22 WAITING IN THE WILDERNESS 



had been joking me concerning the queer animals 

 I might discover, but as this was my first eve- 

 ning to hear announcements I felt certain that 

 I had made an extraordinary find. In the sud- 

 den hush before the scientist began speaking, I 

 wondered if the larger fossils might not be those 

 of an elephant. 



"The beast found yesterday by the Kid is 

 the first of the species to be discovered by our 

 party. It is a Giant Pig." 



Laughter and cheers greeted this statement. 



" Look out, Kid, you may meet a bigger one to- 

 morrow/' called the cook. 



"This one," continued the scientist, "is large 

 enough; he will measure about six feet high, 

 and he resembles an Arkansas razor-back." 



This party, including myself, numbered eight. 

 There was not a grouch in the party; the 

 cook, and in fact each man, was not only good- 

 natured but did much jollying. I suppose I 

 was the storm centre of most jokes and it was 

 impossible to guess when a storm was coming; it 

 simply came and often. 



Our camp, of six white tents, was within an 

 easy stone's throw of the river. Tall scattered 

 spruces stood about us and the canon walls rose 

 steeply and high into the sky. One of the tents 

 was dining room, cook room, and home for the 

 cook. One was used for storeroom for both 



