ion they had hoped to run across the ranger, and
secure him for their service while in the valleys and mountains; for
he was said to be patrolling the big timber country, on which some
thieving lumbermen were suspected of having set envious eyes.

And by great good luck the boys had happened to meet up with Toby,
after passing through a great variety of thrilling experiences,
connected with the hunt for the tenderfoot who had "gone out to find
his bear." And as the ranger was able to engage with them for the
balance of their stay in the mountains, Thad and his companions now
felt that they need hesitate no longer, but might strike boldly into
the heart of the Rockies.

They had various objects in wanting to come out to this far distant
region. Several who had the hunting fever burning in their veins, had
sighed for a glimpse of big game, grizzlies and such; then another, who
was rapidly being taken with the photographic craze, being Davy Jones,
expressed a wish to snap off wild animals and birds in their native
haunts, the famous big horn sheep for instance taking one of his amazing
plunges over a precipice; Smithy was interested in wild flowers, and had
heard great stories concerning the pretty ones that were to be found out
here; and then there were several others who yearned for excitement in
any shape or style, so long as it thrilled their pulses--which was the
natural boy spirit, always feeding on action.

Some days had passed since the coming of the guide, and the breaking
up of the camp at the foot of the noisy rapids, where three of the
boys had remained while their companions were off for days, tracking
the wandering Bumpus.

They had started into the mountains, and were at the time this
conversation took place surrounded by the wildest scenery that any of
them had ever looked upon.

The trail led along precipitous paths, often with a wall of rock on
one side, and a yawning abyss on the other, down which the boys could
look and see trees growing that seemed to be dwarfed, but which the
guide assured them were of fairly respectable size.

As a rule the scouts were a rollicking set, full of jokes, and even
playing innocent little tricks upon each other; but somehow the
grandeur of the scenery, as well as the dangers of that mountain
trail, rather stilled their spirits. Thad had also taken pains to warn
them that practical pranks would be out of order during their stay in
the mountains. He had heard of seve