Others succeeded in getting
through the lines with their pack animals laden with peltries, to St.
Louis, to return again the following autumn and to face and overcome,
or possibly fail to overcome, the perils they had met so often.

The sun was shining from a clear, balmy sky, for summer had come, when
Deerfoot swept every portion of the visible horizon with the spyglass
without detecting a sign of red men. To the westward towered the
immense Laramie range, while the plains stretched eastward and were
crossed by numerous streams, on whose banks thriving towns and cities
have been built in later days. Less than a hundred miles to the
southeast was the site of the present city of Cheyenne.

Before reaching the scene of this encampment the travelers had twice
come within range of grizzly bears. The first was ignored, but the
second did not choose to be passed by in such cavalier fashion. He
first appeared close to camp, much to the terror of the horses, and
then deliberately proceeded to attack everything in sight. He came
within a hair, too, of killing Zigzag and Prince before he was brought
low by the bullets of all three, Deerfoot burying two in the colossal
carcass.

Black and cinnamon bears were observed, but no disturbance followed on
the part of men or brutes. Several times the wolves, coyotes and pumas
became so troublesome that a number were killed. Bison were so
plentiful that hardly a day passed without sight of them. In some
instances the droves contained tens of thousands.

George and Victor Shelton soon found themselves climbing among the
foothills. Deerfoot had gone in another direction, the agreement being
that they should return to camp soon after meridian, and not to go far
from headquarters. While none felt misgiving as to danger, all had
learned to be circumspect.

It may be said that the stroll of the boys was as much to gain exercise
as to hunt game, though the latter object was the one avowed by them.
In those days a person did not have to look far for such sport, but it
seemed as if the wild animals scented the danger and kept out of the
way. When noon came the tired boys sat down beside a mountain torrent,
without either having fired his rifle.

"We haven't heard the report of Deerfoot's gun," said George, "and I
don't see that there is any use of hunting further."

"Nor do I. I'm hungry and we shan't be able to get anything to eat this
side of camp. It must be the game noticed that _I_ wa