothill, which seemed to be a good point of 

 observation. We dismounted, tied the bridle reins to our 

 ponies front feet, and prepared to move on the unsuspecting 

 game. As we crept over the ground, I filled the old Bullard 

 to overflowing with cartridges, for I was well aware that I 

 was with one of the finest game shots in Wyoming, and was 

 resolved to give him an exhibition of my skill at the first op- 

 portunity. At that moment I saw the back of some gray ob- 

 ject moving slowly to our left, and could easily have driven 

 a ball through it. Instead of firing, I called Cal's attention to 

 it. Just as he turned to look the old steer raised his head, 

 gave one snort anrd started away down the mountain side, 

 accompanied by the whole drove. 



I was sorely tempted to shoot after them, for we were 

 getting desperate, and Cal threw down his old white hat in 

 profound disgust. We swore vengeance on the next living 

 object, should it be cattle or game, and with this vow set out 

 for camp. After a long, weary ride, groping through dark 



