196 CRUISINGS IX THE CASCADES 



mount, and are ready for the start. The wind is from 

 the northeast. That suits us very well, for in that 

 direction, about a mile away, there are some low 

 foot-hills that skirt the valley in which we are 

 camped. In or just beyond these we are very likely 

 to find antelope, and they will probably be coming 

 toward the creek this morning for water. 



We pat spurs to our horses and gallop away. A 

 brisk and exhilarating ride of ten minutes brings us 

 to the foot-hills, and then we rein up and ride 

 slowly and cautiously to near the top of the first one. 

 Here we dismount, and, picketing our ponies, we 

 crawl slowly and carefully to the apex. By this 

 time it is almost fully daylight. We remove our 

 hats, and peer cautiously through the short, scatter- 

 ing grass on the brow of the hill. 



Do you see anything? 



No; nothing but prairie and grass. 



No? Hold! What are those small, gray objects 

 away off yonder to the left? I think I saw one of 

 them move. And now, as the light grows stronger, 

 I can see white patches on them. Yes, they are 

 antelope. They are busily feeding, and we may 

 raise our heads slightly and get a more favorable 

 view. One, two, three there are five of them two 

 bucks, a doe, and two kids. And you will observe 

 that they are nearly in the centre of a broad stretch 

 of table-land. 



"But," you say, "may we not wait here, a little 

 while until they come nearer to us?' ' 



Hardly. You see they are intent on getting their 

 breakfast. There is a heavy frost on the grass, 

 which moistens it sufficiently for present purposes,. 



