l the water we needed. In the afternoon we got our
first sight of the Black Hills, like clouds low on the northern
horizon. About the same time we struck into the old Sidney trail,
which, before the railroad had reached nearer points, was used in
carrying freight to the Hills in wagons. In some places it was
half a mile wide and consisted of a score or more of tracks worn
into deep ruts. There was a herd of several thousand Texas cattle
crossing the trail in charge of a dozen men, and we waited and
watched them go by. Ollie had never seen such a display of horns
before.

Shortly after this we came upon the first sage-bush which we
had seen. It was queer gray stuff, shaped like miniature trees,
and had the appearance of being able to get along with very
little rain.

Toward night we found ourselves winding down among the hills
to the Cheyenne River. They were strange-looking hills, most
of them utterly barren on their sides, which were nearly
perpendicular, the hard soil standing almost as firm as rock.
They were ribbed and seamed by the rain--in fact, they were not
hills at all, properly speaking, but small bluffs left by the
washing out of the ravines by the rain and melting snows. Just as
the sun was sinking among the distant hills we came to the river.
It was shallow, only four or five yards wide, and we easily
forded it and camped on the other side. The full moon was just
rising over the eastern hills. There was not a sound to be heard
except the gentle murmur of the stream and the faint rustle of
the leaves on a few cottonwood-trees. There was plenty of
driftwood all around, and after supper we built up the largest
camp-fire we had ever had. The flame leaped up above the
wagon-top, and drifted away in a column of sparks and smoke,
while the three horses stood in the background with their heads
close together munching their hay, and the four of us (counting
Snoozer) lay on the ground and blinked at the fire.

"This is what I call the proper thing," remarked Jack, after
some time, as he roiled over on his blanket and looked at the
great round moon.

"Yes," I said, "this will do well enough. But it would be
pretty cool here if it wasn't for that fire."

"Yes, the nights are getting colder, that's certain. I was
just wondering if that cover will withstand snow as well as it
does rain?"

"Why," said Ollie, "do you think it's going to snow?"

"Not to-night," returned Jack. "But it may before we