up the package to the
bough of the tree above the ground as high as he could reach.

"We don't want any old porcupine coming here and eating up our grub.
They almost gnaw through a steel plate to get at anything greasy or
salty," he explained. "We'll call this camp, and we'll stop here
to-night, because I can see that if we go up to that trail and do any
waiting around it will be too late for us to get back home to-night."

Although no game had as yet been sighted, the confidence that it was
somewhere in the country made the boys forget their fatigue. They
followed Alex up the mountain-slopes, which close at hand proved
steeper than they had looked for, keeping up a pretty fast pace,
until finally they got almost as high up as the trail which Alex had
sighted. This latter lay at some distance to the right of their
present course, and a high, knife-edged ridge ran down from the hills,
separating the hunters from the mountain-side beyond. Alex now turned
to his young companions and said in a low tone:

"You'd better stay here now for a little while. I'll crawl up to the
top yonder and look over. If you see me motion to you, come on up to
where I am."

Rob and John sat down on a near-by rock and watched the hunter as he
cautiously ascended the slope, taking care not to disengage any stones
whose noise might alarm any near-by game. They saw him flatten out,
and, having removed his hat, peer cautiously over the rim. Here he lay
motionless for some time, then, little by little, so slowly that they
hardly noticed he was moving, he dropped down over the rim, and,
looking down over his shoulder, motioned to them to come on up.

When the boys joined Alex at the edge of the ridge they were pretty
much out of breath, as they had hurried in the ascent. "What is it,
Alex?" hissed John, his eyes shining.

"They're over there," said the hunter, quietly. "Five sheep, two good
ones--one a very fine ram. Do you want to have a look at them? Be
very careful--they're up at the top of the slope, and haven't come
down over the trail yet. Be careful, now, how you put your heads
over."

The two boys now slowly approached the crest, and, almost trembling
with excitement, peered over. Alex following, laid a hand on John's
leg and another on Rob's shoulder, for fear they would make some
sudden movement and frighten the game. When at length the boys crawled
back from the ridge they were very much excited. "What'll we do now,
Alex?" asked J