EARLY DAY STORIES. 113 



new to us, and were becoming intimately acquainted with 

 the character of the country over which we traversed and 

 worked. The table was well supplied, Mr. Taylor seeing 

 to it that in addition to bacon and salt pork, a quarter or 

 half a beef was provided when needed. However, as the 

 extreme frontier was approached game became plentiful, and 

 Mr. Taylor finding that my rifle could be depended upon 

 to supply the camp with venison, had quit sending off for 

 fresh beef, and he expected me to supply the outfit with fresh 

 meat. As game was easy to get, it was not difficult gen- 

 erally to do this in addition to doing my regular work. My 

 rifle would be taken along, either by myself or helper, and 

 when game was killed, some one would be sent out to bring 

 it into camp. However during the first week in November 

 we were out of venison and had to come down to salt pork, 

 the bacon also having been exhausted. By extra exertion, 

 however, I succeeded in killing a deer, and marked the place 

 so it could be found next day by one of the men from camp. 

 Mr. Taylor at this time was away on a trip to Lincoln and 

 the men left in camp refused to go after the deer, it being 

 in a somewhat difficult place to reach, as a bad creek had 

 to be crossed. I was vexed, and expressing my opinion in 

 language more emphatic than complimentary of the men 

 whose place it was to go after the venison and would not, 

 threw down my rifle declaring I would not carry it another 

 day — they might eat salt pork. My work the next day would 

 lead me in a different direction, but Mr. McGee, whose work 

 would take him within three or four miles of the deer, vol- 

 unteered to bring it to camp. This he did, he and his as- 

 sistant carrying it a considerable distance to the place where 

 they had left a team. I think everybody in camp was more 

 or less upset over this episode, excepting Mr. McGee, whose 

 even temper continued as calm and placid as ever. When 

 Mr. Taylor returned this deer was about all used up, and 

 we were on the brink of getting back to salt pork again. I 



