a book with maps in his
pocket, and he took out the precious volume.

He found a map of the Rocky Mountain territory, but most of the
space upon it was vague, often blank, and he could not exactly
locate himself and Albert, although he knew that they were very
far west of any settled country.

"I can learn from that book all about the world except
ourselves," he said, as he put it back in his pocket. But he was
not sulky over it. His was a bold and adventurous spirit and
he was not afraid, nor was his present trip merely to satisfy
curiosity. He and Albert must leave the valley some day, and it
was well to know the best way in which it could be done.

He started across the plain in a general southwesterly direction,
intending to travel for about a day perhaps, camp for the night,
and return on the following day to his mountains. He walked
along with a bold, swinging step and did not look back for an
hour, but when he turned at last he felt as if he had ventured
upon the open ocean in a treacherous canoe. There were
the mountains, high, sheltered, and friendly, while off to the
south and west the plains rolled away in swell after swell as
long and desolate as an untraveled sea, and as hopeless.

Dick saw toward noon some antelope grazing on the horizon, but he
was not a hunter now, and he did not trouble himself to seek a
shot. An hour or two later he saw a considerable herd of
buffaloes scattered about over the plain, nibbling the short
bunch grass that had lived under the snow. They were rather an
inspiring sight, and Dick felt as if, in a sense, they were
furnishing him company. They drove away the desolation and
loneliness of the plains, and his inclinations toward them were
those of genuine friendliness. They were in danger of no bullet
from him.

While he was looking at them, he saw new figures coming over the
distant swell. At first he thought they were antelope, but when
they reached the crest of the swell and their figures were thrown
into relief against the brilliant sky, he saw that they were
horsemen.

They came on with such regularity and precision, that, for a
moment or two, Dick believed them to be a troop of cavalry, but
he learned better when they scattered with a shout and began to
chase the buffaloes. Then he knew that they were a band of Sioux
Indians hunting.

The full extent of his danger dawned upon him instantly. He was
alone and on foot. The hunt might bring them down up