n' my mine was located. Now we haven't any outfit, so
we'll have to git one right here in Butte."

"We'll get whatever you say," answered Roger. "Of course, I don't want
to make this too expensive," he added, thinking of something his father
had told him--that just at present finances in the Morr family were not
at their best.

"We can hire hosses--I know where to git just the right animals," said
Tom Dillon. "And we won't pay no fortune for 'em either. And then you'll
want some different clothes," and he looked critically at the
well-dressed youths.

"Oh, we know that--we have roughed it before," returned Dave. And he
mentioned their trip to Star Ranch, to Cave Island, and to the South Sea
Islands, Norway, and other out-of-the-way places.

"Well, you sure have traveled some!" exclaimed Tom Dillon. "You'll do
for this trip. I'm glad you know how to rough it. I onct had a bunch of
tenderfeet along--young fellers from the East, who had never roughed it
before--and, believe me, what those chaps didn't know would fill a
boomer's wagon twict over. Why, they couldn't wash less'n they had a
basin to do it in an' a towel to dry on, an' it mixed 'em all up to try
to sleep on the ground rolled in a blanket. An' when it come to grub,
well, they was a-lookin' for napkins an' bread-an'-butter plates, an'
finger bowls, an' I don't know what all! It jest made me plumb tired, it
sure did!" And the old miner sighed deeply.

"We won't give you any trouble that way," said Dave, with a grin.
"Regular camp food is good enough for us, and I can sleep almost
anywhere if I am tired enough."

"And you can't beat Dave riding," broke in Roger. "When he was at Star
Ranch he busted the wildest bronco you ever saw."

"Is that so! Well, I don't like no wild broncos. I like a good, steady
hoss, one as can climb the mountain trails and is sure-footed on the
edge o' a cliff. That's the kind we'll git," concluded Tom Dillon.

The remainder of the day proved a busy one. The boys went out with the
old miner to secure the horses and such an outfit as he deemed
necessary. Then they spent part of the evening in writing letters to the
folks in Yellowstone Park and at home. Only one letter came in for
them--one from Senator Morr to his son--and this made Roger look very
sober.

"No bad news, I hope," said Dave, kindly.

"It's about dad's private affairs," was the reply. "Things have taken
something of a turn for the worse financially." Roger gave a