ort distance beyond the stream they found an open space with grass
for the animals, and very glad, too, they were to reach it, as they were
shaken by their immense exertions and the hard trail in the dark.

"This valley jest had to be here," said the Little Giant, "'cause we
couldn't hev stood goin' on any more. The hosses an' mules theirselves
are too tired to eat, but they will begin croppin' afore long."

"And it's so cold up here I think we'd better light a fire and have warm
food," said Boyd. "We can smother the smoke, and anyway it will pay us
to run the risk."

It was a task soon done, and long before breakfast was finished the
horses and mules were peacefully grazing. Will then took his rifle and
examined the country himself in some detail, going as far as the great
precipice on the south. It was not a gulch or ravine, but the ground
dropped down suddenly three or four hundred feet. Beyond that the forest
extended as before.

The view to the west was magnificent and majestic beyond description.
Up, up rose the slope, cliff on cliff and the imperial white dome
beyond! That way, too, apparently, they had to go, as they were cut off
by the precipices on all other sides, and at the moment Will felt no
particular sorrow because of it. The gold had taken a second place in
his mind, and with these two wise and brave comrades of his he would
penetrate the great mysteries of the west. The southward turn into the
plains, following the diagram of the map, could wait.

When he returned to the camp he found the animals still grazing and his
comrades sitting by the fire, which had now burned down to a bed of
coals.

"I don't see anything for us to do except to go straight on toward the
great snow mountain," he said.

"That's about the same conclusion that Tom and I have come to," said
Boyd. "We're likely to get up pretty high, where it's winter all the
year 'round, but it's better than running into the hands of the Sioux,
or any of the mountain tribes. I vote, though, that this army of three
spend the rest of the day here, and since storms gather at any time on
these uplands, we'd better build another wickiup."

"An' make brush shelters for the animals, too," said the Little Giant.

The wickiup was built and they arranged crude, but nevertheless
excellent, protection for the horses, a precaution that was soon
justified, as it began to rain the following night, and they had
alternating rain, snow and sleet for two da