,,buffalo ,,roost ,a ,story of a ,young ,men's ,christian ,association ,boys' ,department by ,f4 ,h4 ,,cheley ,boys' ,work ,director1 ,young ,men's ,christian ,association1 ,south ,bend1 ,ind4 #aiac ,,to ,every ,good ,fellow ,,who ,,cut ,a ,,log ,,or ,,turned ,a ,,stone ,,for ,,the ,,construction ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,cabin ,,in ,,buffalo ,,park1 ,,and ,,to ,my ,father ,,who ,,built ,,its ,,heart ,,and ,,inspiration1 ,,the ,,fireplace1 ,,this ,,story ,,is ,,dedicated ,,contents ,i4 ,,willis ,,thornton ,,displays ,,his ,,pluck ,,ii4 ,a ,,story ,,is ,,told ,,and ,a ,,promise ,,made ,,iii4 ,,in ,,which ,,willis ,,is ,,honored ,,iv4 ,,willis ,,becomes ,,interested ,,in ,,gold ,,mines ,v4 ,a ,,plan ,,is ,,evolved ,,vi4 ,a ,,stage ,,road ,,journey ,,vii4 ,a ,,wilderness ,,camp ,,viii4 ,,the ,,second ,,day ,,out ,,ix4 ,,the ,,third ,,day ,,out ,x4 ,a ,,glimpse ,,of ,,buffalo ,,roost ,,xi4 ,a ,,strange ,,turn ,,of ,,fate ,,xii4 ,,the ,,discovery ,,of ,,the ,,mine ,,xiii4 ,,sleepy ,,smith ,,has ,,an ,,experience ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,opened ,,door ,,xv4 ,,in ,,which ,,fate ,,takes ,a ,,hand ,,chapter ,i ,willis ,thornton ,displays ,his ,pluck ,train ,no4 #f on the ,d4 ,p4,w41 two hours late at ,limon1 was rushing and jolting along over its rickety roadbed4 ,the rain fell in torrents1 the heavy peals of thunder seemed about to tear the car to pieces1 the black and threatening clouds blotted out the landscape1 and the passengers could hear nothing but the roar of the thunder and the rattle of the train4 ,the brakeman1 shaking the water from his hat as he passed through the aisle1 dropped something about it being a mighty tough day for railroadin'4 ,suddenly there was a creaking1 a cracking1 and then a series of awful jolts4 ,window glass broke and flew in every direction4 ,like a mighty monster that had suddenly been frightened by an unseen foe1 the train lurched forward1 tipped a little1 and slowly came to an uncertain stop4 ,people were hurled from their seats with a great violence as the emergency brake was set4 ,a baby cried out from a seat near the front of the car1 and a woman screamed as a satchel from the luggage rack above her head dropped down upon her4 ,willis ,thornton raised his arms above his head just in time to save a heavy leather suitcase from striking his mother full in the face4 ,through the broken windows was heard the shrill warning notes of the engine's trouble whistle1 but so intense was the storm that the sound seemed rather a part of the raging gale4 ,the brakeman rushed through the car1 and as he passed ,willis heard him exclaim half-aloud1 ,the freight6 ,then in a loud1 shaky voice1 not meant to betray excitement1 he shouted1 ,all out2 train off the track6 ,he need not have spoken1 however1 for the people who had not already gotten out were close upon him4 ,first in the rush was the mother of the babe that had screamed when the first jolts came4 ,she was wild-eyed and hysterical4 ,a piece of flying glass had struck her on the face1 and the warm1 trickling blood had frightened her4 ,she rushed up to the nearest man and shouted1 ,is my husband safe8 ,just then a sickly1 dudish little man1 with a lighted cigar in his mouth1 rushed toward her4 ,ba ,jove1 my dear1 you are 'urt1 he said as she hurried toward him and fainted in his arms4 ,the word had been passed around that a heavy freight was expected at any moment4 ,the passenger whistle blew in long1 shrill tones1 while the brakeman hurried up the hill in the direction of the expected freight to give the danger signal4 ,hardly had he reached the top when there came the faint sound of a whistle4 ,he heard the three blasts4 ,the train had left ,eastonville6 ,could he save a wreck8 ,lantern in hand1 he hurried down the track as fast as he could with the wind and rain beating him back4 ,suddenly a black form loomed up in the mist ahead4 ,full blast she came1 the black smoke from her stack running ahead as if to coax her on to greater speed4 ,the brakeman waved his red lantern frantically in the air4 ,there was a screeching sound of brake-shoes on the wheels1 a long1 shrill whistle1 and the train sped past him1 a misty dull serpent in the storm4 ,he turned and followed as fast as he could4 ,women with disheveled hair stood and wrung their hands4 ,men cursed and swore as they ran back and forth about the derailed passenger4 ,the wind lulled for a second1 and in the momentary silence there came the half-smothered cry of a little child from one direction1 answered from somewhere in the fog by the rushing of wheels and the faint1 weird sigh of a whistle4 ,willis's head went up1 his eyes flashed1 his muscles tightened2 then1 turning to his mother1 he cried1 ,the baby6 and in an instant was gone4 ,it all happened so quickly there was no time for ,mrs4 ,thornton to think4 ,she saw ,willis hasten away and enter the front door of the car they had been occupying2 at the same instant she became aware of the approaching train4 ,there was a shrill1 angry hiss1 and the freight swung into the cut with a terrible roar1 then came a crashing of glass and breaking of timbers4 ,the engineer had opened the whistle valve with such a jerk that it had stuck fast1 and the whistle did its utmost4 ,it was a doleful sound1 pulsating its strange1 sharp cry into the storm4 ,mrs4 ,thornton sank to her knees in an attitude of prayer1 her head dropped to her breast4 ,the mother that had fainted roused a little and called for her child4 ,the passengers rushed back and forth in a perfect frenzy1 shouting1 ,the baby6 the baby6 ,women cried and begged and implored some one to save it2 but it was all over before any one could act or before the ,englishman realized that it was his child that was in danger4 ,the engines had telescoped4 ,the freight was derailed and the first three cars completely demolished4 ,the crew had all jumped and were uninjured1 except the fireman1 who had a badly-broken leg and some bruises4 ,two men came around the end of the ,pullman with a boy supported between them4 ,his head hung limp and the blood trickled slowly from nasty cuts on his head and face4 ,following them came the brakeman with a very frightened but unharmed baby1 wrapped in an overcoat4 ,every one made a rush for the little group4 ,the ,englishman was first in line4 ,his eyes opened wide and his cigar fell from his lips4 ,by ,jove1 ,chauncey6 he exclaimed1 they came near getting you that time1 then began to cry like a child4 ,the danger was past4 ,there was no one killed1 and only a few injured4 ,several people were cut by broken glass and bruised by bumps4 ,the fireman of the freight had broken his leg and cut his shoulder badly in his jump4 ,willis had reached the opposite platform1 with the baby in his arms1 just as the trains collided4 ,the jar had thrown him from his feet and broken the glass in the door behind him4 ,the jolt threw him1 baby and all1 out against the side of the cut into the wet sand4 ,outside of the ugly cuts and bad bruises he was unharmed1 but was the hero of the day4 ,mrs4 ,thornton sat by her boy1 tenderly caring for his every need4 ,he had swooned at the sight of his own blood and had not yet returned to consciousness4 ,in the next seat the injured fireman was propped up on pillows1 watching the boy4 ,there's a piece of real stuff1 he said to the engineer as they sat talking together4 ,looks just like my old pard4 ,it took real pluck to go after that baby4 ,if ,bill'd a been here he would have gotten enthusiastic over that lad4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,a ,story ,is ,told and a ,promise ,made ,an open fire had always been tremendously fascinating to ,willis ,thornton1 and on winter evenings1 when his chores were done and supper over1 he would pile the big fireplace high with maple logs1 then sit and dream as the flames danced and the fire roared4 ,he was a sturdy lad1 healthy1 cheerful1 wholesome1 and tonight he was thinking4 ,the snow-laden wind was sweeping across the ,flat ,bush4 ,at every fresh gust the fire would crackle and the little blue flames start up along the none-too-well seasoned logs4 ,outside the old farmhouse the great dead limb of a monstrous white oak moaned and sighed1 while the usual sounds from the barnyard were lost in the patter of the icy snowflakes that rattled against the window pane4 ,from the open door of the kitchen came faint odors of freshly-popped corn and the monotonous hum of the old sewing-machine4 ,willis was hardly aware of any presence in the room save his own until a warm hand was laid gently on his and a dish of snowy popcorn set in his lap4 ,he had been so engrossed with his own fancies that he had not seen his mother enter the firelit room and come toward him4 ,well1 my boy2 what are you dreaming of tonight8 she asked1 as she seated herself in her accustomed place on the arm of his chair and placed her arm gently on his shoulder4 ,o1 ,i've just been planning a bit1 mother1 he said with a smile4 ,sometimes when ,i sit here by this old fire ,i forget myself4 ,i travel to the strangest lands and think the strangest thoughts4 ,still1 they all seem so very real to me that when ,i try not to think of them a peculiar restlessness comes over me4 ,i can hardly wait for summer and the great big out-of-doors4 ,did you ever think1 mother1 what life would be if we didn't have the birds and the bees and the flowers8 ,are people in the cities happy and contented without them8 ,i've often wondered4 ,i suppose some day ,i'll be going to the city to live1 as all the other boys have done2 but when ,i think of it it makes me sad4 ,i don't believe ,i'd ever be happy in the city1 mother1 unless-- ,he paused long enough to stir up the fire and put on another log4 ,unless what1 ,willis8 his mother inquired4 ,unless-- he hesitated as if thinking4 ,i could go ,west to where father was4 ,his mother listened as he went on4 ,the schoolmaster was telling us today about the wonderful ,rocky ,mountains4 ,he was there last summer on his vacation1 you know4 ,we were studying about ,pike's ,peak and the ,garden of the ,gods1 so he told us all about his trip there4 ,he went from ,colorado ,springs to somewhere away up in the mountains to a great gold camp4 ,he told us of the queer little shanties the people live in1 and of the great piles of waste ore outside of each mine4 ,he went through one mine1 the ,independence1 ,i think he called it1 or the ,portland--,i don't remember which now2 but he said the machinery used in hoisting the ore was wonderful4 ,it all set me to thinking of father--,i've been thinking of him all day4 ,mother1 it's mighty hard for a fellow like me not to have any father1 only just a dead one4 ,he arose a second time to replenish the fire1 but remained standing1 facing his mother4 ,he was too deeply interested in his own thoughts just then to notice the tears that were slowly stealing down his mother's face1 and the light was too dim for him to see her sad1 care-worn expression4 ,she was not old1 but fate had not been kind to her4 ,she was a slender little woman1 with a heavy mass of what had once been brown hair1 but it was now streaked with gray4 ,her eyes were large and brown1 and the intermingled expression of love and sadness made her face one of tender beauty1 lighted as it was by the rosy tints from the open fire4 ,as the boy talked on in his manly way she suddenly became aware of a change in him4 ,she noticed the well-built and symmetrically developed body1 the broad shoulders1 the short1 stocky neck1 and the head covered with brown ringlets4 ,she could not see the face1 but she knew only too well of whom it reminded her1 for of late she had often found herself saying1 ,just like the father--just like the father4 ,it was during such winter evenings as this that she had come to know her son best1 as she sat on the arm of his chair and listened with tactful sympathy to his stories of the big black bass that kept house in the pool at the end of the lake1 or of the downy woodpecker's nest in the old hickory1 or1 perhaps1 of the big hoot owl that perched on the granary warm nights to watch for mice4 ,it was with a certain feeling of sadness1 as well as of pride1 that she watched him grow older1 lose his boyhood ways1 and become more and more of a man--a man just like his father6 ,i get so lonely for some one to teach me things1 and go with me into the big woods1 and help me skin my rats in season1 he was saying1 and to teach me to use tools and to understand the books and-- ,yes1 my son1 she replied4 ,but haven't you me8 ,won't ,i do to read with you and help you find new wild flowers and gather strange caterpillars in the spring8 ,yes1 mother1 of course you will1 and you know how ,i do care for you4 ,i couldn't begin to do without you even for a day2 but someway you don't understand4 ,it's because you are a woman4 ,sometimes ,i feel as if ,i would be the happiest boy in the ,clear ,creek ,school if ,i just had a father ,i could look up to and be proud of and-- ,o1 but ,willis1 be careful4 ,her voice was low and full of feeling4 ,you can do all that1 my boy1 and more4 ,i know you miss him1 but you must not forget we had him once1 both of us1 and that he was the very best father in all the world4 ,she stopped1 for now the tears were coming fast4 ,the only trouble is that he was taken away before you were lad enough to know him and love him as you would if we had him now4 ,but that is all the more reason why you should grow into a worthy man1 my boy--for his sake and mine4 ,he loved you dearly1 and ,i've often thought it was that love and ambition for you that made him determine to make money1 so that you might have the future he planned for you4 ,he left you1 my boy1 something better than money--a heritage of clean1 noble blood and character4 ,you aren't old enough just yet to know all that that means1 but some day you will be truly thankful4 ,you are right--always right2 but you know what ,i mean1 don't you8 ,you have never told me all about him1 have you1 mother8 ,won't you tell me now8 ,i never wanted to know so badly as ,i do tonight4 ,he seems to come near to me sometimes1 even if ,i can't see him1 and ,i want to know more about him4 ,the fire burned low2 the storm had increased in its fury2 it seemed as if each gust would lift the house from its foundations4 ,still1 to these two1 opening their hearts to each other in the kindly glow of the firelight1 the storm was forgotten4 ,after a pause she began softly and very slowly to tell the story4 ,your father was a noble man1 ,willis1 such as ,i am sure you will be if you are spared to live4 ,his boyhood ,i do not know much about1 only that it was spent on his father's farm4 ,he went to ,kalamazoo for his schooling1 and it was there that ,i first met him4 ,he worked hard1 saved his money1 and went to ,ann ,arbor for his college work4 ,he was ambitious to become a great engineer1 and was always tinkering at some kind of a machine4 ,he used to joke with me about becoming a great inventor1 and after we were married he did try his hand at a patent coupler and a back-firing device for a gas engine4 ,he was just like you1 my boy1 always dreaming and seeing things in the out-of-doors4 ,i can remember the delight he found in rising early on summer mornings to search for caterpillars1 moths1 and worms in the nearby woods1 and he would put a strange bug in every bottle ,i had in the house4 ,after our marriage we moved to ,lansing1 and he became superintendent in an electrical manufacturing company4 ,he had a little shop of his own in the basement at home1 and during the long winter evenings of the first year that we were there he built furniture for our little home4 ,the chair we are sitting in1 ,willis1 is one of his first pieces4 ,we were very happy together there1 and it wasn't long before you came4 ,the summer before you were born his company sent him ,west to install mine machinery4 ,it was then that he became interested in the great gold mines of ,colorado4 ,everybody seemed to be prospecting and staking gold claims4 ,he thought he saw his chance to get rich quickly1 so he1 too1 began prospecting4 ,he very soon developed a great love for the mountains1 and while you were a baby he used to go to ,colorado ,springs for his vacations4 ,his mind was very active1 and as he became more closely acquainted with the mines he conceived an idea for a machine to roast gold ore by electricity4 ,in the winter evenings he would sit sketching its parts and dreaming over his plans4 ,sometimes in his boyish enthusiasm he would assure me that he would yet be a rich man4 ,and what about his mine1 mother2 doesn't that come into the story pretty soon8 ,yes1 yes1 but don't hurry me1 son4 ,it seems so very strange to be sitting here telling you all about him1 for it seems to have happened so long1 long ago4 ,on one of his trips west he fell in with an old mountaineer named ,kieser1 ,tad ,kieser4 ,tad became interested in his roasting machine1 and they decided to locate claims together4 ,tad was to put up the 'grub stakes1' as they called it1 for your father had no money except his salary4 ,all one fall1 when he was not installing machinery1 they explored the mountains south of ,colorado ,springs1 especially along the old ,stage ,road to ,cripple ,creek1 looking for suitable claims4 ,the old ,stage ,road was a steep1 rocky mountain road over which they hauled provisions and passengers into the ,cripple ,creek district4 ,several miles from the city there was an old log hostelry--',wright's ,road ,house' they called it4 ,here lived a strange old man1 a mountaineer of the oldest type4 ,daddy ,wright1 they called him4 ,he and ,tad were old friends1 so your father became very well acquainted with him4 ,the stages to and from the gold camp always stopped at ,dad's2 sometimes for a meal and sometimes for all night4 ,it was one of the delights of your father's business trips to spend an evening with this old man in his rough mountain cabin1 sitting before his crude stone fireplace smoking and listening to stories of the days of 'forty-nine1' when ,dad had hunted for gold in the mountains of ,california4 ,your father and ,tad were both in the old road house the night it was burned and barely escaped with their lives4 ,he didn't tell me about it until long afterwards4 ,tad and your father finally filed on two claims4 ,one was on ,cheyenne ,mountain1 near ,dad's claims1 and the other was somewhere near a mountain called ,cookstove4 ,your father thought that valley was the most beautiful spot he had ever seen4 ,he used to write me long letters describing the beautiful canyon and the falls1 which was just a ribbon of water that trickled down the face of a monstrous granite boulder hundreds of feet in height4 ,he called it ,st4 ,marys ,falls4 ,here1 somewhere in a hidden spot of this canyon1 they found a strange outcropping of black rock which your father believed would lead to an extensive gold vein in the interior of the mountain4 ,i remember he called the vein an 'iron dyke1' and said that a compass revolted when placed on it4 ,his great desire was to mine that strata by means of a tunnel1 but he had no money1 so he and ,tad decided that they would work during the winter months and save what money they could1 then both work on the tunnel in warm weather4 ,they chose a spot down in the canyon that was high1 but still near the stream1 and there built a log shanty to live in while they worked the claim4 ,he wrote me how they cut the great spruce on the side of the mountain far above the chosen spot and rolled them in4 ,dad let them use his team of donkeys to pack in the necessary lumber and shingles for the 'shack4' ,father came home1 and ,tad1 with some hired help1 erected the first log cabin in the canyon4 ,my1 but he was proud of it4 ,the next spring saw them at work on the tunnel4 ,i did so hate to let father go1 for ,i was afraid some harm would befall him2 but he reassured me and seemed so positive that all our future hopes lay hidden in that hole that ,i let him go4 ,the first season they went in thirty feet1 and things looked better every foot4 ,it was very hard for him to close up the hole and come home to his winter's work4 ,his company in ,lansing had inspected the drawings of his proposed machine and had promised him a goodly sum for the patent if he proved that it would work4 ,the only question was the securing of the proper ore for flux4 ,i remember his hopes ran high when one day they came upon a narrow vein of this necessary flux stone4 ,he was so sure that they would find more1 and the gold1 too1 that he made plans to build a great reducing plant1 using the falls for motor power4 ,he had it all worked out on paper1 even to details4 ,meanwhile my sister1 your ,aunt ,lucy1 and ,uncle ,joe went ,west for her health1 and settled in ,colorado ,springs4 ,uncle ,joe became a real estate dealer and also interested in mines and mining properties4 ,he was greatly interested in the tunnel1 and predicted great things for its future4 ,about this time all the land around the canyon1 both north and south1 became a part of the ,pike's ,peak ,forest ,reserve1 so that your father had to refile on his claim and prove to the land office that he was working a real mineral vein4 ,in refiling1 his claim was not big enough to include the shanty1 but anticipating no trouble on account of it he neglected to lease his cabin from the ,forest ,reserve officials4 ,the news leaked out that gold had been discovered in ,cookstove ,gulch1 and in a few days the entire stream was staked from one end of the canyon to the other as placer claims4 ,of course the cabin site became the property of another man1 and with it the cabin1 as it could not be moved4 ,the new owner was a little1 short1 pudgy man with an ever-ready eye for business1 so father and ,tad were forced to rent the cabin they had built and paid for4 ,that winter was the one your sister ,mabel was taken from us1 and the last year we were all together4 ,she stopped and gazed into the fire1 seemingly forgetting the boy who sat by her side4 ,then she reached forward and placed the last stick on the slowly-dying embers4 ,as it caught1 and the flames leaped into the chimney in response to the wind outside1 she continued3 ,the next summer was the last4 ,i never knew just how it happened exactly2 but some way1 while making a new side drift in the tunnel1 a blast went off prematurely1 and he was caught in the falling rocks and crushed to death4 ,uncle ,joe wrote me the particulars--all that ,i ever had4 ,he was too badly mangled to be recognized1 so even before ,i knew of the accident his poor1 broken body was laid to rest under the pines in ,evergreen ,cemetery4 ,the tunnel was closed and locked1 and your uncle packed father's few belongings in the little old trunk ,i gave you last spring for your own and sent it home--all that ,i ever saw again of your father4 ,then followed the terrible fever that nearly took my life4 ,how ,i prayed1 my boy1 that ,i might die1 so great was my sorrow and utter loneliness2 but the ,great ,father saw fit to keep me here1 and now ,i am thankful4 ,he needed me to help you become a man4 ,when ,i was so sick grandfather came and brought us home1 and here we have been ever since4 ,but1 mother1 have you never wanted to go to ,colorado8 ,yes1 son1 ,i've often thought ,i would be happier there1 but father has never thought so4 ,i've often promised ,aunt ,lucy we'd come4 ,i'm afraid she won't be long for this world1 for she has a very serious tubercular trouble4 ,you must never mention it1 son1 but your grandfather never had any use for ,uncle ,joe1 and was very much opposed to ,lucy's marrying him1 so they slipped off and were married secretly4 ,she has never felt like coming home since--not even for a visit4 ,father gets very lonely for her1 for she was the life of the old home4 ,i would not be surprised1 son1 if ,i should be called to her bedside any time now1 for she is very low4 ,mother1 if such a thing should happen1 you'd take me with you1 wouldn't you8 eagerly asked ,willis4 ,of course ,i would1 my son4 ,and perhaps ,i could find father's tunnel4 ,say1 mother1 did you ever hear what became of that ,tad ,kieser after father's death8 he inquired4 ,no1 son1 ,i never heard4 ,he wrote me one letter1 expressing his sympathy1 and in that letter ,i remember he said he had abandoned the tunnel because he was convinced that it was not a safe place to work1 and probably it never would have amounted to anything1 anyway4 ,do you suppose he is still prospecting somewhere in the mountains1 mother8 ,i don't know1 ,willis4 ,probably not1 for that was ten years ago1 you know4 ,the remains of the last log dropped between the andirons and rolled over4 ,mrs4 ,thornton rose4 ,it's time we were in bed1 son1 long ago4 ,with that she gently bent1 kissed him on the forehead1 and slipped off to her own room1 leaving him with the dying fire4 ,he sat still a long time1 his eyes wide open and his fists clenched4 ,if ,i only could1 he was saying4 ,if ,i only could4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,in ,which ,willis ,is ,honored ,you're always trying to get in a new fellow1 ,chuck4 ,we never would have a new member if you didn't do your scouting around4 ,you know more about the fellows in this town than any half-dozen of the rest of us4 ,how do you get next to them8 ,these remarks came from ,robert ,dennis1 the splendid captain of the ,high ,school ,basket ,ball ,team4 ,he had met a few of his companions at the ,young ,men's ,christian ,association that evening4 ,the ,association was a very handsome1 four-story brick that stood some distance back from the street4 ,of all the places in the community for young fellows to hang out the ,association was the most popular4 ,at any hour after school1 until closing time in the evening1 small groups of fellows of every age might be found in the various departments1 talking athletics1 planning an all-day hike into the mountains1 discussing an amateur theatrical1 a debating club1 a ,bible study supper1 or some other of the many activities carried on by these fellows with the ,association as a basis of operations and a partner4 ,it appealed to the best fellows in the school1 and even in the entire community1 for it had very early in its history made itself known as a clean1 broad-minded1 sympathetic1 and constructive agency in the lives of boys and young men4 ,it appealed to the fellows because they could have a hand in its operations and a voice in its government2 because it stood for clean sport1 clean bodies1 clean minds1 healthy spirits1 and a type of social life that had all the appearances of being powerfully masculine1 and yet clean and gentlemanly4 ,it stood for a three-sided manhood--spirit1 mind1 and body4 ,chuck seated himself4 ,no1 ,dennis1 not always getting a new member1 but ,i'll tell you one thing1 ,i always do have an eye open for a first-class fellow for our bunch4 ,you know as well as ,i do that if we are going to keep things right1 here in our old ,y4,m41 and give the ',chief' the help he needs1 we'll have to keep adding every strong1 clean1 congenial fellow we can lay our hands on4 ,you don't need to worry about our getting too many4 ,o4,f4,f4 has been doing stunts for two years now1 and in that time we have just taken in five new men4 ,we have room for at least three more4 ,i know sometimes ,i make a mistake1 but ,i'll bet my hat on this fellow4 ,he's no ordinary kid1 ,i'll tell you that4 ,i saw him in the swimming tank with his uncle1 ,mr4 ,williams1 yesterday1 and a cleaner-cut1 better-built fellow you never saw4 ,swim like a fish1 and dive--why1 there's nothing to it4 ,if he takes a membership in this ,department he'll be in the ,leaders' ,corps in less than a jiffy1 and1 what's more1 he'll be a leader in everything else1 too1 when he gets acquainted4 ,well1 ,i'll tell you1 said ,shorty ,wier1 who had thus far kept silent1 ,let's all look him over and get better acquainted with him ,wednesday night on the hike4 ,the ',chief' told me he had invited him to go along with the bunch4 ,what's the bunch going to do on ,wednesday night8 inquired ,sleepy ,smith1 who was always preoccupied when anything of real importance was going on4 ,why1 you ought to wake up occasionally and you wouldn't be so far behind the times1 replied ,chuck1 rather dryly4 ,the class is going to ,sweet ,potato ,gulch for a business meeting and wiener-bake4 ,be sure to be on hand1 every man of you4 ,o well1 ,i don't like wieners1 anyway1 replied ,smith1 and he returned to his own thoughts4 99 99 99 99 99 ,wednesday night was perfect--not a cloud in the sky1 and a great half-moon to help them find their way4 ,there was a spring breeze in the air1 the kind that makes a great wood-fire of dry logs and pine needles about the most attractive thing on earth to a crowd of young savages4 ,far away to the westward ,pike's ,peak's hoary head was lifted into the sky1 dimly lighted by the yellow rays of the moon4 ,there was a faint odor of spring in the air1 while the little mountain stream had not as yet given up its icy prattle4 ,little patches of snow still dotted the sides of the canyon1 and here and there a crystal icicle sparkled from the end of a pine bough4 ,it was a night of wonders for ,willis4 ,he had never felt the call of the wild so strongly and irresistibly as on that night4 ,every mountain crag seemed to be calling him1 and in his fancy he thought the fir trees reached their gently-waving branches1 beckoning him to come into the darkness and solitude4 ,in spite of himself1 his thoughts would wander to the ,michigan homeland4 ,he wondered if the ice had broken on the lake yet1 and if the blossoms had begun to come in the old orchard1 and if his grandmother had filled the incubator4 ,he felt queer with so many strangers1 yet not at all ill-at-ease1 for he had lived a wholesome life in the out-of-doors1 and the meaning of fear was almost unknown to him4 ,as the fire was lighted and the wieners set to bake on the end of long1 green willow sticks1 he began to enter more completely into the merriment of the crowd4 ,it was an exceptional group of older fellows--the clean fun and wholesome chat was above the ordinary1 yet was spontaneous and real4 ,the ,chief1 whose name was ,allen1 stood at one side of the fire with a note-book in his hand1 while the fellows were seated upon a dead log that had been dragged close to the fire4 ,allen was a young man of medium height1 well-built1 and clean-cut4 ,his hair was black and his eyes were dark and very bright4 ,a merry smile played over his features4 ,every fellow in the group knew that that smile meant good will toward men4 ,his hiking trousers bagged about the tops of his high mountain boots1 and his sweater bore the marks of many a camping trip4 ,he always wore on such occasions as this an old felt hat1 which had the initials of many a stanch1 good1 out-of-door companion printed on it4 ,there was the color and vigor of health in his face1 and his movements were swift and powerful4 ,he was a splendid specimen of a clean1 unselfish college man who loved ,god1 ,his out-of-doors1 and all his fellow-men4 ,there was not a man in the community who had such an influence1 or for whom the boys felt such profound respect1 as ,allen4 ,he was a square deal personified4 ,many were the personal differences of the fellows that were submitted to him free-willed for arbitration4 ,his ,department was his kingdom1 and these fellows his stanch and loyal supporters4 ,where he led they followed1 always knowing it was for some good purpose4 ,meanness1 like a wolf in the night1 slunk away when he came upon it4 ,smut and slander knew they had no chance in his presence4 ,to these fellows1 and many more who knew him1 he stood as a confidential friend and counselor1 and was as a father to many a boy in the time of trouble4 ,many were the fathers who would have given a good deal to have held the place in their sons' estimations that ,mr4 ,allen did4 ,the trip that night did several things for ,willis4 ,it told him plainly that he was going to be an ardent lover of the mountains and life in them1 just as he had dreamed and hoped he might4 ,several weeks later1 when ,willis came home one evening1 he found his mother waiting for him at the door with an envelope in her hand4 ,willis had told his mother all about his trip to the ,gulch1 and had confessed to her how proud he would be to become a member of ,o4,f4,f4 ,a warm friendship had sprung up between ,chuck and himself1 and he was learning to be happy in the companionship of that crowd4 ,he eagerly reached for the envelope1 and1 opening it1 read aloud3 ,next ,friday evening ',o4,f4,f4' will hold an outing meeting in ,williams ,canyon4 ,we will first take you through ,huccacode ,cave1 then we will have supper on ,pinion ,crag4 ,we will hold our meeting about the council fire1 at which time we will be very pleased to extend to you the right hand of fellowship1 and make you a full-fledged member of ',o4,f4,f4' ,,robt4 ,,dennis1 ,president4 ,isn't that great1 mother6 ,i'm really to be a member of the very best ,bible group at the ,association4 ,it's a club1 too1 you know1 and holds every member to a clean standard of life in work and play4 ,every ,saturday night they meet at the ,association for supper and a half-hour of ,bible study4 ,mr4 ,allen is teacher1 but they all do a lot of talking4 ,o1 it's great6 ,i'm tickled to death6 ,i want you to know every one of those fellows1 mother4 ,sleepy is the poorest man--besides me1 of course4 ,i can't say ,i like him so well4 ,he's a little sneaky1 ,i think4 ,chuck told me they took him in because ,mr4 ,allen wanted them to4 ,the ',chief' says he has a pile of good in him1 if we can just get it out4 ,he has been awfully nice to me1 though4 ,he talks camera to me almost every time ,i see him4 ,i showed him the pictures ,i made last spring of the thrush's nest1 and he was crazy over them4 ,i'm going to teach him how to photograph flowers and birds and nature4 ,i'm glad ,i can do something that's worth while1 or ,i'd feel unhappy in that bunch4 ,sleepy has a wireless outfit and knows all about electricity4 ,shorty ,wier works in the ,strang ,garage4 ,he is a shark in school and a fiend at basket ball4 ,he doesn't say much1 but he is a dandy4 ,chuck is interested in debates1 and will represent the school in the interscholastic contest next fall4 ,he can talk about anything1 and has 'pep1' ,i tell you4 ,and ,mr4 ,allen is a nature student4 ,gee6 won't we have a circus talking bugs and flowers and birds4 ,fat draws and does lettering4 ,o yes1 and ,ham--,i mustn't leave out ,ham--he is the ,billikin of the crowd4 ,when you feel down in the mouth or blue1 just look at ,ham and it makes you laugh4 ,he likes everybody except the girls1 and everybody likes him4 ,he knows more funny stories than all the rest put together4 ,ham's the one that always gets the fire ready to light and passes the 'eats1' he's-- ,well1 son1 ,i think you are fortunate in being able to find such companions1 and in having such a place as the ,association to spend your leisure time4 ,i think it is a great thing4 ,i hope you will make the most of the opportunity4 ,i have about decided we had better stay here through the winter1 for ,i am very sure ,aunt ,lucy can not last until spring4 ,i feel so sorry for ,uncle4 99 99 99 99 99 ,friday came at last1 and was one of those grand ,june evenings when everything seemed to be bursting with the love of life4 ,the new green leaves danced in the breeze1 as if saying1 ,see1 ,i'm back again6 ,here and there a fragrant fruit tree gave forth its odor from snowy blossoms1 and innumerable spring insects flocked to the arc lights at the corners4 ,it was a happy1 healthy crowd of boys that boarded the street car for ,manitou4 ,high-boots1 sweaters1 slouch hats1 cameras1 and a plentiful supply of good food4 ,from the hip-pockets of the trousers tallow candles showed1 and one fellow carried a good supply of mason's cord1 wound upon a paddle4 ,then there was the coffee-pot1 which was really an honorary member of the club1 and numerous packages done up in paper4 ,the fellows loved ,williams just at twilight1 for it was then that the fantastic shapes and high pinnacles of white limestone made their best impression4 ,the long1 irregular shadows that were thrown across the canyon by the setting sun1 the cool pine-scented breeze that carried every sound down the narrow crevice1 the echoing of every laugh and halloo added much to the enjoyment and comradeship of the little group4 ,who could be unhappy or unfriendly on such a night and in such a place8 ,the road led on and up1 winding back and forth zigzag fashion on the south wall1 until it reached that wonderful cavern of fairyland1 the ,grand ,caverns4 ,thousands of tourists annually come to see its wonders1 but to the boys there were other caves more magic in their spell1 for they had not yet become civilized1 as the fellows said1 by being lighted with electricity and engraved by human hands4 ,as they passed through the ,narrows they began to climb up the east wall1 at a point where an immense pile of broken stone from the ledges above had collected4 ,this is the doorway to ,huccacode4 ,the entrance to the cave is a mere crack in a mighty white wall that rises a hundred feet4 ,bundles and boxes were placed on a convenient ledge1 candles lighted1 and all made ready4 ,the end of the string was fastened to a shoot of sagebrush just outside the opening2 and the group passed in1 ,shorty in the lead with an electric flashlight1 and ,phil bringing up the rear1 trailing the string4 ,far back in this wonderful cave there is a joining of passages1 and parties entering without a string have often become lost1 and have traveled several times around in a great circle before finding the lead out4 ,the cave is a series of chambers connected by what appears to be an overlapping of rooms4 ,the voices of the boys sounded hollow and far away1 while the candles cast long1 grotesque shadows on the walls4 ,as the column advanced1 the leader shouted back now and then to watch out to the left or to be careful to the right or to mind your footing4 ,as the trail led off on the side of the ,bottomless ,pit they halted1 and the usual ceremony was gone through4 ,they twisted several newspapers together into a torch and1 lighting them1 dropped them into the pit4 ,they watched as the torch went down and down and down1 lighting the way for a fleeting instant into the very depths of the earth2 past ugly1 jagged rocks1 past flat shelves of limestone1 past straight1 smooth walls of rock till1 at last1 it burned itself out1 still going down into the vast1 mysterious crevice4 ,it's a strange sight1 to be sure1 remarked ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i have seen it a good many times now1 and ,i have no trouble in believing the old ,indian legend about it4 ,i have never heard it1 said ,willis4 ,won't you tell it to us8 ,this would be such a good time4 ,let's put out all the lights except mine2 ,i'll stick it here on this projection and we'll sit in the end of this big room while you talk4 ,the crowd suited the action to the word4 ,mr4 ,allen pulled his hat far down over his eyes1 picked up several little white pebbles from the ground and put them into his mouth to disguise his voice1 then began3 ,eagle-,foot had been for many years the mighty medicine man of the great ,ute ,indians1 who were probably the strongest and most warlike of all the mountain tribes4 ,their home was in the ,middle ,park at the north base of ,pike's ,peak1 shut in from the other tribes in a fertile and absolutely safe valley1 which could be guarded by a few men at a certain point4 ,here in this mountain valley the ,utes grew into a strong ,indian state4 ,during the hunting season large parties of them would ride to the plains to hunt buffalo1 returning after several weeks with immense supplies of jerked meat1 which is the choice steaks sun-cured1 and with a goodly number of buffalo hides4 ,now1 ,eagle-,foot was a great doctor4 ,he knew all about the mountain herbs and the medicinal properties of certain mineral waters as well as of the ancient sweating of disease out of the body by mud baths--a method used by the ,indians of the ,south4 ,he was so successful that the ,indians began to believe him infallible as a doctor and medicine man4 ,well1 one season1 following a great buffalo hunt on the plains1 a strange itching skin disease broke out among the hunters1 causing a great number of them to die4 ,eagle-,foot could not find a satisfactory remedy1 although he tried many mixtures4 ,at last they held long fasts1 and prayed the ,great ,spirit to remove the curse from them4 ,but the next season it was worse than ever4 ,the big ,chief himself lost his favorite son1 ,megaleep1 and ,eagle-,foot began to lose his influence among the people4 ,some thought the ,great ,spirit was punishing them for stealing the buffalo from their brothers of the plains2 others said that the ,evil ,spirit had come back from the great desert to haunt them with disease and famine4 ,eagle-,foot remained silent and downcast1 spending much time alone in the mountains fasting4 ,one day as the warriors returned from the burying ground they found ,eagle-,foot awaiting them at the camp1 decked in his full regalia1 his face painted as if for a great occasion1 all his feathers hanging from his belt4 ,he told the chief that the ,great ,spirit had at last spoken to him1 and that he was going on a long quest into the limestone canyons4 ,there the ,great ,spirit would reveal to him a cure for the dread disease4 ,he called for the swiftest runner to go with him4 ,huckween1 the ,night ,voice1 volunteered1 and so they started1 all the warriors accompanying them to ,sentinel ,point1 chanting prayers to the ,great ,spirit4 ,several days later ,huckween returned to camp1 haggard and weak and hungry1 bearing the medicine wand of ,eagle-,foot4 ,he took it straight to the ,chief1 and on bended knee told him the strange tale4 ,how ,eagle-,foot had left him in the morning at the entrance to a mighty cavern and told him to follow in at 'high sun4' ,this he did1 and when he reached this spot1 the ,bottomless ,pit1 he found ,eagle-,foot's sacred medicine wand stuck in the mud1 his belt of sacred feathers fastened to the end of it1 dangling down into the mouth of the pit4 ,from the depths he heard strange sounds1 but ,eagle-,foot was gone4 ,as he lay looking into the blackness1 he seemed to realize suddenly that the wand was the promised cure1 and that ,eagle-,foot had given his own life in the ,bottomless ,pit that the sacred feathers might become a saving potion for his people4 ,it was the old idea of a blood sacrifice4 ,every season since that the great medicine man of the ,utes came here to receive the mystic cure1 bringing with him ,eagle-,foot's staff and belt4 ,long strips of cedar bark were bound together into a rope4 ,this was soaked in deer's grease1 one end lighted1 and dropped into the ,pit1 the other fastened to the staff1 which was stuck into the ground near the edge4 ,the spirit of ,eagle-,foot thus returned1 using the flaming bark rope as a ladder1 to bless the feathers of his brother1 the medicine man of the ,utes4 ,do you suppose there are really bodies there at the bottom8 asked ,sleepy1 as the candles were relighted and the group passed on into the depths of the cave4 ,i wouldn't be surprised1 replied the ,chief4 ,finally the first flight of rickety wooden steps was reached1 and the boys descended1 one at a time4 ,then came the ,fat man's misery1 where the ceiling of the cave almost met the floor1 leaving only a small opening4 ,there was much laughing as ,fat squeezed his body through4 ,in the ,bridal ,chamber every fellow traced his initials on the white stone with his smoking candle4 ,then came the ,auger ,hole1 which is a round opening1 not more than twenty inches in diameter and about fifteen feet long1 through a solid wall of rock4 ,about the middle of the passage there is a sharp turn1 and the remainder of the passage slopes down into the next room4 ,each one stretched himself out at full length1 taking hold of the leg of the man in front of him4 ,in this way they worked themselves through1 like a great serpent4 ,a very peculiar sensation came to ,willis1 who was second in the line1 as he worked himself along the dark passage4 ,if the roof should cave in just a little1 what a death6 ,he was busy with such thoughts when ,chuck1 who was just ahead of him1 suddenly backed into him and whispered1 ,look6 ,he looked ahead1 and there1 somewhere in the darkness he saw two small1 yellow-green lights4 ,willis clutched ,chuck by the arm and whispered hoarsely1 ,it's an animal6 ,word was passed from one to the other as they emerged from the ,auger ,hole that there was a wild-cat in the ,mud ,room4 ,mr4 ,allen always carried a gun on these trips1 unknown to the fellows4 ,as he took in the situation he quietly drew the revolver from his pocket and took a few steps forward4 ,he began to