66 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



Dyche for a week fell victim to his gun that after- 

 noon, and next morning Brown took the shot-gun and 

 went down the canon. Dyche was looking after his 

 fox-traps, and had just found one in which there was 

 a beautiful brown fox when he heard a report down 

 the canon as if from a cannon. Brown had evidently 

 touched off " Old Vesuvius," as the shot-gun had been 

 christened by the cowboys. Dyche gave a signal 

 but got no answer. Darkness came, but no Brown. 

 Becoming much alarmed lest some accident had be- 

 fallen his companion, Dyche hurried down the canon, 

 calling now and then but getting no response. 

 About two hundred yards from camp he heard a 

 slight noise and called out. A muffled answer was 

 returned, and then he was sure Brown had been badly 

 hurt. Hastening down he found Brown staggering 

 up the mountain with a big doe on his back. His 

 face was black and blue and his clothing covered 

 with hair and blood. A deep scratch ran along the 

 side of his nose, and taken altogether he was a most 

 dilapidated-looking object. He had fired both bar- 

 rels of the gun at once, and, being unused to such 

 a heavy charge, had been kicked over by the heavily 

 loaded weapon. 



Next day Brown took his insect-net and Dyche 

 his rifle and they wandered off looking for what they 

 could find. Dyche was first to return and had supper 

 ready when Brown reached camp. Brown had a 

 good story to tell and began while they were still 

 eating : 



"Say, Prof, do you remember that old crag of 

 loose rock we passed as we came into this canon? 



