'
right away from the best hunting. There's a fork in the road a little
more than a mile down, an' the people mostly take the right-hand turn.
How far are you countin' on traveling?"

"I don't know; just want to have a little trip."

"I don't reckon you want a guide, eh?"

"I guess I couldn't stand anything quite so expensive. I heard one of
them fellers say he wanted, three dollars a day."

"Yes, some of 'em get pretty big prices; but I'd put myself alongside
of the best, 'less it comes to deers."

"And how much do you charge?"

"I'll go for nothin', if you'll pay the bills."

"Bills for what?"

"Grub, hire of a boat, powder an' shot, an' sich things."

"Have you got a gun?"

"Of course; but she's not so good as your'n."

"I'll take you along. When will you be ready?"

"In five minutes; I've only got to run home a second to get some
things."

"Don't be away any longer than you can help."

The boy started off at full speed; and Jet congratulated himself on
having made the arrangement.

"That fellow can do a good deal to help me, and since he lives around
here, Bob won't recognize me so quick, because he'll be apt to take me
for one of the natives."

Jet's guide returned in a very short time.

He brought with him several fishing-lines, an old muzzle-loading gun,
some cooking utensils, and a small bundle of provisions.

"Now, you've got to buy a lot of grub, an' then we'll have so much to
carry that a team will be needed to haul 'em. I know where we can get
a boat."

"I'll stay here while you pick out as much as we'll need; but don't
spend more'n ten dollars."

"Ten dollars! Why, half of that'll be enough."

"Go ahead, an' call me when you've found out how much the bill is."

"Why don't you come, too?"

"I didn't know but I might see a friend, an' I want to kinder watch out
for a while."

The boy hurried away, and returned half an hour later.

"The stuff comes to six dollars an' eighty cents, an' we'll have to pay
a dollar to get it hauled down."

Jet was averse to losing sight of the hotel door even for a moment; but
it was necessary to settle the bill, and he hurried off just as the
stage drove up.

He paid the amount asked for, and had turned toward the store door when
he saw Bob and Sam, with guns, rods, and quite an amount of baggage,
clambering on the roof of the coach.

"Hurry up an' get your team," he said, in a low tone to his new friend.
"I'd like to know where that st