as we
can," he said, "and it's likely that we can find plenty of it up here.
The horses, too, have had all the grass they want and we'll tether 'em
for the night, though there's not one chance in a thousand that they'll
wander from the valley. Animals have instinct, and if there's no
powerful enemy near they always stay where food and water are to be had.
I tell you what, Will, if a man could only have all his own senses
coupled with those of a deer or a wolf, what a mighty scout and hunter
he could be. Suppose you could smell a trail like a wolf, and then think
about it like a man! Maybe men did have those powers a hundred thousand
years ago."

"Maybe they did, Jim, but they didn't have rifles and all the modern
weapons and tools that help us so much."

"You're right, Will. You can't have everything, all at the same time,
and just now you and me are not so bad off, lying here comfortable and
easy in our own particular valley, having just finished some fine trout
that would have cost us four or five dollars in a fine New York
restaurant, but for which we paid nothing."

"You don't have any fear that the troops will come after us and make us
go back?"

"You can clear your mind of that trouble and keep it cleared. We're in
the Indian country, and Captain Kenyon has orders to make no invasion.
So he can't pursue. Missing us he'll just have to give us up as a bad
job."

"Then we'll have only the Indians to guard against, and your opinion,
Jim, that they're far ahead, seems mighty good to me. Perhaps we ought
to stay three or four days here."

The hunter laughed.

"I see you're falling in love with the valley," he said, "but maybe
you're right. It will depend on circumstances. To-morrow we'll get out
those big field glasses of yours, go to the highest hill, and examine
all the country."

"Suppose it should rain, Jim. Then we wouldn't think so much of our fine
valley."

"Right you are, Will. But lucky for us, it doesn't rain much up here at
this time of the year, and we can call ourselves safe on that score.
Full night is at hand, and there isn't a cloud in the heavens. We'll
both sleep, and build up our nerves and strength."

"Don't we need to keep a watch?"

"Not now, I think, at least not either of our two selves. That horse of
mine, that I ride, Selim, is a sentinel of the first class. He's been
with me so much and I've trained him so long that he's sure to give an
alarm if anything alarming comes, though