6 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



from his rhapsody on the possible skeleton of a 

 plesiosaurus that he expected to find, jump from the 

 wagon, and scurry over the prairie after Snow. Then 

 both would return, triumphant over the capture of 

 some inoffensive insect which the bright eyes of the 

 old boys had detected as they rode along. 



The day thus passed was short to the travellers. 

 Many trophies of the " bug hunters" had been gathered 

 when the wagon halted by the side of a little stream 

 which wound across the barren plain. A lone cotton- 

 wood tree stood sentinel on the bank as a beacon 

 to the party, and Leatherman interrupted a scientific 

 discussion with the announcement : 



"Here's the place and there's your firewood," 

 pointing to the tree. 



The tent was soon pitched, a blazing fire started, a 

 pan of bacon set to frying, and the camp life of the 

 naturalists was begun in earnest. Each had an as- 

 signed task. One got wood, one cooked, and the 

 others arranged the tent and camp-ground. The sun- 

 set presaged foul weather. The whole horizon was 

 banked with clouds. Snow and Dyche took up their 

 quarters in the tent, while Mudge, Dick, and Leather- 

 man spread their blankets on the sand at the foot of 

 the sentinel cottonwood. The four boys sank to 

 slumber, unmindful of the chorus of coyotes which 

 visited the spot to serenade the guests of the plains. 



Deep sleep wrapped the camp in silence when the 

 promise given by the sky at sunset was fulfilled. 

 The sleepers outside were aroused by the advance 

 guard of the rain. In the west there arose a solid 

 wall of ebony. Deeper and deeper grew the black- 



