he trail now led down the mountain side and then into a thicket of
cedars. As they entered the thicket, Dave gave a yell.

"Look out!"

He leaped to one side and the other lads did the same. A second later
the wounded elk rushed almost on them, his antlers lowered as if to
crush all in his path. The boys fired as quickly as they could, and hit
in the side, the animal swerved and dashed off at a right angle to the
course he had been pursuing.

"Phew! but that was a narrow escape!" gasped Phil.

"It's different when the game hunts you, isn't it?" queried the
senator's son.

"We must keep our eyes open, and our guns ready," said Dave. "Come
ahead, that elk must be pretty hard hit by this time."

Again they went on. They could hear the big game crashing among the
cedars. Evidently the elk was in such pain he did not know where to go.

"I see him!" cried Dave five minutes later, and pointed to a rocky
elevation ahead. At the foot of the rocks stood the elk, glaring in
rage at them. All of the young hunters elevated their firearms, and as
they did this the big game charged them full tilt.

Crack! bang! crack! went the weapons, and the elk was halted in his
course. He tried to come on, but in vain, and slowly swayed from side to
side. Then he tried to retreat, but it was too late. With a snort he
went over, kicking up big clods of grass as he did so. Then he gave a
shiver and breathed his last.

"We've got him! We've got him!" cried Roger, exultantly, and began to
caper about in his joy. "Just think of it, Dave, two elk! Isn't that
something to be proud of?"

"I think so," answered Dave, his face beaming.

"I suppose the other elk is dead," said Phil. "But we'd better go back
and make sure."

"We don't want to leave this here," said Roger, wistfully. "That other
hunter might come along and claim him."

"I'll go back to where we left Todd, and you can watch this elk," said
Dave. "I'll ask Todd what we had best do with both animals."

"Can you find the way?" questioned Phil.

"I think so."

Reloading his rifle, Dave set off for the spot where they had left the
cowboy and the first elk. For a few minutes he followed the back trail
with ease, then, almost before he was aware, he became mixed up and
scarcely knew in what direction to turn.

"I suppose I might call out, or fire my rifle," he mused. "But if I do
that the others may think I am in trouble."

Looking around carefully, Dave set off once more, and p