think what the possible results of shooting might be4 ,he had often heard of mines caving in as the result of a loud report1 and of the vibrations from shouts closing the entrance to caves4 ,it would be unwise to shoot1 but perhaps more unwise to go away and leave the animal there4 ,some unarmed party might fall upon it4 ,many things were suggested1 many possibilities talked over2 but there seemed to be some objection to all4 ,the eyes seemed to go out now and then1 and occasionally there was a sad1 low whine that made the cold chills run up and down each fellow's back4 ,sleepy had made sure of his safety by returning through the ,auger ,hole4 ,mr4 ,allen made no reply to their many inquiries--he seemed to have lost his power of speech4 ,he stood with muscles taut and gun ready4 ,he despised indecision1 yet--what should he do8 ,he thought of the mountain lion that had been killed on the carriage road to the ,peak the spring before4 ,could this be its mate8 ,he tried to think what the characteristics of a bob-cat were4 ,he wondered if perhaps it had already attacked some one2 perhaps killed him1 and even now was guarding the dead body--perhaps not dead yet4 ,his arm twitched nervously4 ,he was losing his self-control4 ,there was absolute silence now except for the whine of the beast4 ,did a lion whine8 ,he could not think4 ,they could not have told how long they stood there silent4 ,presently ,shorty ,wier pushed himself to the head of the group and1 without a moment's warning1 flashed his electric spotlight and began advancing slowly toward the animal4 ,allen caught him by the sleeve and followed1 gun in hand4 ,the eyes seemed to dilate1 and there was a low growl that seemed to be a warning4 ,in an instant it flashed into ,allen's mind1 ,a mad dog6 ,a bobcat could not growl1 and a lion did not sound like a dog4 ,shorty turned and looked ,allen in the eye1 ,don't be a fool4 ,put up your gun and get out your pocket ax1 he said in a low1 steady voice4 ,then he began talking in a coaxing tone4 ,there1 dog1 there1 poor fellow1 no one will hurt you1 nice pup2 what's the matter1 dog4 ,his light he cast straight at the eyes4 ,don't strike till ,i say1 he whispered to ,mr4 ,allen4 ,in a moment they were close enough to see that it was a dog1 a ,collie pup1 wild-eyed and half-starved4 ,shorty stepped nearer and put his hand out to pat the dog's head2 but the animal only trembled and shrank back1 then whined a pitiful whine4 ,they could see now that the dog was fast in a steel trap1 held securely by his hind leg4 ,shorty reached down and released the bruised and swollen leg from the trap1 and as the dog felt himself free he gave a cry of relief4 ,if ever a dog expressed his gratitude in actions it was that pup4 ,when they reached the mouth of the cave the dog collar was carefully examined1 bringing to light the fact that the dog belonged to a ,beverly ,h4 ,pembroke4 ,shorty would have the reward4 ,their lunch boxes and coffee-pot were gathered up1 and the climb to the cliff began4 ,the great moon was just lifting her yellow head above a rift of clouds in the eastern sky4 ,soon the flat top of the crag was reached1 and in a moment a roaring fire was kindled4 ,they had filled the coffee-pot with water before leaving the stream in the canyon1 and it was now swung on a cross-pole over the fire4 ,each fellow put his share of the steak to fry by fastening it to the forked end of a stick and holding it over the coals4 ,the red-cedar sticks made an ideal cooking fire1 and the odor from the burning wood was enough to make any one hungry4 ,the dog lay upon ,shorty's sweater1 against the side of the cliff1 and watched the broiling meat with eager eyes4 ,it is hardly necessary to say that he received a generous share of the meal4 ,mr4 ,allen stood with his back to the fire1 looking off over the tops of the mountains and down into the moonlit spots of the canyon below1 absorbing as much as he could of its beauty and inspiration4 ,far away to the west was the same old peak that he had seen from every conceivable angle and he had learned to love so well4 ,it was a scene like this that he loved better than anything else in the world1 and it was at such times that he almost wished that he was one of ,god's wild things living a care-free life1 looking to ,mother ,earth and his own wits to care for all his needs4 ,willis came around the fire and stood by his side1 silently taking in the beauties of the picture4 ,mr4 ,allen turned1 and placing his arm on the boy's shoulder1 said1 ,it's great1 isn't it1 boy8 ,it takes a night like this to make a man realize what the psalmist meant when he said1 ',i will lift up mine eyes unto the hills whence cometh my help4' ,do you ever think of it when you look at these old mountains8 ,after supper was finished the group gathered about the fire1 and the business meeting1 for which the trip had been planned1 began4 ,more cedar sticks were piled upon the fire1 while the fellows settled themselves comfortably4 ,the meeting will please come to order4 ,dennis had taken his place at the head of the little company4 ,the secretary will please read the minutes of the last meeting4 ,chuck jumped to his feet and made his report4 ,any objections to these minutes8 ,if not1 they will stand approved as read4 ,mr4 ,allen1 will you explain to ,thornton what ',o4,f4,f4' means and give him the oath of membership8 ,mr4 ,allen stepped to the side of the fire4 ,fellows1 it is with an ever-increasing satisfaction that ,i meet with ',o4,f4,f41' and ,i think it would not be out of place to-night to say just a few words that have been in my mind these last few days4 ,i am proud to be a member of such a club4 ,i am proud to call every fellow gathered here my brother4 ,i am proud to have a voice in so clean and democratic a government4 ,i am proud to be able to find my social amusement and social fellowship in such ways as this club employs--in hiking and tramping in the woods and learning ,nature's secrets4 ,we will not always be together in this most happy and congenial group4 ,fate will soon separate us4 ,some will grow old2 some will die before their time2 some will perhaps be rich in this world's goods2 possibly some will experience poverty's sting4 ,yet none of us1 fellows1 need ever want for real friendship2 and1 after all1 it's that which makes life glad and beautiful for us1 or sad and unhappy if we do not have it4 ,i have often warned my memory never to lose the picture of a single one of these simple meals1 about the open fire together1 so that in days to come ,i may go back and refresh myself at these springs of pure contentment4 ,it's a beautiful thing in a fellow's life to just be living for the welfare of others1 as we are trying to do4 ,i'm wishing one thing to-night for you all1 and that is1 that there may never come a time in your busy lives when you will find it to your liking to follow any other standard than the one we have set for ourselves here in this little group4 ,i am hoping that we will never find any type of social fellowship any more attractive to us than this clean1 wholesome1 out-of-door life that we have learned to love so well4 ,the time will come1 fellows--did you ever think of it8--the time must come when we will not be able to gather at these fires and chat together of our mutual interests and common woes4 ,but ,i hope the time will never come when we can forget the good things for which we stand1 day by day1 in our living4 ,willis1 stand up here by the fire4 ,i want to say to you1 my boy1 that we are proud to have you as a brother and that we feel confident that you are a real addition to our number4 ,we want you to be a real1 live member--to enter into the spirit of our organization4 ,our letters1 ,o4,f4,f41 stand for a very simple slogan1 one that has meant great things in the lives of every one of us fellows1 and one that will mean great things to you if you take it into your life and let it work4 ,it means that from this night on you will be more interested in the welfare of others than of yourself4 ,o4,f4,f4--,other ,fellow ,first4 ,give me your hand4 ,do you promise that you will live a clean life1 physically1 mentally1 and morally8 ,do you promise that you will forget your own interests in helping others1 that selfishness will have no place in your life8 ,do you promise that you will not give your support for any reason to anything that to your mind is beneath the honor of a gentleman8 ,if so1 say1 ',i do4' ,willis lifted his eyes to ,mr4 ,allen's1 and1 with a pressure of his hand1 he answered in a clear voice1 ,i do6 ,i take great pleasure1 continued ,mr4 ,allen1 in welcoming you as a brother4 ,the other fellows arose1 and there was a general handshaking1 followed by cries of ,speech6 ,speech6 ,all ,i have to say1 fellows1 is that ,i1 too1 am proud of every one of you and of everything for which you stand1 and that ,i'll do my best to be a worthy member4 ,thank you for the honor you have shown me by asking me to be one of you4 ,they sat a long time that evening1 talking and exchanging ideas1 for there was something nearly bewitching in the fire and the view and the friendship4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,willis ,becomes ,interested in ,gold ,mines ,the next four weeks passed by very slowly to ,willis4 ,mr4 ,allen had gone to the annual summer camp with a large number of the ,association boys4 ,it was a ,state encampment1 held in that very odd and interesting part of the second range known as ,cathedral ,park4 ,willis had been very anxious to go1 for he knew it would be a very new and profitable experience for him4 ,mr4 ,allen had asked him to go as a ,leader1 to have charge of one tent of seven boys4 ,he had never been to a camp of any kind1 to say nothing of a mountain camp1 so it was a great disappointment to him when his mother had told him that he had better not go this time4 ,his aunt had grown worse as the hot weather came on1 and his mother explained that she could not do without him in case his aunt should pass away4 ,he understood perfectly and knew that his mother's request was reasonable1 so had contented himself by offering to help out at the ,association in ,mr4 ,allen's absence4 ,he was anxious to give something in return for all ,mr4 ,allen was giving him4 ,then1 too1 it gave him an opportunity to watch the development of a good many of the cocoons and chrysalides that the nature study club had placed in glasses in a window of the reading room4 ,he had been making sketches of the development of several butterflies4 ,this kind of work he dearly loved4 ,he would spend hours1 sometimes1 watching a delicate insect emerge from its cocoon and slowly dry its dainty1 crumpled wings until it was able to fly4 ,one day he sat sketching an immense ,ichneumon fly that had just emerged from a ,tawny ,admiral chrysalis4 ,you can't always tell1 he was saying to the little group that were watching him4 ,nature fools you sometimes4 ,mr4 ,caterpillar1 who built that clean1 cozy little house1 and he was a fine1 big1 healthy fellow1 too1 expected to be somebody one of these days--a beautiful butterfly like the frontispiece of that nature book--but he got into bad company and got 'stung4' ,now1 instead of hatching a butterfly1 out comes this robber fly1 a long1 lean1 sleek-looking fellow that has been living for weeks on the body of that poor caterpillar1 and we didn't know it4 ,you want to watch out who you run with1 fellows1 or you're liable to turn out ',ichneumon men' instead of gentlemen4 ,he laughed as he returned the glass to the shelf and closed his sketch book4 ,what in the world6 ,pots and kettles1 frying pans1 ,french toast1 hot cakes1 ,chef's the man2 ,we'll wash our hair and comb our face1 ,camp ,tech--ump--sa1 that's the place4 ,the crowd made a break for the door1 and in a moment more they were inside1 laughing and shouting4 ,five minutes later they might all have been found splashing around in the swimming-pool1 making up for the lost swims of the past few days1 their bodies brown as berries1 and as healthy as free1 camp-life in mountain air could make them4 ,mr4 ,allen shook ,willis by the hand4 ,i never had a better time in my life2 and such a gang of royal good fellows6 ,willis1 old man1 ,i always want to be a boy if age takes such real pleasures away from man4 ,i missed you1 boy1 every day1 and needed you so often4 ,how's the aunt1 and how's the ,department8 ,say1 ,willis1 while ,i take a little swim1 will you 'phone to all the ,cabinet members and tell them it's ,bruin ,inn for supper on ,saturday night8--a very important meeting6 ,meet here at five o'clock4 ,and say1 ,i want you to go along with us4 ,i have decided to add an out-of-door committee to the ,cabinet1 and ,i want you to represent that phase of the work1 will you8 ,camp was the favorite topic of conversation on ,saturday night as the little group of older fellows walked up the canyon road4 ,mr4 ,allen was telling one group about some of the funny things fond mothers had sent to camp with their boys1 while just behind another group were listening to an exciting tale of how the only night-shirt in camp1 together with the ,leader's razor-strop1 were hung on the topmost branch of a great spike-topped pine that stood just in the middle of the camp4 ,so the talk ran on1 from one thing to another4 ,the stars twinkled in countless numbers above1 giving just enough light so that they could see the mighty column of granite on either side1 and to silhouette the gently-murmuring pines against the canyon wall4 ,the air was chill and faintly scented by the bursting wild-cherry blossoms that grew in great profusion along the stream4 ,here and there1 in a moist crevice1 a glow-worm shed forth its greenish-yellow glow1 to let you know it was night time and summer4 ,far away in the distance ,phantom ,falls was tumbling and splashing over a great pile of drift logs4 ,as the little company crossed the bridge and rounded a turn in the road1 a campfire1 built in a little sheltered nook back from the road1 came into view4 ,it cast long beams of light and grotesque shadows in every direction1 while the odor of cherry blossoms changed to the aroma of good coffee4 ,i hope ,old ,ben has as good a pot of coffee on the fire at the ,inn1 said one4 ,presently ,old ,night ,cap loomed up against the sky4 ,this is as far as we could come a year or two ago1 said ,mr4 ,allen to ,willis4 ,before the railroad and the inn were built we used to think it was a long way even up here to the old mine4 ,did ,i ever tell you about the old ,negro that owned this mine8 ,well1 he came herein the early days and found a strange yellow outcropping here4 ,he built himself a funny little shanty on the hillside1 which he thatched with spruce boughs4 ,here he spent a good many years of his life1 digging4 ,his tunnel caved in soon after he left it1 but he did find a little gold for his work4 ,when his provisions gave out1 he would take his old mule1 which was his only companion1 tramp into the city1 sell his little bag of gold dust1 and buy bacon1 flour1 and beans4 ,after a little spree he would return to the mine1 always sure that he would find the gold in larger quantities4 ,often ,i've stopped to talk with him as he brought a wheelbarrow load of dirt out of the tunnel to the edge of the little old dump4 ',yep1 ,i'se 'bout to fin' heaps an' heaps o' gol'1' he'd say as he pulled at his stubby gray whiskers4 ',marse ,spruce-tree1 yondah1 he done tole me to jes' keep a diggin' an' ,i'd sho fin' gol'4 ,when ,i 'se jes' 'bout to gib up1 an' ,i does sometimes1 yes1 sah1 ,i does1 ole ,marse ,spruce-tree he jes' stan' up yondah on de hillside an' laff an' say1 ,why1 ,rufus1 yuse is altogedder wufless4 ,ole ,brer ,rabbit1 he nod he haid an' 'spress heself same way4 ,jes keep a diggin'1 ,unc' ,rufus1 he say1 ,jes' keep a diggin'4 ,they sho is gol' in this yere ole world if ye jes' keeps a diggin'4' ,he'd sing all day as he worked1 and never seemed to lose faith2 but when the canyon road was extended1 and the inn built1 it took away the quiet and solitude from the place4 ,the old man just picked up his belongings and went farther back into the mountains--no one knew where2 but somewhere1 ,i suspect1 he is still talking aloud to the trees and making friends with the wild things1 still giving his life to digging up dreams and living for hopes that will never be realized4 ,it's a strange disease1 this gold fever4 ,i've never had it1 but ,i've heard ,old ,ben at the ,inn tell how it's nearly impossible for a man to go back to his work in the city after he has once seen the golden glitter and dug the precious metal from the earth4 ,willis had remained very quiet all through the story4 ,a strange sadness seemed to have settled upon his spirit4 ,several times ,mr4 ,allen addressed him1 but upon receiving no reply turned and looked closely into the boy's face4 ,his head was thrown back1 and he seemed to be lost in the beauty of the starry night4 ,in a very quiet tone ,mr4 ,allen said1 ,a penny for your thoughts1 boy4 ,willis laughed a dry little laugh1 and1 turning to him1 replied3 ,o1 ,i was just thinking4 ,i hardly know what1 exactly4 ,i was thinking of how that old darky's tunnel caved in4 ,do all tunnels cave in8 ,i was thinking of my father4 ,he linked his arm through the ,chief's as they walked on up the canyon4 ,my father was a miner1 you know4 ,that's how he lost his life4 ,mr4 ,allen understood the mood now4 ,you must tell me more of him some time1 ,willis4 ,was he like you8 ,not very much1 but ,i'm going to be like him1 if ,i can1 replied ,willis4 ,sometimes1 since ,i've been here in ,colorado1 especially here in the mountains1 ,i've fancied that he was near me again1 watching and guiding and keeping me company4 ,it's hard for a fellow like me not to have a father4 ,mr4 ,allen1 ,i don't believe the fellows who have them half appreciate them1 do you8 ,a long1 loud shout came from ahead1 which was answered by a dog's bark4 ,o you supper6 shouted ,chuck4 ,ben1 remember me1 cried another4 ,the inn was a one-story log building1 built of rough spruce trees1 just as they had been cut from the mountain4 ,on the side next to the stream was a rustic porch4 ,on the down-canyon end was built an immense old1 stone fireplace4 ,from the chimney top there was a procession of tiny sparks making their way upwards from the roaring wood-fire within4 ,here and there on the wall hung the hides of denizens of the woods4 ,behind the pine door stood an old-fashioned1 double-barreled shotgun and a later model ,winchester rifle4 ,in the opposite corner stood two short-handled shovels and a miner's pick1 while on the wall just above the fireplace hung the head of a great buck that had one time roamed those very hills4 ,the fireplace1 which occupied the center of the east wall1 was large and very attractive4 ,an old hand-made crane had been built into the firebox1 and from it hung an old iron pot4 ,the andirons were long1 narrow slabs of granite1 set on edge1 upon which were piled logs of pine wood1 burning merrily--not because it was a cold night1 but because of its cheerfulness4 ,the hearth at once became the center of attraction4 ,it was the mysterious fairy that bound all hearts together and welded all types of personality into a sympathetic friendship that gathered round it4 ,it was the stern and fiery monarch1 ordering all assembled to be quiet that it might sing and moan and whisper the messages that it had gathered from the winter storms or from the falling leaves4 ,at one side of the old fireplace1 leaning back in his rickety old arm-chair1 sat ,ben1 ,old ,ben the innkeeper1 his long-stemmed cob pipe held quietly in one hand1 while the other rested on the head of a huge ,russian hound that lay on the floor in front of the fire4 ,ben's hair was long and gray1 and on his nose rested a pair of large1 old--fashioned1 silver--rimmed spectacles4 ,his head was partly bald1 and his small1 gray eyes were set well back under shaggy eyebrows4 ,his face was covered with a generous growth of dirty-gray whiskers1 stained darkly about the mouth from his pipe4 ,he was a typical old mountain prospector who had seen better days4 ,as the boys entered ,old ,ben rose1 stretched his large1 gaunt frame1 and cried1 ,howdy1 fellers1 must o' started day afore yestedy1 didn't ye8 ,took ye tarnal long to git here1 anyhow4 ,supper's ben ready these two hours4 ,me'n the critter 'n ,tad is most starved a waitin'4 ,hello1 ,mr4 ,allen1 where'd ye git this lively bunch o' fellers1 anyhow8 ,d' they all b'long to ye8 ,come along1 ,tad1 er these dratted youngsters 'll eat all yer grub fer ye4 ,this as the fellows seated themselves about the table4 ,tad1 by the aid of a crutch1 hobbled from the lean-to kitchen and took his seat at the table nearest the fire4 ,old ,ben served the meal--beefsteak1 baked potatoes1 hot corn muffins1 and gravy1 apple sauce1 pickles1 and coffee that fairly filled the room with its fragrance4 ,drat me for a young squirrel if you fellers ain't the hungriest bunch o' yearlin's ,i ever set eyes on1 muttered ,ben as he hurried back and forth from table to kitchen supplying the urgent demand4 ,after the last drop of coffee had disappeared1 the meeting was called to order around the table and the business of the evening was gotten under way4 ,willis1 for the first time1 found it difficult to pay attention to what ,allen had to say4 ,he was watching ,old ,ben and his friend as they sat by the fire1 chatting and smoking1 the very picture of contentment4 ,now and then a little of their conversation would reach him1 but he could not make head nor tail of it4 ,at the supper table the man with the crutch had eyed ,willis many times4 ,in his manner there was something that seemed to be so very familiar1 yet his face1 which was covered with a several weeks' beard1 was strange to ,willis4 ,i never saw a face so like my old pard's1 the stranger was saying to ,ben4 ,and you know1 ,ben1 ,i often wonder if some day ,i won't hear something from ,bill's family4 ,there was a wee boy1 but what others1 if any1 ,i don't know4 ,the day of the wreck ,i saw a lad that did a brave deed1 and ever since ,i've been wondering if he might be ,bill's boy--he looked so like him4 ,tad1 what became of that tarnal critter1 ,williams1 that ye told me about8 ,the feller that jumped that placer claim up'n the gulch--do you ever see him any more8 ,yes1 ,ben1 he is still in the city4 ,has a mighty sick wife--tuberculosis1 they say4 ,he's crookeder than a cork-screw1 they tell me2 but he'll get caught yet1 that kind always does4 ,you know his wife is a sister to ,bill's wife4 ,if it hadn't been for that relationship to ,bill1 ,i'd have had it out with him long ago4 ,but what's the use1 anyway4 ,the mine's no good and the ground's no good1 and ,i haven't any money to fight him4 ,yep1 but s'posin' the tunnel was good2 what then8 ,i don't know1 ,ben4 ,old ,williams has a good name1 generally speaking1 in the city1 and he has money--,i couldn't fight him4 ,dad ,wright used to say he was a 'snake in the grass1' and ,dad doesn't often misjudge a man4 ,who holds the key to that tarnal hole1 anyway1 ,tad8 ,williams was the last man in the tunnel1 ,ben1 and ,i suppose he holds the keys4 ,i've never been inside since ,i carried out poor ,bill's broken body4 ,well1 ,tad1 ,i was a pesterin' around there not long ago1 an' ,i seed whar some tarnal critter hed tried to pry the lock off4 ,you know1 ,tad1 ,i b'lieve they is pay rock in that gulch1 if the likes o' you an' me could jist light onto it4 ,ye can pan color anywhere around the shanty1 if ye know how4 ,i picked up some o' that quartz formation by the dump1 an' drat it1 ,tad1 it's fine lookin' stuff4 ,yes1 ,ben1 ,i often think ,i'll go back and work a little longer on the old hole4 ,bill was certain we had struck it--talked in his fever before he died4 ,but ,i haven't got the nerve4 ,ben1 ,i'm going to tell you something4 ,just before ,bill met his end1 he had a letter from the firm that he installed machinery for concerning the final drawings of an ore-roaster that he had been working on for years4 ,i have often wondered if he sent those drawings to the firm before his death1 or if ,williams got them and the letters4 ,i've never seen a roaster like his was to be4 ,some way1 ,i've thought ,williams sold those drawings4 ,if he did1 ,ben1 ,i'd kill him1 ,i believe4 ,that's what makes me keep a thinking of the boy4 ,those drawings would have brought enough then to have educated him1 and perhaps he's poor--poor like you and me1 and can't go to school1 while that rascal1 ,williams1 rides around in an automobile4 ,some way1 ,i feel like ,i'll find out1 and then ,i'll-- ,is that a fact6 ,well1 that tarnal critter6 ,ben puffed meditatively at his pipe and gazed into the fire4 ,i have decided to go back1 ,ben1 and work the other claim up in the gulch by ,dad's4 ,if ,i could get enough money ahead ,i'd get a detective and put him on the case4 ,i'm kind of a father to that boy1 ,ben1 wherever he is1 and ,i ought to be finding him4 ,the meeting at the table was over1 and the fellows crowded around the fire before starting home1 and1 perhaps1 to hear one of ,ben's stories of the early days4 ,the stranger watched ,willis closely for some minutes1 then he called to him4 ,lad1 ain't you the boy that was in the wreck of the ,rocky ,mountain ,limited1 early in the spring8 ,i've been watching you1 and you sure remind me of him4 ,willis's face brightened4 ,in a flash he recognized the fireman4 ,he advanced with extended hand4 ,why1 yes1 sir1 ,i am the boy1 and you are the fireman4 ,i have been looking at you all evening and wondering where ,i had ever seen you before4 ,it's the whiskers that threw me off4 ,how is the broken leg8 ,the stranger held the boy's hand in his own and looked into his face4 ,we got out lucky1 didn't we1 lad8 ,have you ever seen the little ,englishman since that day8 ,he was a dandy1 wasn't he8 ,chuck had been listening to the foregoing conversation4 ,what wreck8 ,what ,englishman8 ,who is your friend8 he questioned4 ,the stranger spoke4 ,why1 don't you know about the wreck8 ,has he never told any of you8 ,in answer to a chorus of ,no's1 the stranger drew his chair closer to the fire and began to tell the story4 ,so the lad has never told you1 eh8 ,he is a splendid fellow1 this lad4 ,i want to tell you boys there is no yellow in his system4 ,he has cool1 true nerve1 like my old friend1 that never thought of himself if there was trouble1 always of the other folks that might suffer4 ,that's the reason he slid off this mortal globe so soon4 ,the lad here came near doing the same thing4 ,then he never told you about it4 ,well1 well4 ,i'll see you again1 called the stranger as ,willis passed out into the night4 ,,chapter ,v ,a ,plan ,is ,evolved ,well1 by the ,great ,horn ,spoon1 you are the laziest bunch of fellows ,i've seen in many a long day4 ,what's all this scheming and planning about that's going on here8 ,are one of you fellows trying to get a ,presidential nomination8 ,ham seated himself on a chair facing the fellows4 ,they were lounging on a big window-seat in a corner of the game-room1 talking earnestly in low tones4 ,come1 now1 let's hear about it4 ,what's the game8 ,say1 fellows1 ,i just heard a rattling good story4 ,well1 now1 ,ham1 let up on your stories for about two shakes and give us your attention4 ,we have an idea1 a real1 first-class scheme1 if you please1 and we want you to give us your expert opinion on it1 said ,shorty ,wier1 as he went and closed the door4 ,all aboard2 let her go6 ,what do you want me to do8 ,when are you going to do it8 ,hurry1 ,i'm getting awfully excited4 ,well1 continued ,shorty1 ,fat originated this idea1 or at least he suggested it1 and we have just been talking it over4 ,how fine it would be if we owned a cabin1 a good-sized log cabin1 big enough to take care of at least twenty fellows over night4 ,a place far enough from the city to keep it from being continually broken into by rowdies1 and still within a couple of hours' walking distance from the car-line4 ,with all of this great string of mountains and canyons1 so well-forested and filled with streams1 it ought to be an easy matter to find some such a place4 ,of course it would be ideal if we could find a cabin already built2 then all we would have to do would be to rig it up4 ,but we are game sports1 every man of us1 and if we can't find any such cabin built1 let's locate an ideal spot and build one4 ,nothing real fancy or expensive1 but just a typical mountain house that's weather-tight and warm4 ,of course we'd want a big fireplace like the one at ,bruin ,inn4 ,it would be a great big job1 but we could take our time to it4 ,we'd have all winter1 and more1 if we needed it4 ,now1 what we want is your suggestion1 understand2 we are just talking and planning about it yet4 ,gee1 it would be an awful pile of work1 complained ,sleepy ,smith1 and he yawned and stretched himself4 ,work6 of course it would be work1 you dub2 but what do you ever get in this world that's worth while without real work1 ,i'd like to know4 ,work6 that's the best part of it2 nothing in the world could bind us fellows together so tight as to do a big piece of real work together4 ,we would show each other what we're made of4 ,i always have wanted to build a cabin in the mountains4 ,it would be a great deal better to build one than to get an old1 tumbled-down shack4 ,besides1 we don't want to work out a stunt that's just going to last for a year or two1 and then be abandoned4 ,we want to build a real1 permanent mountain camp4 ,see8 added ,chuck4 ,what's the matter with the old ,y4,m4 cabin up in ,bear ,creek1 ,shorty8 ,o rats1 boys1 we are not talking about a pill box now4 ,we want a cabin4 ,i think it would be a great thing to do1 fellows2 but we must go awfully careful4 ,we'll have to finance the thing some other way than from our own pockets1 and we don't know yet what ,mr4 ,allen will say about it4 ,he may think it's a big mistake and a waste of time and energy4 ,then1 too1 where would we camp while working on the new cabin8 said ,willis4 ,then he slipped off to talk the plan over with ,mr4 ,allen1 and in a few moments brought the ,chief back with him4 ,willis was talking4 ,now we are on the right track for sure1 fellows4 ,mr4 ,allen has the proper suggestions about this matter4 ,no telling what fool stunts we fellows would do if we didn't have ,mr4 ,allen to keep our feet on the earth4 ,listen1 fellows1 said ,shorty4 ,we have talked this thing all over from ,a to ,z1 and we believe ,mr4 ,allen's advice is the thing2 only before we decide to do anything definite we ought to have ,mr4 ,dean's opinion4 ,he has been in the army1 you know4 ,mr4 ,dean1 the physical director1 been in the army8 ,why1 ,i didn't know that1 said ,sleepy4 ,yes1 and he's a mighty practical fellow4 ,fat1 go out to his office and ask him to come in here a few minutes1 will you8 ,in a moment they came in together1 ,fat explaining their plans for a cabin4 ,when every one was seated1 ,shorty continued3 ,this is a very serious matter1 fellows1 and we don't want to make a mistake by being in too big a hurry4 ,there are a few things that seem very clear after talking with ,mr4 ,allen-- ,first1 we must make our cabin stunt an ,association enterprise1 so we can have their help and backing4 ,let's make it a high school boys' enterprise4 ,next1 we must find an ideal place1 where the work will have all the natural advantages possible--not too far away1 not too close1 near good water and a good supply of dead wood4 ,it would be best to get somewhere on the old ,cripple ,creek ,stage ,road4 ,mr4 ,allen has suggested that we might help finance it in two ways3 ,organize a cabin company and sell stock at so much a share1 all stockholders being privileged to use the shack1 or we might give a circus in the gymnasium and use the money thus earned4 ,he thinks the latter the better plan4 ,the greatest trouble seems to be to find the ideal place4 ,mr4 ,dean1 what do you think of the whole plan8 ,it's a capital idea1 fellows2 only it means real business4 ,if you tackle a job like that1 you want to finish it4 ,i'd sure be in with you on any such a deal4 ,here's a suggestion4 ,why don't six or seven of you fellows take a week just before school opens1 pack your grub and blankets1 take a gun or two and a good camera1 and make a trip on foot1 looking over the possible locations8 ,for instance--start up the old ,stage ,road1 go as far as ,daddy ,wright's1 then to the top of ,cheyenne ,mountain through that valley4 ,there is a beautiful park there that might be suitable2 then down ,rock ,creek1 up around ,black ,mountain1 back around ,st4 ,peter's ,dome1 then study the canyons along the railroad4 ,they say there is a good cabin somewhere near ,daniel's ,pass1 and several around ,fairview4 ,get into all of those canyons that run into ,north ,cheyenne1 because that would be the handiest location for us to get to4 ,it would be great if we could find an old prospector's cabin that we could remodel and add to4 ,you see1 we'd have a place to camp as we worked that way4 ,then1 too1 it would have this decided advantage--it would be a staked claim and not the open forest reserve4 ,you would have to pay for all lumber you cut on the reserve1 but on a claim you are entitled to a certain amount for building purposes4 ,you see1 we could probably show mineral anywhere near a prospector's cabin4 ,i am convinced there are many such cabins that would be almost ideal1 if we could only find them4 ,my father built a cabin in these mountains years ago1 said ,willis4 ,a miner's cabin2 but ,i've never seen it4 ,i don't know where it is1 but it's near ,cookstove ,mountain4 ,some one has jumped the claim1 though1 now1 so mother said4 ,wouldn't it be funny1 ,willis1 if we should find that old cabin of your father's8 asked ,mr4 ,allen4 ,ideas came thick and fast4 ,even ,sleepy ,smith woke up to the fact that something unusual was going on1 and roused himself so as not to miss it4 ,after an hour's planning and discussion they decided what to do4 ,a route was to be laid out and an investigation trip made under the direction of ,mr4 ,allen4 ,the party was to be limited to six fellows3 ,ham1 ,phil1 ,fat1 ,chuck1 and ,willis were the ones chosen to go4 ,definite plans were laid out1 and the following ,tuesday set as the day for starting4 ,as ,willis was explaining the plans to his mother the next morning his ,uncle ,joe came into the room4 ,he had seen an article in the morning paper to the effect that the ,y4,m4,c4,a4 boys were to build a cabin1 including the names and the probable route to be taken by the investigating party4 ,what's all this nonsense about a cabin in the mountains1 ,willis8 ,i saw an article in the ,gazette this morning concerning it4 ,now listen to me1 boy4 ,i don't want any relation of mine getting mixed up in any such a crazy1 wild-goose chase4 ,do you hear8 ,about the first thing you kids will do is to trespass on some one's mining claims1 and then you'll be getting yourselves and some of the rest of us into trouble4 ,it's a lot of foolish nonsense1 such doings1 anyway4 ,isn't home good enough for you8 ,well1 it seems to me you're kind of mad about nothing1 ,uncle4 ,we're not going to carry off any one's gold mines1 replied ,willis4 ,have you a few you are afraid we will steal8 ,mr4 ,williams flew into a fit of anger1 saying something about1 ,if he was mine1 ,i'll bet ,i'd see if he'd insult his superiors in that way4 ,the next thing we know you will be off on a mountain picnic on ,sunday1 bringing disgrace on your respectable relatives1 snapped ,mr4 ,williams4 ,there are enough enemies now to a man's good name1 without adding any more by foolish kids like you1 with heads full of nonsense4 ,mr4 ,williams stalked angrily out of the room1 slamming the door behind him4 ,of all the strange men on earth1 ,i think he is the strangest of them all1 remarked ,mrs4 ,thornton4 ,something has upset him1 and he has an ugly streak to-day4 ,i heard him at the telephone1 storming about some old prospector that has come back to the city to make life miserable for him4 ,he had seen him on the street1 talking with a man he said was a detective4 ,lucy told me just the other day that ,uncle ,joe took awful chances on mining stock very often1 and that she believed he would sell his very soul for a gold mine4 ,it seems so strange--he has been angry at me every time ,i have let you go into the mountains4 ,he works hard1 and ,i suppose he thinks you ought to be doing something1 too1 and if we stay here through the winter1 my boy1 ,i think it would be well for you to look about for something to do after school4 ,as ,willis left the house the next morning and started for the ,association to complete plans for the trip1 he met two men coming in at his front gate4 ,they asked for ,mr4 ,williams4 ,willis directed them1 then hurried on1 rejoicing in his heart that he was to have a real gipsy trip in the mountains with his gang4 ,he spent the day getting his things together for the trip4 ,he was to carry a small individual frying pan1 a small granite bucket1 knife1 fork1 and spoon1 eight small cans of condensed milk1 a little cloth sack of tea1 one of sugar1 one of oatmeal1 and one of rice1 two boxes of raisins1 a loaf of rye bread1 and butter packed in a small tin can with a cover4 ,he was to wrap these things1 and whatever else he wanted to take along1 including a first-aid packet1 in his blanket1 army style4 ,his pack must not exceed twenty pounds in weight1 not counting gun or camera4 ,his tincup was to be fastened to his belt1 and his safety ax carried in his hip-pocket4 ,they would sleep on spruce boughs at night1 and each man would cook his own meals from his own store4 ,the mountain raspberries were just ripe1 and there were great quantities of them4 ,they would have them with cream1 and count on killing a few squirrels now and then1 or perhaps some turtle doves for a change4 ,mr4 ,allen took a trout line and a few flies1 in case they had a chance to have mountain trout to break the monotony of the diet4 ,by ,monday evening all was in readiness for the start4 ,the news of the proposed cabin scheme had spread all through the ,department1 and many were the suggestions offered by interested fellows for making the trip an entire success in every way4 ,remember1 shelter and drainage and wood supply1 along with good water and big trees1 are what you are looking for1 boys1 was the advice of ,mr4 ,dean1 as he left them4 ,i wish ,i were going along with you4 ,here's hoping you'll find the very best spot1 and that soon4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,a ,stage ,road ,journey ,well1 if you haven't any more brains than to be starting out on a mountain trip on a wet1 stormy day like this1 why ,i haven't anything more to say to you2 but remember1 ,i'm not one whit responsible for you1 said ,mr4 ,williams1 as he arose from the breakfast table and passed out into the hall4 ,it had been a stormy night4 ,the rainfall had been heavy and the lightning sharp4 ,it had been a typical electric storm of the mountains4 ,old ,sol had tried in vain to force his way through the heavy rain-clouds earlier in the morning1 but by breakfast time he seemed to have given up entirely1 and to have withdrawn from the contest4 ,at any rate1 he was nowhere to be seen4 ,willis was visibly disappointed4 ,he pushed his chair back restlessly and went to the window4 ,the heavy1 black clouds hung low on the ridge1 and ,pike's ,peak was entirely hidden in the mists4 ,willis was thinking of the conversation he had had with his uncle that morning at the breakfast table4 ,mother1 he turned to ,mrs4 ,thornton1 who was still seated at the breakfast table1 why is ,uncle ,joe so positive about it being a mistake for me to take this trip8 ,either he just wants to show his authority or he has some special reason4 ,according to his talk1 there isn't a more dangerous place on this earth of ours than around an old prospector's cabin4 ,rats6 ,i don't believe a word of it4 ,it's all bosh and1 as far as cabins go1 how could disease live in an old1 open mountain shanty8 ,anyhow1 you might go for weeks in the mountains without even seeing a cabin4 ,he thinks ,i'm a child and haven't any judgment of my own4 ,my6 ,i'm glad he isn't my father4 ,he's just a blamed old hypocrite1 that's what ,i think about him1 anyway4 ,well1 you won't be going if it stays so stormy1 will you8 asked his mother4 ,no1 but it's going to clear up1 mother2 this is just a little summer shower--we weren't counting on starting until after dinner1 though1 anyway1 replied ,willis4 ,toward noon the clouds broke and melted away as if by magic4 ,their lifting was like the raising of some majestic curtain on a wonderful stage4 ,the moisture from the recent storm still glistened on every twig and leaf1 and the fresh-bathed air was as clear as crystal4 ,the summit of ,pike's ,peak was decked in a new covering of snow which sparkled like beautiful gems4 ,the robins chirped gayly as they fed on the worms that had come to the surface during the night's rain4 ,was there ever such a happy crowd of fellows' setting forth on any expedition8 ,high boots1 slouch hats1 soft shirts1 a rifle1 a shotgun1 two cameras1 and a plenteous supply of food4 ,each fellow was equipped with a haversack1 in which were his eating tools and other necessary articles1 such as bachelor buttons1 cartridges1 films1 and other things4 ,they carried their frying-pans1 small buckets1 and tincups suspended from their belts4 ,the handles of their safety axes extended from hip-pockets1 making their pockets bulge suspiciously4 ,mr4 ,allen took the lead through ,stratton ,park1 and headed for the short cut that joined the old ,stage ,road just as it sneaked around the base of ,cheyenne ,mountain on its way to the top of the ,continental ,divide2 then downward through mountain passes and clinging close to canyon walls until it reached that most wonderful of all gold camps1 the ,cripple ,creek ,district4 ,it's just two o'clock1 said ,chuck1 in answer to an inquiry as to the time4 ,and we will have to do some rapid walking if we are to get on top of ,cheyenne ,mountain to-night4 ,we ought to make three miles an hour from here to the old road house4 ,we'll have to rest there a little and have a drink from ,daddy ,wright's spring4 ,that's the best spring in the ,rocky ,mountains1 ,i do believe4 ,hope ,dad's home to-day1 said ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i haven't seen him since early spring4 ,i certainly do enjoy getting the old gentleman to telling some of his stories4 ,you know he is an old1 old timer in these parts4 ,he came here years before gold was first discovered in ,cripple ,creek1 and he has lived up in his little gulch ever since4 ,in the early days1 when the only outside connection the gold camp had was this old wagon road1 there were a great many interesting happenings at ,dad's little inn4 ,it was really the only road house on the ,stage ,road1 and was burned down years ago4 ,haven't you ever heard that story8 ,i'll tell it to you some time4 ,they used to say that ,dad had any quantity of money--,i don't know how true it was4 ,at any rate1 he hasn't much now4 ,after the old inn burned1 he built himself a log cabin down by the spring1 and there has lived ever since4 ,he can tell some great old tales1 too4 ,you can't name a single prospector of the ,rocky ,mountain region but what ,dad can tell you all about him4 ,he lives a lonely life up here all by himself1 shut in all winter by heavy snows4 ,in the summer he sees a few people passing by1 and that helps some4 ,he's a very friendly old man1 and if you treat him right there isn't anything in the world he won't tell you or do for you if he can4 ,he loves to talk politics1 and can tell you about every ,presidential election back as far as the war4 ,he was a ,confederate soldier in his day1 and if there is one thing above another that he loves to talk about1 it's the ',gov'ment1' as he calls it4 ',uncle ,sammy an' me ain't jest zackly the best o' pards yit1 by crackey1' he says1 with a twinkle in his eye4 ,that certainly is a great view1 explained ,ham4 ,i'm going to unload my cargo and rest here a bit1 for ,i like this spot4 ,right up yonder in that heavy belt of timber is where we used to come so often to stay all night4 ,there is a great granite boulder up there in the ',graveyard1' as we used to call it1 that's just as good as a house any day4 ,it leans away out on one side1 and we built a big bed of balsam boughs under it4 ,right behind the great rock1 to the west1 we found a tiny spring1 hardly big enough to be called a spring2 but we dug it out and stoned up a small reservoir to catch the water4 ,we used to come up in the evening1 cook our supper1 get our beds ready for the night1 then climb on the big rock and watch the lights of the city come on4 ,when they were all lighted it looked like a big1 illuminated checker board out there on the plain4 ,we'd get up early in the morning1 then1 and climb to the ,devil's ,horn to see the sunrise4 ,my6 but it's a gorgeous sight on a cloudy morning4 ,the last time we were there we sure did have a mighty queer experience-- ,come on1 fellows1 let's travel along1 or we'll not get anywhere to-night4 ,ham1 you can tell us your story while we are walking4 ,we've got to reach ,dad's by four o'clock1 or we'll never get to the ,park by night1 said ,phil1 as he arose and adjusted his blanket roll preparatory to starting4 ,go on1 ,ham1 urged ,fat1 who was always ready for a story1 especially a mountain story4 ,let's have that tale of yours4 ,i expect we'll need a little salt with it won't we8 ,there isn't much to it1 after all1 when you tell it1 for it was the night and the surroundings that made it so impressive4 ,we had just finished supper and were all sitting up on the big rock looking out over the lighted city4 ,as we sat there1 every now and then we would hear the strangest sound4 ,it came from the timber away up behind the camp4 ,at first it sounded like a human voice--a kind of a long1 sad sob4 ,the night was as dark as pitch1 and as we sat listening the cold shivers began to run up and down our backs4 ,sometimes the sound seemed to be answered from far out in the dark valley4 ,we speculated a good deal as to what it could be1 for it was such a sad1 wailing call4 ,then suddenly way down the valley a light appeared1 not a large one1 just a tiny1 flickering1 ever-moving light4 ,it seemed to me to be in the air just over the center of the canyon1 but the rest declared it was on the road below us4 ,then the sad call came again and again4 ,it seemed to be nearer this time4 ,then came a far-away1 dull1 muffled sound1 such as a horse would make on stony road4 ,the light came directly toward us1 now1 up the canyon4 ,it resembled a lantern being swung by some one1 as if to give signals4 ,we sat and watched it for a long time1 everybody talking in low whispers2 and many were the opinions as to what it really was4 ,no one noticed just when1 but some time1 without a second's notice1 the light disappeared4 ,we heard the faraway sound of rolling stones1 then all was quiet for a long time4 ,two of us sat and listened far into the night4 ,several times we heard that long1 sad wail--a sort of hoo-oo-oo4 ,a night breeze had risen1 and you fellows know how the wind moans in these pines4 ,it was a mighty lonesome night--just sitting there with your every nerve alert and as wide-awake as you could ever get1 just listening and watching4 ,as soon as it was light enough to see1 we started for the summit of ,cheyenne1 up through that mountain of granite boulders and mighty crags4 ,i think we were about half-way up1 when some one noticed an immense black bird1 swinging in great circles1 high in the air4 ,soon we smelled smoke1 so hurried on4 ,the first long rays of light began to streak the sky1 and we knew we would have to hustle if we reached the summit by sunrise4 ,the crowd was pretty well strung out down the side of the mountain4 ,keller and ,i were in the lead4 ,the smell of smoke grew stronger and stronger4 ,the air was heavy that morning1 and so forced the smoke down to us1 from somewhere on the summit4 ,at last we came to a little plot of ground surrounded on three sides with great rocks4 ,from this pit-like nook the smoke was slowly rising into the morning air4 ,we climbed one side of the great crags1 then cautiously peered over4 ,i was pretty excited1 for ,i was thinking just then of the awful tragedy that had occurred on ,mount ,cutler the year before4 ,what if we should find a dead man8 ,well1 what do you suppose we did find8 ,i was dumbfounded4 ,there below us were the dying embers of a log-fire4 ,the flames had long since died1 and now it was just smoldering and smoking4 ,on either side of the fire lay a man1 well-wrapped in his blanket4 ,a gun that for some reason looked very familiar to me was leaning against the rock near their heads4 ,we could not see their faces from where we were1 but like a flash ,i remembered the gun by the leather-covered stock4 ,the two men were ,old ,ben and a young fellow who often went with him into the mountains4 ,i never shall forget how they looked when we waked them by dropping small pebbles from above4 ,as soon as they would stir a little1 we would drop back out of sight and listen4 ,at last the young fellow muttered something and reached for his gun4 ,then ,old ,ben awoke1 sat up1 and asked what was the trouble4 ',i'd bet a dollar that rock just dropped on me from above4' ,then he turned his head and looked up into the sky4 ',great ,scott1 man1 what a place to sleep6 ,a stone might have tumbled on us any minute4' ,then he scrambled to his feet and cried out1 ',man alive6 take a look at that eagle2 what an immense bird6' ,we boys had forgotten the eagle on finding the men1 but we1 too1 looked upward1 and there1 not more than a hundred feet in the air1 directly over us1 was the biggest bird ,i ever hope to see4 ,he seemed to be fixed1 motionless1 in the air1 with wings outstretched4 ,just then some of the rest of the boys came shouting up to where we were4 ,ben heard them and shouted back4 ,in a few minutes we were all up on the rocks watching the bird4 ,ben wanted to shoot1 but the other man wouldn't let him1 for he declared he was going to find the nest4 ,it must have been the smoke from the fire that first attracted the bird1 for it seemed to keep circling directly above the column of smoke4 ,to this day we never told who dropped the stones--,i suppose they think the eagle did it4 ,well1 as we sat there watching the eagle1 the sun came up4 ,there never was such a sunrise before1 ,i don't believe4 ,there was a layer of fluffy1 fuzzy clouds1 stretched out over the city as far as we could see4 ,then the sun came slowly up--a great crimson ball of fire1 the long1 yellow rays lighting up that sea of clouds and the pale-blue sky above1 until the scene looked like a great1 boiling pot of gold4 ,then1 far above us1 that immense black bird1 wings still outstretched1 just winging itself round and round in great1 even circles4 ,i've seen many a choice bit of mountain scenery1 and many a sunrise and sunset1 but never one just like that4 ,it isn't at all strange to me why the savages were nature worshipers4 ,how could they help it8 ,as we sat watching the ever-changing panorama of colored clouds1 there came to our ears1 faintly but surely1 that same sad call of the night before4 ,the great eagle paused a moment in his circling--then my heart came into my mouth1 for as we watched he folded his great wings1 tipped his head forward1 and began to drop4 ,i held my breath4 ,down1 down he came4 ,i thought he must surely be dashed to pieces on the rocks below4 ,he was falling directly toward the great dead spruce1 and it seemed that nothing could save him from being torn to pieces4 ,as suddenly as he had begun to drop he spread his mighty black wings and swooped down to the very tree we thought must be his death4 ,he perched for a second on a dead limb1 then flew into a ,douglas spruce1 emerging in a second with something in his talons4 ,as he began to rise again1 in long1 spiral flights1 we heard the cry of distress from the unfortunate bird in his claws4 ,it was the same cry that we had heard in the night4 ,what was the light in the night8 ,did you ever find out8 ventured ,phil4 ,o yes1 ,i forgot to tell you4 ,it was ,daddy ,wright on horseback1 swinging a lantern4 ,he had been to the city1 and was returning home4 ,he passed ,ben and his friend and nearly frightened them to death4 ,he was singing as he came up the road1 and was keeping time to his song with the lighted lantern4 ,twenty-five minutes to reach ,dad's6 ,come1 you fellows--loosen up your joints4 ,the climb up the gulch to the ,park is a real one1 and there isn't a place in the canyon to camp1 called ,mr4 ,allen1 as he started forward at a more rapid gait4 ,when they reached the farthest point of the big ,horseshoe ,bend1 they stopped to rest a moment before starting up the last long incline to ,daddy ,wright's4 ,isn't it really wonderful when you think of the obstacles men have overcome just to accomplish their desired ends8 asked ,mr4 ,allen as he stood gazing out over the mountains4 ,men have risked their very lives just for the privilege of climbing into these old hills to look for gold4 ,many were the narrow escapes from death by starvation or wild beasts that these hills could tell of if they could speak4 ,did you ever stop to think that if it hadn't been for the gold that ,god hid away here in this ,continental ,divide1 that perhaps the men in the old ,eastern colonies would never have crossed over and taken possession of the wonderful ,westland4 ,it was the gold that was hidden under the snow and ice of ,alaska that beckoned men northward4 ,this has always been true4 ,the prospectors of the ,nation have always been its best explorers--certainly they were its real frontiersmen4 ,they led and civilization followed4 ,think of the thousands of people who endured hardships of which we can not even imagine just to follow westward that trail1 blazed by such sturdy old men as ,dad ,wright and others like him4 ,i've heard ,dad tell many a time of that caravan of forty-niners1 all their earthly possessions packed in one of those old prairie schooners1 drawn by slow1 patient oxen4 ,i've heard him tell of the time gold was discovered in ,cripple ,creek4 ,cripple ,creek was just a part of the great wilderness1 and was only accessible by a series of uncertain trails4 ,yes1 gold is a precious metal1 to be sure2 but it is magical1 too1 for no sooner is it discovered than a wave of industry is created4 ,upon a bleak and barren spot a city is built in a week--a miracle of human energy4 ,the ,midland ,railroad kept great gangs of men working day and night1 in order to connect that great gold field with the outer world4 ,before long there was a tremendous demand for a common wagon road 'to civilization1' as they put it2 and this very road that we are walking on came into being--an outlet1 if you please--for some of that wonderful1 teeming1 bubbling life and industry created by the mere discovery of gold4 ,soon this very road became the most important highway in the ,state4 ,great wagon loads of food and tools went up1 and bags of precious ore came back4 ,stores were opened1 schools were built1 churches erected1 and homes founded4 ,civilization had found another desolate mountain wilderness1 and with her magic wand added it to her ever-widening domain--all because some one had discovered gold4 ,then came the first stage-coach4 ,daddy has often told me all about it4 ,a great1 cumbersome affair1 rolling and pitching on its leathers as it came lunging and bumping along the rough1 stony1 mountain road4 ,the driver was seated high above the dashboard1 nearly buried in boxes1 bags1 and bundles1 while the baggage till behind resembled a railroad truck piled high with every kind and description of trunks4 ,as it came to a sudden stop in front of the little postoffice1 its great1 swinging side-doors opened and the passengers scrambled out1 each one handing the jovial and loquacious driver a five-dollar note4 ,soon it took four stages to satisfy the demand1 one going each way night and morning4 ,it was at this stage of the game that ,daddy built the famous ,road ,house4 ,here the horses were relayed1 and here the passengers stepped out to stretch their cramped limbs or1 perhaps1 to drink at ,dad's spring4 ,sometimes1 on stormy nights1 both stages1 the one going up and the one coming down1 would be tied up for the night at ,dad's4 ,then such times as there would be in that old log house6 ,prospectors from every gold camp on earth1 promoters and mining brokers1 surveyors and engineers1 old-timers and tenderfeet--all brought together by one single impulse--the craze for gold4 ,many were the mining claims that passed over the poker table there2 many were the conspiracies that were talked over and determined upon4 ,many were the stories of the old ,sante ,fe trail and of the ,pony ,express1 or perhaps strange tales of ,kit ,carson as he roamed the great ,westland from ,texas to ,wyoming1 trapping for fur and killing every treacherous ,indian that crossed his trail4 ,you know ,old ,ben at ,bruin ,inn was for many years a stage driver for ,dad on this very road1 and he is chuck full of stories4 ,when are you going to tell us the story of the burning of the ,road ,house8 interrupted ,ham4 ,well1 replied ,mr4 ,allen1 if ,i don't succeed in getting ,dad to tell it to you himself1 ,i'll tell it when we stop on top of that hogsback to rest1 pointing to a great1 round hill in the canyon4 ,do you think ,dad will really tell us any of his stories8 queried ,willis4 ,my father used to know him1 and he has stopped at this very place4 ,i'm sure he made many trips to ,cripple ,creek in those old stages4 ,turning to ,mr4 ,allen1 he continued1 ,wouldn't father think it awfully strange if he knew ,i was tramping over the very road he used to travel so often8 ,mr4 ,allen and ,willis dropped to the rear of the line1 and ,willis went on3 ,i've been thinking ,i'd ask ,daddy ,wright if he remembered my father1 and he might know where the mine is2 and ,o1 ,i'd so like to see it4 ,i never want to be a miner1 but ,i'd just like to know all about mines1 so ,i could understand father better4 ,well1 it all depends on how ,dad is feeling1 returned ,mr4 ,allen4 ,if he is well he will be as glad to see us and as loquacious as a happy child2 but if not1 he will hardly notice us at all4 ,leave the talking all to me4 ,he and ,i are old friends1 and ,i always have some little treat in my pocket for him4 ,he will be looking for it if he is home1 but sometimes he is up at the mine4 ,o1 he doesn't work a mine now1 does he8 exclaimed ,willis4 ,no1 he doesn't exactly work it1 but he owns one up in the gulch here behind his cabin1 and sometimes there is a man up there at work4 ,i don't know who he is4 ,as they rounded a great boulder that jutted out into the road1 the little cabin of ,daddy ,wright came into view4 ,a dog began to bark loudly1 and somewhere up in the canyon that runs at right angles to the road there came the deep1 muffled boom of a mine blast4 ,guess they must be working the mine1 after all2 still1 it might be one of the others4 ,there are half a dozen in this canyon1 all of which have been worked more or less4 ,the owners work in the city until they can get enough money to buy powder and grub stakes1 then they work the mine for a season on their earnings1 remarked ,mr4 ,allen4 ,he was carefully surveying the cabin and hill behind it4 ,the dog had now come out from its shelter and stood in the middle of the road1 doing his utmost to wake the dead4 ,he evidently disliked visitors4 ,dad can't be very far away1 for ,knepp is always at his heels4 ,he is nearly as old a timer as ,dad himself1 and as harmless4 ,hold on there1 you fellows up ahead1 called ,mr4 ,allen4 ,let me do the introducing of this party4 ,the cabin was a little log affair1 well-banked around the base with dirt and moss to keep out the cold4 ,to all appearances the only two openings in it were the front door and a double window4 ,one of the window panes was covered over with the end of an old egg crate1 and another1 which was not so badly shattered1 was repaired by a burlap sack1 wadded into the opening4 ,a big pine stood just outside the door and cast its shade over the roofless veranda4 ,at one side of the house stood an ancient1 moss-covered1 hollow pine log1 into which a pipe ran from the spring1 a few paces back in the gulch4 ,this was the old stage watering-trough1 made by ,dad himself when the big cabin was built4 ,directly up the road a hundred paces stood the old stone chimney1 a famous landmark of the region4 ,mr4 ,allen went to the watering-trough and1 filling his cup1 called out3 ,here1 you fellows1 do you want a drink of the greatest ale in the world8 ,it's the purest of ,mother ,nature's brews4 ,the old pine door squeaked on its rusty hinges as it slowly opened4 ,well1 sir1 ,i'll be dummed4 ,howdy1 young 'uns6 ,whar d' ye hail frum8 ,huntin' bar1 er jist a roundin' up a bunch o' jay-birds8 ,haw1 haw1 haw6 ,yer 'bout the fightin'est bunch o' young dandies ,i've seen sence the war4 ,daddy ,wright stood in the doorway1 taking in every detail of the group4 ,he was a little1 shriveled-up man1 with small1 watery eyes set well back under shaggy white eyebrows4 ,his head was protected by a very disreputable and time-worn black hat that looked as if it might have been in active service for at least a half a century4 ,his clothes were shabby and dirty1 and his feet were bare4 ,it was one of the peculiarities of the old man that he rarely ever wore shoes1 except in the coldest of winter2 then he preferred his old1 home-made moccasins4 ,his straggly1 gray whiskers were badly stained with tobacco from his constant companion--an old1 corncob pipe4 ,he was short and stout1 and had of late years become very feeble1 being just able to hobble about a little each day with the aid of a cane4 ,yew fellers with all yer fixin's remind me a heap o' some o' the gangs o' green city fellers ,i used to see when ,i was freightin' on the old ,spanish ,trail--all guns an' blankets an' fixin's1 but not much real explorin' blood in ye4 ,hain't that 'bout so8 ,say1 ,hallen1 jist explain to me what yer ca'clatin' to do with these yere young roosters4 ,explorin'1 huh--jist as ,i thought4 ,kick me fer a stick o' dynamite if ye hain't the beatenest bunch o' explorers ,i've seed in many a moon4 ,lookin' fer gold mines8 ,suthin' bigger1 ,i s'pose8 ,i'd give half my grub stakes if ,tad could see ye4 ,explorin'1 eh8 ,yew remind me o' the time me an' ,old ,ben went explorin' on ,beaver ,creek4 ,we had 'nough truck 'long t' start a gold camp1 an' we walked an' explored an' explored4 ,we must o' walked fer well nigh onto three weeks1 an' all we ever seed in all that time was a pole-cat--an' we wished we hadn't o' seed him1 fer ,ben had t' bury every livin' last stitch o' his duds an' walk home in his bare hide4 ,haw1 haw6 ,i wisht ,tad 'ud come 'long now an' take a squint at yew fellers--he'd bust a bein' tickled6 ,dad1 how is your good health these days8 inquired ,mr4 ,allen1 as he handed the old man a little package he had taken from his haversack4 ,dad took it1 smelled it through the paper2 then a pleased smile spread over his face4 ,smells like grains o' gold1 ,mr4 ,hallen4 ,thank ye4 ,as fer me health1 never was no better sence ,i been here4 ,a man can't git sick a livin' out in this yere country all his life4 ,i'll be ninety-five now1 in jist a few weeks1 an' ,i'm as spry now as most any o' yew fellers4 ,i'll live longer'n some o' ye yit4 ,yep1 ,i'm feelin' mighty spry agin sence ,tad's got back4 ,kind o' seems like the old days afore the shanty was burned4 ,i ca'calate them there devils must o' injoyed that performance4 ,the fellows all stood at attention4 ,was the ,road ,house story really coming1 and from ,dad's very own lips8 ,it must have been a sad sight1 wasn't it1 ,dad1 to see your home demolished in that fashion8 quietly suggested ,mr4 ,allen1 by way of encouragement4 ',t wan't near as sad a sight as some ,i have seed1 replied the old man4 ',bout the saddest sight ,i ever seed was of an old pard o' mine a wanderin' over these almighty hills a sorrowin' out his life after he'd lost his right down best friend in a mine cave-in4 ,poor old boy1 he took it mighty serious4 ,he used to be the happiest prospector ,i ever swapped lies with1 till that devilish old tunnel caved in an' crushed the life out o' the feller's pardner4 ,he hain't never ben no 'count sence1 till lately4 ,now an' then he'd take a long1 wanderin' trip back into these yere gloomy ol' gulches1 an' ,i've seed them as say they've heerd him away off in the hills at night a callin' his pardner's name1 an' a sobbin' an' a carryin' on4 ,he's a strong man--that's why he gits out into ,god ,almighty's hills to open his troubled heart1 'stead o' tellin' his lonesomeness to men as would make fun o' him4 ,that's 'bout the sorriest sight ,i ever seed1 an' ,i've seed 'bout my share on 'em--,indian killin's1 dynamite explosions1 an' sech like4 ',t ain't many fellers ever has as real a friend as that6 ,what finally happened to your friend1 ,dad--did he get over his sorrow after a while8 ,no1 no1 my boy1 he never got over it4 ,he got on top of it4 ,i mind now how he was gone a long spell in the timber2 no grub1 no duffel1 no nothin'--only his ol' gun4 ,he lived off'n the bounty o' these yere wooded hills1 an' he let the spell o' ,god ,almighty's woods an' crags an' streams heal up his broken heart4 ,then he came back4 ,i remember one mornin' he come to my shanty1 and a hungrier1 starveder1 wild-eyed feller ye never seed in yer born days than him2 but shoot me fer a pole-cat if he didn't come back a smilin'4 ,i was skeered he'd lost his mind4 ,i was a pannin' mud in the gulch up back o' the shanty when he come 'long the trail4 ,i jist looked1 then ,i knowed what had happened4 ,he had licked that awful sorrow4 ,he's ben off down in civilization now fer these ten years1 but now he's back agin4 ,the silent company is callin' him1 he says1 an' he jist has to have a free breath an' a little more pasture1 an' this is the only place he can git it4 ,he must have had an extraordinary companion1 if he had learned to care for him in that way1 remarked ,mr4 ,allen4 ,extraordinary1 yew say1 began ,dad in a low1 measured tone4 ,bet the last button on your britches1 he was that an' more4 ,he was a youngish feller1 an' quick as scat4 ,knowed more 'bout machinery 'n all the other fellers ,i ever knowed4 ,seems to me he growed up in ,kankakee1 or suthin' like that1 an' he was a-- ,where did you say he came from1 ,mr4 ,wright8 asked ,willis in a voice that betrayed his excitement4 ,willis had been thinking very rapidly as ,dad told his story4 ,what was there in this strange tale that so fascinated him1 and made him want to cry aloud8 ,he had never felt so strange before4 ,why1 ,i don't 'zackly recollect1 replied ,dad4 ,it was ,kankakee or ,kangaroo1 er some sech name4 ,many's the night he's stopped with me in the big cabin an' told me about all kinds o' machinery4 ,the night the big cabin burned he was here a showin' me a lot o' plans of machinery he had got up himself4 ,they were 'bout all he saved out o' the fire1 'cept his hide1 an' that was some scorched4 ,i never seed a man 'at went so plumb dumb crazy over a few gold nuggets as him4 ',t was here at the old cabin he met his pard1 an' they made plans fer a great minin' company4 ,of all the fellers they was settin' up machinery in the mines a dozen years ago1 this feller was the best o' the lot4 ,why1 oncet he rigged up a-- ,o1 ,mr4 ,wright1 were there lots of different men installing mine machinery here in the early days8 inquired ,willis4 ,a note of anxiety had crept into his voice4 ,more'n one1 do ye mean1 lad8 ,well1 ,i should snicker4 ,i mind oncet they was five o' them at the cabin one night1 an' every feller could prove that his machinery was the best4 ,sech a jamborees o' arguatin' ,i never heerd4 ,i had to send 'em all t' their bunks t' keep 'em frum fightin'4 ,laws1 yes1 plenty o' 'em1 boy2 but this one feller1 ,i forgit his name1 now--my pard could say it quicker'n scat--was wuth all the rest o' the bunch put together4 ,he was a reg'lar genius with machinery4 ,dad had been filling his pipe from the package ,mr4 ,allen had given him4 ,he now lighted it and began to smoke4 ,mr4 ,allen knew that there would be no more stories that day1 so1 bidding good-bye to the old man1 he suggested to the boys that they make a start for the ,park4 ,after a last drink from the cool1 bubbling spring1 they turned up the gulch1 and were soon lost from view4 ,well1 ,i hope you'll find explorin' a plenty1 young fellers1 called ,dad4 ,keep yer eye peeled fer pole-cats4 ,they's powerful friendly to strangers in these parts4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,a ,wilderness ,camp ,as the little party climbed upward on the gulch trail1 they were discussing ,dad and what they knew of his life4 ,each boy telling little stories and incidents that he had heard concerning the old man4 ,willis lagged behind1 and did not seem to be particularly interested in the conversation4 ,well1 old man1 what are you so glum about8 inquired ,ham4 ,one would think you had been to a funeral instead of chatting with the most humorous of old mountaineers4 ,you aren't getting weak in the knees already1 are you8 ,mr4 ,allen came to the rescue4 ,no1 ,ham1 he's just like me--busy thinking of the really admirable qualities of the old man4 ,you would have to hunt a long1 long time these days before you would find another such old timer as ,dad4 ,he has lived a rough life all his days4 ,he has been knocked about from pillar to post for ninety long years4 ,just think of the store of experience that is gathered into that one life--frontiersman1 cattle man1 freighter1 prospector1 business man1 soldier1 and philosopher4 ,through all his disappointments1 hardships1 and discouragements he has still remained a decided optimist1 always happy and cheerful1 and is a veritable sage when it comes to good1 common horse-sense4 ,i'd rather take ,dad's opinion of a man than any one's ,i know of in this world4 ,it wouldn't be in polished ,english1 but it would be shrewd and just4 ,from up the valley there came several long1 heavy thuds4 ,they soon reached the point where the valley widened out and the underbrush disappeared to give place to a splendid growth of tall1 clean ,douglas spruce4 ,somewhere back in the timber a woodsman was chopping4 ,as the trail wound in and out among the great tree trunks1 the party soon came to a little clearing on which was pitched a small tent4 ,close beside it a little spring trickled out of a fissure in the rocks4 ,at the far side of the tent1 with his back to the approaching group1 worked a man4 ,he was engaged in chopping young spruce logs into lengths for mine props4 ,fat called out in his cheeriest voice1 ,hello1 there2 must be going to build a cabin6 ,the man turned and a broad smile crossed his face4 ,yes1 an underground one1 he said4 ,then1 in a surprised tone1 he continued1 ,well1 well1 aren't you the fellows ,i saw over at ,ben's place the other evening8 ,without waiting for a reply1 he went on3 ,why1 yes1 there is my friend of the wreck6 ,how do you do1 lad8 ,it looks like you fellows are going to make somewhat of a journey1 from the appearance of your traps4 ,where to1 may ,i inquire8 ,looking for something definite1 or just out1 like myself1 to get a little of the wilderness spirit into your systems8 ,well1 ,i hardly expected to see you up here in the mountains1 said ,willis4 ,it seems we have met a good many times since spring4 ,what are you doing up here1 anyway8 ,he turned and surveyed the valley4 ,well1 ,i'll tell you1 replied the man1 as he leaned on his ax-handle4 ,it's like this4 ,when ,i was a young man1 like yourself1 ,i developed a great love for life in the wilderness4 ,my father was a mountain ranchman in the ,sierra ,nevadas1 so ,i had ample opportunity to satisfy my greatest desire--to roam the hills and valleys and to learn first-hand the art of getting along well in the wilderness by utilizing ,nature's storehouse4 ,as ,i have grown older1 ,i have found out that it is the only place where ,i am permanently happy4 ,years ago my partner and myself located this mine1 along with some others2 but because of lack of capital1 this one was never developed4 ,he pointed his finger to a pile of loose1 freshly-mined rock just up the hill from his tent4 ,i've been railroading for the last ten years1 but was awfully unlucky2 so after the last smash-up ,i decided ,i would come back and see what this old mine held for me4 ,it's a funny thing about mines1 boys--you can dig and work1 work and dig1 and be more or less contented as long as you find nothing but prospects4 ,but when you dig up a little of the real gold1 you get terribly impatient until you find it in paying quantities4 ,i've had the gold fever for twenty years4 ,do you think there is anything in any of these mines on ,cheyenne ,mountain8 inquired ,willis4 ,my father owned a mine somewhere on this mountain2 but ,i expect that it was a good deal like your mine--never developed4 ,i'd love to find it1 though1 just because it was his4 ,he was killed in a mine accident1 somewhere in these hills1 when ,i was a small boy4 ,the miner's face went suddenly white4 ,his eyes partially closed and his hands shook1 as he muttered something about1 ,just as ,i thought1 then continued1 ,well1 ,i-- ,he changed his mind1 and1 turning to his woodpile1 chopped vigorously for some moments4 ,when he spoke again ,mr4 ,allen noticed that his voice was husky and that he was scrutinizing ,willis with special care4 ,i can't tell you to whom all these holes belong1 but some of them ,i know4 ,that one over there was located by ,old ,ben at ,bruin ,inn4 ,that one with a dump of black rock1 pointing up the opposite side of the canyon1 belongs to a real estate firm in ,colorado ,springs--,williams and somebody4 ,he never took his eyes from the boy's face as he spoke4 ,williams1 why--why1 my ,uncle1 ,williams1 is a real estate man1 but ,i didn't know that he-- ,the miner1 still eyeing the boy carefully1 interrupted him by adding1 ,and the hole directly to one side1 and on the same property1 belonged to a young engineer1 and was located many years ago4 ,the ,williams shaft has been sunk in the last few years4 ,that hole has the very best prospects of being something of any on the mountain4 ,the ,williams outfit restaked the claim because the assessment work had not been kept up by the original owner4 ,what was the original owner's name8 ,do you know8 ,you say he was a young engineer8 ,yes1 his name was ,thornton4 ,the man dropped his head and worked the heel of his boot nervously in the dirt4 ,i used to know him quite well1 years ago4 ,then he added1 in a slow1 hesitating tone1 ,i haven't seen anything of him for nearly a dozen years4 ,the corners of ,willis's mouth twitched nervously4 ,he tried to speak1 but couldn't4 ,he came a couple of paces nearer to the miner1 stopped1 picked up a slender twig1 and began to whittle it thoughtfully4 ,would you mind telling me all about him--all you know8 asked ,willis4 ,the miner looked at him curiously a minute1 then asked1 in a quiet1 well-controlled voice1 ,did you know the man1 lad8 ,not so well as ,i would like to have known him1 sir2 but perhaps ,i may get better acquainted with him now4 ,he was my father1 but ,i hardly remember him1 except for the stories and pictures that mother has told me about4 ,i've always wanted to know more about him4 ,i can't tell you much1 my boy1 returned the miner in a kind1 friendly voice1 only that he was the best man that ever set a hoisting plant in this region1 and the finest1 cleanest young fellow that ever came into these hills4 ,every man was his friend4 ,did you ever know a ,mr4 ,kieser who was a friend of my father's8 asked ,willis1 after a moment's thought4 ,seems like ,i did1 replied the miner1 a great many years ago1 but he disappeared from this region long since4 ,did you say the mine which once belonged to my father seemed to be the best in the canyon8 broke in ,willis4 ,yes1 it did1 the last ,i knew of it2 but nothing ever came of it1 except that there have been two men there to-day1 preparing to do this season's assessment work4 ,you can never tell1 you know1 about a gold mine1 for most of them have just been 'holes full of hope1' and the hope usually leaked out sooner or later4 ,chuck halloed from up the trail to get under way1 or they would never reach the top by dark4 ,going to camp up in the ,park to-night1 ,i presume8 asked the miner4 ,yes1 if we can make it1 replied ,mr4 ,allen4 ,have you been up to the top lately8 ,yes1 ,i was up yesterday1 and it's a grand sight at this season of the year4 ,the ,maraposa lilies are blooming in great profusion1 and the spring is running a fine little stream4 ,i had a very pleasant surprise up there1 too4 ,years ago there was a large herd of deer which lived in that park1 but they were supposedly all killed off4 ,yesterday1 about this time1 as ,i sat on a dead log just back from the spring1 quietly thinking over some of the memories of old times when ,i had hunted on that very ground1 ,i heard the dry twigs snap1 and1 turning1 ,i saw a doe and two tiny1 spotted fawns cross the park and enter the timber at the other side4 ,if you build a fire to-night you may get a glimpse of them4 ,i'm coming to have a long talk with you some of these days1 called ,willis as they started off4 ,at last the entrance to the ,park was reached1 and they came upon a stretch of level ground4 ,the entire country changed4 ,instead of the stony tallus of the canyon1 there was soft1 black soil under foot4 ,instead of the great spruces and firs scenting the air1 there were only tall1 stately aspens on every side1 their leafy tops lost in the deepening shadows4 ,instead of the ground cedar and berry bushes1 wild grass grew in rank profusion4 ,the air was tinged with a faint fragrance1 and somewhere in the distance came the sound of gently-splashing waters1 ,like a voice half-sobbing and half-laughing under the shadows4 ,the party halted and turned to the right of the trail1 where a great1 lone pine tree stood on a little rise of ground1 directly above the tiny spring4 ,this was to be the camping spot for the night4 ,packs were quickly removed and unfolded1 dry sticks gathered for the fire1 and sweet-scented balsam boughs were cut and brought to the tree4 ,one generous bed was made1 big enough for all1 close in front of the camp-fire4 ,mr4 ,allen cleaned and filled his small acetylene lamp--,in case of need1 he said4 ,the guns were stacked in a handy place and supper operations gotten under way4 ,it sure does smell awfully good up here1 began ,phil4 ,i wish we had gotten here before dark--,i'd like to have had a little look around before ,i went to sleep4 ,who knows but we may be sleeping ten yards from a bear's den4 ,we are up in a real wilderness1 now6 ,bears1 your grandmother6 snorted ,ham1 as he deftly opened a can of baked beans with his pocket knife4 ,a lot of great big bare spots is about all you could find4 ,say1 ,phil1 on the dead square1 what would you do1 now1 if a black bear would sneak down here to-night and crawl into bed with you8 ,i'd say1 ',mr4 ,bear1 if you want a real sweet1 tender morsel that's easily digested1 just help yourself to that little imported ,ham over there4' ,a roar of laughter went up from the others4 ,chuck was philosophizing about the value of gathering food while it was yet day1 as he sat stowing away his quart of fresh raspberries4 ,you can have all you want of them1 retorted ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i'm seedy enough now1 without eating those things4 ,what's the matter1 ,willis8 ,did we walk you too hard8 inquired ,fat4 ,no1 ,i could walk a hundred miles yet to-night1 replied ,willis1 as he sliced up his bacon preparatory to frying it4 ,but this has been a very wonderful day for me4 ,it's all so new1 you know1 and ,i'm green1 too4 ,besides1 it all has a very special significance to me1 some way4 ,i love it4 ,i like it better than anything in the world4 ,i could live this way forever4 ,i'm sure ,i could write poetry to-night1 or paint a great picture1 or even sing4 ,it's a wonderful feeling4 ,did you ever feel that way8 ,it's the charm of the great out-of-doors4 ,i think we had better picket ,willis to-night1 dryly remarked ,ham4 ,he's liable to be floating off in his enthusiasm4 ,but if he happens to be fortunate enough to lie on a friendly pine knot all night1 he'll feel differently in the morning4 ,so the merry talk went on4 ,after supper bigger logs were laid on the fire4 ,a collapsible canvas bucket1 filled with drinking water1 was hung on a low limb of the tree1 and the supply of night wood was conveniently placed near ,mr4 ,allen's end of the bed4 ,then ,ham got a long1 cotton bag1 from which he produced several handfuls of pinion nuts4 ,they were always the introduction to the camp-fire stories4 ,he seated himself1 drew his knees up close to his body1 leaned back against the great tree trunk1 and shouted3 ,all aboard1 let her flicker4 ,what's first8 ,mr4 ,allen1 let's have that promised story you didn't get out of ,dad4 ,i believe you just side-tracked him on purpose1 so you could tell it yourself4 ,come1 now1 wasn't that it8 ,he began to whistle in a low tone as he waited for the story4 ,fat stretched himself at full length before the fire1 his head resting on his blanket roll4 ,phil had backed up on one side of ,mr4 ,allen and ,willis on the other4 ,everybody was waiting4 ,well1 once upon a time1 long1 long ago1 there lived a little fairy1 began ,mr4 ,allen4 ,you don't say so1 interrupted ,ham1 as he tossed a stick into the fire in a disgusted manner4 ,was it fairy long ago8 ,i can recite ,mother ,goose rhymes myself4 ,you'll have to do better than that4 ,phil nudged ,mr4 ,allen in the ribs and chuckled to himself4 ,well1 then1 how's this3 ,not many years ago1 in a wonderful little village1 there-- ,was a wooden wedding at which two ,poles were married1 interrupted ,ham1 with a mischievous grin on his face4 ,you're kind of hard to please1 ,ham1 suggested ,fat1 as he rolled over to warm his other side4 ,how's this8 ,the night was dark and stormy1 started in ,mr4 ,allen4 ,ham settled back contentedly4 ,that's something like it4 ',the night was dark and stormy1' and what else8 ,well1 if you must have it4 ,i have heard a good many stories of how the ,old ,road ,house was burned1 but they are all different4 ,which one shall ,i tell you8 ,i'll tell you the one that ,daddy tells himself1 because it probably comes nearest the truth4 ,as a matter of fact1 though1 ,i don't believe any one knows just how it burned down4 ,you know ,dad spent his boyhood on a great southwestern cattle ranch1 and knew at first hand a great many things about ,indians and tramping and mining and 'explorin'1' as he calls it4 ,just why he left this ranch life he never told me exactly1 but ,i know he had his first case of real gold fever in forty-nine1 and has never gotten over it4 ,his father was a ,united ,states marshal1 and was instrumental in gathering in a number of the most notorious criminals of his day4 ,one of ,dad's favorite stories is of the capture of a gang of ,mississippi ,river pirates4 ,it was ,dad's father that finally cleaned out this great nuisance when he captured ,mason1 their leader1 through the treachery of his fellows4 ,when the final raid was made1 ,dad1 who was then a young man1 was one of the party4 ,it seems that there was a certain boy in this pirate gang who escaped1 after having been arrested with the others4 ,several years later ,dad had occasion to remember the threats this boy had made to him at the time of the raid4 ,dad was out on a trapping trip with a group of professional trappers1 and1 as was the custom1 each man had taken with him two good horses1 one to carry his share of the hides and his food supply1 the other to be used in case of emergency4 ,they were trapping in the ,arkansas valley1 and after a few weeks out they began to suspect that their camp was being watched by a large band of hostile ,indians4 ,they understood the situation perfectly4 ,the ,indians were not following them for murder or for a mere fight1 but for their horses and furs4 ,they would not attack1 however1 until they were reasonably sure of getting away with the desired booty without loss of life to their own party4 ,the trappers' hunt had been a very successful one1 and a large amount of money was already represented in the heavy packs of fur4 ,each night these packs of fur were carefully arranged in a big circle1 forming a crude rampart for the party4 ,the furs gave the men reasonable safety as they slept1 for no arrow1 however swift1 could penetrate a roll of green hides4 ,the horses were always securely fastened not far from the camp1 and guards posted at night4 ,finally the ideal night for attack came4 ,it was dark as pitch1 not even a star showing in the cloudy sky4 ,as night fell1 it was so stormy that the usual night guard was not deemed necessary4 ,instead1 every man went to sleep4 ,sometime in the night ,dad was suddenly awakened by the pounding of many hoofs on the hard gravel of the valley4 ,in less than a second the entire camp was awake1 and every man gripped his rifle in readiness4 ,no one dared to leave the rampart4 ,safety lay in being all together4 ,the pounding of hoofs grew louder and louder1 the picketed horses whinnied1 then there was a wild gallop past the little camp1 accompanied by fiendish yells4 ,not a man dared to investigate1 for fear of ambush4 ,all that they could do was to patiently await the coming of morning4 ,with the first rays of light all looked anxiously toward where the horses had been picketed so carelessly4 ,they were gone1 every one of them4 ,a hasty examination told the tale4 ,under the cover of the intense darkness1 the hobbles and the picket ropes had been cut at the pins1 so as not to disturb the horses or waken the sleeping trappers4 ,after the ropes were cut1 the ,indians had ridden pell-mell past the free animals1 and they1 finding their fastenings gone1 had joined the stampede4 ,it was a clever game1 and the trappers had lost4 ,what were they to do--fifteen days' journey from any assistance1 and not a horse within a hundred miles8 ,as they climbed a hill on the far side of the river1 to take a look at the surrounding country1 they heard a faint whinny1 and there1 in the bottom of the gulch1 lay one of their horses1 stretched at full length4 ,his feet had become entangled in the long picket rope1 and he had fallen at the edge of the washout with a badly-broken leg4 ,the party gathered about the unfortunate animal1 lamenting the fact that he must be shot to relieve him of his suffering4 ,as they stood talking1 ,dad noticed a movement in a nearby clump of bushes4 ,was he mistaken8 ,he quietly told his partner what he had seen1 and1 with rifles leveled1 the two cautiously approached the spot4 ,there was1 however1 no need of fear1 for it turned out to be only a young ,indian boy1 and he badly injured4 ,he had probably been riding the horse before its fall4 ,everybody was for instantly shooting the lad except ,dad1 who protested1 explaining that the boy might be able to give them valuable information as to the number of ,indians in the war party1 and something of their future plans4 ,this seemed to be reasonably wise1 so the wounded ,indian was taken back to the trappers' camp4 ,for many days he kept silence1 never once speaking to any one1 growing weaker and weaker every day from his injuries4 ,finally he was taken with an awful fever1 and every man in the party knew that nothing could possibly save him4 ,dad nursed him and cared for him as patiently as if he had been one of their own party4 ,when the ,indian learned that he was to be treated kindly for the present1 at least1 he called for ,dad1 making feeble signs that he wanted to talk to him secretly4 ,after a long and painful effort he made ,dad understand who was with the band of ,indians1 and why they had watched the trappers so long and so closely4 ,there was a certain pale face with them who was their leader and who had been a 'heap big robber' on the big river4 ,he had offered a reward for ,dad's life to every ,indian in the party4 ,he had invented the stampede1 and when the men were faint with hunger and watching1 they would be back to kill them all4 ,dad was to be hung in honor of the occasion1 to celebrate the day the pirate had made his escape from ,dad's father4 ,in a few hours the ,indian died4 ,dad kept his secret to himself1 although he was greatly disturbed over it4 ,he was being hunted--hunted by a savage worse than any red man that ever shot a bow or took a scalp4 ,he remembered1 now1 that many of his comrades of that memorable raid had since mysteriously disappeared4 ,the truth flashed upon him in an instant4 ,shorty ,thunder1 the river pirate1 was taking his revenge4 ,slowly but surely he was hounding down every man that had sought his life that day4 ,in a few days the trapping party was picked up by another hunting party4 ,what's the matter1 ,ham8 ,are you getting sleepy8 called ,mr4 ,allen as he arose to replenish the fire4 ,ham had sprawled out on the ground and was looking off into the dark woods1 all alert4 ,sh-h-1 you1 he whispered as he motioned them not to move4 ,i saw something move out there in those bushes just now2 ,i'll bet my hat on it4 ,o sugar1 said ,phil4 ,something moved1 did it8 ,what do you suppose it was1 an elephant8 ,just then ,fat raised his finger cautiously4 ,quiet1 there1 a second1 you rubes4 ,use your eyes more instead of your mouths1 and you'll see more4 ,can't you see that light spot right over there8 pointing into the darkness with a very crooked stick he had been fooling with4 ,all