t to the Rockies from the Far East, to
hunt big game."

The sheriff grinned broadly, as though that struck him a good deal in
the nature of a joke.

"Boy Scouts, eh?" he continued, as he calmly sat him down by the fire;
"well, I've heard a heap about them, but these are the first I've set
eyes on. They brought their nerve along with 'em I reckon, Toby?" and
he chuckled again while speaking.

"That's the way I thought about 'em fust pop, Sheriff Bob," remarked
Toby, in a quiet, convincing tone; "but I've found out that I sized
'em up a lot too low. They's eight of 'em in the bunch, and the rest
is keepin' camp down by that willow that stands by the spring hole in
the valley. We came out to-day to try and get a big-horn."

The sheriff sniffed the air at this.

"Say, you don't mean to tell me they shot a sheep?" he demanded.

"Two of the same, and at a pretty fair distance too. We got 'em both.
This here, who is known as Smithy, had never killed anything bigger'n
a mouse afore, I understands, an' precious few of 'em; while Step Hen
here, he's had considerable experience up in Maine, which is said to
be a good hunting ground."

The sheriff pursed up his lips, and arched his eyebrows.

"Well," he remarked, "I'd like to shake hands with you both, boys,
because you've done what I never yet accomplished in my life--shot a
big-horn."

"But sho! that ain't near all," declared the proud Toby; "they got a
couple of big grizzlies in the bargain; and right this very day Step
Hen, he clumb half way down that cliff thar, to shove his sheep
loose; and had to fight for his life agin a pair o' cantankerous
eagles what had a nest up thar. I went to his help, an' thar the birds
lie, Sheriff Bob!"

The officer whistled again.

"This _is_ a surprise, I must say," he remarked. "But Toby, if so be
you could spare us a mouthful of that same mutton, why, we'd be
obliged. We've got to be going in a little while, because, you see,
I'm up here to assist this gentleman, who's name is Mr. Artemus
Rawson, and a lawyer from Denver, look up a boy who's his nephew, and
who's stolen something his uncle values a heap. We learned he was last
seen on the hike for this country roundabout; and I'm bound to find
him, by hook or by crook. I always do, you remember, Toby; none of
them ever gets away from Sheriff Bob."

Step Hen almost cried out, such was the thrill that shot through him.
Almost instinctively his eyes sough those of Davy Jones, and