OLD MAN REED 151 
of the most strenuous sort of work to cross two for- 
ties of such stuff. And at the finish I felt as if a 
full day’s work had been already done. One rea- 
son for this was that the footing was extremely bad 
and the shoes I wore were too light and thin for the 
job. 
This question of shoes was one which bothered me 
all the season. The Black Range seemed to render 
experience in other localities regarding footwear of 
no value whatever. I started in on fairly heavy 
shoes of the driver type, hobnailed thoroughly. A 
pair of nine dollar boots of this kind lasted about a 
month. Then a series of experiments began. 
I sent to a prominent firm of sporting outfitters 
for the best and strongest shoe they put out. A pair 
cost me ten dollars. They were beautifully made 
and easy to the foot, while they lasted. In a week 
the sewing that held the counter on was cut through. 
In two weeks the counter itself came off. In less 
than a month the leather on the soles, between the 
nails, was eaten away as if gouged with a knife, 
and shortly after the nails came out and the whole 
shoe practically fell to pieces. 
Meanwhile I had written to the makers, detailing 
my experience. They replied by offering to build 
for me, at fourteen dollars, a pair of boots which 
they stated could be guaranteed for any country. 
When these came (for in a fit of desperation I 
gave the firm carte blanche), I did not wonder at 
their confidence. The boots were of heaviest sole 
i 