sat quietly listening and watching1 but to no avail4 ,they could see nothing4 ,go on with your story1 ,mr4 ,allen1 urged ,ham4 ,what's river pirates got to do with the destruction of the ,old ,road ,house1 that's what ,i'd like to know4 ,the crowd settled themselves again for the rest of the story4 ,well1 it's like this1 ,ham1 continued ,mr4 ,allen4 ,every great story has a preface1 and ,i've been telling you the preface so far4 ,ham let out a few long1 extra well-developed snores4 ,say1 ,fat1 wake me when he gets to the beginning of the first chapter1 will you8 ,finally ,dad came to ,colorado--just why1 ,i don't know2 but he prospected hereabouts a good deal in the early days1 and when gold was discovered in ,cripple ,creek he was right on hand4 ,in #ahgc1 ,i think it was1 the county built the ,cripple ,creek ,stage ,road4 ,dad was a pretty old man then1 but not too old to see his opportunity4 ,with a little outside capital1 he constructed that famous mountain inn1 the ,road ,house4 ,in a short time after it opened for business it became a very popular place1 and was soon producing a nice little revenue for ,dad4 ,the night the house was burned1 you remember1 ,i said was dark and stormy4 ,it was in the summer1 and a typical mountain storm was in full blast4 ,the thunder and lightning were terrific4 ,when the down stage pulled up at the inn1 just before dark1 they decided to stay for the night1 fearing a possible cloudburst4 ,it happened that the stage was full of passengers that night4 ,there was a little ,irishman who had just discovered a fine ledge of onyx out north of ,cripple ,creek1 and a couple of engineers who had been surveying for a mine over in ,cookstove ,gulch4 ,besides these there was a hard-looking old scalawag1 who kept his business all to himself4 ,as they sat at supper1 ,dad noticed that the old-timer eyed him very closely1 yet had nothing to say2 and as he looked back on that night1 long after the fire1 he remembered a lot of little incidents that gave evidence to his own theory4 ,for instance1 several times during the evening the old stranger rose from his seat and went out into the night4 ,he seemed very nervous about something4 ,he did not mingle with the other men1 but sat well back in the corner by himself4 ,when it became time to go to bed1 the old man insisted on sleeping on a couch near the fireplace4 ,old ,ben1 who was there at the time1 said afterward he remembered some one moving about the cabin in the night4 ,the storm was at its worst4 ,suddenly out of the raging storm ,dad's dog let out a long1 fierce yelp1 followed by several low growls4 ,dad shouted down to him to be quiet1 supposing he had smelled a coyote or a pole-cat outside4 ,he was quiet for a few moments1 then a second time he howled and scratched at the door4 ,there was a loud cursing1 that was nearly lost in a peal of thunder1 then the cry of ',fire6' ,the smoke of the burning logs was already streaming up the open stairway4 ,the outside door opened and shut1 yet the dog was left inside4 ,almost before the sleeping guests could grab their clothes1 the whole house was a sheet of flame4 ,there was a wild scramble for the back stairway4 ,dad hurried down the front way1 stumbling through the smoke to the door4 ,the dog gave a joyous bark and sprang toward him4 ,as he opened the door1 he stumbled over a large oil-can that always stood just under the stairway4 ,he didn't think of it at the time because of his excitement1 but later1 as he puzzled over the real cause of the fire1 he remembered with startling distinctness his stumbling over the empty oil-can1 which he knew had been full the day before4 ,as months went by he put this with other little bits of information1 and he believed he understood1 yet he had no proof4 ,the old man who had slept downstairs had oiled the entire first floor1 then set it afire4 ,but why8 ,that was the question4 ,he remembered how the old man had insisted that the house had been struck by lightning4 ,dad never saw him again after that night1 but a few months afterwards he recognized him in a description of one of the robbers of a stage coach1 held up at ,duffield's4 ,then1 like a flash1 it came to ,dad4 ,the old-timer was his enemy of the river pirates1 old ,shorty ,thunder4 ,he had accidently stumbled onto ,dad here in these mountains1 and had determined to settle scores once for all4 ,he had meant by setting fire to the cabin to burn ,dad alive1 and if it hadn't been for the dog he probably would have succeeded4 ,great old tale1 sighed ,phil1 as he arose and stretched himself4 ,let's turn in1 suggested ,fat1 for you know we have some walking ahead of us to-morrow4 ,second the motion1 joined in ,ham4 ,me for a good1 big drink1 though1 to wash that fairy tale down4 ,how about it8 ,the little party gathered close about the fire after all final arrangements had been made for the night4 ,boots were pulled off and set away from the fire4 ,watches were wound and trousers unbuckled4 ,they had all instinctively looked toward the ,chief4 ,he had drawn close to the fire1 and was turning over the leaves of a pocket ,testament4 ,what will you have to-night1 fellows1 from the ,great ,spirit's ,message before we sleep8 ,the one about the lilies1 said ,ham thoughtfully4 ,there are several big ones in bloom just at the head of my bed4 ,the ,chief began to read in low1 reverent tones4 ,and why take ye thought for raiment8 ,consider the lilies of the field1 how they grow2 they toil not1 neither do they spin2 and yet ,i say unto you1 that even ,solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these4 ,so he went on reading till he came to the end of the chapter1 after which there was a short1 reverent prayer1 and they were ready for bed4 ,they talk about cold1 clammy churches being the ,house of ,god1 snorted ,ham1 as he snuggled down into his blanket1 but they aren't in it with a night like this spent in the open in such a country4 ,there's a good deal of the primitive man in you yet1 ,ham1 said ,mr4 ,allen1 as he spread out his blanket before the fire4 ,how do you make that out8 asked ,ham4 ,well1 you're just like all the primitive people of long ago4 ,you love nature and the out-of-doors4 ,all these things appeal to you tremendously2 but you love them more than the ,great ,power of which they are just an expression4 ,the only difference between our religion and that of the ,nature worshipers is that they worship the manifestations of ,nature1 but we go beyond that and worship the ,great ,spirit that is able to create such a ,nature4 ,too deep for me1 too deep for me2 ,i'm no philosopher1 grunted ,ham1 as he rolled over and settled himself for a good night's sleep4 ,tad ,kieser stood watching the little group as they climbed up the winding trail1 then he slowly returned to his chopping4 ,shoot me for a pole-cat1 as ,dad would say1 he remarked half-aloud1 as he spat on his hands and raised the heavy ax over his head4 ,he's the very spit'n image of ,bill1 now that's dead sure1 and there's one thing more that's certain4 ,he was interrupted in his thoughts by the loud report of a gun somewhere up on the mountain side4 ,turning his head toward the ,williams claim1 he saw the two men who had gone up the trail to the mine late that morning shooting at a great hawk that was circling in the sky far above them4 ,that mine belongs to the boy1 but how's he going to get it8 ,he busied himself about his camp the rest of the afternoon1 then in the early evening he strolled down the trail to chat with ,dad a little before bed-time4 ,many an evening he had spent with ,dad1 sitting with him in front of his cabin1 talking over old times and bygone years4 ,as ,tad came down the trail1 the smell of ,dad's simple supper came floating up to him4 ,he had forgotten to eat1 but perhaps ,dad would share his meal with him4 ,he pulled open the old pine door and entered4 ,dad sat at his little table eating1 his faithful dog at his feet1 patiently waiting for his share of the meal1 for he had learned from years of experience that it would be something4 ,howdy1 ,tad1 strike it rich to-day8 ,s'pose ye jist been a shovelin' out nuggets all day long1 till yer tired o' seein' 'em1 hain't ye8 ,tad1 ,i seed the beatenest bunch o' young'uns to-day ye ever seed in yer life1 all on a explorin' trip o' some kind4 ,that so8 replied ,tad1 must have been the same party ,i saw4 ,did you see that tall1 slender lad with the brown eyes and dark hair8 ,yep1 b'lieve ,i did1 come t' think on it1 only ,i didn't pay much pertic'lar 'tention to none of 'em4 ,tad helped himself to an old chair1 and1 leaning back against the wall1 lighted his pipe4 ,he was quiet for a long time1 then he spoke in a slow1 thoughtful manner1 his pipe held firmly between his teeth1 his eyes fixed on a spot far away down the mountain4 ,dad1 the boy has come4 ,he's come to me1 and he's just like his father--tall and straight and clean-cut4 ,dad1 he needs a father1 and perhaps ,i'll have to act in that capacity yet1 who knows1 for that uncle of his is a rascal and will bear a good deal of watching4 ,what8 ,ye don't mean the young feller ye was a tellin' me about the other evenin'8 ,bill's boy really come to the mountains8 asked ,dad1 becoming interested at once4 ,yes1 he's here1 ,dad1 as sure as ,i'm a living man4 ,he went up this trail this afternoon1 and ,i talked with him4 ,he asked about his father the first thing2 said his father owned a mine up here somewhere1 and asked me if ,i knew ,tad ,kieser4 ,shoot me fer a pole-cat4 ,well1 ,i'll be dum-swizzled1 course ye told him ,yep1 ye knowed him a little1 didn't ye8 ,no1 ,dad1 ,i didn't1 and that's just what ,i've come down to talk to you about this evening4 ,you see1 it's like this3 ,if ,i had told him who ,i was1 that would have been the end of it1 but if he doesn't really find out who ,i am for a while yet1 perhaps ,i can locate a paying gold mine for him4 ,i always have felt that ,i owed him at least that much4 ,so ye didn't tell him8 pondered ,dad4 ,well1 ,tad1 yer head is a sight longer'n mine is1 an' ,i s'pose ye know what's best2 but1 my boy1 let me give ye a little advice3 ,if ye wait till ye find a real gold mine in these here parts1 the boy's likely as not to die o' old age 'fore ye find it4 ,perhaps so1 ,dad4 ,perhaps you're right2 but then1 if ,i don't ever find it1 ,i won't tell him who ,i am1 because he'd be disappointed4 ,he thinks his father owned a real mine in these mountains somewhere1 and he's looking for it4 ,do you know1 ,i've been wondering--no1 it can't be1 though2 ,i suppose ,i'm foolish1 but someway1 ,i've always felt that ,i ought to have been man enough to have worked the old tunnel just a little farther4 ,bill was so certain that things looked better1 and-- ,tad1 hain't ye ever been in the old hole sence that day1 honest ,injun8 ,i used t' think that's where ye went when ye'd go off fer a week er ten days in the hills all by yerself4 ,no1 ,dad1 ,i give you my word1 ,i've never been in that hole since the day ,i carried poor ,bill's broken body out4 ,i've never been near since ,i put that great1 heavy lock on the door1 and then ,i dropped the only key into the old shaft4 ,i thought that perhaps some time the temptation to go back in might be too strong1 and ,i'd do it4 ,both smoked silently for a long time1 then ,dad spoke3 ,s'posin' somebody would jump ye over yonder1 ,tad4 ,what's to hinder 'em a breakin' in an' startin' operations8 ,i've heerd tell that old ,williams claimed that property1 but course it's a dern lie-- ,he couldn't jump it1 ,dad1 because ,i hold the deed to it4 ,we proved up on that1 you know1 the summer before2 but ,i believe ,williams does hold a placer claim on the property4 ,you know placers can run into regular lode claims4 ,he could claim the tunnel1 all right1 too1 ,i suppose1 if the owner couldn't be found4 ,especially since he seems to be the only relative ,bill had1 except his wife4 ,what do ye s'pose ever possessed that old pole-cat to stake a placer claim jest there1 'stead o' somewhere else8 ,the dirt won't pan color1 will it8 asked ,dad4 ,that's just what has bothered me1 ,dad4 ,the only way that ,i can figure it out is that ,williams got some inkling of the prospects of the tunnel from some of ,bill's papers or letters4 ,it wasn't two weeks after ,bill died till that old skinflint went tramping up there and staked that placer claim4 ,he's worked assessments on it every year since4 ,one year he repaired the cabin1 and one year he built a dam2 at other times he built a bridge and a trail1 and dug an assessment hole or two--most anything to get in the required hundred dollars' worth of working4 ,it's that1 more than anything else1 that has set me to wondering just what was in the old hole1 after all1 that made him so interested4 ,bill was conscious long enough to talk a little before he died1 and ,i never believed that ,williams told me the truth about what he said4 ,it's taken me a long time to think it all out1 but ,i believe there is something ,i don't know about the deal4 ,well1 who knows1 ,tad1 who knows2 maybe we're a sittin' on a pile o' gold nuggets this minute2 but we'll never see 'em2 mark my words1 boy1 we'll never see 'em4 ,god ,almighty's a savin' 'em fer somethin'1 if there is any1 an' if we ain't to have 'em1 we'll never git 'em1 that's sure4 ,after a few vigorous puffs1 ,dad lapsed into a long silence1 and soon ,tad arose to go4 ,good-night1 ,dad1 good-night1 he said in an absent-minded way1 as he started through the old door and up the trail4 ,some time in the night the clouds broke and the stars came out clear and shining4 ,a warm current of air came gently up from the valley1 softly shaking the ever-responsive leaves of the stately aspens4 ,the night was absolutely still1 and the fire had burned down till all that remained of it was a rounded heap of brightly-glowing embers4 ,far1 far away a turtle dove was calling--calling so softly that it almost seemed to be imagination4 ,now and then a katydid would lift its tiny voice for a few seconds4 ,willis rose cautiously on one shoulder1 and looked about him4 ,he placed his hand to his ear and gazed intently out into the darkness4 ,what was that8 ,he shut his eyes that he might hear the better4 ,he could not be mistaken1 he had heard a dry twig snap--one1 two1 three little dry1 rasping sounds4 ,perhaps it was just a rabbit or a squirrel4 ,again he raised himself cautiously on his shoulder and peered out into the shadows4 ,there6 another snap1 this time nearer and more distinct4 ,the night breeze gently fanned the dying embers4 ,suddenly there was a series of gentle little patters on the dead leaves just outside the circle of light4 ,would he awaken ,mr4 ,allen1 or would he watch by himself4 ,hardly had the thought entered his head when1 without a sound1 and without being conscious that another was watching1 ,mr4 ,allen slowly arose to a sitting posture and stared out into the forest in the same direction4 ,what is it1 ,mr4 ,allen8 softly whispered ,willis4 ,mr4 ,allen jumped a trifle4 ,o1 ,i don't know2 ,i heard it a couple of hours ago4 ,i'd like to see a wild animal1 wouldn't you8 ,i think it must be the fire that attracts it4 ,i'd like to light my dark lantern1 but ,i hate to strike a match4 ,he leaned over to the fire1 picked up a dry pine needle1 and lighted it in the fire1 applying the tiny flame to his opened lantern4 ,quietly ,mr4 ,allen opened the shield1 and a long1 bright gleam swept noiselessly out into the darkness1 revealing with almost painful distinctness the outlines of every stem of grass and flower4 ,then1 far at the end of the path of light1 something moved4 ,there were two small1 luminous spots1 then in an instant two more1 a little larger4 ,slowly the shifting lights and shadows took shape1 and there1 before them1 stood two deer--a doe and a tiny fawn4 ,o1 aren't they beautiful8 whispered ,willis4 ,just then the fawn left its mother's side and came fearlessly down the path of light--one1 two1 six steps--staring into the wonderful1 dazzling beam4 ,there was a gentle call from the mother1 and in an instant they had disappeared into the shadows from whence they had come4 ,there was a bound1 a broken twig1 a rustle of dead leaves1 and all was quiet again4 ,for a long time ,willis and ,mr4 ,allen waited1 watching for them to return2 but they did not come4 ,the fire slowly died out and turned into a pile of ghostly ashes1 while the party slept on until morning4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,the ,second ,day ,out ,ham was the first to awaken in the morning4 ,a pair of saucy jays had been gossiping about the little party for nearly an hour4 ,at first they just exchanged ideas1 making their observations from a reasonable distance4 ,one perched on the topmost limb of a dead pine1 the other bobbing up and down on the slender twigs of a neighboring aspen4 ,those crazy jabberers would dispute the identity of their own mates1 exclaimed ,ham1 as he pulled on his trousers and got into his high boots4 ,they talk about some folks always having too much to say1 but--,o1 shut up1 you noisy robbers6 ,he reached for a heavy stick1 and sent it flying into the air toward the aspen4 ,there was a flapping of wings1 a harsh1 scolding threat1 and the jays retreated to talk it over4 ,very soon the camp was all astir1 and there was a general call for a fire4 ,you don't want to forget that we have the most important ceremony of this entire trip to go through with here yet this morning before any of us can eat breakfast4 ,what's your hurry1 anyway8 ,get busy here1 ,fat1 and get another armful of wood like this that ,i have4 ,in about three shakes we'll have an altar built and we'll have our oracle fire burning in less than a jiffy4 ,be quick1 now1 but don't disturb the ,spirit1 cried ,ham4 ,oracle fire1 your grandmother1 interrupted ,phil4 ,i'm as hungry as a pet lion1 and it's breakfast for me1 and that right soon2 oatmeal1 a boiled egg1 and some rye bread sounds about right6 ,me1 too1 chimed in ,fat1 reaching for his haversack4 ,hungry's no name1 and ,i don't believe ,i brought enough grub1 either4 ,stop6 shouted ,ham4 ,now1 ,mr4 ,philip ,dennis1 ,jr41 hear your humble servant1 the ,spook ,doctor1 for just about a second4 ,long1 long ago1 even before our friend1 ,zebulon ,pike1 took his first peek at ,pike's ,peak1 there was a custom common to all the ,indian tribes about us1 making a gesture to include all the surrounding country1 and it was believed absolutely necessary to the happiness and well-being of their mighty warriors to indulge in this orgy at stated seasons4 ,ham was making wild gestures as he went on with his mock oratory4 ,never was a hunt started1 never was a journey undertaken1 never a distant quest sought after1 until the tribe had first slept1 then gathered around the mystic altar of the ,spook ,doctor4 ,ham1 you're a regular heathen1 called ,mr4 ,allen from his blanket4 ,what has the altar got to do with it1 anyway8 ,well1 it's just like this1 continued ,ham4 ,after the first night's slumbers we build an ,indian signal fire just like this1 then in bare feet and empty stomachs we dance around the fire and implore the ,mighty ,night ,wind to interpret the dreams we have had during our first night out4 ,they never fail to disclose the outcome of the journey1 whether it will be a success or a failure4 ,as he bent over and lighted the fire1 he said1 ,you may be seated4 ,the childishness of it all appealed to every one of them1 and they did as they were commanded4 ,then ,ham solemnly and weirdly called1 ,fat1 you're first4 ,hurry1 while the smoke is curling1 curling upward4 ,fat arose and made mock obeisance to the fire4 ,my dream was a very queer one1 but most too short to have a real meaning4 ,i dreamed ,i was in a big barnyard and all ,i could see was pigs--little pigs1 big pigs1 and all kinds of pigs--and they were all standing around an empty trough4 ,now1 ,mr4 ,wise ,man1 tell me what that has to do with a quest for a cabin site1 will you8 ,phil rolled over and chuckled to himself4 ,oho1 ,fat1 you will eat bacon for supper1 will you8 while your poor fellow-travelers sup on a rare and expensive can of beans4 ,ha-ha-ha6 ,eat pork and you dream of pigs4 ,ham looked long into the fire1 then1 turning1 cried out3 ,i have it1 ,i have it1 the ,spirit speaks4 ,fat1 you will run out of provisions long before this journey is over4 ,you will eat all you have by to-morrow1 and never think of the days to follow4 ,beware1 for so the ,spirit tells me4 ,a roar of laughter went up from the others4 ,mr4 ,allen1 your dream next1 called ,ham1 mystically4 ,well1 ,i dreamed of beautiful autumn days1 spent in a splendid grove of trees1 cutting choice timbers for a cabin2 and then ,i dreamed of a crowd of old men1 sitting before an open fire-place1 telling about how they had built a cabin long years before1 when they were boys4 ,that needs no interpreter4 ,phil1 your dream is now demanded4 ,tell it truly1 lie and you will live to suffer4 ,careful1 now1 and do not hurry4 ,well1 ,i dreamed a dandy1 cried ,phil4 ,i saw a crazy loon standing in front of a fire1 gazing into fiery embers1 and-- ,there was a crackling in the fire1 a shower of sparks went up1 and one of the altar stones turned over4 ,o1 how sad1 groaned ,ham1 that such a man should lie so to the great ,spook ,doctor4 ,in wrath he tears down the altar--hisses forth his disapproval in clouds of tiny spark-thoughts4 ,willis1 you are next4 ,now1 do not rile the mighty ,master4 ,well1 said ,willis1 my dream was not so strange4 ,i just dreamed over and over the thoughts ,i took to bed with me4 ,i saw cabins and mines and tunnels and miners of all descriptions1 only that there was one that looked very familiar1 and it was a very hard one to find and get to4 ,ham had failed to replenish the fire1 and it had burned to a tiny1 smoldering heap of ashes4 ,i can not answer that one1 said ,ham1 for the ,great ,spirit has now left me4 ,let's eat our breakfast1 and ,i hope it will be more substantial than these dreams4 ,soon breakfast was under way4 ,it was a simple meal and soon over with4 ,cooking utensils were washed and packs rolled1 ready for the day's journey4 ,what time of day8 asked ,chuck4 ,seven-ten1 promptly replied ,willis1 and just the time to be starting through the ,park1 if we want to see it before the dew is gone4 ,at the spring they stopped to drink and to examine the deer tracks in the soft1 black muck4 ,from there the trail led off1 zigzaging down the gentle slope4 ,on either side of the path the wild grasses and ferns grew in rank profusion1 while scattered here and there on the soft1 green carpet were great numbers of dainty ,maraposa lilies4 ,now and then a tall1 green stalk of the columbine could be seen1 and occasionally a wooly circle of bracts on the stem of a late anemone4 ,at intervals tall ferns bent over the woodland pathway1 as if to hide and protect it for the private use of the many tiny wild feet that scampered over it daily4 ,isn't this great1 cried ,ham4 ,just take a peek at that grove of trees4 ,i'll bet that grass is full of snakes and rabbits4 ,i'd like to take a shot at a big 'jack' this morning4 ,it's an old swamp1 replied ,willis4 ,perhaps there was once a little lake here4 ,wouldn't it be a swell place for a shanty8 ,i'll bet it's full of grouse4 ,i suppose it was once an ,indian camping ground1 suggested ,mr4 ,allen4 ,just a little flat oasis on the summit of a granite mountain4 ,remember where we came up last night8 ,now1 look away off there1 pointing his finger4 ,we are ten thousand feet above the sea up here2 up where we can see how the world is made1 and how beautiful it is4 ,soon the little park came to an abrupt end1 and great boulders began to loom up on every side4 ,they came to the edge of the cliff1 and could look far down into the valley below4 ,away to the west stood ,black ,mountain1 a rounded bluff1 so densely covered with young timber that it seemed at a distance to be a mountain of black dirt4 ,far below them could be seen the silver thread of a tiny stream as it followed the canyon toward the sandy plains4 ,they had climbed out onto a great boulder1 now1 that overlooked the canyon far below on one side and the level plains on the other4 ,here they sat down to rest and talk4 ,do you see that hollow spot in the plain there1 just at the foot of the mountain8 ,mr4 ,allen was saying4 ,it is what has been known for many years as the ,big ,hollow ,ranch4 ,it was homesteaded in the early days1 before the war1 by our friend1 ,daddy ,wright4 ,there is a story that tells of how1 in those days1 the ,indians would lie in wait and steal cattle from the great ,texas roundups as they passed1 enroute to ,kansas ,city1 and would drive large numbers of the cattle into that great hollow4 ,after the cattle were driven inside1 a few men could guard the opening while the other ,indians drove the cattle off into lonely ravines4 ,my6 what a fire there must have been here sometime1 exclaimed ,willis1 noting the dead trees4 ,i have always wanted to see a forest fire2 it must be a grand sight4 ,yes1 if you're far enough away to be safe1 joined in ,chuck4 ,i saw one once1 but it was several miles away4 ,it looked fine from there4 ,it was the year we camped at the old hatcheries up in the ,middle ,park4 ,mount ,deception was very much like ,black ,mountain1 then--very heavily timbered with fine1 large trees4 ,as the years went by a very large slab pile began to accumulate back of the mill4 ,some way1 no one ever knew just how1 those slab piles got afire4 ,it was on a very windy summer night1 when everything was as dry as chips and the hills were covered with heaps of dry toppings and pine slash4 ,well1 the fire got into a few piles of toppings1 and before the men at the mill realized that there was a fire1 it was running over the hills like a wild thing4 ,the dry pine needles are just like turpentine to burn1 so in less than two hours there were several square miles of timber land afire4 ,the mill and hundreds of thousands of feet of sawed lumber were burned1 and an area of many square miles stripped of every stick of wood1 so far as value was concerned4 ,did you see them fight it8 asked ,phil4 ,no1 ,i didn't see them1 but ,i've heard them tell how they did it4 ,i was in a forest fire once1 said ,mr4 ,allen4 ,it wasn't such an awfully big one1 but there was plenty of excitement while it did last1 ,i tell you that4 ,tell us about it1 came in a chorus4 ,it's pretty hard to describe a forest fire1 but it was a very exciting experience4 ,it was up not many miles from ,mount ,deception1 while ,i was stopping with a friend at ,manitou ,park4 ,we were eating our ,sunday dinner1 when suddenly the door opened and in rushed the man from the adjoining farm4 ',fire1 boys1' he called4 ',i'm sorry to disturb you1 but we need you1 and you know the law4 ,i'll have the buggy ready in a shake1 and you be ready4' ,as he left1 my friend cried1 ',come quick1 ,allen1 into your old clothes4' ',why1' ,i said1 'we don't have to fight the forest fire1 do we8' ,he laughed aloud4 ',well1 you just bet we do6' he cried4 ',the law says that every able-bodied man in reach of a forest fire must give his services4 ,if a fire starts on ,government land and burns onto private land1 ,uncle ,sam has to pay for all the private loss4 ,but if it starts on private land and burns onto ,government land1 the land owner is responsible4' ,i jumped into some old clothes1 and was ready just as the buggy drove up to the door4 ,the man handed me a big brown jug and told me to fill it with drinking water4 ,off to the north we saw a great cloud of gray smoke rising from the forest1 but no flame4 ,the farmer handed my friend the lines1 told us to take the shortest route1 and not to stop for anything1 that he would follow on horseback in a few moments4 ,i never shall forget how the little mare did go that day4 ,we drove north on a county road until we got even with the smoke1 then we turned in directly toward it through a very large potato field4 ,after an hour's hard driving1 we came to the entrance of a narrow canyon4 ,we tied the horse1 and1 with as many shovels as ,i could carry on my shoulder1 and with the jug1 ,i followed my friend1 who had taken a couple of shovels and two heavy axes4 ,it was a sultry midsummer day1 and how ,i did sweat6 ,we hurried on1 the smoke getting thicker and thicker1 and still we could see no flames4 ,we went up a long1 narrow canyon in which there was a tiny stream1 and about every hundred yards we stopped to drink4 ,by and by we came to the top of a low ridge1 and the farmer met us4 ',hurry1 fellows1 hurry6' he shouted4 ',give me a couple of those axes4 ,report to the first man you meet1 and come home in the buggy when you can4' ,he swung his horse round1 and in a moment was gone4 ,i was tired out already1 and the jug of water was very heavy to carry by so small a handle4 ,as we got near the top of the ridge1 we came to an old prospect hole4 ,an idea struck me4 ,i would leave the jug there by the hole1 and it would be easy to find when ,i wanted it1 and ,i would hurry on with the shovels4 ,as we reached the top of the ridge1 the fire came into full view4 ,my1 what a sight6 ,a great sea of burning1 crackling trees below1 and above an ocean of heavy smoke1 floating upward in great billows4 ,far away1 at least it seemed so to me1 ,i heard chopping1 chopping4 ,i don't know how long ,i stood there wondering at the sight1 but presently an old man--he looked to me like a wild man1 came toward me1 eyeing me with a scornful look4 ',well1 ye goin' to stand there all day with them implements1 son8' ,he mopped away the great beads of perspiration from his forehead with a big blue bandanna handkerchief4 ,a large ,russian hound stood1 panting1 by his side4 ,nearly a year afterwards ,i learned that the old man was no other than ,old ,ben himself4 ',where's that jug of water that ,jim said ye was a bringin'1' he howled as he snatched the best shovel from my hands4 ,i don't know what ,i said1 but ,i know that he cursed me roundly and ,i started for the prospect hole to get the jug4 ,i was excited to the limit4 ,i came to the prospect hole1 and the jug was gone4 ,i was starting back when ,i came to another hole1 then a third1 then a fourth4 ,i raised my eyes and surveyed the hillside4 ,there were at least a hundred prospect holes4 ,which one did ,i leave the jug by8 ,was it lost1 that precious jug of water8 ,would ,i ever find it8 ,the great clouds of smoke drifted past me and darkened the landscape2 then ,i began to hunt for the jug1 one hole at a time4 ,but ,i could find no jug4 ,while ,i was searching all over the hill1 up rode the farmer4 ,he called for me to follow him4 ,i tried to explain to him that ,i was looking for the water1 but ,i couldn't make him understand4 ,when we got back to the east of the fire1 he handed me an ax and showed me what to do4 ,they were cutting an aisle down the south ridge4 ,there were great trees cracking and crashing to the ground all along the line and all around me4 ,i could not see more than a hundred feet ahead1 but ,i worked like a ,turk4 ,o1 but ,i thought my ax was dull and the tree hard6 ,it seemed that ,i could never cut it through4 ,i struck a heavy blow2 there was a singing noise in the air1 and the head of my ax went flying somewhere into the brush4 ,i heard the farmer1 chopping near me1 yell something about a fool and a greenhorn4 ',go1 bring the water1' he yelled4 ,i asked what water1 and he yelled back1 ',the jug1 the brown jug4' ,i started again to find it4 ,i don't know how long ,i looked1 but by accident ,i stumbled onto it4 ,i raised it to my lips to drink1 but the water was warm and insipid4 ,it made me feel faint4 ,my head began to get dizzy and everything looked burned4 ,i straightened up and went back toward the fire4 ,when ,i reached the farmer1 he gave me his ax and started off with the jug4 ,i chose my tree1 and began to work4 ,i had cut but one1 and was started on another1 when a dozen rugged1 sweating men passed me on the run and shouted1 ',look out for the blast6' ,i dropped my ax and followed them4 ,the earth shook under my feet1 as one after the other ,i saw mighty pine trees rise into the air a few feet1 then crash headlong down the mountain into the flames4 ,the fire was coming nearer4 ,o1 such a sight6 ,the heat was intense1 but the coloring was beautiful4 ,i followed the men1 but one man tripped and fell2 the others hurriedly picked him up1 and we went onto a safe place4 ,then a hurried conference was held1 and orders given to cut the underbrush in a great circle around the fire4 ,by and by the wind changed1 and soon the smoke cleared away from where we were working4 ,to my surprise1 there were at least fifty sturdy men--mountain ranchmen1 most of them--cutting the underbrush ahead of me1 and just next to me worked ,ben4 ,we worked on until dark4 ,my friend found me1 and we started for the buggy4 ,we got home some way--he drove4 ,i was exhausted4 ,that was my only forest fire experience1 but ,i don't care for another4 ,i was stiff and sore for a week4 ,the little party worked its way into the gulch1 and then proceeded up the canyon on an old cattle trail in the second range4 ,every now and then they would pass a prospect hole1 which showed that they were not1 by any means1 the first to tramp up the gulches and drink at the crystal streams4 ,on a great1 flat stone1 close by a tiny spring1 they stopped to eat their dinner and rest4 ,let's get as far as we can by night1 suggested ,phil1 for we'll never find a cabin site here in this canyon4 ,it's too far away4 ,we'll have to get in closer1 near ,st4 ,peter's ,dome4 ,let's make the ,little ,fountain by night4 ,it must cross this canyon1 and perhaps it will yield us a trout for breakfast4 ,what do you say8 inquired ,mr4 ,allen4 ,little ,fountain1 or bust1 called ,ham4 ,i'm in for it4 ,say1 we ought to find a few squirrels this afternoon up in this lonesome canyon4 ,a squirrel would taste pretty fine1 stewed in a little rice1 for supper4 ,i'll bet ,i get the first one4 ,got some salt in your pocket8 asked ,willis4 ,salt1 what do ,i want with salt8 ,just keep your eye on me4 ,i'm dead-shot at squirrels4 ,hello1 here1 what's this8 called out ,mr4 ,allen about the middle of the afternoon4 ,this looks interesting to me4 ,see here1 ,i've found a few small pieces of aspen that have been cut by beaver4 ,he held them up for inspection4 ,sure enough1 on the ends were the marks of the tiny chisel teeth of the little water workmen4 ,i'd certainly like to see a real beaver dam4 ,i've seen pieces of dams and old1 wrecked dams1 but never a real good one4 ,keep your eyes open for more sticks like this1 and for stumps along the stream4 ,this ought to be good beaver country1 because it's wild and quiet4 ,what do you suppose killed all those fine big trees in that valley8 asked ,willis4 ,they turned aside to examine the great dead trees4 ,hold on1 there1 said ,ham in a whisper1 as he held up his finger4 ,there's my stew for to-night4 ,great ,caesar's ghost6 ,i'll bet these dead trees are full of squirrels4 ,still1 now1 a moment4 ,the squirrel sat for an instant in plain view on a dead limb of a spruce2 then he barked and scampered around in great excitement1 his tail bobbing up and down in time to his movements4 ,he would run1 hide behind the great tree trunk1 then out again to jeer and scold and jerk his tail4 ,as they came nearer1 a second one1 perhaps his mate1 joined him on the limb and seconded everything he had to say4 ,the barrel of ,ham's gun was making strange movements in the air4 ,hey1 there1 sit still1 you jumping jack1 called ,ham4 ,the squirrels sat up and listened to his voice in such a way that it appeared they perfectly understood the order to sit still4 ,fat laughed a hearty laugh2 the squirrels took it as a danger signal and were gone4 ,ham lowered his gun4 ,fat1 you stole my supper right out of my mouth1 said ,ham1 gloomily4 ,oho1 said ,willis4 ,how do you suppose this happened8 ,all of these big trees are girdled4 ,see1 the bark has been cut clear around the trunk with an ax1 so as to cut off the supply of sap4 ,mr4 ,allen1 what is your explanation8 ,well1 ,i'm not just sure about it1 ,willis4 ,some one may have killed them for timber or some one may have girdled them so as to be able to start a big fire4 ,it might have been the work of timber pirates4 ,a man would get a mighty severe punishment for that1 if he were caught4 ,a little farther up the canyon they found traces of an old placer sluice1 and what remained of some of the old1 homemade cradles for panning out the gold4 ,gold1 gold1 gold2 you find traces of it everywhere1 and traces of the men who sought it4 ,a sight like that always makes me sorry for some old1 forlorn1 disappointed miner1 said ,mr4 ,allen4 ,of all the dilapidated1 blue-producing sights that ,i have ever seen1 it's one of these old1 deserted mining camps1 for they come as near representing a forlorn hope as anything you can find4 ,one time ,i was with a crowd of boys1 and we made a detour to look over a deserted mining camp4 ,they called it ,old ,north ,cripple ,creek4 ,years before1 shrewd individuals had salted prospect holes at that point1 then discovered their own gold4 ,of course there was a grand rush1 and a boom town resulted4 ,crude houses were built1 stores and saloons erected1 and mining operations begun4 ,a real1 substantial log hotel was erected1 and ,i've heard that their charge was upwards of ten dollars a night1 payable in advance4 ,but the camp died as quickly as it had been born1 and the people1 mostly men1 pushed on to other fields4 ,it was a good many years after the place was deserted that ,i was there1 but it made a tremendous impression upon me4 ,i had the blues for days afterward4 ,old1 tumbled-down houses1 the windows knocked out and the doors hanging on leather hinges4 ,i remember one building that had been a saloon4 ,the great mirrors back of the bar had never been removed1 and the rains of many seasons had peeled the mercury from the plate glass and the gilt frames were faded4 ,we entered the old hotel1 and were surprised to find some of the fittings still there4 ,in the attic we found an old chest of letters--and1 speaking of strange coincidences1 a large number of those letters were written and signed by ,daddy ,wright4 ,away up in the back corner of the attic sat an old owl4 ,he looked down on us from his perch in a reproving manner1 to think we would disturb the haunts of the past in that crude way4 ,he was a weird looking old fellow as he sat there1 blinking his big yellow eyes1 and ,i couldn't help thinking that the owl of wisdom perhaps a good many times might be found perched in the dark attics of the past1 instead of spending his time in the sunlight of the great and active present4 ,the afternoon passed1 and soon the sun began to settle behind the western peaks4 ,it was just six o'clock when the party came to the ,little ,fountain and chose their camping spot on a little green knoll of high ground1 right by the water's edge4 ,some one suggested a dip1 and so1 in the quiet coolness of a perfect summer twilight1 with a cheerful fire burning on the bank1 clothes were stripped and a bath taken4 ,then came the evening meal1 the usual round of stories1 the message from the letter of the ,great ,spirit1 then to sleep4 ,as ,willis and ,mr4 ,allen lay watching the firelight and listening to the thousand sounds of the night1 the night breeze began to rise and to sing to them through the balsam boughs overhead4 ,do you know what ,i think of when ,i lie out in the woods on such a night and listen to the gentle sighing of the night wind8 asked ,mr4 ,allen4 ,no1 replied ,willis4 ,what do you think of8 ,it is kind of fanciful1 ,i suppose1 but ,i like to believe that it is ,god blowing ,his breath down on us just to let us know that ,he is very near and cares for us4 ,willis did not answer2 he was thinking4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,the ,third ,day ,out ,the first gray streaks of dawn were just creeping over the ridge of old ,cheyenne as ,mr4 ,allen awoke4 ,up through the green leaves the bluest of blue skies showed in tiny spots4 ,it was an autumn morning1 for a light frost had settled during the night1 and here and there lay the ghost of an aspen leaf that had flitted down4 ,everywhere the birds were chirping and hustling about their morning duties4 ,here and there industrious spiders were at work removing the drops of silver dew from their shining cables of silk1 and the bees were already gathering the last of the summer's sweets4 ,the squirrels scolded and chattered to each other from the big trees4 ,all the wild life of the woodland seemed at high tide4 ,the butterflies were already at play in the cool1 dewy nooks1 and all nature was rosy in the freshness of a new day4 ,mr4 ,allen dressed quietly but quickly1 unbuckled his fishing rod from his pack1 glanced through his fly book1 selected one here and there1 then prepared to slip out of camp without waking any one4 ,the little stream had been whispering strange tales of big fish to him all the night1 and it was trout for breakfast that he was after4 ,a saucy squirrel1 observing him from a limb overhead1 asked many foolish questions4 ,mr4 ,allen sat on an old moss-covered stump joining his rod and arranging his long1 white leader1 to which he had attached a royal coachman and a gray hackle4 ,he paused to listen1 for it seemed to him that every wild thing in that vast1 rocky gorge had suddenly raised its voice to welcome the coming day4 ,willis awoke and saw ,mr4 ,allen as he sat there in the sunlight4 ,in a soft undertone he called1 ,i'm going1 too1 just to watch4 ,may ,i8 ,mr4 ,allen nodded1 and in a few moments the two were quietly sneaking off through the bushes1 headed up stream4 ,my1 ,o my6 isn't this a perfectly gorgeous morning4 ,just look off there toward ,mount ,rosa and ,baldy4 ,it's a perfect splendor of clouds and mist and sun2 then look behind you1 there1 down through the big trees4 ,it's just the morning to catch a fine big trout4 ,i never caught a trout in all my life1 softly called ,willis1 as he trailed along behind4 ,i don't believe ,i've ever even seen one4 ,many and many are the days ,i've fished in these old hills for a dozen2 but a prouder fisherman never cast a fly than myself1 when ,i could come home to camp1 spread out my little catch of speckled beauties on the grass1 and tell just how ,i caught each one4 ,is it more fun than casting for big black bass on a clear1 warm1 summer night8 ,lots of times ,i've seen the big fellows leap out of the water1 then in again with a splash1 making big rings of ripples on the smooth water4 ,o1 it's great6 ,can your trout fishing beat that8 ,every man after his own heart1 replied the ,chief1 but for me1 give me the trout4 ,you rise early on such a morning as this and slip off into the canyon4 ,far away on all sides rise the mountain peaks1 their snow caps jauntily adjusted and their cloaks of ice drawn close about their shoulders4 ,then the balsam-scented air1 and the dew-laden bushes along the chattering little stream as it flows over a chaos of broken granite or works itself into a boiling froth1 only to jump headlong into a quiet green pool4 ,can you beat it8 ,isn't that a good pool just ahead of us8 questioned ,willis4 ,i'm going to try it1 replied ,mr4 ,allen4 ,now1 be sure to keep that big boulder just ahead between you and the water1 for if they see us first there's no use wasting our time here1 we'll never get a strike to-day4 ,slowly they crept to the great1 bare rock4 ,here the line and flies were adjusted1 and the fishing began4 ,willis watched every motion as for a brief second the fly was allowed to drift down the stream1 to be floated here and there by idle little eddies1 to be sucked down1 then suddenly spat out by tiny suction holes2 then it fell quietly into the current and floated out to the end of the line1 bringing up sharply just at the edge of a bleak old granite boulder in midstream4 ,again the flies were cast1 and again2 then--both hearts stood still2 there was a splash1 a little line of bubbles1 a tail1 a silver streak tinged with red and black1 then ripples1 and nothing more4 ,he's there1 anyway1 softly whispered ,willis in great excitement4 ,the line was drawn in and inspected2 the hackle was removed from the leader1 and again the coachman spatted the water just above where the trout had disappeared4 ,it floated down and down until it touched the swirl at the edge of the jagged rock4 ,there was a short1 sharp tug2 the fly disappeared into the water2 a plunge1 a dash of spray1 then everything kept time to the singing of the reel4 ,both jumped to their feet just in time to see the big trout clear the water1 shake his head vigorously1 then dive into the deep pool4 ,it was to be a fight to the finish1 and the trout had settled to the cool bottom to lay out his campaign4 ,after ten minutes of maneuvering in the water1 up and down1 out to the bank1 then in again1 knee deep1 waist deep1 the line slacked a little1 