turned out to graze the evening before, not a sign was to be seen. As usual, they had been driven out with old Baldy, the leader of the pack horses, as the "bell" pony.

even the familiar tinkle of the bell that would have tol

means a day's delay while we hunt for the ponies; however, there appears to be plenty of rock

t appeared that in years of packing he had grown

fast," he said, rolling out of hi

ons put it, "They began to feel as if the world was made of something else than ashes." While the professor made less strenuous ablutions, the boys rubbed each other into a warm glow and then indulged[98

desire to penetrate the Rockies were in vain. So, perforce, they had to allow it to remain a mystery till such time as the lad himself chose to enlighten them. Bits of his history he had already imparted to them. The lad had enlivened many a camp fire with stories of his experiences in the saw-dust ring, and in selling

mysterious air, as the hungry boys squatted down and prepared to pa

inquired Ralph, while Moun

ffed the air a

smell something

ncakes go?" i

t to be in Delmonico's,"

aid Jimmie with a grin, as he turned to[100] the "spi

maple syrup fashioned like a miniature

e passed it along, "and try to fo

ere already at work, in spite of the

k-fly dope on my hands," mutter

e cold storage eggs with t

he cut off a big slice of the top cake and eagerly took it into his mouth. For an i

ulated, and bolted

's the trouble?"

in Jim apprehensively. "Better get

om the bucket Jimmie had brought from the creek. They watched him

hen turned to Jimmie, who stood lo

id you put any of that fly do

e, a guilty flush spreading

1

batter for these cakes," sputtered Ralph. "Fellows,

rdware, "and I was c

"What sort of a cook are you anyhow, Ji

o cry, and sniffed hi

dolefully. "I'm sorry, fellows, bu

," groaned Hardware, with a glance

coffee and a big plateful of grub," lau