recently passed over
the ground, and could not be far distant. These were cheering thoughts;
and for a while the young hunters sat around the sage-fire, revolving
them in their minds, and conversing upon them. Then, having offered
thanks to that Being who had so many times miraculously preserved them,
they rolled themselves in their blankets, and, notwithstanding a heavy
shower of rain that fell, once more found the solace of a good night's
sleep.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

THE BATTLE OF THE BULLS.

Next morning the boy hunters were up and stirring at the "peep of day."
They felt refreshed and cheerful. So did their animals, for the grass
was good. Jeanette was frisking about on her trail-rope and
endeavouring to reach "Le Chat," whom she would have kicked and bitten
to a certainty, but that the lasso-tether restrained her. Jeanette
little dreamt how near she had been to her last kick. Had she known
that, it is probable she would have carried herself with more sobriety,
not knowing but that a similar necessity might occur again. But
Jeanette knew nothing of it; and, having eaten well and drunk
plentifully, she was as frisky as a kitten.

A fire was kindled, and a fresh "marrow-bone" steamed and sputtered
among the blazing branches of the sage. This was soon drawn forth
again, cracked, and its rich contents rifled and eaten. The remaining
joints were packed upon Jeanette; the horses were saddled, the hunters
leaped into their seats, and rode joyfully off upon the trail.

The country over which they now travelled was what is termed a "rolling
prairie"--that is, a country without trees, but nevertheless, far from
being level. The prairie is not always a _level plain_, as some people
imagine. On the contrary, it is often of very uneven surface,
containing high hills and deep valleys. The word "prairie" means
properly an open level country, though it is not necessary that it
should be a _dead horizontal_ level, to entitle it to the name. It may
contain hills, valleys, and long ridges. It is not necessary either
that it should be entirely destitute of trees; for there are the "timber
prairies," where trees grow in "mottes" or groves, sometimes termed
islands--from their resemblance to wooded islands in the sea. The
"prairie" is a term used to distinguish those vast meadow-like tracts of
the earth's surface from the forest, the mountain, and the ocean. The
prairies themselves are distinguished by specifi