then a little more4 ,then there was a series of quick jerks and a long singing of the reel as it unwound1 only to slacken again1 and this time for good4 ,there was a silvery streak in the water1 then a dark1 moving shadow1 a gentle pull of the winding line1 and the trout slipped out of the water onto the bank1 exhausted4 ,there was an exclamation of joy and wonder from ,willis as the fish was carefully unhooked and placed in the cotton bag1 brought for the purpose4 ,just eighteen inches1 and a beauty1 cried ,mr4 ,allen4 ,you'll never get me away from this stream this morning if there are more fish like this to be had4 ,we have just time to catch another like him1 then we can all have a taste for breakfast4 ,what will those fellows think when they wake up and find us gone8 ,they clambered over a rough crag and down to a second green pool4 ,it was not a big fish this time1 but several small ones in quick succession1 till there was a taste for all in camp4 ,i hope the fellows will have a fire going1 so we won't have to wait so long for a bed of coals1 don't you8 asked ,willis4 ,i can taste them already4 ,is the meat pink or white8 ,o1 surely ,ham will have a fire2 he's enough of a camper for that1 and they are expecting us to bring fish4 ,i'll tell you1 let's leave the bag in the bushes and tell them a sad tale of woe4 ,i'm still wet1 and we'll let on a big one pulled me in and ,i lost all the others4 ,what do you say8 ,that's a go4 ,you get up the story and ,i'll swear to it4 ,make it a big one4 ,soon the smell of smoke came drifting through the bushes1 and they knew that their return was being patiently awaited4 ,fat spied them coming first4 ,well1 old sea-dogs1 where's your catch8 he shouted4 ,hard luck1 started in ,mr4 ,allen4 ,just plain hard luck2 caught a few minnows1 but slow as far as real fishing goes4 ,there's nothing in it here4 ,where's ,ham8 ,o ,ham6 snorted ,phil from his place by the fire4 ,crazy1 lunatic ,ham4 ,i'd like to see you get him into any kind of a fix he couldn't get out of4 ,when we woke up and found you gone1 ,ham declared you'd played a trick on him1 and he's gone off to get even4 ,how do you mean1 get even8 ,he wanted to go with you this morning1 so he went out and found your track going up stream4 ,he came back to camp1 got your fly book1 cut him a willow pole1 and started off down stream to beat you fishing4 ,he's been gone most an hour and a half now4 ,well1 he won't have to fish much to beat me1 that's sure2 but he ought to be getting back soon1 so we can get started4 ,fishie1 fishie1 in the brook1 ,hammie caught him with a hook1 came drifting into camp from somewhere on the trail4 ,soon ,ham came into view1 a cotton flour sack thrown over his shoulder and a broad grin on his face4 ,he had left his pole in the thicket4 ,fish1 fish1 fish--little1 big1 and in between1 he cried as he waved the bag in front of him4 ,i've never had such fishing4 ,hurrah for the fisherman1 called ,chuck1 as he came through the trees with a half-dozen small pails in his hands4 ,ham gets the fish1 ,i get the berries1 and we all get the stomach-ache1 see8 ,let's look at the fish shouted every one4 ,bet they are only minnies1 cried ,phil4 ,minnies1 your grandmother1 scornfully replied ,ham4 ,i have one there that's a foot and a half long if it's an inch4 ,the others aren't so big4 ,he emptied the contents of the bag on the ground and stood proudly over them1 a merry twinkle in his eye4 ,willis nudged ,mr4 ,allen4 ,he's found our bag of fish1 but don't tell4 ,mr4 ,allen arose1 and1 holding up the big fish by the tail1 said1 ,ham1 you're the only original fisherman4 ,that's the very fellow that pulled me in and came near drowning me4 ,ham hurried off to the stream to clean the catch and to laugh over his cleverness4 ,breakfast was a thoroughly enjoyed meal that morning1 for1 besides the fish and the sweet wild berries1 there were just enough fish stories told to give the real thing the proper seasoning4 ,i'd rather sit on those big boulders along ,goose ,creek1 just where it empties into the backwaters of ,cheeseman ,dam1 and catch a few big fellows like that one than to take an extended trip to ,europe1 solemnly declared ,ham4 ,i'd rather fish in the ,narrows of ,platte ,canyon and pull out a fine big rainbow every now and then than ride in a ,new ,york subway1 added ,chuck4 ,and ,i'd rather see ,mr4 ,allen catch another big trout like that one you're eating1 remarked ,willis1 with a wink at ,mr4 ,allen1 than to catch all the bass in the ,state of ,michigan4 ,by nine o'clock the party was again on the trail1 traveling northwest around the base of ,black ,mountain4 ,it's going to be a scorcher1 exclaimed ,fat4 ,i'm about melted already4 ,i hope they haven't shipped that bear away from ,cather ,springs yet4 ,i'd like to see it4 ,they caught it in a bear trap last week4 ,there is hardly a season goes by1 any more1 but what they get some kind of wild game4 ,last year it was a big mountain lion1 the year before it was a badly-wounded mountain sheep1 this year it was a bear and two cubs4 ,that lion must have been the one that followed ,ham up ,pike's ,peak4 ,how about it1 ,ham8 said ,mr4 ,allen teasingly4 ,ham did not reply4 ,the smile disappeared from his face1 and he dropped to the back of the line4 ,ham1 won't you tell us that story some time8 urged ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i've never heard the real story1 and ,i'd like to know about it4 ,i've forgotten every detail1 ,mr4 ,allen1 said ,ham1 and ,i've forgotten them for good4 ,it wasn't nearly as big a joke as every one supposed1 though1 ,i'll tell you that4 ,i'll never come any nearer to handing in my heavenly passport and not do it than ,i did that time4 ,let's forget it4 ,it brings back unpleasant thoughts4 ,at noon they camped in the shadow of a great overhanging rock and rested4 ,fat found1 upon opening his pack1 that he had left what remained of his loaf of bread at the last camping place1 along with two cans of milk and a box of raisins4 ,the oracle is coming true1 dryly remarked ,ham4 ,it always does1 if it's interpreted properly4 ,fat1 the swine of carelessness have consumed your living4 ,by three o'clock the party reached ,cather ,springs1 which was nothing but the home of an old mountaineer--a quaint little log cabin1 a barn1 and a corral1 in which stood two very patient1 tired-looking donkeys and a large1 raw-boned mountain horse4 ,a little to one side of the cabin stood the spring house--a low1 rustic affair1 built of young trees4 ,a slab-door stood slightly ajar1 and through the opening there came the voice of a woman1 softly singing to herself4 ,a thin column of gray smoke was curling gently from the rough stone chimney4 ,at one side of the house1 in the shade of a great pine tree1 was nestled a little flower garden that gave every sign of having had careful attention each day4 ,on the back stoop was stretched out1 at full length1 a husky ,collie dog4 ,he was evidently asleep1 for he did not stir as the boys came down the trail toward the picturesque little cabin4 ,great ,caesar's ghost6 exclaimed ,ham4 ,take a peep at a few of those jay-birds4 ,i never saw so many in my life4 ,i'll bet the lady feeds them4 ,watch me knock that saucy fellow off that dead limb4 ,he raised his gun and shot4 ,there was an awful scolding1 jabbering1 and flapping of wings1 but no deaths--fortunately for ,ham4 ,the dog came to life in less than a second1 and expressed himself freely on the imprudence of such an interruption to his mid-day nap4 ,likewise1 the spring-house door suddenly opened and out popped a funny1 little old lady4 ,boys1 boys6 she called in a high1 quavering voice1 don't shoot the blue jays4 ,it does beat all how right-down destructive all boys are1 anyway--shooting poor1 harmless little birds for sport4 ,the jays1 on hearing the familiar voice of their benefactress1 began to alight in twos and threes close by1 and approved her every word with as much vigor as their tiny throats could command4 ,the little old lady came straight toward ,ham4 ,young man1 she cried1 as she shook her long1 bony finger in his face1 young man1 who ever gave you the right to come into this beautiful wilderness to maraud and murder and kill such beauties as them jays that ,god has put in these woods to be companions and friends to us lonely mountain folks8 ,who do you s'pose built this here canyon and that green meadow and this little spring and these hills1 and all the little wild folks as lives in 'em8 ,i should think you would hang your head and look like a whipped puppy if ye're little enough to shoot jay-birds1 just to see the blue feathers a flutterin' in the air4 ',pon my soul1 you hunters is beyon' my understandin'4 ,s'pose that bird you shot has a nest1 which1 like as not1 she has1 an' it's full o' little fuzzy balls o' bird flesh this minute1 all mouths an' stomachs1 a waitin' for their mother to bring supper1 an' they just keep a waitin' an' a waitin' till they starve1 cause you was mean enough to kill the mother bird just for fun4 ,ham's hat had long since come off1 and he stood with downcast eyes1 not knowing what to say4 ,the old lady looked him up and down with a look of abject pity and scorn as she went on3 ,didn't you ever stop to consider how many things the ,almighty has put into these hills to love1 young man1 if you ain't too selfish an' proud an' mean to see 'em8 ,i wonder what ,he thinks of a boy like you1 anyway8 ,you're like a demon sneakin' through a wonderful picture gallery a cuttin' holes in the pictures just for fun4 ,i know every jay in this valley1 young man1 every single one--and they know me4 ,when food gets scarce1 an' cold nights come1 an' snow begins to fall1 ,i feed 'em4 ,they understand all ,i say to 'em1 an' they bring their young ones for me to see as quick as they're big enough4 ,they tell me when it's goin' to storm1 an' when a hawk is flyin' over my chicken pen1 an' when berries is ripe1 an' when strangers is comin'4 ,they're my little family2 ,i care for 'em every day an'-- ,the flood gates were opened4 ,the little old lady cried as if her heart would break1 while the jays gossiped and chattered at the unusual uproar4 ,suddenly she turned and went into the house1 and the boys1 without a word1 quietly passed up the trail and into the flat1 green meadow ahead4 ,ham whistled softly to himself as he strode along4 ,beats the ,dutch1 he said to ,mr4 ,allen1 as the two dropped back together1 how a fellow will forget himself now and then4 ,i'd have done just what she did1 only ,i would have gotten mad instead of just feeling bad4 ,i'm mighty thankful ,i didn't kill that bird4 ,what a great joy these simple out-of-doors people get out of nature1 replied ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i'd give half my college education to be able to see and hear and understand the things that little old lady does in these old hills4 ,every time a bird chirps or a squirrel barks she knows what it says4 ,i think the ,master must have been thinking of some such a pure-hearted body as she when ,he told the people that the poor in spirit would inherit the earth4 ,she doesn't go out in society much1 nor she hasn't any party dresses1 nor probably never saw a grand opera in her life2 but see what she has that most people never get4 ,in a few moments more they had crossed the little meadow1 climbed up through a zigzag trail through the trees1 and came out onto the railroad track1 just where it crossed the stage road4 ,directly in front of them rose the crag-tipped cap of ,st4 ,peter's ,dome4 ,on one hand was the old wagon road1 that first pathway of mountain civilization1 winding down the canyon in long1 graceful curves until it was lost in the distant haze1 while on the other hand ran the steel rails of more modern civilization4 ,as they stood resting for a few moments they heard the rumble of heavy wheels1 a wheezing and puffing1 a shrill whistle1 a cloud of black smoke1 a shower of cinders1 and the evening express passed upward into the cool1 dark shadows1 carrying its load of human necessities into the heart of the ,rockies4 ,it was six o'clock when the last one in the party reached the rickety wooden stairs that made the last ascent of a hundred feet to the ,dome possible4 ,ham and ,willis had been on top for some minutes1 and were sitting on a huge boulder just at the foot of a lodge-pole that had been erected on the very summit for a flagstaff4 ,certainly it was a sight to be remembered for many a day--a marvelous wonderland1 stretching out in every direction4 ,the detail of plants1 trees1 and winding trails was swallowed up1 and only the vastness of the valleys and canyons could be seen1 with here and there a silver ribbon of a stream4 ,far up in the blue vault two great eagles soared and circled4 ,here and there the last golden rays of sunlight fell on the distant ridges and lighted up the tree tops with a beautiful iridescence4 ,what a sight6 exclaimed ,willis4 ,now1 where is ,cookstove ,mountain1 for ,i am especially interested in it4 ,o yes1 ,i see it4 ,it's that great granite cliff that is so flat on the top4 ,wouldn't it be grand if we could build a cabin near ,st4 ,peter's ,dome1 so sometimes in the evening we could climb up here to sit and watch the stars come out8 ,i want to be in the mountains and camp in them and hike in them4 ,i am beginning to understand their charm more and more4 ,i know now what it is that ,old ,ben has1 and ,daddy ,wright1 and the little old lady we saw this afternoon1 that ,i have not4 ,it is a big optimism1 a love for everything that lives and is a part of the ,great ,creation4 ,i don't know of anything that will take the selfishness and conceit out of a fellow like a few hours spent on a mountain top1 said ,mr4 ,allen4 ,it makes a fellow right down glad he's alive1 remarked ,ham4 ,i always get more out of a view like this than ,i do out of the best sermon ,i ever heard4 ,i wish we could camp right here1 exclaimed ,chuck2 but we can't1 and we had better be getting down before dark4 ,just at the base of the ,dome a little stream trickled over the rocks and down into the canyon4 ,they followed it back from the railroad and soon had a cheery fire burning and a comfortable camp made for the night4 ,it was in a little meadow just at the edge of a grove of small aspens1 and at one side of the tiny stream lay a great round boulder that had evidently rolled down from the summit of the ,dome at some previous date4 ,beds were arranged in a row along the side of it1 and a pile of dead sticks placed in a convenient position for the night's fire4 ,the evening breezes were already beginning to play hide-and-seek in the valley1 and the leaves on the trees were clapping their innumerable hands in applause at the brightly-burning fire4 ,the sparks flew upward and the shadows danced in and out of the illuminated circle like so many happy fairies4 ,do you hear it1 fellows8 ,there1 now1 listen6 ,don't you hear it8 ,ham was saying as he sat back from the fire4 ,there it is1 calling1 calling6 ,what is calling8 asked ,willis1 straining his ear to catch the sound4 ,mother ,nature1 answered ,ham1 dryly4 ,mother ,nature's call--the call of the wild4 ,see1 even the leaves are beckoning us back farther into the deep1 quiet wilderness4 ,some day ,i will part with my earthly possessions and answer that call1 for1 do you know1 ,i believe that the ,indian did come the nearest to living an ideal life of any of us6 ,every one knew that ,ham was in for a long1 private soliloquy1 and so began supper operations1 for1 although they had all heard the call of ,mother ,nature1 as ,ham put it1 to some of them at least it was only an empty stomach calling to be fed4 ,mr4 ,allen and ,willis were the last ones to take to their blankets1 for they had many things to talk over between themselves4 ,what can draw out the innermost thoughts of a fellow's heart more quickly than a chat with a sympathetic friend when both are seated before a fire in such a place and on such a night8 ,if you really wish to know a fellow in a few days' time1 you need to camp with him1 to eat with him1 and to sit with him before an open fire in the wilderness under a canopy of stars with the music of ,nature about you4 ,then man speaks with man1 and all the conventionalities of life are forgotten4 ,yes1 ,i have often wondered if ,i will ever find my father's partner1 ,willis was saying4 ,i would rather see him than any man on earth1 sometimes4 ,wouldn't you be happier if you didn't ever find him1 though8 questioned ,mr4 ,allen4 ,no1 ,i wouldn't1 ,mr4 ,allen1 because he could explain so many things to me that ,i have wondered about4 ,i don't know that ,i ever told you1 but it has always seemed so strange to me that my uncle1 ,mr4 ,williams1 has never once mentioned my father's name to me4 ,he was the last man that saw him alive1 yet he has never spoken of him4 ,i have been going to talk with him several times1 but he is so gruff and absorbed ,i can't get up my nerve4 ,there is one thing that has bothered me a lot lately1 though1 and ,i've never told you of it1 but ,i'm going to now4 ,i probably never would have thought much about it if it hadn't been for what the old prospector told me the other day over on ,cheyenne4 ,i've been wondering if there possibly could be any connection between his not wanting me to come on this trip and the fact that he was just then sending men to do his assessment work on the claim that once belonged to my father4 ,there is another thing1 too1 ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i feel ashamed of even thinking of such things1 yet the night we had our meeting at ,bruin ,inn ,i heard that same prospector discussing a ,mr4 ,williams with ,old ,ben4 ,i heard him say that ,williams was a thief and a sanctimonious old hypocrite4 ,the thing that bothers me is1 how much does ,williams know of my father's affairs that he has not told my mother4 ,surely he would not dare to be crooked in such a thing as that4 ,if you could locate ,mr4 ,kieser1 he probably could tell you some things1 slowly added ,mr4 ,allen4 ,well1 there is one thing sure3 ',murder will out1' and with the suspicion ,i now have1 ,i'll keep quiet1 keep my eyes open1 and see what ,i can learn4 ,that ,cheyenne claim must be worth holding1 or he wouldn't send men away up there to do that work4 ,that costs money6 ,don't worry about it1 anyway1 boy4 ,i wouldn't be building any air castles concerning that gold mine4 ,it was1 no doubt1 just like thousands of others here in these mountains-- ,i know that1 but ,i want to see the mine that my father dug4 ,do you suppose ,i ever will8 ,who can tell but that you have already seen it on this trip8 ,i don't know1 but let's go to bed4 ,to-morrow we must find that cabin site1 or go home empty-handed4 ,i think we'll get over into these little canyons on the north and work over to the railroad4 ,if we don't find a place there1 somewhere1 then ,i'm afraid there is none4 ,most all of this land is ,forest ,reserve1 and we'll have to get a ninety-nine years' lease if we locate on ,government land2 but you know1 ,i've been thinking we could build a dandy cabin of these large quaking-aspens1 if we could find a place in a good grove4 ,build a frame1 then fit them in1 standing them on end1 and line with building paper1 and perhaps boards4 ,these aspens cut very easily in the winter when they are cold4 ,what would you think of that idea8 ,willis was already nodding by the fire1 and did not answer4 ,good-night1 said ,mr4 ,allen1 as he pulled his blanket up about him4 ,sleep tight1 and no dreams1 mind you4 ,,chapter ,x ,a ,glimpse of ,buffalo ,roost ,the little party gathered about the fire the next morning1 cooking the last breakfast of the trip4 ,to-morrow they would be home again4 ,would they take back a glowing description of a cabin site1 situated in some cool forest nook1 in the shadow of some mighty crag1 or would they be forced to disappoint the anxious crowd of fellows who would be waiting for their return8 ,by seven o'clock they were jogging down the railroad at a lively gait1 keeping their eyes open for a canyon that would lead in back of ,cookstove ,mountain4 ,they had come down the track at least two miles without finding any encouraging signs when they came upon a trail that seemed to lead from the railroad into an unknown canyon4 ,perhaps it was one of the many trails from the railroad back to the remains of some of the old construction camps4 ,perhaps it was a cowpath that led into a fertile meadow where cattle loved to rest by cool springs4 ,might it not have been the connecting link between some old prospector's diggings and his point of supplies8 ,possibly it had been worn by the ever-watchful forest ranger as he rode over the reserve1 watching for the fires of careless campers1 the trespass of cattle1 or1 perhaps1 to make a timber sale to some mountain ranchman4 ,perhaps it was one of these1 but more likely it was a combination of them all4 ,what strange stories it could tell if it could but speak6 ,had it been on the southern slope it might have been lost in the cool shadows of the forest1 or have disappeared in the leafy molds and decaying twigs of many autumns4 ,but it was on the north slope1 from which the hungry flames of a giant forest fire had snatched every tree and bush1 leaving only the barren hillside4 ,it was a very alluring trail1 for it led to no one knew just where4 ,just at the point where it slipped over the rocky ridge and dropped down out of sight into the canyon beyond there rose a group of great1 tall pines1 which seemed to be guarding the pathway4 ,just ahead stood ,cookstove1 its rocky crest bathed in the morning light1 while far away to the north the sharper outlines were lost in a great army of evergreens1 which seemed to be trooping restlessly up the hill and descending again into the great unknown of the valley4 ,it led straight away down a gently-curving aisle of beautiful large trees that had already begun to carpet the floor with dull pine needles1 picked from their shaggy heads by the mischievous dryads of the valley4 ,away up on the shoulder of ,cookstove could be seen a long silver ribbon of water1 the lower end of which was lost in the treetops of the canyon4 ,from somewhere down below the trail there came the gentle murmur of jubilant little dashes of mountain spray as they frolicked and chased each other in the happy play of a mountain stream4 ,on the inside of the trail the trees dropped away rapidly until you could look into their topmost branches without raising your eyes1 while on the other side they trooped noiselessly upward1 like some great1 silent army1 showing only their weather-beaten bodies4 ,as the boys hastened down this trail1 deeper into the land of enchantment1 their enthusiasm knew no bounds4 ,i've about changed my mind about the location of the ,garden of ,eden1 ,ham sung out4 ,that's the twentieth time1 announced ,chuck4 ,we're just on the edge of it yet1 shouted ,mr4 ,allen4 ,let's hurry and get into it4 ,the trail began immediately to descend1 and before they knew it the party found themselves beside a crystal stream that seemed to be lost in a narrow park of great trees and mighty boulders4 ,the trail crossed the stream by an ancient corduroy bridge1 then off it ran again up the opposite side of the canyon1 penetrating deeper into the quiet forest4 ,this is the forest primeval1 ,the murmuring pines and the hemlocks1 quoted ,ham4 ,there was a perfume of the forest dampness in the air4 ,every tree seemed to shelter a bird family or a host of squirrels1 to say nothing of the tiny creatures that made chorus together from their hiding places4 ,softly filtering through the trees came the constant melody of a waterfall1 now far away1 now just ahead1 crying1 laughing1 sobbing1 in a strange intermingling of feeling4 ,the trail made a sharp turn to the left1 the trees suddenly came to an end1 and in their place were large piles of mossy1 ragged boulders4 ,the canyon ended in a perpendicular1 moss-covered wall1 hundreds of feet high1 and from the top of this wrinkled old cliff leaped the stream into the canyon below4 ,on an old tin sign1 fastened to the stump of an immense tree1 were the words1 ,st4 ,marys4 ,directly at the base of the falls1 and at their extreme edge1 stood a grand old spruce tree1 straight and clean as an arrow1 its slender top reaching nearly to the top of the falls4 ,they seemed to be happy comrades1 for the tree was gently vibrating with the soft1 half-wild music of the crystal stream4 ,after every nook and cranny had been explored1 the group began to retrace their steps down the canyon4 ,isn't it a wonderful little spot8 asked ,phil1 as they sat down by the bridge to rest4 ,who do you suppose ever built this trail away up here8 ,see1 it has been dug from the very mountain-side in many places1 and this bridge wasn't built as a mere footbridge--it was built to support heavy loads of something4 ,perhaps somewhere way up in those trees there is an old mine1 suggested ,fat4 ,i've been wondering if there was1 slowly questioned ,willis4 ,i'd like to go and look1 for ,i'm not a bit tired4 ,his eyes were big with the wonder of the place4 ,it surely is a treat to him1 isn't it8 asked ,mr4 ,allen4 ,yes1 and to us all1 replied ,ham4 ,i just wonder what some city people would think of it4 ,when ,i get old1 fellows1 ,i'm going to find me some such a little canyon as this and live out my life in it4 ,i don't believe a fellow could ever think a mean thought out here1 could he8 ,he'd be almost afraid to4 ,it's an ideal place1 all right1 returned ,mr4 ,allen4 ,why1 ,i believe ,i'd be an orator if ,i just had this valley for a class1 went on ,ham4 ,it's a good thing such places can't be moved1 suggested ,phil1 or some of these wealthy fellows would be buying them all up and putting them in their art galleries4 ,this view would create quite a sensation in ,new ,york ,city1 don't you think8 ,fifty thousand dollars is not much for a few feet of masterpiece1 but this can be had for a few dollars an acre4 ,strange1 isn't it8 ,a man paints a little picture on a canvas and worries over it until his hair gets long and his face sad4 ,he is then a genius4 ,people go wild over a man that can copy a little scene4 ,yet those same people declare there is no ,creator4 ,account for a valley like this without ,him1 can you8 declared ,fat4 ,the man that can deny ,him1 standing here in this little bit of ,his handiwork1 solemnly declared ,ham1 is blind1 deaf1 and dumb1 besides having marked tendencies toward insanity4 ,halloo1 came in a clear shout from up on the hillside4 ,by gracious1 he's found a mine6 cried ,ham1 jumping up4 ,halloo1 he shouted back4 ,what did you find8 ,two more trails1 came the answer4 ,come up and look4 ,one goes down the canyon on this side4 ,a wild scramble up through the trees followed4 ,soon they were all traveling down one of the newly-discovered trails4 ,the other one began at an old log cabin1 and ran zigzag up the mountain till it was lost in the gravel slopes4 ,i've been trying to make up my mind where this canyon leads to1 said ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i'm wondering if it can be ,buffalo ,park4 ,a bridge was visible down the stream1 and there was the sound of water splashing4 ,an immense boulder that had rolled from the cliff above obstructed any further view4 ,ham and ,willis were in the lead1 the rest following as rapidly as possible4 ,the two ahead disappeared1 then came into view beyond the big boulder4 ,a house6 ,a cabin6 ,every one broke into a run4 ,just above the bridge a crude dam of logs had been built to back up a supply of water1 and it was running over from the little pond behind in a happy1 babbling waterfall4 ,then it turned to the south around the base of a patch of high ground4 ,on this bit of high country1 overlooking the stream on one side and the upper canyon on the other1 stood the loudly-announced cabin4 ,it was a typical mountain log-house1 except for its roof1 which was covered with cedar shingles instead of the customary split poles1 thatched over with marsh hay4 ,its every line suggested age4 ,in some places the mud chinking had dried and dropped out1 yet1 strange to say1 the windows were all there1 and even the door1 which was of city manufacture1 was not past repair4 ,one corner of the roof had been slightly damaged by the falling of a monstrous pine log that was still lying where it had fallen several years before4 ,the cabin had evidently been used as a summer home only1 for there was no fireplace or a chimney of any kind1 except a dilapidated old length of stovepipe that stuck through the gable at one end4 ,it was this feature that made it look so completely forlorn and abandoned4 ,besides the door and two windows that opened on the trail side1 there was a window on the up end and a door on the stream side which led out onto a crude back porch1 built entirely of aspen poles4 ,the floor was of pine boards1 and had once been a marvel of beauty and convenience for a mountain cabin2 but time had played strange pranks with it1 till now it was uneven and sloped off in a jerky fashion toward the back door4 ,on one wall was fastened a rude set of shelves1 on which was perched a motley collection of pickle bottles and tin cans4 ,stretched along one wall stood a crude1 home-made table1 and in one corner stood the remains of a little1 old-fashioned stove4 ,a wooden chest stood under the shelves1 and had probably been used for a grub box4 ,it still contained a few pounds of yellow cornmeal1 half a can of baking powder1 a badly molded loaf of rye bread1 and a surprisingly sturdy sample of butter4 ,hung on a nail in the corner above the chest was a once-stylish skillet and the battered lower part of a double boiler4 ,a rusty tincup lay on the floor beside a powder can that had been used for a bucket1 while just inside the south door stood a comical homemade shakedown4 ,the frame was built of straight young aspen poles1 while the springs were just a carefully woven layer of balsam boughs spread over a bottom of limber young saplings4 ,it had once been a wonder of comfort and ease1 but its value had passed with the departure of its builder4 ,the trail ran close in front of the door and then climbed over the sandy base of a great crag1 and disappeared over the hill4 ,just as it left the level of the house and started upward1 there stood an immense ,douglas spruce like some faithful guard1 his proud green helmet stretched up into the sky so that he might be the more able to see any approaching danger4 ,a great smoke-stained rock lay just at the end of the house1 before which was built a primitive fireplace4 ,an assortment of tin cans1 lying in the little ravine1 told the simple tale of bygone campfire suppers and of hunters and explorers and miners4 ,well1 this is what ,i call luck--pure1 unadulterated luck1 with sugar on it1 drawled ,ham as he surveyed the house4 ,luck1 your grandmother1 said ,phil4 ,do you call something that you have been searching for for four long days luck8 ,excuse me1 answered ,ham1 in mock courtesy4 ,i forgot when ,i made that statement that there is no such thing as luck4 ,it was my old friend1 ',william ,shakespeare1' that wrote that famous line about luck1 ',luck is pluck in action1' or something like that1 wasn't it8 ,that's what it was here1 anyway4 ,well1 at any rate1 said ,mr4 ,allen1 as he joined the group after his round of inspection1 the old shanty is chucked full of possibilities4 ,i'm glad something is full1 interrupted ,fat4 ,we certainly aren't in the same class1 that cabin and ,i4 ,it's been so long since ,i've fed that my floating ribs have run ashore4 ,the worst of it is that all ,i have left is a can of condensed milk1 about a teaspoon of sugar1 and a little butter that's a second cousin to what's in that grub box yonder4 ,i'm going to borrow a few possibilities from the cabin and beg for food4 ,let's have dinner4 ,right here by this old rock1 called ,willis4 ,perhaps we can roast a little information out of these rocks4 ,chuck had gone down stream into a grove of large aspens1 and at this moment came panting up the trail4 ,bees--peach of a tree--honey galore--millions of them6 he panted4 ,that sounds like something to eat1 cried ,fat4 ,come along1 ,chuck1 ,i'm with you4 ,do you know how to make that 'milk and honey' that the ,good ,book speaks about8 ,i've got the milk1 let's get the honey4 ,ham1 ,chuck1 and ,fat started for the bee tree1 ,ham singing his favorite1 ,a ,preacher went a ,huntin'4 ,better let up1 ,ham1 shouted ,phil4 ,the bees will be after the sweetness in that melody of yours4 ,phil stretched out at full length in the sun while ,mr4 ,allen busily made figures and sketches in his note book4 ,willis rose and started down the trail toward the bee tree4 ,at the edge of the timber he stopped1 and a curious smile spread over his face4 ,then suddenly1 as the real significance of what he saw dawned upon him1 he doubled up with a howl and laughed till his sides hurt4 ,the fellows were unable to roll over the great dead tree1 so had decided to smudge the brutes out1 as ,ham said4 ,accordingly1 they built a fire at the side where the bees had been seen to enter the tree4 ,chuck had carried water from the stream in his hat to make the fire smoke1 and1 as they watched the hole1 the bees came swarming out at the end of the log behind them1 with spears sharpened and ready for action1 as ,ham afterward said4 ,such lively gymnastics and hurried departures ,willis had never before witnessed4 ,fat completely forgot that he was hungry1 and ,ham took occasion to severely chastise himself1 using his old felt hat for a paddle1 while ,chuck went ploughing through the underbrush like a young bull-moose1 murmuring strange1 inarticulate sentences4 ,fortunately for them all1 the bee tree was nothing but a nest of marsh-wasps1 and there were nowhere near as many as ,chuck declared there were4 ,the damage was slight to all except ,fat1 and he had enough signs of battle to warrant a leather medal for bravery4 ,the saddest thing was that the hoped-for milk and honey did not materialize4 ,as the party sat together eating the last of their rations1 ,ham fell into one of his philosophical moods4 ,i like this kind of life1 he began4 ,out here you let go your hold on man-made things and shift for yourself4 ,he looked cautiously over at ,fat1 who was trying to scratch a particularly itchy sting just out of reach in the middle of his back4 ,i like the unchanging condition of nature1 he continued4 ,the wilderness is all yours1 and you may take from it all the essentials of primitive living--shelter1 warmth1 and food4 ,ham1 you're an unmitigated prevaricator1 cried ,fat as he scratched and made faces4 ,ham paid no attention to him4 ,here in the open country you can get mighty close to the great wilderness with its myriads of busy lives1 and-- ,fat picked up a pine cone and threw it1 but ,ham disappeared around the end of the big rock4 ,ham1 you're just like the loons we have on the ,michigan lakes1 taunted ,willis4 ,you can do and say more crazy things than all the rest of us ducks put together2 but when any one takes a shot at you1 you're out of sight4 ,by this time ,fat had managed to make two holes in his can of milk and was drinking the contents4 ,mr4 ,allen had returned to his sketching1 and ,willis had gone over to the little dam to get a drink4 ,suddenly there was the snort of a horse and the rapid tramping of hoofs4 ,a dog gave two or three barks1 then horse1 rider1 and dog appeared on the trail4 ,in a second another rider1 with a pick and shovel thrown over his shoulder1 came over the ridge4 ,the first pulled in his horse and1 turning in his saddle1 looked to see if his companion was coming4 ,being confident that he was not far behind1 he again urged his horse forward1 apparently not noticing the group by the big boulder4 ,ham got to his feet and spoke to the dog4 ,the horseman gave a quick exclamation of surprise1 then called out1 ,howdy6 ,mr4 ,allen rose4 ,well1 well6 called the man4 ,seems to me yew fellers are travelin' some1 ain't ye8 ,o1 a little1 returned ,mr4 ,allen4 ,you don't happen to know1 do you1 whether there are two cabins above here1 do you8 ,we was directed to the middle cabin4 ,no1 only a very badly decayed one--just a pile of tumbled-down logs1 replied ,mr4 ,allen4 ,the second rider had come up and dismounted1 and together they studied a sketch which he had taken from his pocket4 ,this must be the one1 that's all1 he drawled1 as he spat out a great quid of tobacco1 'cause he said it was by the bridge4 ,we must o' missed the other cabin in the trees somewhere below here4 ,willis was eyeing the newcomers closely4 ,a stern1 hard look crossed his face as he quickened his pace4 ,he reached ,mr4 ,allen's side1 and the first rider nodded to him4 ,he drew nearer and observed the sketch very closely1 listening intently to all the strangers had to say4 ,his heart was beating fast1 but just why he could not have told4 ,well1 ,jim1 ,i guess we'd better unsaddle an' give the nags a drink an' a rest1 said the stranger as he carefully folded up the sketch and put it in his pocket4 ,seems strange as how we'd meet twice in these mountains in nearly as many days1 don't it8 remarked the man1 as he began to loosen the saddle girths and to untie the sacks of grub that were fastened on behind4 ,how is that8 queried ,mr4 ,allen4 ,why1 wasn't it you that went up the trail to the top of ,cheyenne the other day8 questioned the man4 ,then1 without waiting for a reply1 he went on3 ,we was doin' an assessment up there that day an' seed you as you stood talkin' to that crusty old prospector that works that tunnel4 ,o yes1 said ,mr4 ,allen1 so you are the men that were up there by that black dump8 ,yep1 we're the fellers1 ,jim an' me4 ,are you going to do more assessment work here in this canyon8 questioned ,ham4 ,yep1 we've got two assessments to do here somewhere1 returned the stranger4 ,this canyon1 or at least part of it1 belongs to a real estate company in ,colorado ,springs4 ,i don't believe there is any gold here1 but they are holdin' the property as an investment4 ,seems like they expect sometime to open this canyon to tourist trade to see some swell falls that's up in it somewheres4 ,o1 is that so8 returned ,mr4 ,allen4 ,then you don't think there is any gold here at all8 ,nope1 ,i don't1 an' ,i'll tell ye why4 ,gold1 as it's found in these parts1 runs in a strata of quartz4 ,now1 there ain't no quartz in this range1 except on ,cheyenne4 ,the old-timer down at the inn says that there's gold up here1 an' he knows where it is1 but you can't take no stock in these old fellers4 ,they're daft on the gold question4 ,mr4 ,allen looked at his watch1 then1 turning to the fellows1 he suggested that they had better start for home4 ,after a little more conversation the two parties separated1 one to camp for the night in the cabin1 the other to return to the city4 ,willis motioned ,mr4 ,allen to the back of the line as they worked their way down the trail and into the park4 ,the plot thickens1 began ,willis1 with a queer little smile on his face4 ,then with a slight chuckle he added3 ,to be more accurate1 ,i suppose ,i should say ',the plot thins4' ,those are the two men that were at my uncle's house the morning we started on this trip1 and my uncle drew that sketch--,i'm sure of it4 ,the heading was torn from the paper1 but ,i feel it in my bones that he was the artist4 ,those are the men that were doing the assessment on my father's old claim on ,cheyenne for my uncle4 ,he never dreamed of my seeing them here and knowing they were in his employ4 ,i understand now why he didn't want me to come on this trip4 ,a coward is always suspicious4 ,i never would have put the two together in the wide world if he hadn't made such a fuss about my coming4 ,one thing is absolutely certain--my ,uncle ,williams is crooked1 and that isn't all1 either4 ,my ,uncle ,williams owns that cabin1 and we'll never get it for our use in this wide world4 ,what will the fellows say when they know it belongs to my uncle and we can't get it8 ,the cabin is ideal1 and it could be repaired with very little cost4 ,it is isolated and in a beautiful spot1 and is the only thing we have found4 ,don't tell the fellows about it1 please1 until ,i see what ,i can do4 ,i'll do my very best4 ,now1 look here1 my boy2 don't let that bother you1 replied ,mr4 ,allen4 ,wait4 ,don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you4 ,he hasn't troubled you yet1 he's just getting ready to4 ,let's beat him at his own game4 ,there are more ways than one to skin a cat4 ,but how8 inquired ,willis4 ,well1 the first thing to do is to get the exact location of the cabin1 then go to the county recorder's office and see to whom the property belongs4 ,if it ever belonged to your father1 as you are now disposed to believe-- ,yes1 ,i'd bet my hat1 ,mr4 ,allen1 that this is the very cabin that my father and ,tad ,kieser built4 ,o1 how ,i 'd like to have it all for my very own6 ,mr4 ,allen interrupted him4 ,as ,i was saying1 the records will show very plainly if it was ever transferred or if it was anything but a lode claim4 ,if your father owned it1 that settles it4 ,williams has nothing to say about it4 ,placer claims can't be taken on deeded property4 ,however1 let's not worry about it1 but let's count it ours and work toward that end4 ,o my1 if ,tad were only here1 we'd soon know a thing or two6 exclaimed ,willis4 ,now1 boy1 listen6 ,don't go home and spoil all this business4 ,keep still about it until to-morrow1 when we can get at the records and find out for certain just what is what4 ,will you do that8 questioned ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i'll tell my mother1 replied ,willis1 and to-morrow ,i'll go with you4 ,the trail was winding back and forth through a great park of aspens4 ,on every side were prospect holes1 remains of old cabins1 and places where the wilderness was again reclaiming her own after men had spent their time1 money1 and energy attempting to force her to give up her gold4 ,at the top of the hogsback that over-looked ,bruin ,inn the fellows sat down to rest4 ,they were back in familiar territory1 now1 and the cabin quest was nearly over4 ,of course1 the very first thing to do1 ,ham was saying1 is to get in stone and get our fireplace built before the frost comes4 ,it will be a simple matter--just throw down stones from the mountain2 they are flat slabs and will lay up very easily4 ,we'll use that big1 flat stone at the end as a foundation1 and run the chimney up outside the house--a real big1 life-sized one1 too4 ,and we want a grand old-fashioned crane in the grate1 and andirons of stone1 and a big cement hearth4 ,going to do all your cooking in the fireplace8 asked ,chuck4 ,not on your life1 put in ,fat4 ,we'll bring up our old camp stove1 the one we had on the trip last summer--it's a dandy4 ,i've got the only stunt1 though1 said ,ham4 ,let's build a great big bed on the rafters that run from wall to wall4 ,we'll just cut a lot of saplings and lay them in close and support the bed from the roof4 ,after it has about two feet of balsam boughs on it1 it will be a choice roost1 ,i tell you that4 ,i'm going to be architect and boss carpenter of that job4 ,yes1 said ,mr4 ,allen gravely1 but it's not a fireplace1 an aerial bunk1 or a place to eat that ,i'm thinking of4 ,there is no use putting our time1 effort1 and money into this place unless we can take care of at least twenty fellows at a time1 and how can we do it8 ,the eating won't be any trouble1 advised ,fat4 ,they will get enough to eat some way--,i always do4 ,we'll build an addition1 suggested ,phil1 a bunk house addition4 ,that will be easy2 we can build it out where that old back porch is1 can't we8 ,and say1 talk about great logs1 what's the matter with those aspens right there ready for us8 ,we could buy tin dishes1 but where is the money coming from8 ,that is the main question1 said ,mr4 ,allen4 ,money1 snorted ,ham1 that will come if we're in earnest1 dead earnest4 ,how about that circus8 ,how much money do we need1 anyway8 ,mr4 ,allen drew out his note-book1 and made some rapid calculations4 ,well1 the very least that you can do with1 fellows1 is two hundred and fifty dollars4 ,good-bye1 fond dreams6 cried ,fat tragically4 ,two hundred and fifty dollars6 exclaimed ,phil and ,ham together4 ,how do you get that8 ,well1 cement and lime for the fireplace1 freight to ,fairview on boards1 shingles1 furnishings1 and so on2 rent on donkeys to do the packing1 dishes1 and pantry boxes1 for everything will have to be kept in tin boxes4 ,then you'll have to hire a mason to put in the fireplace4 ,you'll need axes1 saws1 and tools4 ,i'll wager it won't cost a cent less than two hundred dollars1 and great loads of hard work4 ,hard fun1 you mean1 interrupted ,phil4 ,as the evening shadows began to lengthen and the cool breeze to rise from the snow-clad peaks of the ,middle ,range1 the little group of explorers dropped into the