RECREATION 



VOL. XXIII. 



NOVEMBER 1905 



No. 5 



THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE GOOSE 



Bv DAN BEARD 



CHAPTER III 



THE WILD HUNTER WITH GOLDEN 

 BULLETS 



(Continued) 



OSSIBLY an 

 unconscious 

 poetical senti- 

 ment, a love of 

 the sound of 

 the babbling* 

 brook, the 

 rushing river, 

 or the thunder 

 of a waterfall, 

 combined with 

 a practical idea 

 of a handy 

 water supply for the various ne- 

 cessities of man and beast, makes the 

 ordinary man turn naturally to the 

 waterside for a place to pitch his tent, 

 build his house, or lay out a citv. 



But the whole enjoyment of a camp- 

 ing expedition may be marred and even 

 destroyed by the selection of bad loca- 

 tions ; not only that, but the good health 

 we have a right to expect on such occa- 

 sions may be seriously impaired or ut- 



terly ruined by the miasmatic vapors 

 rising from damp grounds or the un- 

 healthy odors of decaying vegetable 

 matter surrounding the camp. Big Pete 

 Darlinkle always claimed that to know 

 how to choose the best possible site for 

 a camp is of as much importance in the 

 education of a hunter as to know how to 

 shoot a gun. 



"When you're moseying with your 

 tails rolled up, when you're pulling out 

 the shack 'cause Injuns is after you, of 

 course you must camp where ye kin and 

 are least likely to be coralled ; but even 

 then keep your eyes peeled fur good 

 spots, and it may save your scalps. If 

 you have horses and no fodder, camp 

 where the grass is good, even if you 

 have to sleep on your thirst for the 

 night. Better have your horses well fed 

 than yourself well watered. Horses 

 need water as well as grass, but any 

 cow-puncher will tell you that a cavuse 

 that can't go at least a day and a night 

 without suffering for a drink is a dod- 

 rotted poor beast. Never fail to fill all 

 your bottles and canteens at every 

 stream you pass, and you can stand a 

 long march in great shape. But if p 

 body hain't in a hustle, it's a blamed 



387 



