136 THE UPPER YUKON 



were all up on the top of the plane, and we 

 expected them to pass over and disappear 

 down the other side. The Chief said we had 

 better let the quarry alone for a while, build 

 a fire, and get our lunch; then if the situation 

 warranted we could follow them over the 

 ridge. 



We ate a hearty meal, and I lay down on 

 one of Billie's blankets with the saddle for a 

 pillow — which was my invariable custom 

 every day — and slept just a few minutes. It 

 seemed to me that in this strange climate I 

 could sleep sound at any time of the day and 

 in any position, even on the back of Billie. 



Again we climbed the butte — of course 

 keeping out of sight — and when the top was 

 attained the herd seemed to be just about to 

 drop down over the other side. Back we 

 went to our mounts, and getting into the sad- 

 dle we followed in the wake of the herd. 

 The ground was soft, treacherous, and 

 boggy, with an occasional piece of muskeag 

 to look out for, so we made slow time, — yet, 

 as things turned out, fast enough. We could 

 not see the game from below, as we could from 

 the butte, yet we went up very circumspectly 

 for fear one or more of the herd might be lying 

 down behind a small grassy elevation some- 