canyon and hurried home4 ,all were very full of ideas and suggestions except ,willis4 ,he had listened to their talk1 but was saying over and over to himself1 ,if it doesn't come true1 it's my fault1 or my uncle's1 and that's the same thing4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,a ,strange ,turn of ,fate ,let's take ,mr4 ,dean to the courthouse with us1 ,willis1 said ,mr4 ,allen4 ,he is very shrewd1 and we can depend on his judgment in such matters as we have before us to-day4 ,willis found ,mr4 ,dean1 and in a short time they were on their way1 ,mr4 ,allen explaining to ,mr4 ,dean the possible difficulty that had arisen in regard to the ownership of the cabin4 ,upon their arrival at the courthouse1 the first thing was to study a ,united ,states geological map to find the township1 section lines1 railroads1 and streams4 ,then began the search through old1 yellow volumes of records1 one after another1 each one bringing them nearer to the desired information4 ,section five1 west of range sixty-seven1 read ,mr4 ,dean4 ,that's the place1 boys2 now we must locate an exact point in that section4 ,you say the cabin is located on a stream and a trail4 ,the falls are marked here2 he pointed with his pencil4 ,now downstream a little2 here we are1 three trails marked instead of one4 ,you came over from the railroad1 didn't you8 ,yes1 right here1 said ,willis1 pointing4 ,the cabin is where these two trails cross each other4 ,in the center of the next volume1 for there had been many claims located and recorded on the little stream1 they found the record of a property belonging to ,willis's father and a ,mr4 ,kieser4 ,the record showed the date of its refiling1 after the country had become a part of the ,pike's ,peak ,forest ,reserve4 ,the survey lines were given1 but of course they could not be located on the map4 ,was the cabin on the property there recorded or not8 ,willis remembered that his mother had said not1 so they pushed further into the books and came to the description of a lode claim1 the corner of which1 according to the record1 was at the intersection of the two trails1 just where the stream swings south4 ,it was originally staked and recorded by a man named ,briney as a placer claim4 ,six consecutive assessments were recorded1 then two years later the claim was relocated by a ,joseph ,h4 ,williams4 ,willis frowned as he made notes and took down the dates of the assessments4 ,there you are1 he said despondently2 just as ,i thought yesterday--,mr4 ,joseph ,h4 ,williams1 my uncle1 owner4 ,great chance of getting that cabin1 isn't there8 ,now1 hold your horses1 interrupted ,mr4 ,dean4 ,let's finish the rest of this record4 ,well1 that's the strangest thing ,i ever heard of4 ,his last assessment is dated last summer1 ,august #c1 #ai--4 ,this year's work hasn't been done yet4 ,why--well1 anyway1 there must be something worth while around that cabin4 ',claim jumped and re-recorded as a lode claim ,august #bb1 #ai--4' ,why1 that's the day you started on the trip to look for a cabin6 ,you are right1 exclaimed ,mr4 ,allen4 ,let's look at the list of records filed on ,august #bb;d last4 ,the clerk showed them the page4 ,it read as follows3 ,assessment on ,joseph ,h4 ,williams lode claim1 ,cheyenne ,mountain4 ,then followed the description4 ,directly under it was the following3 ,lode claim1 ,buffalo ,park1 located by ,beverly ,h4 ,pembroke1 as described on page #aafb4 ,the cabin then belongs1 by right of relocation1 to ,beverly ,h4 ,pembroke1 remarked ,mr4 ,allen1 and we are just exactly four days late4 ,too bad we didn't start at this end of the trip4 ,who is ,beverly ,h4 ,pembroke8 asked ,mr4 ,dean4 ,no one could tell4 ,well1 this much is clear1 he went on3 there was some very good reason for the relocation of that claim1 and it couldn't have been for that old cabin4 ,men don't locate claims to get possession of old1 tumbled-down log cabins nowadays4 ,well1 there's this much that isn't clear1 returned ,willis3 why that change was made the day we started over this route1 and furthermore1 how does it come that the same men worked the assessment on the two claims if they belong to different parties8 ,no1 sir1 men1 listen3 my ,uncle didn't want that cabin in his possession at this time for some reason1 so he transferred the claim to this man1 ,pembroke4 ,anyway1 ,i'm glad it doesn't belong to my uncle now1 whether we get it for our purpose or not4 ,now1 you listen1 said ,mr4 ,dean3 let's go and see ,mr4 ,pembroke at once and inquire about it4 ,he can't do more than throw us out1 and it might be he'd be tickled to let us have the cabin4 ,every hundred dollars' worth of work done on that property1 whether it's mine1 trail1 dam1 or housework1 is equal to an assessment4 ,if we remodel the house and use it1 he can buy the property or1 as they say1 'prove up' on it4 ,what do you say8 ,i believe we can make a bargain4 ,it's a go6 cried ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i was sure we would need your brains for this job1 ,mr4 ,dean4 ,let's go right now4 ,they looked up the desired gentleman in the directory1 then started for his office4 ,cheer up1 old boy1 cried ,mr4 ,allen as he slapped ,willis on the back4 ,here's where we win1 uncle or no uncle4 ,isn't that right1 ,mr4 ,dean8 ,you feel too confident1 returned ,willis4 ,i see the game4 ,you don't4 ,mr4 ,beverly ,h4 ,pembroke will politely refuse any offer4 ,my uncle has coached him on what to say to any inquiries4 ,see if ,i'm not right6 ,you haven't a very good opinion of that uncle of yours1 have you8 said ,mr4 ,dean4 ,i don't see why he should be so vitally interested in keeping you away from an old cabin4 ,i think you imagine things1 boy4 ,you know some things are true that you can't see1 tersely replied ,willis4 ,you can't see a pain in your stomach1 but you can feel it and it tells you something is wrong4 ,it's just the same in this case4 ,i can't see it1 but ,i know something is wrong1 and the next thing for us to do is to get our heads together and find out the causes4 ,we're interested in the causes4 ,mr4 ,beverly ,h4 ,pembroke sat idly in his office4 ,his feet were hoisted up on the window sill1 his straw hat tipped far back on his head1 while a long1 slender cigar was held between his teeth4 ,he was decidedly an ,englishman1 and a very nervous1 fidgety one at that4 ,as the three entered he got to his feet and inquired concerning their wants4 ,log cabin--,buffalo ,park--,lode claim located ,august #bb;d4 ,he puffed meditatively at his cigar1 endeavoring to focus his thoughts on the matter before him4 ,a frown clouded his face1 then suddenly disappeared4 ,why-a1 yes1 ba ,jove1 this 'ot weather 'as nearly set me crazy4 ,my brains 'ave been bemuddled all day1 don't you know4 ,ba ,jove1 ,i most forgot that new claim4 ,yes1 yes1 and you want 'ow many shares8 ,mr4 ,allen looked at ,mr4 ,dean and smiled4 ,you do the talking1 he said4 ,well1 it's like this1 said ,mr4 ,dean4 ,then he laid his proposition before the ,englishman1 who puffed away on his cigar and listened in silence4 ,sorry1 very sorry1 gentlemen1 he began1 but ,i 'ave just arranged with a party to 'old that site for a summer 'otel or a fruit farm1 or some such a thing1 don't you know4 ,sorry1 beastly sorry1 though1 because ,i 'ave to refuse you4 ,mr4 ,allen looked at ,mr4 ,dean1 a great disappointment showing on his face4 ,he turned to ,willis1 who was standing in the background4 ,the boy was squinting out between half-closed eyelids and his fists were clenched hard at his sides4 ,he was gazing steadfastly at the floor4 ,suddenly he looked up at ,mr4 ,allen1 then shoved himself behind the railing that separated them from the ,englishman and spoke in clearcut tones4 ,mr4 ,pembroke-- ,the little ,englishman batted his eyes nervously and straightened noticeably4 ,he was all attention in a second4 ,willis looked him straight in the eye and continued3 ,i don't suppose you know who ,i am1 at least you don't appear to4 ,i hate to ask favors of any man1 or take undue advantage of any one1 but in this instance ,i feel that ,i have just a little claim upon your attention and your consideration4 ,mr4 ,allen looked at ,mr4 ,dean in utter astonishment4 ,very early this spring you and ,i were fellow passengers on a ,d4 ,p4,w4 train coming to ,colorado ,springs4 ,do you remember8 ,that train was wrecked on a stormy afternoon by the splintering of the rails1 which caused a collision with a heavy freight4 ,it was my pleasure at that time to save the life of your little son4 ,ba ,jove1 murmured the ,englishman1 as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other4 ,it was a deucedly nasty business4 ,i'm very pleased to meet you again1 ,mr4--a--a-- ,thornton1 said ,mr4 ,allen4 ,mr4 ,thornton1 and-- ,never mind that1 continued ,willis4 ,all ,i have to say is that ,i would count it a very great favor1 personally1 if you could see your way clear to let us have the use of that cabin for an ,association camp1 until such time as you are ready to build or make other improvements there4 ,why--a--yes1 ,i'll be pleased to do that1 returned ,mr4 ,pembroke confusedly4 ,deucedly glad to 'ave a chance to serve you1 don't you know4 ,now1 just what is your plan again1 gentlemen8 ,the plan was carefully gone over1 this time with ,willis as spokesman4 ,mr4 ,pembroke listened carefully till he had finished1 then he replied1 ,ba ,jove1 ,i like the idea1 it 'as points to it4 ,i'd like to furnish the necessary lumber for the desired addition myself4 ,it will be a deucedly comfortable 'ome for the boys4 ,you know it was the ,association boys that returned my dog to me4 ,before leaving his office1 a three years' lease was arranged for and everything looked lovely4 ,what was more1 the addition could be started at once4 ,well1 by the ,great ,horn ,spoon6 ejaculated ,mr4 ,dean when they were well outside4 ,you are a wonder6 ,that is what ,i call nerve4 ,now tell me all about it4 ,bah6 replied ,willis1 ,i hated to do it1 but ,i had to4 ,i was going to ask the old boy what ,mr4 ,williams would say to him1 but ,i thought better of it4 ,to-night is when ,i have my fun4 ,i'll tell my uncle about our deal and watch him squirm4 ,i wonder if he'll get mad4 ,i can tell by the way he acts if this recording business was a put-up job4 ,there still remains the question1 though--why does he want to keep me away from that cabin8 ,it has something to do with my father's old mine1 ,i'm sure of that much2 and ,i'll find out1 you see if ,i don't4 ,the evening papers gave a glowing account of the interest of ,mr4 ,beverly ,h4 ,pembroke in the new ,y4,m4,c4,a4 cabin project1 and gave the plan of work4 ,a circus was already being planned to raise funds for the building1 and a stock company had been organized among the boys of the ,boys' ,department to furnish funds with which to begin work at once4 ,work would be started the next ,saturday4 ,the stockholders and some others would go to the cabin on ,friday evening1 camp around a fire all night1 and be ready to begin work in the morning4 ,after supper that evening ,willis had a long chat with his mother1 and talked over with her all the things that had been disturbing him in regard to his uncle's recent actions4 ,i think you must surely be mistaken1 she said4 ,what object could he have in doing such things4 ,you must remember that you have a very vivid imagination1 and you must watch it4 ,no1 mother1 it is not imagination1 for this is how ,i know this time3 ,didn't you see how red and nervous he got when ,i told him what ,mr4 ,pembroke had agreed to do4 ,right after supper he left for down town without a word4 ,i don't know what it is1 but there is some fact relative to father's death that he has never told us4 ,if we could only find ,tad1 ,i'm sure he could help us out4 ,i'm going to find father's mine1 though1 and it's not so very far from that cabin1 either4 ,mother1 isn't it wonderful that we are going to have the very old house that father built so long ago8 ,after ,i find the mine1 ,i'll find out about its worth2 but it can't be worth so very much or ,tad would never have left it4 ,if the tunnel is still locked up like you said ,tad wrote it was1 why1 we can't get into it4 ,it belongs to ,tad4 ,perhaps it will never be opened4 ,mother1 some day when you have a chance1 talk with ,uncle ,joe and see what you can find out4 ,father might have left keys and information concerning the mine with him4 ,no1 son1 he wouldn't have keys1 because it was ,tad that locked up the tunnel4 ,it is ,tad that has the keys4 ,but listen1 don't worry over it a bit or build any false hopes on it4 ,school will open in a week1 and ,i want you to take advantage of all it can give you4 ,we'll be here until ,christmas1 anyway1 ,i think1 unless ,aunt ,lucy should slip away before that time4 ,i wonder what uncle would say to me if ,i asked him about ,tad when he comes home tonight4 ,i think that's what ,i'll do4 ,about nine o'clock he heard the heavy footsteps of his uncle on the veranda1 and in another moment heard him in the hall4 ,after hanging up his hat and coat1 he came into the library1 picked up the ,evening ,telegraph1 and began to read1 entirely ignoring ,willis4 ,after they had sat thus silently for some minutes1 ,willis spoke3 ,uncle1 did you ever know a man named ,tad ,kieser1 who was a great friend of my father's8 ,the man moved uneasily in his chair1 but1 without looking up from his paper1 he inquired of the boy what he knew of ,tad ,kieser4 ,not much1 to be sure1 returned the boy1 half sadly1 only what mother has told me about him2 but ,i'd like to know more4 ,i think he must have been a very interesting old character1 wasn't he8 ,an old devil and a cut-throat1 retorted ,mr4 ,williams4 ,you couldn't count on him to be square even to his own mother4 ,a sly old fox always on the hunt4 ,that's very strange1 replied ,willis4 ,he surely was not that sort of a man or my father never would have chosen him for a partner4 ,you surely must be mistaken4 ,your father didn't have enough dealings with him to find him out2 that was all4 ,i know him4 ,tell me about some of the awful deeds he has committed if he is such a fox1 questioned ,willis4 ,i've always thought him absolutely square4 ,i've heard he was the finest man in these mountains1 years ago4 ,who told you any such rot8 ,i have enough circumstantial evidence against him to put him behind the bars right now1 growled the uncle4 ,evidence along what lines1 ,uncle8 persisted ,willis4 ,blackmail6 snorted ,williams4 ,what difference does it make to you1 anyway8 ,he would be a capital fellow to join in on such an absurdly foolish scheme as you are just about to pull off at the ,y4,m4,c4,a4 now4 ,going into somebody else's property and absorbing its benefits to yourselves4 ,that's his scheme exactly4 ,he watches my mining claims like a hawk1 and if my assessments should be a day late he'd jump my claims4 ,he hates me4 ,what did you ever do to make him hate you8 innocently inquired ,willis4 ,again ,mr4 ,williams ignored the question and went on3 ,he'd just love to work on that old cabin again4 ,i should think that cabin would interest him1 calmly replied ,willis4 ,i only wish he was here to join us1 for ,i'd rather know him than any man ,i can think of just now4 ,a man who builds a house ought to know how best to build onto it1 hadn't he8 ,personally1 ,i think he must have been a very clever old miner and as true as steel4 ,yes1 true to his own interests4 ,it takes two to make a fight1 though1 doesn't it8 ,by the way1 ,uncle1 why did you let that sapheaded ,englishman jump your claim last week8 ,i should think you'd hate him for such tricks as you do ,tad8 ,willis eyed his uncle closely1 then in a half undertone he casually remarked1 ,anyway1 ,i think a whole lot of this mining business is mighty crooked business4 ,then again to his uncle1 ,is ,tad still around in the mountains somewhere1 ,uncle8 ,mr4 ,williams smiled in a preoccupied way and said1 ,yes and no4 ,i don't understand8 questioned ,willis4 ,there was no reply4 ,soon the man laid down his paper and left the room4 ,well1 ,i'll be jiggered1 said ,willis half-aloud4 ,what can he have against the man who was my father's partner8 ,i don't know1 but ,i'll find out4 ,he closed his book with a slam and went off to bed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the last ,friday night of the summer vacation saw a large group of husky high school boys board the car en route to the cabin4 ,all were equipped with blanket rolls1 and several carried picks1 shovels1 and other tools1 for to-morrow real work on the cabin was to begin4 ,it seemed that the coloring of the leaves had given everything their delicate tint4 ,the squirrels were already gathering stray acorns that ,mother ,nature had dropped for them4 ,the little canyon lay in perfect quiet1 except for the chattering of the line of boys stretched out along its leafy woodland trail4 ,the whole physical body seemed to respond in a mysterious way to its every call1 for ,in the city we live1 but in the mountains we live more abundantly4 ,by eleven o'clock the party sat around a half-dozen blazing campfires1 munching at a midnight lunch and speculating on various phases of the work4 ,ham was keeping the fellows around one fire laughing over his remarks2 ,fat was giving expression to his views on camp grub and food in general4 ,mr4 ,dean entertained another group by his stories of army life1 while ,mr4 ,allen and a number of the boys' ,cabinet were laying out a plan of work for the morrow4 ,shorty ,wier advised work on the fireplace first1 because1 as he pointed out1 the fireplace would be the cabin's heart4 ,it might have fine decorations and new rooms1 a well-stocked pantry and new furniture1 yet what would all these be to a dead thing8 ,the fireplace would be the spot around which all the cabin life would congregate--around which every strange experience would be put into words4 ,yes1 ,i'll help cut the logs and pack in the lumber and build the furniture1 but first of all let me see the rugged stone chimney with a fire quietly burning on a great1 wide1 friendly hearth to cheer me as ,i work4 ,you are right1 ,shorty1 cried ,willis4 ,i'm with you1 for when the old fireplace is built1 and the wind is whistling down the canyon1 bringing messages of snow1 we'll forget everything outside and just be happy toasting before a great log fire4 ,and so the night slipped along4 ,after a while they began to drowse1 until one by one the little groups became quiet and fell asleep4 ,only the glowing1 flickering pine knots stayed awake to watch the tired sleepers4 ,the first streak of dawn found the fellows up and eager for work2 besides1 there was so much to see and learn before the day's work was begun4 ,the remains of the midnight lunches were drawn out of their hiding places and eagerly devoured4 ,the fragrant smell of broiling bacon and the delicious aroma of campfire coffee filled the air4 ,the pine-scented smoke from the campfire hung low in the valley1 and every sound carried plainly in the morning air4 ,the squirrels were out in great numbers and at their morning play1 while every now and then the harsh1 rasping cry of a bewildered bluejay would float up the canyon4 ,the stone crew were strung out in skirmish order across the front of the high ridge and were rolling down every loose stone4 ,some came with a merry hop1 skip1 and jump2 others with a shower of gravel and a crash as they struck the bottom4 ,one great stone leaped into the top of a spruce tree and stuck fast4 ,another jumped over the great boulder at the base of the hill and rattled into the open door of the cabin4 ,still another dashed in mad frenzy down the slope1 through the alders and into the stream1 throwing spray in every direction4 ,so the pile steadily grew4 ,in the afternoon the cabin was cleaned out and a part of the back porch demolished1 ready for the new addition4 ,it had been decided to build a room eight by twenty-eight feet1 and in it lay one great balsam-bough mattress4 ,under ,ham's direction the aerial bunk was begun1 and it very soon showed signs of being built by a master builder4 ,it was what might be termed rustic1 as ,ham said4 ,logs from the woodpile were substituted for the rotting ones in the floor of the bridge4 ,a great pile of brush1 twigs1 and trash were set afire and destroyed4 ,so the day slipped away--all too quickly4 ,four o'clock found a group of royal good fellows again on the trail--that trail that was soon to become so dear to every one of them4 ,their muscles were tired with unselfish work1 and their minds and hearts were full of the joy of living4 ,there was already something of the great social bond that was later to tie their lives together for all time with a cord of pleasant memories4 ,ham had fastened his blanket to a nail away up in the topmost rafter of the cabin1 and here he left it for another time4 ,where your blanket is1 there will your heart be also1 sometimes1 he quoted as they took the trail that led down out of the wilderness4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,the ,discovery of the ,mine ,two weeks later another crowd was organized to do a day's work on the cabin1 and it seemed every boy in the ,department wanted to go4 ,unless you feel as husky as a steam elevator1 you better stay home1 was ,ham's advice to one small boy1 for ,ham had been chairman of the committee that had been so busy since the last trip1 purchasing all manner of supplies1 equipment1 and building material for the cabin1 all of which would have to be packed over from ,fairview on donkeys1 and there was nearly a carload of it4 ,ham was under the impression that the donkeys would fall dead when they saw the pile of junk1 and that every single fellow in the crowd would have to wiggle his ears1 bray once or twice1 and get busy1 if the cabin ever became the possessor of the new equipment4 ,twenty fellows besides the ,chief and ,mr4 ,dean were on hand at the appointed time4 ,at the mouth of the canyon two very faithful old donkeys1 that had years before belonged to a prospector1 were rented for the trip4 ,under their former master they had been trained to carry heavy loads of ore from the little mine far back in the mountains out to the city1 and to return again heavily laden with the provisions for another winter in camp4 ,they had learned their lessons well1 so were perfectly trustworthy4 ,peanuts was the oldest1 and therefore came in for the most consideration and the lightest load4 ,as he raised his tired1 patient old head1 his long gray ears pointed forward at the sight of the pack saddles4 ,one glance and he was satisfied4 ,he perfectly understood what was coming1 and visions of the long1 zigzag paths through shaded valleys all fresh from the summer showers flashed through his brain4 ,peanuts loved the trail1 the deep1 long1 grassy trail1 that crept along close to the little stream1 then up and up into the great ,silent ,places4 ,tradition told that ,peanuts had been the first donkey to carry a pack up ,pike's ,peak1 as well as the first to bring real high grade out of the ,cripple ,creek2 but of course tradition might have been mistaken4 ,at any rate1 ,peanuts was a gentle1 slow1 patient toiler of the trail1 and it was largely due to his good judgment that the cabin was ever equipped4 ,many were the trips he made after that first journey4 ,there were summer trips in the hot sun of ,july days2 autumn trips in the cool1 sweet-scented evenings when the mountain twilight lingers on the treetops and the rocky crests4 ,there were trips in the winter when the trail was hidden underneath heavy blankets of snow or lost in the deep white drifts4 ,once he had gone in beyond his depth and had settled down and down into the fluffy snow until just his head and big ears were visible above the snowbank4 ,his companion1 ,tuberculosis1 was a little different type of beast4 ,his legs were long and his spirits high4 ,he was in the prime of life and was not as trustworthy as his partner4 ,certainly ,tuberculosis had his idiosyncrasies1 and that fact often spelled trouble for both himself and his masters4 ,now1 ,peanuts had learned that his driver was always boss1 and acted accordingly2 but not so with ,tuberculosis4 ,he believed that his own judgment in certain matters of conduct was best4 ,for instance1 it was absolutely against his principles to ever cross a stream1 no matter how well it was bridged or how insignificant its size4 ,yet1 after many experiences1 seasoned with a little strenuous persuasion from the end of an alder limb1 he began slowly to change his views4 ,however1 he positively had no use for burned stumps1 and when it came to passing a campfire1 ,tuberculosis absolutely declined4 ,there was just one thing that both donkeys very firmly believed1 and that was that each was to lead and the other follow when on the trail4 ,this was the only point upon which they really ever quarreled1 and most every time ,peanuts1 because of his mature judgment and statesmanship1 won out4 ,when the pack saddles were on1 and the pack bags of food adjusted on either side1 the blanket rolls piled high on top1 they were ready to begin the journey1 ,donkeys are a good deal like some men1 observed ,ham as the little column came to the base of the hogsback1 they always have to travel by freight4 ,how is that8 questioned ,willis1 who had appointed himself guardian to ,peanuts and was just ahead of ,ham4 ,why1 because they can't express themselves1 was the reply4 ,not verbally1 perhaps1 suggested ,fat1 but they do have a signal code1 of which their hind legs are the main features4 ,i've had them signal at me more than once4 ,and if you ever receive the completed message1 added ,ham1 it usually says1 ',six weeks in the hospital4' ,at the top of the hogsback the party separated into two groups4 ,the one under ,mr4 ,allen continued on up the trail with the two donkeys1 while the other1 under ,mr4 ,dean1 took the railroad1 walking around by ,fairview1 to see if their equipment had arrived4 ,it was decided the boys would sleep around a rousing fire rather than on the cold floor of the cabin4 ,the shakedown was too dry to be comfortable1 and ,ham's aerial bunk had not yet been completed4 ,they therefore chose a spot for the night's camp across the stream from the cabin on a piece of high level ground covered with a thick brown carpet of pine needles4 ,very soon a bright fire was burning and the night's wood gathered4 ,from the bulging packsacks a real camp supper was gotten under way4 ,every fellow cooked his own piece of meat and baked his potato in the coals1 while ,mr4 ,allen made the coffee and opened the cans of beans4 ,each fellow fashioned himself a spoon from a dry stick1 and the new cabin tincups were initiated into service4 ,ham1 who had had some previous experience with donkeys1 warned everybody to be sure to save all the scraps1 for beans1 rye bread1 or beefsteak were all dainties to the faithful animals4 ,one of the fellows had brought his mouth-organ1 and under his leadership they sang every song from ,my ,bonnie ,lies ,over the ,ocean to ,nearer1 ,my ,god1 to ,thee4 ,when the fire had had time to work its wonders on the hearts and spirits of the campers1 ,mr4 ,allen suggested a few stories4 ,of course1 he just voiced what was in the minds of many others1 for who ever heard of a campfire1 a grand night1 a happy crowd1 and no stories8 ,such a situation was inconceivable4 ,every fellow looked forward to the campfire because of the stories1 and remembered the stories because of the campfire4 ,they were inseparable4 ,mr4 ,dean opened the program4 ,one story suggested another1 and that one another1 until nearly every one in the circle had told a story except ,ham4 ,willis told ,indian legends of the great ,kankakee ,swamp and of the disappearance of the ,pottawattomie ,indians4 ,another told of a wonderful trip through ,yellowstone ,park2 another of a deer hunt in ,routt ,county2 and still another of a mountain goat expedition in the ,canadian ,rockies4 ,all the while ,ham lay flat on his back1 shading his face from the fire with his hands1 and looking up at the stars4 ,he was reveling in the spirit of the fire and of the night4 ,what are you dreaming about1 ,ham8 called ,willis from the other side of the fire1 to which ,ham made no reply4 ,what's on your mind8 asked ,fat1 as he rolled over1 facing ,ham1 and punched him in the ribs4 ,nothing special1 drawled ,ham as he rose to a sitting position and drew his legs up under him4 ,i've just been listening4 ,your stories have been the words to the music that is in the air to-night4 ,i love to lie still before a fire and listen to its music4 ,i never realized before how many out-of-door noises are liberated when a pile of dry sticks are burned4 ,that old fire has just been singing all the imprisoned songs of the forest wild to-night1 and giving out again in its little flames a hundred thousand tons of absorbed sunshine4 ,ham1 let's have the ,pike's ,peak story1 urged ,mr4 ,dean2 but ,ham only laughed4 ,yes1 let's do1 begged ,willis4 ,what's the ,pike's ,peak story8 inquired ,sleepy from his place against an old stump4 ,well1 if every one of you fellows will promise to never mention it again to me1 said ,ham hesitatingly2 but ,i'm not going to tell you all the details--just the plot--remember that6 ,he settled himself comfortably and began3 ,the three of us had been in the habit of taking long ,sunday afternoon tramps in the mountains1 but because of the cold weather we had been pretty well shut in all winter4 ,the snowfall for the season had been heavy and the cold1 especially in the mountains1 had been intense4 ,it was the eighth of ,march1 ,i think1 and the very first signs of spring had just put in their appearance4 ,we decided that we would walk to the ,half-,way ,house on the ,cog ,road1 or at least as far as we could4 ,we didn't know how much snow there was1 or where it began1 but we were all feeling good and anxious for another real hike4 ,we were all three dressed in our ,sunday clothes1 and ,i was the proud possessor of a new spring suit and a pair of low shoes4 ,it was about three o'clock in the afternoon when we started up the track from ,manitou2 by five o'clock we reached the ,half-,way ,house1 and much to our surprise found the keeper there4 ,we had encountered very little or no snow that far on the track1 and1 as the days were getting longer1 we knew we had two good hours yet before dark4 ,we inquired of the inn keeper how far the track was open1 and he informed us that it was clear as far as ,windy ,point1 that there the great ice sheets began4 ,there is always more snow on the great south shoulder of the ,peak than anywhere else4 ,you remember ,son-of-a-,gun ,hill8 ,well1 we decided that we would push on to the top of ,son-of-a-,gun1 then come back4 ,we left the ,half-,way ,house and started up the track4 ,the walking was fine on that flat stretch just after you leave the inn1 and we covered space very rapidly4 ,at the bottom of the great hill1 in a grove of young aspens1 we stopped and cut us some walking sticks4 ,if it had been summer1 and the snow and ice gone1 we would probably have noticed that there was a terrible storm gathering in the valley back of ,cameron's ,cone2 but with the range all white and dreary we did not notice it4 ,you fellows who have lived here near the mountain know that a storm often rises up there as if by magic4 ,they come so quickly you often wonder where they came from4 ,of course1 being directly in the shadow of ,pike's ,peak1 the sun went down very early1 and our twilight was not as long as we anticipated4 ,i was the first to notice the cold breeze that had sprung up1 and ,i remarked about it2 but we were walking fast and were really too much interested in reaching the edge of the snow to pay much attention to anything4 ,suddenly it grew dark and the wind increased4 ,in less than ten minutes we were in the midst of a howling mountain blizzard and the snow was being driven before the wind at a terrific speed4 ,john suggested turning back1 but ,al and ,i were for pushing on1 thinking it was just a squall1 and1 as it seemed to be headed straight down the canyon1 we thought we would soon get above it4 ,john insisted that we were crazy1 but we made all manner of fun of him1 so on we went4 ',fools rush in where angels fear to tread1' sometimes4 ,that is just what we did4 ,we walked on in silence as fast as we could for half an hour4 ,then we stopped and held a parley4 ,we suddenly awoke from our little dream of foolishness and began to realize that instead of getting out of that storm1 we had gotten into it4 ,up there on that great mountain side we could not see ten feet in any direction4 ,above us and around us was a raging sea of frozen pellets4 ,the snow was drifting along the track1 and in some places it was already completely hidden4 ,night was coming1 and there was no shelter from the swirling winds4 ,in number of miles we were a good deal nearer the summit of the ,peak than we were home1 and somewhere ahead of us was the old printing station4 ,we would make for it and its shelter--it would be foolish to expose ourselves to the storm by returning in the open valley4 ,then1 too1 we might lose our way and slip into the canyon below4 ,we fought on bravely in the dark until finally the wind went down a little and the snow grew soft and wet4 ,our shoes were wet through and our bodies completely chilled1 yet we could not find the printing station4 ,had we passed it1 or was it still ahead4 ,we differed in our opinions4 ,finally the snow ceased1 and we could see about us a little by the reflected light4 ,we spied a few straggly trees and made for them1 for we were just at timber line4 ,we found a great tree that had blown over1 and1 breaking limbs from its prostrate trunk1 we built a large fire and sat on the log to dry our feet4 ,we were now very keenly alive to our situation1 and knew it was becoming serious4 ,we suddenly realized that our only safety depended on the locating of that old printing station4 ,our shoes were so wet and our feet so cold that the leather burned before we knew it2 but1 as a real matter of fact1 we didn't realize how badly they were burned until an hour later1 when the shoes began to crack away in bits and the uppers to rip open along the seams4 ,we reached the great snowbanks4 ,the track and roadbed was buried deep4 ,the last straggling trees were far behind4 ,we stood on a great white waste of snow1 thirty feet in depth1 not a landmark to be seen4 ,if the station was ahead1 it was buried2 if it was behind1 we had missed it4 ,with that realization our spirits fell1 for to turn back now meant certain death4 ,then1 to add to our danger1 it had begun to turn fearfully cold--that kind of a clear1 steady cold that comes only in the mountains1 when the thermometer drops twenty-five degrees below zero and the air cuts like a knife1 while your nostrils freeze together when you breathe4 ,at the fire we had tied handkerchiefs over our ears and tied strings around our trouser legs to keep the wind and snow out4 ,every little while we sat down and pounded our feet with our walking sticks to keep up the circulation4 ,at last we came to about two feet of a telephone pole sticking up through the snowbank4 ,we knew then that we were off the road and were high up on the mountain4 ,luckily for us1 the snowbanks were so heavily crusted that they held us up without breaking through4 ,john suggested a plan3 ,we would follow the post ends to the ,summit ,house2 in that way we could not get lost4 ,two of us would stop at the tip of one post1 while the other1 usually ,john1 would push on to find the next one4 ,when it was located he would call and we would go to him4 ,just how long we traveled in that manner ,i do not know4 ,it seemed days1 but1 of course1 it was only a brief time4 ,often ,i was positive that the posts were at least a half a mile apart4 ,my shoes were so badly cracked at the seams that my feet grew very numb with the cold1 and before long ,i knew ,i was freezing4 ,time and again we thought we heard something coming over the snow behind us4 ,the air was clear as a bell1 and1 as we pushed on1 this sound frightened us more and more4 ,our imaginations began to play strange pranks4 ,i remember that ,i was too frightened to even move1 so sometimes ,i would just stand shivering and listening4 ,we hardly spoke a word4 ,by and by the time came when ,i was too cold to leave my post for the next one4 ,i just put my arms about it and begged the fellows not to wait for me1 but to go on and save themselves2 to dig a hole in the snow and leave me in it4 ,but ,john1 dear old ,john1 refused and1 putting his arm about me1 he dragged me on and on4 ,he tried to make me angry by striking me1 and warned me not to go to sleep or ,i would freeze4 ,but ,i told him ,i must sleep1 for my feet and legs were numb and my arms and shoulders ached with sharp pains2 then ,i cried like a baby4 ,soon ,al began to play out also1 and ,john plead with him not to give up4 ,al took me by one arm and ,john the other1 and together they fairly dragged me over the snow4 ,when we least expected it1 we stumbled over the steps that led to the ,summit ,house4 ,in a few moments we were at the door1 but ,i was helpless4 ,the summit was completely buried1 except at one end1 where the wind had kept it clear4 ,john hastily examined the windows1 only to find that every opening was securely covered with an iron shutter4 ,we were lost6 ,i heard ,john muttering to himself2 then he slipped his fingers under the bottom of the shutter1 braced his feet1 and pulled with a superhuman strength--the strength of a last hope4 ,with a creak the shutter gave at its fastenings1 then bent in the middle1 and slipped out4 ,he then knocked out the double window with his elbow and soon had me inside4 ,we found candles in a jar1 and there was a great wood stove in the room1 but no fuel4 ,he didn't hesitate1 but went to the counter1 removed the shelves from it1 and1 with a meat cleaver which lay on the table1 he cut the shelves1 and we soon had a fire4 ,we heard sounds outside1 and realized that the something we had heard behind us on the snow was at the window4 ,we were conscious of a presence without being able to see it4 ,john went to the broken window and looked out1 but he could see nothing4 ,soon we heard stealthy steps back and forth on the flat roof above4 ,he barricaded the window1 brought snow on the end of a board1 and rubbed my face1 feet1 and legs with it1 then wrapped me in tablecloths which he found in the cupboard4 ,several times he brought a great armful of shelves from the storeroom and cut them up for the stove4 ,as soon as the fire was started1 ,al lay down on the floor and fell into a heavy sleep4 ,we could not waken him1 and it frightened us badly4 ,john began to cry1 and ,i think if it had not been for the constant pacing back and forth of the strange animal on the roof we would all have given up4 ,soon the first streaks of dawn began to show themselves1 and with the light the pacing on the roof stopped4 ,john climbed up the tower steps and peered out just in time to see the animal jump from the roof and disappear4 ,the house was fairly overrun with rats that scampered in every direction4 ,i thought ,i had seen rats1 mountain rats1 but ,i had never seen any like those4 ,they were so bold we were afraid to sleep1 for they were large enough to be dangerous4 ,when ,al awoke he was very sick and weak4 ,john found a big tin box in the kitchen1 and in it were coffee1 grapenuts1 and the remains of a ham4 ,he melted snow for water1 and got us a little breakfast4 ,we were three pretty serious fellows1 for we knew only too well how the folks at home would be worrying about us and how near we had come to freezing to death on that great mountain of snow and ice4 ,after we had had breakfast1 we made us crude snowshoes from the ends of grocery boxes1 which we fastened to our feet with strings4 ,our shoes became hard when they dried1 and it was only after painful effort that we got them on at all4 ,we took the piece of ham1 cooked the grease from it1 and with this oiled our shoes as best we could4 ,traveling was very slow1 for we were weak and sick1 so it was nearly evening before we reached ,manitou4 ,there we met several rescue parties just starting to find us4 ,i can shut my eyes and see them now4 ,some carried blankets and some food4 ,mr4 ,allen had a big red sweater on his arm and a coil of heavy rope hung from his shoulder4 ,old ,ben was there1 too1 for they had sent word to him at ,bruin ,inn1 inquiring if we were there1 and when he found out we were lost he insisted on joining the rescue party4 ,in fact1 it was he that suggested that we had probably gone up ,pike's ,peak4 ,ben and ,i have always been great friends ever since4 ,we held out some way till we reached home1 then we all three gave up4 ,o1 the awful sickness that followed and the pain of frozen feet6 ,i was in bed nearly a month1 and every time ,i slept ,i dreamed of that awful night4 ,i came very near slipping off this earth then4 ,of course the newspapers made fools of us and all the fellows teased us nearly beyond endurance4 ,it was only a few weeks later that an immense mountain lion was shot near the cabin on the carriage road4 ,there you are1 you have my story1 now let's forget it4 ,not a fellow moved4 ,they all sat looking intently into the dying fire4 ,after a few minutes ,mr4 ,allen suggested a sleep1 and before long the camp was quiet1 each camper wrapped in his blanket and stretched full length on the ground4 99 99 99 99 99 ,very early the next morning the transportation of equipment was begun4 ,the entire party went over to ,fairview to bring the first load of tin dishes1 plates1 cups1 knives1 forks and spoons1 kettles1 pots1 frying-pans1 sugar cans--and so the list went on4 ,the old shelves were removed from the blind end of the cabin and placed near the window in the other end4 ,these were to serve as pantry shelves in the kitchen corner4 ,after breakfast was over one group returned to the car for another load1 while ,ham1 with a helper1 pushed forward the construction of the aerial bunk4 ,the queer old shakedown was torn to pieces and the poles used for ,ham's bed1 the rest of it was shoved out of the back door and set afire4 ,on this load the stove came1 two fellows supporting it on the pack-saddle of old ,peanuts4 ,it was set up near the window and a work table built at the end of it4 ,another set of shelves was made for the pantry1 and soon all was in readiness at that end of the house4 ,the old grub box was converted into a bread box1 and the little old stove was set back in an out-of-the-way corner4 ,it was1 indeed1 the passing of the old to give place to the new4 ,tuberculosis seemed to enter completely into the spirit of the new1 for he had walked calmly back and forth over the shaky old bridge which crossed the stream with load after load of shingles and sacks of cement and a thousand other things that were to have a place in the cabin4 ,there were windows and a heavy pine door for the new room4 ,there were axes and saws and hammers4 ,there were buckets and lanterns and iron bars to put over the windows1 and stove-pipe for the kitchen stove4 ,then1 too1 there was a grand old crane for the fireplace and the frame for a wire screen to keep the flying brands on the hearth4 ,not a thing that would be needed had been forgotten4 ,it was a weary crowd of fellows that came slowly along the trail at noon with the last load of boards1 hung on the sides of ,peanuts' saddle1 the nails and hardware1 packed in heavy canvas bags1 loaded on ,tuberculosis4 ,the aerial bunk was all completed before dinner time1 except thatching it with balsam boughs1 and all hands would help at that after the noon meal4 ,mr4 ,allen prepared the meal1 and it was a real camp dinner4 ,could fellows ever have been so hungry before8 ,in the afternoon the rest of the old back veranda was demolished and cleared away4 ,a large number of great1 tall aspens1 the choice of the grove1 were cut1 trimmed1 and dragged in1 in readiness for the new structure4 ,it seemed that all the jays for miles around and all the squirrels in the valley came to investigate when they heard the crashing of the big trees and the merry sound of the axes4 ,great piles of balsam boughs were dragged down from the mountain side opposite the cabin4 ,these were carefully trimmed before they were handed up to ,ham1 who was in the bunk doing the thatching4 ,the early afternoon saw the completion of the fine1 big bed--big enough for five people2 and as the fellows became too tired to work1 the bunk became more and more popular4 ,every one was anxious to try it4 ,a heavy hasp was spiked to its place1 and the cabin was put under lock and key for the first time4 ,they had really taken possession of it--it was theirs4 ,it beats the ,dutch how much that yard of stovepipe sticking out there adds to her looks1 observed ,mr4 ,dean when the stove had been set up4 ,it isn't the stovepipe so much1 replied ,chuck1 as