er a spot
becomes the more dangerous it is for us. No, we'll ride on past this
happy valley straight into the mountains."

"But at least let me take a little swim in that blue lake."

"Well, there's no harm in that, provided you're quick about it. When you
come out I'll take one myself."

Will undressed in a couple of minutes and sprang into the water, which
he found extremely cold, but he swam joyously for five minutes or so,
when he emerged and was followed by Boyd. When they were in the saddle
again both felt that their strength had been renewed and Will waved one
hand in farewell to the little blue lake.

"Good-bye, Friend Lake," he said. "You're not large, but you're very
beautiful, and some day I hope to come back and bathe in you again."

"The great ranges of mountains which run all about over the western part
of the continent are full of such pleasant valleys and cool little
lakes," said the hunter. "Often the lakes are far up the slopes, many
thousands of feet above the sea, and sometimes you don't see 'em until
you break right through the trees and bushes and come square up against
the water. If we keep on, as I intend we shall, it's likely that we'll
see a lot of 'em."

The lad's eyes kindled.

"That being so," he said, "I don't mind turning aside a while from our
real hunt, because then we'll be explorers. It will be glorious to find
new lakes and streams."

"Yes, it'll make the waiting easier, provided, of course, that we don't
have rain and storms. Rain can turn a wilderness paradise in fifteen
minutes into a regular place for the condemned. We've almost as much to
fear now from the sky as we have from the Indians on the ground. When
you see a little cloud up there you can begin to worry."

"But I don't see any, and so I refuse to worry yet."

They reached the farther edge of the valley and began to climb a slope,
which, easier at first, soon became rather stiff. But the horses once
more justified the hunter's praise and pressed forward nobly. He and
Will dismounted again, and they let Selim lead where he would.

"All horses have wilderness sense," said Boyd, "and Selim, having both
an educated sense and a wild sense, is sure to pick out the best way."

His confidence was not misplaced, as the horse instinctively chose the
easiest path, and, before the twilight came, they reached the crest of a
lofty ridge, from which they saw a sea of mountains in all directions, a
scene so majestic that it