206 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



Dyche left the outfit and went to a Chinese settle- 

 ment and purchased eighty pounds of "spuds, "or 

 potatoes. These were placed in two bags which they 

 carried in front of them on the saddles, and then it 

 took all the rest of the day to catch up with the Path- 

 finder, who had gone ahead with the train. On the 

 way " Kettle River Armstrong" was met, a ranch- 

 man who devoted his attention to raising horses on 

 a ranch on the middle fork of the river. Armstrong 

 said that caribou were thick about his ranch. He 

 had seen where four had passed by a few days be- 

 fore. He tried to induce the hunters to go to his 

 ranch, but they decided to follow their original plans. 

 Their route lay into the wilderness described in a 

 previous chapter, and at the forks of the river 

 McLaughlin had made camp and was awaiting them. 



A heavy rain fell next day as they prepared to 

 start, but no one seemed to think any the worse of 

 the weather, and jokes were flying thick and fast as 

 the trail was taken. A deer became too curious and 

 his venison swelled the larder. Camp was made 

 that evening in the forest, and while Dyche and 

 McLaughlin were attending to the horses, Farrell 

 was preparing a supper fit for the gods. Farrell 

 compelled the others to strictly observe one thing, and 

 that was that they should not come "putterin' 

 around the fire. " They w illingly acceded to this de- 

 mand, and only when the cry of " Square yourselves 

 for action" was given did they venture near. 



Another day of travel took them to the cabin, and 

 here the two men were at home. Sitting around the 

 fire they related enough of their experiences to fill 



