hort time Mr. Waterman led them out onto a bold rocky precipice
that stood out from the mountain. They looked down into a gulch hundreds
of feet below. They gazed at an immense coliseum, the sides of which
were lined with giant trees. It was the wildest bit of scenery that the
boys had ever looked on.

"That looks just like some of the mining camps in the Rockies," said
Bob. "I've seen pictures of several that look just like this."

"That's just what struck me when I first looked down from this rock,"
said Mr. Waterman. "It certainly does look as if there might be some
kind of mineral down there. As yet, I have not been able to find time to
go down to the bottom. Those trees interest me. They are the finest I
have ever seen. I can't see any lake down there, but there must be some
outlet for the water."

"Why not come over here some time and go down there and investigate?"
said Bill.

"We'll do that, and I'll bring you along. Let's go down the gulch a bit
so you can get a look at some of these great tamaracks and cedars. You
won't see them any place else."

They followed their leader, who gave them another hour of hard climbing,
though he finally brought them out, half way down the mountain.

"Ye gods!" cried Mr. Waterman, as he looked at his watch. "It's after
two o'clock. Let's hurry, for Mr. Anderson will think that we are lost."

Suiting action to the word, he plowed along, and though the boys were
not sure in what direction they were going, they soon came out on a
lake. Mr. Waterman gave a cry, which was answered immediately, not far
off.

In another moment they saw Mr. Anderson putting off in a canoe. They all
got in, though it brought the gunwale of the canoe down pretty close to
the water. Paddling carefully, they soon landed, to find a fire burning,
several fish all ready cleaned and ready for the fire, and bread all
ready buttered.

"We forgot the frying pan," said Pud. "How are we going to cook the
fish?"

"That's easy," said Bob. "Haven't you ever cooked fish on a stick over
the fire?"

"Never," replied Pud.

"Well, you have something to learn, then," said Mr. Anderson. "You'll
find pointed sticks all ready, so get busy, as it's getting late and we
must be on our way."

The boys found the sticks all ready prepared, and it was not long before
they were all sitting around the fire, eating fish with one hand and
holding another trout over the fire with the other. The two men had
often cooked fi