it is the smoke coming out of it4 ,what pipe are you talking about8 inquired ,sleepy as he dropped down out of the new bunk to inspect the work the others had been doing since noon4 ,who's smoking a pipe8 he persisted1 not understanding the conversation4 ,the cabin1 tersely remarked ,chuck4 ,but it has to get warm before it can smoke1 and it has to work before it can get warm4 ,the cabin might teach you a lesson4 ,later in the afternoon there was a great commotion a little distance up the trail1 and ,mr4 ,allen hastened to investigate the shouting and sounds of chopping4 ,to his great disgust he found ,sleepy dealing heavy blows to an old pine tree with an ax while the perspiration was running down his face4 ,he was prancing about in great excitement4 ,what on earth8 questioned ,mr4 ,allen4 ,i'm trying to get a squirrel4 ,i saw him up in this tree just a moment ago1 cried ,sleepy4 ,is that all you can find to do to use up your energy8 asked ,mr4 ,allen dryly4 ,sleepy looked at him sheepishly1 then hung his head and slowly returned to the cabin1 brought a pail of water from the stream1 then crawled up into the bunk1 out of sight4 ,by the time things were straightened around in the cabin so that the mason could build the fireplace it was time to be starting home1 but every one was too tired from the day's work4 ,they decided they would rest in the cool shade for an hour before beginning the tramp down4 ,it would then be twilight4 ,willis took this occasion to do a little exploring on his own account4 ,he had worked faithfully all day and was very tired1 but he did so want to find his father's mine before he went home this time4 ,he slipped away unobserved and took the lower trail1 which followed up to the remains of the second bridge1 then climbed to the tumbled-down cabin they had found the first day4 ,here he took the trail that led far up into the timber4 ,finally he saw far up above him what appeared to be an old mine dump4 ,quickly he clambered up over rocks and rotting logs toward it1 and in a few moments he stood on the dump itself1 which was of hard black stone1 with the exception of just a little quartz4 ,he was sure it was the same kind of stone he had seen on the old mantle at his grandfather's4 ,the quartz was apparently the last stone dumped4 ,at one side stood an old mine shaft1 perhaps fifty feet deep1 with an ancient hand-made windlass still at the top4 ,then just to one side and entering the mountain was a great log door1 put together with bolts4 ,the lock was a strong powder-house lock1 made of heavy brass4 ,the place gave no appearance of having seen a man in many years4 ,the hinges and hasp on the great door were heavily corroded1 and an old metal wheelbarrow lay on the dump1 rusted red4 ,a tin sign fastened to a tree at the side of the tunnel had become a target for expert gunners4 ,willis tried the door1 but could not force it a particle4 ,turning1 he stood looking off into the canyon toward ,cheyenne4 ,so this is the spot1 he mused2 and it has never been touched in these ten years4 ,poor old daddy1 poor old daddy6 ,he leaned heavily against the log door1 and his thoughts came thick and fast1 only to conclude1 as they always did1 with1 ,where is ,tad ,kieser and why does my uncle try to keep me away from this spot8 ,he was standing where his father had stood many times1 and the boy seemed to be very conscious of his presence just then4 ,he wondered if1 perhaps1 there had not been something of just love for the place itself1 as well as for the gold1 which had drawn his father there so irresistibly4 ,such a spot for a long1 quiet visit with one's self6 ,below him the stream and the little cabin2 to one side1 and a little farther up1 the beautiful falls1 with ,cookstove in the background2 to the other side the park1 all resplendent in yellow leaves1 with here and there a tall pine standing like a green island in a sea of gently-moving gold4 ,far away over the ridge was the blue outline of ,cheyenne with its stage road creeping round the base4 ,he sat down to rest and to think4 ,he was suddenly awakened from his dream by seeing ,mr4 ,allen closing and locking the cabin door below him4 ,he rose and hastened down the trail4 ,in a few moments he had joined the party1 but he kept silent about where he had been and what he had seen4 ,you'll have to let me in the cabin a moment1 ,mr4 ,allen1 he called2 ,i left my coat up in the bunk--,i forgot it4 ,the door was unlocked and ,willis entered1 hastily climbing the little ladder up the side of the wall to the bunk4 ,it was dark in the cabin1 for the sun had set4 ,as he stepped into the bunk he touched something1 then jumped back with an exclamation4 ,sleepy raised up on his elbow and looked about him4 ,in a terror-stricken voice he called out1 ,who are you8 ,willis laughed so heartily that the fellows came hurrying into the cabin to see what occasioned it4 ,then followed a great deal of fun at ,sleepy's expense4 ,sleepy only hung his head and tried to act as if his feelings had been badly hurt4 ,dirty trick1 after a fellow's worked hard all day1 to go and lock him in and start for home without him4 ,i'd have starved in there1 ,i suppose1 he said gloomily1 and no one would have cared4 ,i suppose you would1 laughed ,ham1 for you would be too lazy to cook you a meal after you found the food4 ,we'll have to keep guard all the way home on ,sleepy1 fellows1 or he'll fall into some ravine and go to sleep4 ,he worked so hard to-day1 poor boy4 ,i never did believe in this child labor business1 anyway4 ,the fellows took turn about riding the donkeys home1 and a unique experience it was1 for pack saddles are not the most comfortable seats in the world1 especially for a tired boy4 ,ham gave practical demonstration until the others caught on1 then he walked4 ,they were all too tired to chat much1 so just jogged along homeward1 happy that another day's work was done on the cabin4 ,a few more like this trip and we will be ready to entertain1 called ,mr4 ,dean4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,sleepy ,smith has an ,experience ,two weeks later another trip was made to the now-beloved cabin1 but the party was small and1 because of the lack of leadership1 the amount of constructive work done was not great4 ,enough logs were cut and dragged in to complete the addition1 a new layer of fragrant boughs added to the aerial bunk1 and the dam improved and strengthened4 ,the rest of the day was spent in hunting squirrels and chipmunks and in investigating the immense valley above ,st4 ,mary's ,falls4 ,school was keeping the fellows very busy1 and because the fall social life had begun the young men found spare time very scarce4 ,the autumn activities in the ,boys' ,department were also in full swing1 demanding their share of time and attention4 ,the standing committee for the coming circus were already appointed1 and were scratching their heads for new and novel stunts4 ,the ,o4,f4,f4 were to present the afterconcert1 and ,fat was busy on the program4 ,the fall gymnasium was being entered into with great zest1 and already there had been a call for basket ball4 ,the ,bible study groups were getting together for the winter1 the new ,cabinet had been elected1 so that1 someway1 there was not a great deal of time left for the cabin4 ,mr4 ,allen and a few picked fellows had made a trip the week before1 primarily to take up a supply of food for the mason and his helper1 and had gotten the entire frame of the addition up1 ready to roof and shingle4 ,the next week another small group went up to roof the addition and close it in so as to keep out the snow1 if1 perchance1 it might come before they were able to finish the improvements4 ,they found the fireplace completed1 crude but artistic1 of jagged boulders with an immense cement hearth4 ,the iron crane had been built in1 and now hung lazily in the big fire-box4 ,next came the cutting of the aspen poles for the floor of the addition4 ,they had hoped to get at least one layer of boughs on the great bed so that the next time a larger crowd could be accommodated1 but the long autumn shadows warned them that twilight was approaching long before they started it1 so consequently they had to go back without seeing that task accomplished4 ,the curtains had been put on the windows1 white oilcloth had been tacked on the board tables1 and a mirror1 if you please1 was hung over the tin wash basin just inside the door4 ,hooks made of crooked branches were fastened upon the logs on which to hang coats and haversacks4 ,the place had really undergone a genuine transformation4 ,well1 said ,ham1 as he took a long drink from the bucket of fresh water that stood on the kitchen table1 that's the best water that ever flowed down a mountain side4 ,there's life and health in every shining drop of it4 ,to tell you the real truth1 fellows1 ,i'm beginning to feel mightily at home here in this little shack4 ,shack6 that doesn't sound right1 though1 does it8 ,what are we going to call this place1 anyway1 ,mr4 ,allen8 ,y4,m4,c4,a4 ,cabin is no good4 ,it sounds too civilized4 ,now1 does that old fireplace look civilized8 ,and that iron crane1 and those twisted rustic seats in the corner1 and that bed out there big enough to accommodate twenty fellows8 ,it reminds me of a home the old ,vikings must have had long ago1 way up in the great pine woods of ,northern ,europe4 ,someway1 it has a look of health and strength about it that ,i like4 ,don't you see the smile on that old fire-box8 ,can't you hear the happy peasant children gathered there on that hearth singing their woodland songs and drinking their mugs of warm soup8 ,then1 over yonder1 all stretched out1 his head to the fire1 lies a great1 gaunt dog1 tired from the chase4 ,then the tap1 tap on the wooden floor of the old woman's cane as she hobbles about the cabin4 ,can't you smell the bear haunch that's roasting there on that long spit before the fire8 ,don't you hear the merry music of the ax1 just outside the door1 as brawny arms swing it1 cutting the great backlog for the long night8 ,civilized8 ,yes1 in a way1 but not in our way1 is it8 ,but what are we going to call this cabin8 ,willis had slipped out a few minutes before and had wandered up the canyon to the last point from which the cabin could be seen4 ,there he stopped and turned to survey the valley4 ,the air was clear and cool and was completely filled with the fragrant murmuring of the pines4 ,far down in a vista of shifting lights and shadows stood the cabin4 ,the next week brought the first signs of the approaching winter4 ,the warm fall rains gave way to cold showers4 ,the leaves fell in countless millions1 and the voices of the feathered folk seemed to have blown away with the autumn leaves4 ,heavy white mists hung over the mountains1 lifting occasionally to show curious eyes that the lofty summits were already being painted white4 ,the grass lost its fresh1 green color1 and the wild purple asters dropped their lovely heads and slept4 ,the first real snow came in the night4 ,the desire to go to the cabin on the part of a large number of healthy1 stalwart boys was matched against a foot of fluffy snow4 ,the fact that they had not seen the new1 completed bunk-house1 nor the fireplace1 added greatly to their intense desire to go4 ,added to this was the natural boyish love for possible adventure1 so1 of course1 it was decided to go1 snow or no snow4 ,twenty strong1 they were on hand at the appointed hour4 ,soft shirts had given way to sweaters1 outing shoes to high boots or leggings4 ,still the boys were just the same--happy1 healthy1 and free1 ready for anything the trip might bring4 ,old ,peanuts raised sad eyes as he was led forth and saddled4 ,to think that such as he should tramp through all that snow on such a night4 ,tuberculosis was disgusted beyond all measure4 ,it was only by much bribing from his bag of precious pinion nuts that ,sleepy was able to get him to even move4 ,the snow was dry and fluffy1 so walking was not really disagreeable1 but necessarily very slow4 ,somehow ,peanuts seemed to have grown old with the season1 and many times ,ham almost gave up in desperation1 declaring they would not reach the cabin by morning4 ,darkness settled very early that night1 and with it came the clear1 cold breeze from the snowy peaks beyond4 ,how white everything looked1 and how quiet6 ,even the stream seemed to have been buried under a white blanket4 ,on the hogsback the snow had drifted badly1 completely obliterating the trail4 ,it seemed like it took hours to climb that rugged hill4 ,twice the donkeys slipped from the trail1 floundered in the fluffy drifts1 and then lay down4 ,twice they both refused to go another step2 then darkness--the black darkness of a stormy winter night1 settled about them just as they entered the ,park4 ,who knew the trail--that narrow pathway that led between trees1 around buried stumps1 across shallow fords1 and back again8 ,who could now general this little disheartened army and lead it on to warmth and shelter8 ,sleepy complained bitterly because the trail was long1 and many times threatened to go back when he was taunted with ,baby6 ,first it was a false step1 then a splash into the cold stream2 next it was a false lead into the heart of an aspen thicket1 only to return and try again4 ,ham broke the trail until he was too tired to go another step1 while ,mr4 ,allen brought up the discouraged rear4 ,it was a gloomy line that worked its way up the snow-filled canyon that night4 ,minutes seemed like hours1 and already the cold winds were making every fellow weak and hungry4 ,ham was the life of the party1 and kept the fellows hopeful at his end of the line1 even when he was so tired from breaking trail that it seemed that he could not go another pace4 ,willis was behind him1 ready to lend a hand whenever he tripped on treacherously-covered poles or slipped from the trail into the icy stream4 ,at last the little belt of thick timber was reached1 and ,ham's heart rejoiced1 for he knew the cabin was on the other side of it4 ,before long they stood on the high trail and looked down into the valley where stood the cabin1 gloomy and gray1 the light from the snow caught and faintly reflected by the windows4 ,ham gave a loud shout that cheered and strengthened every heart1 and in another moment he was unlocking the door4 ,ham's little pocket ax sang out in the winter night1 and soon his efforts were rewarded by a tiny blaze on the hearth4 ,he ordered his forces like a veteran1 and they obeyed him without question--all save ,sleepy1 who chose a comfortable spot in the corner and sat down1 refusing to move4 ,very soon the kitchen stove began to heat its end of the house1 and the big tin teakettle sang and sighed over the flames4 ,mr4 ,allen was busy with supper and ,fat was clearing a space before the open fire so they could all sit down together4 ,some brought in the wood and piled it high in one corner1 while others scraped the snow away from the lea of a big boulder1 thus making a shelter for the donkeys4 ,ham smuggled a half a dozen frozen potatoes for them and a half loaf of rye bread4 ,a column of merry sparks rose from the chimney1 while the candles threw weird1 funny little shadows out on the snow through the barred windows4 ,ham and ,willis were watering the donkeys and discussing their trip up1 when ,ham1 without any apparent reason1 burst into a merry laugh4 ,i have an idea1 ,willis1 and it's a capital one1 too4 ,will you help me carry it out8 and he laughed again4 ,well1 that depends1 returned ,willis4 ,ham put his hand to his ear and listened1 then turned and looked eagerly toward the cabin4 ,when he was satisfied they were alone he continued3 ,when ,i first came out here to feed the mules ,i heard an owl hooting up in that big tree4 ,my1 but it startled me at first1 until ,i had time to think what it was4 ,you know they shot a young mountain lion over on ,black ,mountain day before yesterday4 ,now1 we aren't so far from ,black ,mountain1 and if we are ever going to make a real1 worth-while member for ,o4,f4,f4 out of ,sleepy ,smith1 we have got to begin soon1 and1 besides1 ,i'm satisfied we will have to use a few extraordinary tactics4 ,we have nursed him long enough2 besides1 his spirit is rotten4 ,he has been sitting in there by that fire all evening and hasn't turned his hand to do a thing4 ,he will probably want some one to put him to bed1 yet1 to-night4 ,all the way up the trail he whined and acted like a baby4 ,you remember the tricks he pulled off the day we moved the stuff over from ,fairview on the donkeys--sneaked up in the bunk after dinner and went to sleep4 ,you know how we nearly locked him in4 ,he's hurting our crowd4 ,we took him in1 you know1 because ,mr4 ,allen thought there was so much in him worth saving4 ,someway1 it hasn't come out yet1 and we've got to operate1 do you understand8 ,we've got to scare ,sleepy ,smith out of his boots once or twice to see what's in him4 ,let's do it to-night4 ,if we don't1 next time we bring a crowd up here on a night like this there will be three or four sitting around the fire doing nothing1 and the next time six or seven1 until at last a few of us will be waiting on the whole bunch1 do you see8 ,yes1 ,i see1 replied ,willis between chattering teeth2 but how on earth are you going to do it a night like this1 with all this crowd8 ,now1 ,i'll tell you just what ,i want you to do4 ,i'll pull off the game and you be my accomplice4 ,we'll take ,sleepy out for a snow-bird hunt4 ,i never heard of one myself1 but ,i'll fix that all right4 ,we'll scare the life out of that boy this night or bust4 ,all you have to do--there comes some one4 ,ham1 ,ham6 called ,fat from the cabin2 come on to supper while it's hot4 ,then the door closed again4 ,the two started toward the cabin1 leaving old ,peanuts braying hoarsely in the night4 ,all you have to do1 continued ,ham1 is to just swear to all ,i say4 ,you'll catch on after ,i get started4 ,be sure to watch for the chance4 ,i'll tell ,fat the scheme1 and if ,i can get ,sleepy out of the house for a minute1 ,i'll fix it up with the crowd4 ,they were just about to enter the cabin when somewhere in the night came the weird hoot of an owl1 and a pale1 sickly moon peeped between the clouds4 ,well1 fellows1 how do you like that old stone fire-box1 anyhow8 ,ham questioned4 ,i haven't heard a fellow say a word about it yet4 ,that big black pot hanging on that crane makes me happy all over4 ,why1 we have ,robinson ,crusoe and that last polar expedition beaten a city block4 ,i never do see a pot hanging over the fire like that but ,i think of some of the delicious stews that ,jim ,parker made for us the ,christmas vacation we spent with him out on his ranch in ,middle ,park4 ,snowbird stew good8 ,o my6 ,it has turkey beaten a thousand directions4 ,snowbird stew8 questioned ,chuck4 ,what in the world is it1 ,ham8 ,bacon creamed1 or some such stuff8 ,bacon creamed1 nothing1 replied ,ham disgustedly4 ,snowbirds1 just plain snowbirds4 ,when ,i was out feeding the mules just now1 ,i heard a whole flock of snowbirds fly down the canyon4 ,that's what made me think of the stew1 ,i suppose4 ,well1 if they're no bigger than the snowbirds ,i've seen1 remarked one boy1 you'd have to have a bushel of them for a meal4 ,do you mean those saucy little fellows with the white breasts that come with the first snows8 ,those are the fellows1 replied ,ham1 and of course you need a lot of them4 ,but1 then1 they are so easy to catch if you just get into a flock of them4 ,how do you get them8 inquired ,fat1 who was always interested in anything new1 so long as it had possibilities of something to eat in it4 ,well1 it's a good deal of hard work and some inconvenience until you get started4 ,but1 ,o my6 the eats the next day6 ,little fat fellows all stewed down until they're tender4 ,let's get a bunch1 suggested ,willis weakly1 watching ,ham for a cue4 ,there isn't a gun in the crowd1 laughed one4 ,you could use clubs1 couldn't you8 asked another4 ,well1 it's just like this1 continued ,ham3 you pick out a couple of fellows for the trappers who are strong and husky1 and who aren't afraid to do their share of the work4 ,ham smiled at ,willis4 ,then you place them one at each side of the canyon4 ,you take a shovel1 dig a deep hole in the snow for the trapper to stand in so he can work easily without stooping over4 ,of course1 each trapper has a bag1 a gunny-sack1 or a common flour sack will do1 and a lantern4 ,you can use a candle all right1 if you have no lantern4 ,i've seen very successful hunts conducted by using candles4 ,the trapper stands with his bag held open between his legs4 ,it's a good scheme to tie the bag1 a side to each knee1 so you can keep the mouth open without using your hands4 ,you'll need them for numerous other things1 probably4 ,the rest of the hunters divide into two parties1 and each party climbs the opposite ridge of the gulch1 working up the canyon without really going through it4 ,in that way the birds are not disturbed4 ,then1 at a given signal1 both parties descend into the canyon and the hunt begins4 ,every man must be absolutely silent1 for ,i've seen one mouthy fellow spoil a whole evening's fun4 ,now1 if any of you fellows are sure you can't keep still for a little1 even in a good deal of excitement1 you better stay here4 ,if we fail1 it will be some one's fault4 ,ham noticed the sly glances that were going back and forth between ,mr4 ,allen and ,mr4 ,dean1 but he was sure he could count on both of them1 for they liked real fun as well as any of the boys4 ,the hunters then move down the canyon in a skirmish line1 thrashing the bushes with their pine boughs4 ,as they advance the birds will awaken with a shrill little peep and scuttle off through the bushes down the canyon and directly toward the trappers4 ,the birds take just little flights at a time1 so you must keep them moving or they will swarm and fly away in a panic4 ,if a flock panic on you1 you might as well quit1 for every bird in the canyon will follow4 ,you see this is the game3 snowbirds live on little bugs that are found in great numbers around the great ,northern ,lights4 ,when they see those candles flickering there in the great white quiet1 the snow reflecting the long rays out between the dark tree trunks1 they think it's the northern lights1 and fly straight toward the candle4 ,all the trapper has to do1 then1 is to take them in his hand and bag them4 ,sometimes they come in such great numbers that they fairly swarm into the bag4 ,when each trapper has enough1 he puts his mouth close to the snow and halloos to the drivers4 ,at the signal they stop hunting and come into camp4 ,fun1 why it's the most fun ,i ever had in my life6 ,the foolish little birds are so easily caught4 ,you see1 instead of getting out and hustling for their food1 they think it will all be provided for them by kind ,providence or others1 and ,ham smiled4 ,did you ever eat quail on toast in some of these stylish restaurants8 queried ,fat1 who had caught onto the game4 ,well1 all in the world they are is snowbirds4 ,i suppose there are any number of fellows who make a living by just that trick4 ,a general discussion followed4 ,every one was ready and anxious for the hunt to commence4 ,candles were gotten ready and a shovel found4 ,ham took ,phil1 ,fat1 and ,mr4 ,dean to help him find some sacks that were supposedly down in the gulch1 but in reality to explain to them just what he wanted them to do4 ,my1 what a laugh they did have when they reached the open4 ,fat was instructed to offer his services as the holder of one bag and to suggest that ,sleepy hold the other4 ,they would plant ,sleepy first1 then ,fat would go on with the bunch4 ,mr4 ,dean and ,ham would hide themselves in the brush on either side of ,sleepy4 ,fat would instruct his crowd what was to be done1 and ,phil would take charge of the other group4 ,they would go down the canyon1 over the ridge1 then swing round and come back high on the hill1 so as to completely lose ,sleepy1 who would be placed where both parties could see him by his light1 but1 of course1 he could not see any of them out in the shadows and the night4 ,if any fellow makes a stir1 continued ,ham1 the game is up4 ,remember1 ,phil1 you are boss of that crowd4 ,a difference of opinion had broken out among the rest while ,ham and the others were getting the sacks1 for ,willis1 in a sly way1 had suggested that the game was a fake1 but ,sleepy scoffed at the idea4 ,you do just as ,ham says1 and you'll see it's all true1 cried ,sleepy hotly4 ,he knows more about camping than all the rest of us put together4 ,if you don't want to go1 stay here4 ,i'll hold a sack myself1 and if ,i don't get it full of birds before ,i come home ,i'll treat every one of you4 ,fat entered just in time to hear the foregoing conversation4 ,i'm with you1 ,sleepy1 he cried4 ,we'll have snowbirds for breakfast in the morning4 ,o shucks1 scoffed some one1 there aren't enough snowbirds in ,colorado to fill a sack like that6 ,well1 of all the quitters1 snorted ,sleepy4 ,just because you haven't seen the birds is no sign they aren't there4 ,if you don't see and hear a lot of things to-night that you never saw before1 ,i'm badly mistaken4 ,all that's the matter with you fellows is you're afraid of a little work4 ,ham sneezed several times in quick succession1 and ,fat suddenly hurried out1 slamming the door behind him4 ,mr4 ,dean turned his face from the crowd and energetically poked the fire4 ,from the smiles1 it was evident that some had caught on and wanted to go along to see the fun1 while others declared it was a trick1 and wouldn't move a step4 ,too bad we haven't a dozen bags so we could give them all a chance1 laughed ,ham1 as he and ,fat entered the cabin4 ,four remained1 the rest trailed off to a little grove of young firs and cut themselves branches to drive snowbirds with4 ,then up the slope they went1 winding in and out among the tall1 silent trees1 over snowy logs and around great1 jutting boulders1 until the top was reached4 ,then they hurried along the narrow ridge until it ended in a stone cliff4 ,here they descended again through the trees until the trail on the south side was reached4 ,ham picked out an open place entirely surrounded with a heavy growth of young firs4 ,just at the edge of the little opening1 its bulk back in the trees1 stood a great stone1 twelve or fifteen feet in height4 ,here ,ham began to dig the pit for ,sleepy's feet1 explaining1 as he worked1 that the rock would reflect the light and keep the wind from blowing it out4 ,every hunter spoke in subdued whispers4 ,when the hole was finished1 ,sleepy stepped into it1 and ,ham shoveled in the dirt and snow and tramped it tight about him in order to make room for the bag4 ,it was fastened to each leg by a stout cord4 ,ham gave the parting instructions4 ,light your candle when we get out of hearing1 then move it gently back and forth in front of your bag4 ,the first few birds that come will probably scare you1 but remember they are only snowbirds and harmless4 ,the party then separated1 filing off in either direction1 and were soon swallowed up in the long black shadows4 ,all that ,sleepy could hear was the crunching of feet on the partly-crusted snow4 ,he waited nearly breathlessly for all sound to cease1 and when the last faint echo had died away it was a very shaky hand that lighted the first match4 ,of course ,sleepy was not frightened--he was only cold6 ,the greasy tip of the new candle sputtered and flared a moment1 then went out4 ,he tried again1 but this time the match broke off4 ,he felt himself getting excited4 ,he had just two matches left4 ,he must be extremely careful4 ,he struck the third match on the stone behind him and shaded the candle tip with his hand2 but his whole body was so nervous and his hands shook so that he could hardly hold candle and match together long enough to get the light4 ,at last he succeeded4 ,he stuck the end of the candle in the snow in front of him while he turned up his collar and pulled his cap down tighter4 ,what was that8 ,his body became rigid1 his head went up1 his eyes flashed4 ,was it the snowbirds8 ,he listened intently for an instant1 then he quietly relaxed4 ,just the kids whacking the brush1 ,i guess1 he said1 half-aloud4 ,then he leaned his back against his rock and waited4 ,every few moments he would gaze cautiously about him1 then listen4 ,here and there back in the shadows he could see a huddled group of pale1 straight forms4 ,he knew they were only aspen trees1 still he kept a watchful eye on them4 ,the night was absolutely quiet and dark except for long1 dimly-lighted alleys between the trees1 where the candle rays were frolicking4 ,here and there he could see the dim outline of a black stump1 its little snowcap perched upon its rim4 ,he lifted the candle from its place in the snow and waved it gently before the bag1 then he paused cautiously4 ,his imagination had rallied from the cold and was now his closest companion4 ,he saw strange shapes flitting here and there among the shadows4 ,he heard every now and then a new1 strange voice of the woods4 ,the trees1 it seemed to him1 were murmuring their disapproval of such things as snowbird hunts4 ,a myriad of unseen folk were peeping at him from limb and stump and shadow4 ,he knew they were there1 even if he couldn't see them1 yet a strong feeling of loneliness crept over him4 ,it seemed ages since the boys had left him there1 still it had been only a few moments4 ,his spirit was gradually becoming restless1 and he began to wonder if there really were any such things as snowbirds1 after all4 ,he wished he was back again in the cabin by the fire4 ,if he thought they were playing a joke on him1 he would slip back to the cabin and fool them4 ,he had half a notion to do it anyway4 ,what was the use of his standing there8 ,which way was the cabin8 ,he sighed and wiped the perspiration from his forehead4 ,it was just over there1 wasn't it8 ,no1 that couldn't be4 ,it must be over yonder4 ,the trail ran through the grove to his right4 ,that couldn't be1 the stream was over there1 for he heard it every now and then4 ,he began talking half-aloud4 ,if the stream is over there1 the cabin is over here4 ,he paused and drew his hand across his eyes4 ,no1 no1 if that were true1 the stream would flow uphill1 and1 of course1 it doesn't4 ,far away he heard a series of little chirps1 faint but unmistakable4 ,he was alert in an instant4 ,yes1 that was the snowbirds1 and they were coming4 ,he wondered if ,fat heard them and was ready4 ,where was ,fat1 anyway8 ,how strange he felt1 now he was almost afraid1 for he was sure something was watching him4 ,he shaded his eyes and peered into the gloom1 but could see nothing4 ,far away in the timber it seemed to him he heard brush snapping--still he knew there was nothing bigger than a skunk or a rabbit in the whole valley4 ,still--and his breath came shorter2 had not a mountain lion been killed on ,black ,mountain just day before yesterday8 ,his imagination suggested hungry kittens searching for a lost mother1 and a tremor ran over his body1 making his muscles quiver4 ,was that a snarl8 ,a whine far off1 yet near to him8 ,the candle slipped from his shaking fingers and fell in the snow beside him4 ,he made a grab for it1 and caught it just before it went out4 ,the sound was now clearer4 ,was that the crunch of feet upon the snow8 ,yes1 he heard it plainly4 ,a twig snapped somewhere back of the big rock1 then another1 then another4 ,there was an answering of the whine4 ,he felt for his pocket ax2 but1 alas6 it was at the cabin--he had no weapon1 not even a jack knife4 ,why had ,ham taken the shovel with him8 ,pshaw6 was it really a sound at all1 or was he still in his baby days8 ,no1 he was no baby1 but--there it was1 a low growl1 coming nearer and nearer4 ,it flashed upon him in a second--the hunters had scared up the animal1 and it was coming toward him--toward the light6 ,he felt faint1 then sick2 but it was no time to be sick6 ,he swallowed at the big lump in his throat and wondered if the animal really would attack him4 ,he could plainly hear the crunching in the snow now1 and he fancied he saw two green eyes staring at him from the shadows4 ,yes1 and there were voices6 ,he could hear them laughing4 ,suddenly a twig near him broke1 and another and another4 ,he cried out in terror1 shrill agonized1 cries for help4 ,he dropped the candle in the snow4 ,just how he got out of the hole where his feet were buried he could not tell4 ,he started to run1 but his legs were still tied to the bag1 and at the first step he fell headlong4 ,he was crying now--great sobs shook his frame4 ,he tore the bag free with a jerk and started off as fast as the soft snow would let him1 shouting ,help6 at the top of his voice4 ,he stumbled on through the snow1 following the line of least resistance4 ,finally he emerged from a dark thicket just in time to see three men and a great dog come out of an opposite thicket4 ,they laughed heartily as they turned upward on the trail4 ,the dog's eyes were gleaming green in the half-light1 and the one man carried a heavy rifle on his shoulder4 ,the dog turned1 sniffed1 then whined1 but made no attempt to leave his masters4 ,the men had evidently not seen him4 ,he stood for a second irresolute1 his teeth chattering1 his heart pounding1 then1 turning1 he saw the sparks from the cabin chimney and in another moment he was safe inside4 ,back in the woods where ,sleepy had been planted the rest of the fellows were shouting and laughing4 ,yes1 ,i'll take it back1 cried ,ham4 ,sleepy can go when he gets started1 but ,o my6 what a lot it takes to start him6 ,i don't believe he ever moved so fast before1 do you8 ,mr4 ,dean1 you're a wonder on the growling stunt--,i felt kind of queer myself once or twice4 ,fat was too far gone to express himself1 but stood leaning against the rock1 half-choked with laughter4 ,he had been behind the rock all the time1 and had heard all that ,sleepy said4 ,i was dead sure ,i heard him laughing1 said ,phil1 and ,i thought he had caught on to the game4 ,so did ,i1 said ,mr4 ,dean4 ,i certainly did hear some one laugh4 ,it must have been ,fat trying to choke down his amusement1 dryly added ,chuck4 ,he couldn't keep from laughing at a funny thing on a bet4 ,i am sure of one thing1 said ,mr4 ,allen1 and that is that hereafter ,sleepy will do his part4 ,i believe he has learned a lesson4 ,you will have a hard time1 though1 to ever persuade him that he didn't see an animal4 ,just let him think he did see it1 suggested ,phil1 and we'll tell him it serves him right4 ,if he hadn't been so dead anxious to get the easy job1 like he is with everything1 he would never have gotten into the mess to-night4 ,yes1 that's it1 added ,ham2 we must be as solemn as we can and say to him that we didn't see or hear a bear1 lion1 or any other animal2 then add1 that if he had just been with us on the job1 climbing up canyons1 hunting birds1 and doing his share1 instead of just loafing1 he wouldn't have gotten scared4 ,but1 rats6 he must know that we have played a joke on him4 ,they finally agreed on a plan1 then started back to camp4 ,ham was to do the talking4 ,as they entered the cabin they found ,sleepy sitting on a block of wood1 looking meditatively into the fire4 ,well1 you're a dandy1 commenced ,ham4 ,we heard you hollering ',help' and ',murder4' ,we came tearing through the trees to where we left you1 and you were gone4 ,please explain4 ,who did you think was going to catch those birds8 ,you got tired working so hard1 ,i suppose8 ,come1 now1 was there too much real work in it8 ,then ,fat began in his most disgusted tone3 ,you might make sure if there was any real work to be done1 ,sleepy would get out of it someway4 ,he always does4 ,work isn't in his vocabulary4 ,go easy1 said ,mr4 ,allen in a quiet tone4 ,sleepy has made lots of mistakes1 and he hasn't begun to do his share of the work here yet1 but he's going to do different from now on1 ,i'm sure4 ,why did you leave your post1 ,sleepy8 ,he came forward and laid his hand on ,sleepy's shoulder4 ,sleepy shaded his face with his hand1 for the tears were trickling down his cheeks1 and he spoke with real effort4 ,they frightened me terribly1 he said4 ,i'm sorry4 ,then he rose from his seat1 took his cap from the table1 and went into the night4 ,the fellows crowded up to the fire to warm their cold feet and talk it over4 ,mr4 ,allen was firm in his belief that ,sleepy had good stuff in him1 and he believed they were going to get it out at last4 ,he knows he hasn't played fair1 fellows1 and he's out there now1 squaring up with himself4 ,to-night our friend1 ,sleepy1 wins or loses a great fight in his life4 ,if he loses1 let's not be too hard on him4 ,if he wins1 let's help him4 ,remember1 it's the ',other ,fellow ,first' in this bunch4 ,they sat quietly looking into the fire for some minutes1 then ,ham broke the silence4 ,fellows1 ,i believe ,i understand for the first time in my life an expression that always used to bother me4 ,when my father invited me into the woodshed when ,i was a kid1 he always prefaced each performance with this remark1 ',son1 it hurts me a great deal more than it's going to hurt you4' ,after the performance ,i used to ponder that statement over and over and wonder how it could possibly be true4 ,in fact1 ,i didn't believe it then1 but now ,i do4 ,sleepy needed a good punishment2 but1 ,o my1 ,i feel mean1 now that it's over6 ,we are often called on to do unpleasant things for the welfare of others1 remarked ,mr4 ,dean2 but if ,sleepy finds himself to-night1 and ,i believe he will1 we will all be glad we did it1 himself included4 ,after a little time ,sleepy came in4 ,his step was steady and his manner easy4 ,ham shot a curious glance at him from the corner of his eye4 ,he saw that ,sleepy was smiling1 and he felt a strange thrill1 for he knew ,sleepy had won4 ,sleepy came to the fire1 and in a clear voice addressed the crowd3 ,fellows1 ,i have something ,i would like to say before we go to bed4 ,it was very difficult for him to go on4 ,i am ashamed of myself to-night4 ,i know ,i have never played fair with you fellows here1 for ,i'm lazy--,i always have been4 ,you know ,i am the only child1 and ,i have been spoiled1 for ,i've been taught to always let some one else do the work4 ,i'm sorry4 ,he stopped1 and in the pause he became confused4 ,but--but--,i'm going to do better1 if you'll give me another chance4 ,i've just had a little argument with ,sleepy ,smith outside1 and ,i whipped him in a fair fight4 ,there is no more ,sleepy2 after this it's ,george ,smith1 if you please4 ,sleepy and this crowd have had a falling out4 ,will you give me another chance8 he asked anxiously4 ,ham was the first to cry out3 ,bet your life we will1 old boy1 put it there6 ,he rose and they shook hands4 ,sure thing6 cried ,fat4 ,of course we will6 echoed ,phil4 ,three cheers for ,smith6 came from the others4 ,thanks1 was all ,smith said1 then he sat down and ,mr4 ,allen took the floor4 ,he had caught his cue from what ,smith had said3 ,fellows1 ,i think we1 too1 have made a mistake1 and as long as ,smith has been man enough to square himself with us1 let us be men enough to square ourselves with him4 ,we have always called him ,sleepy1 and he has been true to the name2 but ,i never knew a boy yet who didn't live up to what his best friends expected of him4 ,smith always knew we didn't expect much1 didn't you1 boy8 ,now1 let's expect more1 and we'll get more4 ,smith1 we1 too1 are sorry4 ,let's expect the best from every fellow and every fellow will give his best1 although it will take real manhood to do it sometimes4 ,ham and ,willis went out to take a last look at the donkeys before going to bed4 ,as they stood on the step1 talking things over1 they were startled to hear1 somewhere in the night air1 the long-drawn bark of a dog4 ,it came again and again4 ,over in the next canyon1 was ,ham's remark4 ,up by the old mine1 was ,willis's thought1 as he turned and went into the cabin4 ,after breakfast ,willis took the trail that led to his father's mine4 ,he went alone1 for he had told no one of its discovery1 not even ,ham4 ,he was not at all surprised to find the footprints of three men and a dog on the upper trail1 and found no difficulty in following them to the mine4 ,once there1 the first thing that attracted his attention was a new sign1 nailed up in the place of the old tin one2 on it1 in bold1 black letters1 was written1 ,private property1 keep off6 ,the snow had been shoveled from one end of the dump1 and it looked very much as if some of the rocks had been carried away4 ,willis wondered1 but his reflections gave him no light4 ,he noticed1 however1 that the tracks did not return down the trail1 but ran off over the hill and into the next canyon4 ,he made some careful observations1 then returned to the cabin4 ,upon ,mr4 ,dean's suggestion1 the morning was spent in tobogganing in wood while the snow was good4 ,it was great fun to see the great logs slide down with a long swish and pile up in front of the cabin4 ,the fellows worked with a will1 and by noon a large supply had been pulled in4 ,the next thing was to cut it and pile it away in the house4 ,smith undertook to build a sawbuck1 and1 with ,mr4 ,allen's help1 the job was soon accomplished4 ,every fellow then took his turn sawing off blocks until dinner time4 ,as they sat around the table enjoying a camp meal of fried ham1 boiled rice1 potatoes1 rye bread1 and coffee1 a general discussion arose as to what the cabin should be named4 ,they hoped to get the big bed filled with balsam boughs that afternoon before they started home1 then the place would be ready for real use on a big scale2 and1 of course1 it must have a name4 ,let's call it ,snowbird ,retreat1 suggested ,fat naively4 ,not on your life6 called ,smith good-naturedly4 ,no snowbirds about this house2 you want a good1 warm1 comfortable name4 ,i'd freeze to death1 or maybe get scared1 if you called it that4 ,st4 ,mary's ,inn1 suggested ,ham4 ,o fiddle1 sounds like an old ,spanish mission1 objected another4 ,the ,house that ,ham ,built1 suggested ,mr4 ,dean4 ,buffalo ,roost1 suggested ,willis4 ,we certainly do love to roost around in here1 and it's in ,buffalo ,canyon4 ,after a very heated discussion1 ,buffalo ,roost was chosen for the name1 and ,willis set about gathering twigs to make a rustic sign for over the door4 ,the wood all in1 the dinner dishes washed1 and the cabin put in order1 the next thing to do was to thatch the big bed4 ,o1 what mountains of sweet-scented green boughs it took6 ,one party1 under ,mr4 ,dean1 pulled in pile after pile of boughs from up on the snow-covered hillside1 while the other party cut and trimmed and laid them in4 ,choice large fans were laid in the bottom1 the butts toward the foot1 the bow of the branch uppermost4 ,then a thick layer of fine sprigs to fill in every hollow4 ,smith worked with a will1 and enjoyed the day like he had no other since the work on the cabin had begun4 ,never before had they so hated to leave the ,roost1 for every fellow was coming to love it and its companionship4 ,it gave plenty of healthful action1 good things to think about1 and warm friends4 ,it was building character and they did not know it4 ,it was fitting a choice group of older fellows to work together in the community life about them1 working for the welfare and comfort of others1 forgetting themselves in their unselfish service4 ,in the late afternoon it began to snow again1 and by the time they were well on their way home it was falling fast4 ,getting in that wood was a wise stunt1 observed ,smith1 for the next time we see the old ,roost it will probably be snowbound4 ,old ,ben had been watching for their return most of the afternoon4 ,as they came across the stream and up to the road below the inn1 he called ,mr4 ,allen to the door4 ,i jist want t' ask ye if that tarnal varmit1 ,williams1 has been botherin' yew fellers any sence he started work on that new claim o' hisn4 ,if they ever was a sneakin' whelp1 he's it4 ,he couldn't get possession o' ,tad's tunnel2 he darsent touch it1 so he's gone an' started a tunnel on the other side o' that dyke4 ,he's been workin' it1 now1 off an' on all this fall1 but ,i didn't know it till they brought a wounded man from there yesterday4 ,seem a stone mashed his foot bad4 ,they stopped here to rest a bit1 an' ,i seed the feller4 ,i've knowed him these ten years1 an' he's a devil4 ,does dirty work fer any tarnal critter at'll pay him well fer it4 ,served him right4 ,i s'pose you saw something of them last night1 as they went back up to the mine4 ,there was three of 'em and a mean lookin' dog4 ,mr4 ,allen listened in silence4 ,he was wondering just what ,old ,ben knew of this ,williams1 and why he should be so interested in the boys at the cabin4 ,ben1 he said1 and he looked the old man straight in the eye1 do you know a man named ,tad ,kieser8 ,ben dropped his eyes and shuffled his foot aimlessly on the