hen their men think the way is
safe it's bound to be safe. Besides, you forget that though all this
country is more or less new, there are Hudson Bay posts scattered all
through it. When they get east of the Rockies, below Hudson's Hope and
Fort St. John, they come on Dunvegan, which now is just a country
town, almost. They'll meet wagon-trains of farmers going into all that
country to settle. Why, I'm telling you, the only worry I have is that
the boys will find it too solemn and quiet to have a good time!"

"Yes, I know about solemn and quiet things that you propose, Richard!"
said his sister. "But at least"--she sighed--"since their fathers want
them to live in this northern country for a time, I want my boy to
grow up fit for this life. Things here aren't quite the same as they
are in the States. Well--I'll ask Rob's mother, and John's."

Uncle Dick grinned. He knew his young friends would so beset their
parents that eventually they would get consent for the trip he had
described as so simple and easy.

And, in truth, this evening camp on the crest of the Rockies in
British Columbia was the result of his negotiations.

II

THE GATE OF THE MOUNTAINS

Whether Uncle Dick told the boys everything he knew about this
undertaking, or whether their mothers realized what they were doing in
allowing them to go so far and into a wild region, we shall be forced
to leave as an unanswered question. Certainly they started with their
Uncle when he left Valdez by steamer for Vancouver. And, finishing
that part of their journey which was to be made by rail, wagon, and
boat, here they were, in the twilight of a remote valley at the crest
of the great Rocky Mountains; near that point, indeed, properly to be
called the height of land between the Arctic and the Pacific waters.
Moreover, they were for the time quite alone in camp.

"Well, fellows," said Rob at last, "I suppose we'd better get some
more wood together. The men'll be back before long, and we'll have to
get something to eat."

"How do you know they'll come back?" asked John dubiously.

"Alex told me he would, and I have noticed that he always does things
when he says he is going to."

"I don't hear them, anyway," began Jesse, the youngest, who was, by
nature as well as by years perhaps, not quite so bold and courageous
as his two young friends.

"You couldn't hear them very far," replied Rob, "because they wear
moccasins."

"Do you think they really ca