decisively.

"So shall I," cried Ned. "We don't want to turn savages because we are
going into the wilds."

"Just as you like, squires, but you'll do more good, I say, by being
sure to wind up your revolvers and setting your rifles ready to strike
one or two when they're wanted. I say, we must talk to the boss about
having some shooting if we see a chance."

"There's one then for the shot-barrel," cried Chris excitedly, as he
pointed to a hare--a jack-rabbit, as they called it--just startled by
their animals' feet, and bounding away as hard as he could go.

"Nay, we're not going to waste powder and shot upon those things. I
don't like that bitter sort of meat."

"They are bitter," observed Ned. "My father says it's because they eat
so many of the artemisia shoots."

"Eh? What shoots?" cried Griggs.

"Artemisia--this stuff we're riding through."

"Oh, the sage-brush! Well, p'r'aps it is, but I allus thought it was
from swallowing so much alkali dust. Regular soda plain, this."

"What are we likely to find farther on, Griggs?" said Chris, after that
gentleman had been remonstrating a little with the bell-mule for trying
to bite Ned's mustang, the said remonstrating being performed with the
butt of his rifle, which had to be applied hard upon the vicious
animal's head.

"What are we likely to find to shoot?" replied Griggs, with a satisfied
grunt, for the mule was plodding steadily on again. "Well, Indians."

"But we can't eat them," cried Chris, laughing.

"No, my lad; I should say buck Indian would be as tough as his own
teepee [skin lodge, hut, or tent]. Matter o' taste, though, I s'pose.
No cannibal that I ever heard of in our family."

"No nonsense, Griggs," said Ned. "What are we really likely to find?"

"The gold if we're lucky," said the American dryly.

"I mean, what are we likely to shoot for the pot?"

"All depends how far south we get, and whether we come into woods and
mountains. If we strike them we may drop upon a flock of gobblers now
and then."

"What! Turkeys?"

"Yes."

"Splendid!" cried the boys in a breath. "But do you really think we
shall find them?"

"Like enough; if we're far enough away from settlements and Indians."

"But if we don't find turkeys, what then?" asked Chris.

"I dunno. We're going into the wildest parts we can find, places that
haven't been hunted over. We might come upon buffalo or a deer now and
then. All depends upon our getting into qu