floor4 ,yep1 ,i know him1 boy1 an' a finer man never walked these here hills4 ,too fine a man to get along with varmits6 ,is he still living1 ,ben8 ,yep1 still livin'4 ,he'll be a poppin' up in these parts one o' these days1 an' then you'll see who's boss at that tunnel up yonder4 ,i've always said they was gold there1 but ,tad never would go into the mine again after the accident4 ,that varmit1 ,williams1 believes same as ,i do1 or he wouldn't be a diggin' that hole on t' other side o' the dyke4 ,if he er any o' the rest o' them fellers bothers ye any at the cabin1 jist let me know2 ,i'll take ker o' them fer ye4 ,good-night4 ,he went inside and closed the door4 ,mr4 ,allen hurried along1 and1 catching up with the crowd1 he called ,willis aside to tell him what ,ben had said--all except that ,tad was living and ,ben knew where he was4 ,that much he kept secret4 ,willis listened intently1 then he told of how he heard the dog bark in the night4 ,when ,willis reached the ,association that evening he was handed a telephone call4 ,he noted that it was the home number1 and he realized in an instant what had happened4 ,his aunt had grown very much worse ,friday night1 and had died early ,saturday morning4 ,he hastened home to do what he could and to comfort his mother4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,the ,opened ,door ,it was nearly ,thanksgiving time1 and it seemed months to ,willis since he had been to ,buffalo ,roost4 ,mrs4 ,thornton had almost decided to return to her father's since the death of her sister1 but ,willis had objected seriously4 ,he was determined to unravel the mine mystery before they left4 ,they were still living at the ,williams's home1 but they saw very little of the uncle4 ,the death of his wife had been a severe blow to him1 and he had been spending long periods of time in the mountains--no one seemed to know just where4 ,during ,thanksgiving vacation ,mr4 ,allen was going to have a three days' camp at the ,roost1 so ,ham and ,willis were planning on making a preliminary trip1 to find out how deep the snow was and just what condition the canyon was in4 ,the circus was over1 and had been a big success2 enough money had been raised to pay all the debts and leave a nice amount for future improvements4 ,meanwhile ,ham and ,willis had become inseparable companions1 so much so1 that ,willis had taken him into the mystery of his father's mine4 ,very often they had talked it over together1 but neither had yet arrived at any satisfactory conclusions4 ,the day chosen for their trip turned out to be bitter cold2 but the other fellows were depending on them1 and they must not fail4 ,they found it very difficult to climb the hogsback because of the snow1 so when they reached the railroad they decided to follow it to ,fairview rather than attempt the canyon trail4 ,as they plodded on they grew very cold4 ,there is a dandy little pile of pitch-pine shavings on the hearth1 said ,ham2 it won't take long to get a fire4 ,we'll play a joke on this cold snap yet1 when we get inside the cabin4 ,the walking was not bad until they reached the crest1 but here the trail lay on the south side and was completely filled with snow4 ,many of the drifts were shoulder-deep1 so it took them nearly an hour to force their way from the ridge to the cabin4 ,ham1 to his surprise1 had great difficulty in opening the lock2 it was evident that it had been tampered with4 ,as they entered1 he noticed that his little pile of shavings were gone from the hearth4 ,some one had been inside6 ,how much heat it seemed to take that night to warm that frigid air6 ,they piled in the great logs until the fireplace was full1 and still they had to sit close to keep warm4 ,slowly the cold was driven out1 and the cabin became more comfortable4 ,willis took the water bucket and an ax and went out to the stream for water1 but the ice was a foot thick and the water so cold that it froze in the bucket before he got it back to the cabin4 ,as he set the bucket on the shelf1 he noticed that the mirror which hung above the bucket was broken into a thousand pieces4 ,no doubt a bullet had come in through the chinking4 ,was this a declaration of war8 ,or had some rowdy just been showing off8 ,they examined things carefully1 but found nothing missing but the chips1 not even food4 ,ham could not imagine why the kindling had been removed from the hearth1 for he was positive that no fire had been built in either the stove or the fireplace since they had last been there4 ,after they had warmed sufficiently1 they began to think of supper4 ,ham selected a can of clam soup from the shelf and opened it1 but it was frozen solid4 ,he set it by the fire to thaw out and made a second selection4 ,this time he chose a can of beans1 but found them in the same condition4 ,he looked in the bread box--the rye-bread was as hard as a bullet4 ,they pulled the table close up before the fire and made out a supper1 the best thing on the menu being a pot of boiling-hot tea4 ,after supper they pulled down the blankets and carefully warmed them before the fire4 ,then the two boys sat and planned concerning the coming camp until they grew sleepy4 ,after a great pine knot had been placed for the night log1 the boys slipped into bed between at least a dozen blankets4 ,just before going to bed1 ,willis prepared a few choice slivers so that a fire could be quickly started in the morning1 and he left them in a little pile on the hearth4 ,in the night he heard strange noises down on the floor1 but1 because it was so cold1 he did not venture out to investigate1 and in the morning every chip was gone4 ,the mystery of the chips grew deeper4 ,they lay in bed late next morning1 for the cabin was cold and dark and they were so comfortable4 ,time was nothing to them that day4 ,as they lay1 chatting1 ,ham suddenly squeezed ,willis's arm1 then raised on his elbow to listen4 ,he heard voices1 and they were coming up the canyon4 ,he crawled to where he could peep out of the window1 but all he could see were the feet of two men and a dog4 ,the cabin was very cold1 so he slipped back between the blankets to warm and talk it over with ,willis4 ,about nine o'clock they got up1 still wondering what could have brought men into that canyon on such a morning4 ,surely there was no hunting1 and why should men from the claim in the other gulch be coming up through ,buffalo ,park8 ,the boys were bothered4 ,they were just sitting down to a breakfast of steaming-hot cakes when from somewhere up in the timber came the clear sound of some one hammering on metal1 heavy blow after blow4 ,ham paused1 listened attentively1 a forkful of hot cake raised half-way to his mouth4 ,the sound came very clearly and at regular intervals4 ,sounds like some one pounding a stone drill2 perhaps they are going to do some blasting6 ,willis rose from his seat1 threw open the door1 and looked up the snowy hillside4 ,he was right--the sound came from the direction of his father's mine4 ,what on earth would any one be blasting up there for8 he said1 half to himself4 ,he was thinking of what ,ben had told him the last time he was at the ,roost4 ,ham had also risen from the table and stood looking out over ,willis's shoulder4 ,the bark of a dog came floating down the canyon4 ,suddenly there was a sharp rattle in the corner of the cabin1 followed by a heavy thud4 ,ham turned quickly1 just in time to see the ax fall to the floor from its place in the corner4 ,willis felt a long1 cold shiver creep up his back4 ,the ax had been laid on top of the little stove in the corner1 and something had caused it to fall4 ,spooks1 laughed ,ham dryly4 ,what made that ax fall8 questioned ,willis in a voice which betrayed his feeling4 ,they advanced cautiously toward the corner4 ,there was a scamper of tiny feet1 and a large gray rat bounded across the floor and dropped out of sight through a long opening between the floor and the wall4 ,in a moment ,willis was down on his hands and knees1 investigating4 ,well1 of all things1 he said1 as he looked up laughingly at ,ham2 we have located our mysterious robber4 ,here are all of our precious fire starters4 ,ham stooped to see for himself1 and there1 under the stove in the corner1 was a neat little pile of pine slivers4 ,if that rat lived in the city1 observed ,ham1 he'd be a shoplifter1 sure4 ,it's strange he hasn't stolen our food8 ,ham1 ,i'm going to the mine4 ,do you want to stay here or go along8 ,ham thought a moment1 then began to pull on his coat4 ,as he passed the fireplace1 he threw on another log1 then the two boys stepped out into the morning air4 ,ham carefully locked the door behind them--he always took that precaution4 ,i'd like to know who tried to get into this house1 ,willis8 he said as they struck the trail following the footprints of the earlier party up the canyon4 ,the sound of hammering still came occasionally from the hill4 ,perhaps it was the same men that passed this morning1 replied ,willis4 ,i wonder why they didn't stop and try the door2 they must have seen that it was unlocked4 ,perhaps they wanted to pass unnoticed4 ,no1 that couldn't be1 for they were talking loudly as they passed4 ,perhaps they didn't notice the cabin door at all4 ,perhaps not1 but they must have noticed our trail over the bridge and your footprints to the stream4 ,o1 ,i don't know2 it snowed in the night1 and besides1 you see they were on the upper trail4 ,they evidently came for some special purpose1 and were anxious to get at it4 ,you know1 ,i've been thinking they must have come from ,bruin ,inn this morning1 because they couldn't have gotten here so early if they had come all the way from the city4 ,by ,jove1 boy6 ,i hadn't thought of that1 but since you speak of it1 there certainly was something familiar in one of those voices1 and that laugh6 ,why1 of course1 it was ,old ,ben1 his dog1 and some stranger4 ,progress was slow1 for the snow was deep in places4 ,at the old tumbled-down cabin the trail turned and ran up the mountain side4 ,willis felt a strange pounding at his heart4 ,the noise on the mountain had stopped1 but every now and then he heard the sound of voices from somewhere up in the timber4 ,as they reached the last turn in the trail1 the two figures came into view4 ,ham had been correct in his supposition--one of the men was ,old ,ben1 but the other was a stranger4 ,ben had1 no doubt1 seen the boys coming1 for he stood looking down the trail toward them4 ,when they were a little nearer he saluted them3 ,howdy1 young'uns4 ,this is a tarnal cold morning for a pair o' city fellers1 ain't it8 ,not on your life1 cheerily answered ,ham2 there's nothing citified about us4 ,any one who could sleep in these hills a night like last night and not freeze is no tenderfoot4 ,what brings you up here so early this morning8 ,early1 boys8 ,you're so tarnal lazy1 you think dinner time is early4 ,see anything o' my dog round the cabin8 ,no1 we haven't seen him1 except when you went by a while ago4 ,willis was interested in what the stranger was doing4 ,he was bent over a big rock1 filing a metal instrument4 ,his back was turned4 ,willis was looking about to see what they could have been hammering1 but could see no sign of their work4 ,prospecting a little8 queried ,ham1 as he picked up the light sledge that lay on the snow4 ,well1 not jist exactly1 drawled ,old ,ben2 it's too tarnal cold to do much prospectin'4 ,we're jist on an observin' trip this time4 ,observing the scenery1 or what8 persisted ,ham4 ,we heard you doing some mighty loud observing up here a few minutes ago4 ,come1 now1 no secrets4 ,what are you up to8 ,do you know you are trespassing this very moment8 ,trespassin'1 eh8 ,well1 ,i expect ,old ,ben knows when he's trespassin' an' when he ain't4 ,this time he ain't4 ,he turned to the stranger and continued3 ,i jist come along to give my friend here a little moral support4 ,he's so tarnal foolish about this old hole4 ,not foolish1 ,ben1 answered the stranger1 as he turned from his work1 not foolish1 but--why1 good morning1 lad6 ,he advanced with extended hand toward ,willis4 ,willis could hardly believe his own eyes4 ,what was this man doing here8 ,it seems like our paths cross often1 doesn't it8 ,why1 ,i-- exclaimed ,willis4 ,i know you are surprised1 continued the stranger1 but no more so than ,i1 for ,i didn't expect to find you here on such a morning as this4 ,but what are you doing here8 stammered ,willis4 ,what is there about this mine that is of interest to you8 ,this mine is my father's property1 and it's locked--the tunnel1 ,i mean-- ,yes1 ,i know1 lad1 he interrupted4 ,i know it does seem strange1 but it isn't half as strange to you as it is to me1 and besides-- ,but1 sir1 how dare you tamper with locked property8 ,lad1 and the stranger spoke in that same quiet1 kindly voice that had attracted ,willis the first time he had seen him1 do you remember that fall day when we last talked together8 ,up back of ,daddy ,wright's on the ,cheyenne trail8 ,yes1 sir1 ,i do1 replied ,willis1 and ,i remember every word you said1 but-- ,the stranger lifted his hand for silence1 and then continued3 ,and do you remember you asked me if ,i had ever known a young engineer that used to be in these parts1 and ,i said1 ',yes2' then you asked me if ,i knew a ,tad ,kieser that used to be a partner of his1 and ,i told you ,i did8 ,yes1 yes1 ,i remember all that1 interrupted ,willis2 but what has that to do with this mine8 ,a very great deal1 my boy4 ,listen6 ,i know ,tad ,kieser better than any man alive1 and of all the men ,i ever knew1 ,tad is the strangest4 ,i believe he owns a half interest in this property1 does he not8 ,but he hasn't been near it for half a dozen years1 and to my knowledge he has never been inside of it since the day of the accident4 ,what's more1 my boy1 there's just one thing in all the world that could ever induce him to enter it again-- ,what is the one thing8 questioned ,ham4 ,if it wasn't for the advice of old ,ben here1 ,i would not be here to-day1 either2 but ,ben and ,i have been friends these twenty years1 and in that time ,i have learned to know that ,ben's opinions are expressed only after a very careful consideration of all the facts4 ,i'm here because ,old ,ben insisted that ,i come4 ,willis turned and looked at ,ben4 ,he stood by1 smiling and puffing away at his pipe4 ,but what has all that to do with ,tad ,kieser8 questioned ,willis a little disappointedly4 ,of all the men in the world ,i would like most to see1 it's ,tad4 ,tell me where he is1 if you know4 ,but why do you want to see him so badly1 may ,i ask8 questioned the stranger4 ,because he is the only man in the world that can straighten out a tangle of things that ,i don't understand4 ,and ,i'm sure that if he knew ,i was here1 he'd come to help me4 ,old ,ben came to the rescue4 ,boy1 ,tad would do anything in the great1 wide world fer ye4 ,he's talked about ye every tarnal day since he first seen ye1 an' they ain't been nothin' in his mind since1 except yer welfare4 ,ye are a tarnal lucky feller to have such a friend4 ,saw me8 questioned ,willis4 ,tad ,kieser saw me8 ,yes1 boy1 an' is a lookin' at ye now1 an' is out in this cold here fer ye this mornin'1 a breakin' of vows he made long ago4 ,tad1 tell the boy all about it4 ,this young feller an' me is goin' to look up that tarnal dog4 ,he took ,ham by the arm and drew him away down the trail out of hearing4 ,tad and ,willis were busy at the lock of the old tunnel4 ,old ,ben explained the situation to ,ham as they leisurely hunted the dog4 ,at last ,ham understood1 and was happy for ,willis4 ,my1 but you look pert1 ,tad4 ,i ain't seed ye look so pert in ten year4 ,what's up8 ,come1 tell a feller4 ,has that young'un been stuffin' ye while we was gone8 and ,ben laughed a merry laugh4 ,why didn't you tell me you were ,tad the first day8 questioned ,willis1 his eyes shining with pleasure4 ,i'll tell you why some time1 replied the old miner1 but not now4 ,i would never have consented to come up here this morning with ,ben if ,i had not suspected that ,mr4 ,williams intended to enter this tunnel very soon4 ,perhaps you know how he hates me4 ,i caught him in a mighty crooked deal here once1 and scared him badly4 ,he and ,i have fought each other ever since the death of your father4 ,he holds the keys to this lock1 that's why ,i'm cutting it off4 ,we're going to replace it with another4 ,when your uncle comes he will find ,i have been ahead of him4 ,and you aren't going into the tunnel8 questioned ,willis in astonishment4 ,no1 lad1 not to-day4 ,i don't know as ,i ever will4 ,tell me all about the trouble between you and my uncle4 ,how does it happen that he holds the key to this lock instead of you8 ,mother told me you had the key8 questioned ,willis4 ,i did once1 but when ,i refused to let him enter1 he came with a hacksaw and removed the lock1 placing this great brass one in its stead4 ,your uncle was the only person with your father when he died1 except the nurse1 and he has always claimed that ,bill turned all his mining property over to him4 ,he offered to buy me out1 but ,i refused to sell4 ,nearly a year after your father's death1 ,i learned from a nurse in the hospital that in his last moments your father called for me1 but ,williams told him that ,i was badly hurt4 ,he told your uncle that the real gold vein had been uncovered by the fatal blast1 and that ,i was to be sure to work it for your sake and your mother's4 ,williams promised to tell me4 ,i tried to get the nurse to go into court and swear to her statement1 but she refused1 and ,i found out afterward that ,williams had bought her off4 ,i went and looked at the tunnel2 then he broke in1 took samples1 and1 ,i believe1 found them good4 ,he locked the door with this lock1 and since the day of the accident ,i have never seen inside4 ,i have never wanted to4 ,i don't know1 but ,i have always been determined that he should not plunder your father's possessions4 ,at the time of the accident he came into possession of all your father's papers4 ,he let the assessments run out on the ,cheyenne claim1 and then jumped it for his own4 ,only last month he sold that claim to ,beverly ,h4 ,pembroke for a consideration of eight thousand dollars4 ,he hates me1 because he knows that one more move on his part and ,i'll place the matter in the hands of the law4 ,i believe that he once hired an outlaw to kill me1 but was unsuccessful4 ,i can't prove it1 but the facts look so4 ,i have been afraid ever since ,i knew you were here that your mother1 as the rightful heir to the property1 would play into his hands4 ,i feared he would offer to sell her share of this mine for her and1 in reality1 buy it himself4 ,he could then1 according to law1 force me to sell my share or to buy his4 ,if ,i refused to sell1 he would ask a very large sum for his1 and in that way force me to his bargain4 ,his working the tunnel on the other side of the dyke this fall and winter is more to scare me into believing he will get the gold anyway1 and that ,i may as well sell1 than anything else4 ,i have learned that they are having a great deal of trouble in their tunnel4 ,it's very shaly and keeps caving from above4 ,if he spent as much time and money caring for his sick wife as he has on this mine1 she might have gotten well4 ,willis had been listening with breathless interest4 ,go on1 he begged4 ,tell me all about everything1 from the very beginning4 ,lad1 it's a long1 long story4 ,i'll do that later4 ,let's not talk any more about it now4 ,o1 ,i must know about it4 ,don't stop4 ,tad1 you can't possibly know what all this means to me4 ,tad rose and snapped the new lock in place on the door1 while ,old ,ben cursed under his breath4 ,of all the tarnal idiots1 he was saying2 ,i never seed a man so sot in his ways4 ,tad1 ain't ye even goin' to peek inside8 ,no1 ,ben1 not to-day4 ,perhaps some day1 returned the old prospector1 and perhaps never4 ,willis jumped to his feet4 ,not to-day1 ,tad8 ,not to-day8 ,do you mean you aren't going into the mine4 ,well1 ,i am1 even if you aren't4 ,i don't leave this spot until ,i see the inside for myself4 ,give me the key4 ,ham and ,i will go in alone4 ,o1 ,i wish you wouldn't4 ,it's dangerous1 and ,i am sure the story of the gold is only a notion4 ,your father was out of his mind when he died1 and the gold he told about was just one of his dreams4 ,i worked with him that day1 and ,i saw no special signs of gold4 ,yes1 but that varmit1 ,williams1 has seed signs1 muttered ,ben4 ,he went in an' brought out samples2 he knows1 an' you only think you do4 ,willis held out his hand for the key1 and ,ben urged him on4 ,tad looked far away over the snowy hills1 then up the quiet valley1 so peaceful in its white robes1 and at last down to the little cabin below4 ,there his gaze rested4 ,my1 but it hardly seems fourteen years since ,i built that shanty1 he said4 ,how happy ,i was then6 ,fourteen years brings strange things into a man's life4 ,my boy1 ,i hope you will never get the gold fever4 ,steer clear of it4 ,but ,tad1 ,i have it already1 replied ,willis1 and ,i am following where it leads me4 ,tad looked at him1 and a strange1 sad expression came to his face4 ,how much you talk like your father1 and you're so like him1 too6 ,i'm sorry4 ,he reached deep into his trousers' pocket1 pulled out the key1 then got slowly to his feet4 ,twice he changed his mind2 but ,willis persisted1 and at last he yielded4 ,the new lock opened easily1 but not so the great log door4 ,its hinges were rusted from the storms of many seasons4 ,as ,willis pulled hard1 the old hinges groaned1 as if regretting that they were to be disturbed after so long a rest4 ,as the door swung back1 and the mouth of the tunnel was disclosed1 ,tad caught ,willis by the arm and held him4 ,wait1 my boy1 he said1 you must let the old place air out4 ,remember1 it has been bottled up a long time4 ,i'll wager a light won't even burn in there just now4 ,have you a candle8 asked ,willis1 his tone betraying his excitement4 ,i'll get some1 volunteered ,ham1 and off he started down the trail for the cabin4 ,the tunnel was a round1 irregular hole a little higher than a man's head1 and in width it varied with the width of the dyke4 ,the floor had been covered with rough-hewn planks to make the pushing of the loaded wheelbarrows easier4 ,these old planks were black and wet1 but still quite sound4 ,as they stood1 waiting for ,ham to return1 ,tad told ,willis something more of the early history of the mine3 ,you see1 the dyke seems to follow an ancient crevice in the granite1 which runs straight in for a hundred and fifty feet1 then turns abruptly to the west4 ,here it widens out1 and just at that point the strata shifts and is folded4 ,we found a small quantity of quartz just there4 ,the day of the accident ,i was replacing some of the floor planks near the entrance and your father was preparing to make a series of blasts on the new strata4 ,i was to help him shoot them when he was ready4 ,he was very pleased at the new outcropping of quartz1 and was very anxious to open up the vein before we quit work for the day4 ,the farther in you go1 the more shaly the black rock seems to get1 and in some places we were forced to roof the drift with mine props in order to keep the ceiling up4 ,i was bending over1 chopping the end of a plank1 when ,i was violently knocked down4 ,in falling ,i struck my head against the rough wall1 cutting myself badly over the left eye4 ,i struggled to my feet dazedly1 the blood streaming down over my face4 ,i had mined long enough to know just what had happened4 ,in some way your father had prematurely set off his blast4 ,i started toward him1 but the heavy powder smoke drove me back4 ,i dropped to my knees to get the air--it's always best near the floor--and in a moment a second explosion came4 ,i snatched the jug of water and began crawling toward ,bill on all fours4 ,i called again and again1 but no answer came4 ,when ,i finally reached him ,i felt faint and sick4 ,i found him nearly completely buried in a heap of stone4 ,he was unconscious1 and never spoke to me again4 ,after two hours of tremendous effort1 ,i was able to lift his poor1 broken body in my arms and carry it out4 ,i was thankful then that he was unconscious and could not feel the pain4 ,by night ,i got him to the cabin1 and at once set off for ,ben's4 ,we came back by lantern light that night1 and led the old horse4 ,we spent the rest of the night building a crude litter of poles and blankets1 and as soon as it was light we fastened one end of the stretcher to the horse1 a pole on either side of him1 and each one of us carried a pole at the other end4 ,it took an hour for us to get down to the canyon road4 ,in twelve hours your father died4 ,he regained consciousness just long enough to talk with ,williams briefly4 ,what he said at that time ,i have never been able to find out4 ,then followed the awful years of lonesomeness for me1 made worse by the always-present knowledge that ,i should have been the one to shoot those blasts and not your father4 ,i wrote your mother fully concerning the accident1 but never received a reply1 so have had no word of you since that time4 ,i've told you how your uncle tried to get possession of the mine4 ,when ,i would not sell1 he hounded my every step until at last ,i left the city and went to work for the ,d4 ,p4,w4 as fireman4 ,i went through the city often1 but very rarely stopped off4 ,but it seems ,i came just often enough to keep your uncle too frightened to carry out his plan concerning the tunnel4 ,ham was returning up the trail now1 and soon the candles were lighted4 ,tad took the lead1 followed by ,willis1 ,ham and ,old ,ben bringing up the rear4 ,a little inside the entrance1 and to one side1 a small room had been cut in the solid granite for a store-room4 ,here were the tools of the mine--two wheelbarrows1 several shovels and picks1 a large lantern1 and several boxes of powder4 ,what had once been a heavy coil of hemp rope was now a very comfortable rat's nest4 ,several old stone drills had been driven into the crevices for hooks1 and on them hung old burlap sacks1 a coil of heavy wire1 two old slouch hats1 and a man's coat4 ,tad had bared his head as he entered4 ,he slowly led the way down the narrow lane without a word4 ,a little farther in they came to a very rusty ax1 leaning against the wall1 and ,willis guessed that it had never been moved from where ,tad had last used it4 ,the large1 blackened chips were scattered over the floor1 and the great plank lay where he had last worked on it4 ,tad was very cautious now1 trying the props overhead every few feet1 to see if they were safe4 ,willis was walking as if in a dream2 he was stepping very softly and his head was bowed4 ,this was the very path his father had trod4 ,he fancied he heard his cheery voice now1 as he came and went with load after load of rock4 ,he fancied how he must have felt as he worked day by day1 ever surer of the fortune that was to be his4 ,he found himself wondering how his life's course might have been changed if that golden dream had come true4 ,the tunnel turned abruptly to the west1 and ,tad moved more cautiously still4 ,presently ,tad halted and pointed to a heap of rock on the floor1 ,it was there1 lad1 he said very quietly1 and that was all4 ,willis stooped and placed his hand on the place for a second4 ,tad noticed that his face was white and drawn and his eyes were very big4 ,he let him stay for an instant1 then took him gently by the arm and led him out4 ,old ,ben made a hasty examination of the rocks on the floor1 then of the exposed vein4 ,he handed the candle to ,ham1 and1 drawing from his pocket a heavy cold chisel1 he carefully knocked off some choice pieces of the ore and placed them in his pocket1 muttering to himself all the while4 ,when he had satisfied himself1 he turned1 took the candle1 and started out1 motioning ,ham to precede him4 ,best gold quartz ,i've seed in many a year1 he said softly1 only ,tad will never believe it4 ,ham understood4 ,ahead of them1 down the narrow black passage1 they saw ,tad's light disappear4 ,they have stepped into the tool-room1 boy1 said ,ben1 an' every tarnal one o' them implements is nearly sacred to ,tad4 ,let's not disturb 'em4 ,he blew out his light and leaned against the wall of the tunnel1 pulling ,ham back with him4 ,in a few minutes they were surprised to hear loud exclamations and the moving of the old iron wheelbarrows4 ,ahead they could see the light of the opening1 so ,old ,ben started again toward the entrance4 ,guess that memorial service must be all over1 from the racket they're makin' with them tarnal carts1 he said4 ,when they reached ,willis1 they found him carefully going through the pockets of the musty old coat hanging upon the wall4 ,the cloth had fairly rotted in the moisture4 ,tad was holding the treasures as ,willis removed them from the pockets4 ,to ,tad's surprise1 there was inside the coat an old vest4 ,they were no doubt the clothes ,mr4 ,thornton had worn the day of the accident4 ,in one vest pocket was ,bill's gold watch1 in another a musty pocketbook and a badly worn note-book that had mildewed in the moisture4 ,there were three letters in the outside coat pocket4 ,willis took one1 moist and rotten as it was1 from the envelope and noticed they were from his mother1 and were probably the last ones she had written4 ,willis's hand shook violently and two great tears glistened in his eyes4 ,in the other outside pocket was a strange tin tube1 perhaps a foot in length1 with a removable lid at either end4 ,the tube was rusted red and the ends sealed tight with rust4 ,willis handed the tube to ,tad1 a question on his lips4 ,thank ,god1 ,tad was saying to himself1 thank ,god1 he didn't do it4 ,i've often thought ,i'd kill him if he had4 ,if who had what8 questioned ,willis4 ,don't ask me1 lad1 not now--,i'll tell you some time1 perhaps4 ,come1 let's go4 ,this air is very bad1 and ,i'm just a little sick4 ,he linked his arm through ,willis's1 and together they walked out into the cold morning air4 ,ben and ,ham followed4 ,when they were outside1 ,tad swung the door shut and locked it4 ,then1 with a note of triumph in his voice1 he said3 ,there1 ,williams can have the place for all ,i care1 and he held the queer tin tube in his hand before them4 ,open it1 urged ,willis4 ,tad turned to him4 ,my boy1 there has never been a day in the past half-dozen years that ,i have not wondered what became of that tin tube4 ,many times1 after hours of reasoning1 ,i have decided that your uncle stole that tube from your father's belongings4 ,i have done the man an injustice4 ,from my firm belief that he had taken the tube came my great dislike for him4 ,you have never seen the contents of that can1 lad1 but your mother has4 ,at one time they were very valuable1 and ,i have no doubt that even now that can contains a small fortune for you-- ,but-- interrupted ,willis4 ,tad paid no attention to him1 and went on3 ,the contents of that tube will place your father among the greatest of mining engineers and give his name the honor it has always been entitled to-- ,but ,tad-- ,when your father conceived that idea it was impractical4 ,he was too far ahead of the times4 ,but to-day1 lad1 it means that every mine dump in the ,cripple ,creek region will be worked over again and the gold removed at a trifling expense1 for in that tube are the blueprints of the greatest electrical ore-roasting machine in the world4 ,he took his knife from his pocket and slowly and carefully pried off the rusty lid4 ,the blue roll slid out into his hand4 ,the moisture had not penetrated the can1 and the sketches were as good as the day they were made4 ,willis took them in his hand and proudly turned them over and over1 then he placed them again in the can with the remark1 ,tad1 these things all belong to mother4 ,i wonder what she'll say8 ,tad broke into a pleased little laugh1 and the old smile that had made him so many friends in the years gone by came back to his grizzled face4 ,lad1 you're rich to-day1 and ,i am better satisfied4 ,those plans will bring you and your mother a goodly sum4 ,it lifts a great burden from a poor1 worthless prospector's mind4 ,willis did not know the true meaning of the words1 but ,old ,ben did1 and it was now his turn to talk4 ,tad1 ,i've knowed ye for a tarnal lot o' years1 hain't ,i8 ,an'1 ,tad1 they ain't a soul on earth as would do fer ye as me4 ,i've lived a life myself1 ,tad1 an' ,i ain't so big a fool as ye are about some things4 ,ben pulled a piece of the ore from his pocket and held it up for inspection4 ,tad1 there's a twenty-inch vein of that rock in yonder1 an' finer gold quartz ye never seed in all yer days4 ,he turned to ,willis3 ,boy1 ye'r tarnal lucky4 ,them plans may be valuable1 but ,i have my doubts about it2 but it's certain that that mine is valuable4 ,jist how much gold they is there1 ,i don't know1 but they is lots of it4 ,two or three more weeks an' ,williams would have struck it from the other side4 ,now listen1 lad3 sell out1 do you hear me1 sell out4 ,it'll bring a handsome price on assay2 but sell now1 or ,williams-- and his voice dropped to a mysterious whisper and he looked suspiciously about him1 or ,williams will get the best of ye yet4 ,after more talk and discussion1 the whole party went down to the cabin1 and ,ham prepared a special supper4 ,after the meal was over1 all sat and talked before the fireplace1 and the entire story was gone over again in detail4 ,towards late afternoon they began the down trip through the canyon4 ,at the inn ,tad promised to come the next day to the city to meet ,mrs4 ,thornton4 ,together they would confer about the newly-discovered facts4 ,don't wait too tarnal long to sell1 boy1 or something will happen4 ,tad's unlucky4 ,sell if ye can1 an' ,i'd make that tarnal critter1 ,williams1 buy the whole business1 if ,i was you4 ,tad and ,willis stood some time talking1 ,willis then took the plans and the other things that had been in his father's coat1 and started home4 ,they walked in silence for some time1 then ,willis spoke3 ,o1 ,ham1 ,i'm so happy to-day1 and still-- ,he paused and the smile faded from his face4 ,still1 why should ,i be happy8 ,do these plans and that gold mine up there give me back my dear old dad8 ,not really1 replied ,ham1 but perhaps those things he left you will make it possible for you to accomplish in this world the things he had hoped to do1 and perhaps better things4 ,the little smile came back again to ,willis's face4 ,ham1 you're really a philosopher4 ,i'll do my very best1 ,i'll tell you that4 ,now1 let's hurry4 ,,chapter ,,xv ,in ,which ,fate ,takes a ,hand ,four days later ,tad and ,ben sat before the log-fire at the inn talking over plans for the future development of the mine in ,buffalo ,park4 ,tad was telling ,ben of his visit with ,mrs4 ,thornton and what her wishes were in regard to the matter4 ,it seemed that ,mr4 ,williams was out of the city and had been gone for several days4 ,just where he was no one seemed to know1 but as he had taken several such trips since the death of his wife1 ,mrs4 ,thornton did not think much of it4 ,it had been decided that they would wait until ,mr4 ,williams returned1 at which time he would be given the opportunity to buy the entire mine at a fair price4 ,but if he did not care to buy1 the property was to be turned over to ,tad for disposal or development1 as he saw fit4 ,the cold weather had continued1 and there had been no visitors at the inn for nearly a week4 ,tad and ,ben were making some crude tests before the fire with the pieces of gold quartz ,ben had brought from the tunnel4 ,they were just in the middle of their crude assay when suddenly there was a loud knock on the outside door1 accompanied by a series of low growls from ,ben's dog4 ,the door was unceremoniously thrown open and a very much excited man stepped in4 ,he made no apologies1 but went directly to the point4 ,he spoke between great breaths1 and had evidently come from some distance at a good speed4 ,he was completely exhausted1 and as he spoke his eyes wandered aimlessly about the room4 ,we've a devil of a mess1 he panted4 ,i don't know how many hurt1 but some of 'em are broken all to pieces4 ,come right away and bring what bandages you have4 ,o1 it's a devil of a mess4 ,old ,ben looked at the stranger bewilderedly4 ,tad jumped to his feet1 alert in a second4 ,devil of a mess where1 man8 ,what's wrong8 ,who's hurt8 ,the stranger's voice failed him1 and all he could do was to point his finger in the direction of the canyon and make signs for them to hurry4 ,ben pushed him into a chair by the fire1 and in a little while they had his story3 ,the new tunnel on the old ,iron ,dyke had caved in without a moment's notice4 ,there were seven men locked in by a wall of fallen rock4 ,whether they had been crushed or not was hard to tell4 ,the stranger had not been in the tunnel at the time of the accident1 but had gone to the stream for water4 ,upon returning1 he discovered the cave-in4 ,he had come at once for help1 realizing that a single man would be useless at the mine4 ,in a short time the three had the old horse packed and were on the trail4 ,the snow was deep and progress slow4 ,as they walked up the trail the stranger described the appearance of the fallen rock as best he could4 ,he told them that they had been working the tunnel as fast as possible and that they had not been as careful as they should have been about propping the ceiling4 ,he said they had struck considerable water1 and that the black rock seemed to have been previously loosened by some great force1 for it was cracked in every direction4 ,they had been spending the day putting in temporary props1 and the boss had been there superintending the job4 ,he had been urging the men on harder every day1 as he seemed so anxious to get the tunnel in to a certain point with the least possible delay4 ,the boss had in mind something very definite1 however1 for he often referred to a certain sketch which he always carried in his pocket book4 ,the miner declared he had seen the boss make calculations many times1 after he had measured the depth of the tunnel4 ,yes1 the boss was in the mine1 too--had been there all day4 ,it might be that he is dead this moment1 for all ,i know1 said the stranger4 ,from his description of the boss1 ,tad guessed that it was no other than ,mr4 ,williams himself4 ,when the mine was reached1 operations were at once commenced to remove the fallen stones4 ,tad took command1 and several times he thought he heard the sound of hammering from the other side--but1 perhaps1 after all it was only an echo4 ,after a careful examination1 it was decided that all the loose rock had fallen1 and that to remove it was not dangerous4 ,they began work at the top in order to make a hole big enough to reach the men4 ,they had not worked long when they heard sounds from the other side4 ,they were not all dead at least1 and if they could but get to them before they suffocated all would be well4 ,the imprisoned miners evidently understood the plan of action1 for the sounds from the other side indicated that they1 too1 were working at the top of the wall4 ,by night a small opening was made and messages exchanged4 ,there were seven men inside--one dead1 two very badly hurt1 and the others bruised and cut1 but able to help themselves4 ,water and hot food were passed to them1 then the work of rescue was taken up in earnest4 ,mr4 ,williams had a fractured leg and was unconscious1 but was still living4 ,instead of rushing to the solid wall end of the tunnel1 where he would have been comparatively safe1 at the first sign of danger he had rushed toward the entrance with one other man1 and had been struck down by the falling stone4 ,if he had started out thirty seconds sooner1 he would have been crushed to death1 as his companion was4 ,late that night a large enough hole had been made to move the wounded men out4 ,tad was the first to enter1 and the first man to be brought out was ,williams4 ,tad picked him up in his great strong arms and tenderly carried him to the cabin4 ,by midnight the broken leg was dressed and the cuts and bruises bandaged4 ,tad proved as good a nurse as he was a miner4 ,as he worked over ,williams a great pity filled his heart1 for ,tad knew only too well that he had been anything but a happy man4 ,the tunnel had been driven very rapidly without proper trussing1 and it seemed to ,tad that the entire dyke must have been shaken by the blasts that had caused ,mr4 ,thornton's death years before4 ,without a second's notice the shaly rock had given a little1 then caved in4 ,it seemed a strange turn of fate to ,tad that the same blast that had taken away his partner many years ago had now probably taken away his only enemy4 ,with these thoughts came an intense hatred for the mine and a tender pity for the man that had so wronged him4 ,tad had put his body to a tremendous test1 and every nerve and every muscle was fairly tingling1 so he drew up a chair to the bedside and rested4 ,in a little while ,mr4 ,williams became conscious1 but on recognizing ,tad at his bedside he slipped back again into unconsciousness1 muttering strange1 broken apologies and begging for mercy4 ,tad thanked ,god as he sat there that night that he had never harmed a brother man willfully and that his life had always been1 at least to the best of his ability1 on the square4 ,then he began to think rapidly4 ,perhaps ,williams was near the end4 ,he feared the bad cut on his head might prove fatal4 ,what if he should die and have no chance to talk1 no chance to square himself with those that he had wronged8 ,accordingly he made him as comfortable as he could1 and after telling ,ben his plan1 he hurriedly ate a little food1 went out into the night and down the trail4 ,willis was awakened early in the morning by a furious pounding on the door4 ,he rose and hurried down4 ,tad fairly tumbled into the room4 ,he informed ,willis just what had happened1 and told him to get ready to go with him at once4 ,a doctor was called1 a cab ordered1 and in a little while the three were hastening back toward ,bruin ,inn4 ,with all their speed1 however1 the morning was well-spent before they reached the little shanty again4 ,the doctor made a careful examination and declared ,williams in a very critical condition4 ,the broken leg was reset1 the cuts dressed and sewed up4 ,then began the preparations to remove him out of the mountains to a hospital4 ,it seemed very strange to ,tad to be again building a crude stretcher from aspen poles and blankets1 but by night they had placed him in the hospital and he was sleeping4 ,it was a long night of strange thoughts and fancies for ,willis as he sat by his uncle's bedside4 ,he was too bewildered by all the strange events of the last fortnight to be able to think logically4 ,his admiration for ,tad had grown until it knew no bounds1 and his pity for his uncle had increased until all the hardness had disappeared from his heart and he was sorry for him4 ,he hoped with all his might that he would yet live4 ,in the early morning ,willis was awakened by his uncle's hand being placed on his4 ,the injured man was looking up into his face4 ,he closed his eyes again and was silent a long while4 ,when he opened them again he spoke falteringly3 ,i'm very sorry1 son1 he began4 ,i've been wrong1 so wrong all along the way4 ,i've never been square4 ,i have fought the ,fates every day of my life1 and now ,i'm whipped4 ,he smiled a little1 weak smile4 ,what a fool a man is1 he continued4 ,willis1 ,i'm going to slip off very soon1 now1 and ,i have so much ,i want to say to you4 ,he half arose4 ,are we alone8 ,willis told him that they were1 but urged him not to talk4 ,he was determined4 ,i have played a desperate game1 and ,i have lost4 ,i'm sorry for my mistakes4 ,i have wronged ,tad and you the most1 for ,i have wanted your father's mine4 ,i was jealous of your father's favor4 ,now ,i know ,i did not deserve it4 ,i got your mother's reply to ,tad's letter long ago4 ,it was sent in my care1 and ,i read it4 ,it decided me1 for it all looked so easy4 ,there's money in the mine1 son1 and ,tad is here somewhere4 ,he will tell you all4 ,tell him for me that ,i am sorry4 ,he closed his eyes1 and in a moment was gone4 ,willis hurried home to his mother1 and together they held a long conference1 and many things were accounted for4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was at the little cabin that ,willis found his greatest pleasure1 and already ,ham and himself were planning a new and more pretentious ,lodge to take the place of ,buffalo ,roost1 for the next ,buffalo ,roost was to be a memorial camp built in honor of ,tad ,kieser1 gentleman1 and ,mr4 ,william ,thornton4 ,willis had found the cabin1 and the cabin with its stanch1 good friendships1 the healthful work together1 and the unselfish leadership of the right sort of men1 had helped him find his best self in thoughtful service for others4 ,surely no better thing ever comes to the life of a boy4