bad as that, Billy," commented Jesse. "Nine thousand,
ninety-five hundred--isn't that about average timber line? We're only
eight thousand at our upper valley, and we're not going to climb to the
top of the peaks."

"Well, I'm game if you all are," said Billy. "We can make it through for
one night, all right, for when the firewood runs out we can make camp
and finish on foot."

"Go on ahead, Jesse," said Uncle Dick. "You're the youngest. Let's see
how good a mountain man you are."

"All right!" said Jesse, stoutly. "You see." Accordingly, they rode on
up, slowly, for a little distance, allowing the horses plenty of time to
make their way among rocks and over fallen poles. At last Jesse came to
a halt and dismounted, leading his horse for a way, until he brought up
at the foot of such a tangle of down timber and piled boulders that he
could not get on. He turned, his face red with chagrin. "Well," he said,
"I've never been here before. I guess a fellow has to figure it out."

"You go ahead now, John," laughed Uncle Dick. "Jess, fall to the rear;
you're in disgrace."

"All right!" said John. "You watch me."

This time John rode back downstream a little, until clear of the patch
of heavy down timber. Then he turned and swung up above the bed of the
stream, angling up on the side of the mountain, and finally heading
close to the foot of a tall escarpment which barred the horses for a
way. Here he hugged the cut face for a few yards and by good fortune
found the way passable beyond for quite a distance.

"Not bad," said his leader. "Go on. I see you've got the idea of
distance for elevation."

"Yes, sir," said John. "But I'm like Jesse--I've never been here before,
and I don't know just where I'm going."

"Humph! Isn't that about the way Lewis and Clark were fixed, only all
the way across?" scoffed Uncle Dick. "Go ahead, and if we have to get
down and lead, I'll put Rob ahead, or Billy."

John gritted his teeth and spurred up his horse. "You give me time,"
said he, "and I'll take you up there."

He did pursue his edging away from the stream until he could no longer
see the exact course. At last he pulled up. "We must have climbed three
hundred feet," said he. "Where is it?"

"What do you say, Rob?" asked Uncle Dick.

"I'll stay behind and see that Mr. Pack Horse comes," replied Rob. "But
I should think we might angle down a little now, because we're going up
the wrong split. It's two-thirty o'clock, now, and