guide us around the snow-slide. Under one arm he carried the
horn with which he had called us to him. It came from some long-horned
cow in Mexico, was beautifully polished, and had a fancy rim of silver.
I should like to own it, but I could not make it produce a sound. When
we were safe on our way our guide left us, and our spirits ran high
again. The horses were feeling good also, so it was a merry, laughing
party that drew up before Zebbie's two hours later.

Long before I had lent Gavotte a set of the Leather-Stocking Tales,
which he had read aloud to Zebbie. Together they had planned a
Leather-Stocking dinner, at which should be served as many of the
viands mentioned in the Tales as possible. We stayed two days and it
was one long feast. We had venison served in half a dozen different
ways. We had antelope; we had porcupine, or hedgehog, as Pathfinder
called it; and also we had beaver-tail, which he found toothsome, but
which I did _not_. We had grouse and sage hen. They broke the ice and
snared a lot of trout. In their cellar they had a barrel of trout
prepared exactly like mackerel, and they were more delicious than
mackerel because they were finer-grained. I had been a little
disappointed in Zebbie after his return from home. It seemed to me that
Pauline had spoiled him. I guess I was jealous. This time he was the
same little old Zebbie I had first seen. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy
our visit, and I am sure we each had the time of our lives. We made it
home without mishap the same day we started, all of us sure life held
something new and enjoyable after all.

If nothing happens there are some more good times in store for me this
summer. Gavotte once worked under Professor Marsden when he was out
here getting fossils for the Smithsonian Institution, and he is very
interesting to listen to. He has invited us to go with him out to the
Bad-Land hills in the summer to search for fossils. The hills are only
a few miles from here and I look forward to a splendid time.

XVI

THE HORSE-THIEVES

[No date.]

DEAR MRS. CONEY,--

... I am so afraid that you will get an overdose of culture from your
visit to the Hub and am sending you an antidote of our sage, sand, and
sunshine.

Mrs. Louderer had come over to see our boy. Together we had prepared
supper and were waiting for Clyde, who had gone to the post-office.
Soon he came, and after the usual friendly wrangling between him and
Mrs. Louderer we ha