at deal more that had not
been mentioned in the way of roughness and almost insurmountable
difficulties. They occupied eight long and weary hours in traversing
seven miles to a ranch on the coast which they proposed to make their
headquarters.

To add to the unpleasant features of the trip, they were tartly received
by the owner of the ranch when they arrived there at night worn out
and hungry. The proprietor was very ill natured and did not conceal his
aversion to entertaining them. Boyton made several polite attempts to
engage him in conversation; but was answered with frowns and
monosyllables. There was no other place where food and shelter could be
procured and they were obliged to put up with it.

At supper some very fine meat graced the table and was more than
relished by the hungry sea lion hunters. Paul thought he could reach
the rancher's heart through praising the excellence of his viands, and
innocently asked:

"Is that elk meat, sir?"

The man became very much excited at the question and angrily answered:

"No, sir. Do you suppose I would kill elk out of season, and a law
against it at this time of year?"

Paul apologized for having unconsciously insinuated such a thing and
remarked that if he was in the woods with a gun and saw an elk, he
would be likely to shoot it.

"It would be wrong to violate the law in that way, young man," replied
the host, "and I would be the first one to inform on you if I caught you
at it."

Next morning while Boyton was out looking over the position of the seal
rocks, his assistant informed the rancher who he was. A change took
place at once in the man's demeanor. He proved a most generous and
entertaining host. "Why, Captain," said he, "I thought I knew you. I
helped you take off your suit once at Hock Ferry, Liverpool."

The sullen host became bright and cheerful and wanted Paul to go out elk
hunting with him every day. His strange conduct at first was
explained; he had been under the impression that his visitors were spies
in search of violators of the game laws.

The nets were finally unpacked and Boyton with his assistant and three
men from the ranch, started for the rocks. As they proceeded through the
forest, they could hear the lions' bellowing above the noise of the
breakers.

They reached the cliff which towers several hundred feet above the
beach, and from which they had a glorious view of the rocks and
rookeries below tha