THE COWARDLY COUGAR 



"Where have you boys been?" he de- 

 manded, huskily. " I been hunting you for an 

 hour and yelling my head off." 



"We were looking for you. We thought 

 you were lost," some one told him. 



"Well, tumble out and unchap yourselves. 

 Here's where we go over." For the first time 

 we became aware of a faint baying far below 

 us. "I jumped him on the edge, and the dogs 

 took him right down," Ambrose explained. 

 "They've had him bayed for an hour or two." 

 While he was talking, he had whipped the 

 pack ropes from the camera horse. We di- 

 vested ourselves of coats, chaps, and all un- 

 necessary clothing. "They can't hold him 

 all day; he'll get cramps and have to jump 

 sometime," Ambrose grumbled. "Next time 

 we go out, I'm going to lead you boys on a 

 hackamore." 



In view of the character of the descent 

 ahead of us, we divided our load. Ambrose 

 flung the chains and leather collar destined 

 for our quarry into his rucksack; Fred took 

 his lariats and some extra film cans; while 

 Miller and Vaughan bore the camera and its 

 heavy tripod. I, as gunman, carried my rifle 

 and a small still camera. Thus we went over. 



183 



