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and well…being of the party； to take food。
A smoke establishes you in the final and normal attitude of good
humor。 Each man spreads his tarpaulin where he has claimed his bed。
Said claim is indicated by his hat thrown down where he wishes to sleep。
It is a mark of pre…emption which every one is bound to respect。 Lay out
your saddle…blankets； cover them with your quilt； place the sleeping…
blanket on top； and fold over the tarpaulin to cover the whole。 At the
head deposit your duffle…bag。 Thus are you assured of a pleasant night。
About dusk you straggle in with trout or game。 The camp…keeper
lays aside his mending or his repairing or his note…book； and stirs up the
cooking… fire。 The smell of broiling and frying and boiling arises in the
air。 By the dancing flame of the campfire you eat your third dinner for
the dayin the mountains all meals are dinners； and formidable ones at
that。 The curtain of blackness draws down close。 Through it shine stars；
loom mountains cold and mist…like in the moon。 You tell stories。 You
smoke pipes。 After a time the pleasant chill creeps down from the eternal
snows。 Some one throws another handful of pine…cones on the fire。
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Sleepily you prepare for bed。 The pine…cones flare up； throwing their
light in your eyes。 You turn over and wrap the soft woolen blanket close
about your chin。 You wink drowsily and at once you are asleep。 Along
late in the night you awaken to find your nose as cold as a dog's。 You
open one eye。 A few coals mark where the fire has been。 The mist
mountains have drawn nearer； they seem to bend over you in silent
contemplation。 The moon is sailing high in the heavens。
With a sigh you draw the canvas tarpaulin over your head。 Instantly
it is morning。
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THE MOUNTAINS
V
THE COAST RANGES
At last； on the day appointed； we； with five horses； climbed the Cold
Spring Trail to the ridge； and then； instead of turning to the left； we
plunged down the zigzag lacets of the other side。 That night we camped
at Mono Canon； feeling ourselves strangely an integral part of the relief
map we had looked upon so many times that almost we had come to
consider its features as in miniature； not capacious for the accommodation
of life…sized men。 Here we remained a day while we rode the hills in
search of Dinkey and Jenny； there pastured。
We found Jenny peaceful and inclined to be corralled。 But Dinkey；
followed by a slavishly adoring brindle mule； declined to be rounded up。
We chased her up hill and down； along creek…beds and through the spiky
chaparral。 Always she dodged craftily； warily； with forethought。
Always the brindled mule； wrapt in admiration at his companion's
cleverness； crashed along after。 Finally we teased her into a narrow
canon。 Wes and the Tenderfoot closed the upper end。 I attempted to
slip by to the lower； but was discovered。 Dinkey tore a frantic mile down
the side hill。 Bullet； his nostrils wide； his ears back； raced parallel in the
boulder…strewn stream…bed； wonderful in his avoidance of bad footing；
precious in his selection of good； interested in the game； indignant at the
wayward Dinkey； profoundly contemptuous of the besotted mule。 At a
bend in the canon interposed a steep bank。 Up this we scrambled； dirt
and stones flying。 I had just time to bend low along the saddle when；
with the ripping and tearing and scratching of thorns； we burst blindly
through a thicket。 In the open space on the farther side Bullet stopped；
panting but triumphant。 Dinkey； surrounded at last； turned back toward
camp with an air of utmost indifference。 The mule dropped his long ears
and followed。
At camp we corralled Dinkey； but left her friend to shift for himself。
Then was lifted up his voice in mulish lamentations until； cursing； we had
to ride out bareback and drive him far into the hills and there stone him
into distant fear。 Even as we departed up the trail the following day the
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voice of his sorrow； diminishing like the echo of grief； appealed uselessly
to Dinkey's sympathy。 For Dinkey； once captured； seemed to have
shrugged her shoulders and accepted inevitable toil with a real though
cynical philosophy。
The trail rose gradually by imperceptible gradations and occasional
climbs。 We journeyed in the great canons。 High chaparral flanked the
trail； occasional wide gray stretches of 〃old man〃 filled the air with its
pungent odor and with the calls of its quail。 The crannies of the rocks；
the stretches of wide loose shale； the crumbling bottom earth offered to the
eye the dessicated beauties of creamy yucca； of yerba buena； of the gaudy
red paint…brushes； the Spanish bayonet； and to the nostrils the hot dry
perfumes of the semi…arid lands。 The air was tepid； the sun hot。 A sing…
song of bees and locusts and strange insects lulled the mind。 The ponies
plodded on cheerfully。 We expanded and basked and slung our legs over
the pommels of our saddles and were glad we had come。
At no time did we seem to be climbing mountains。 Rather we wound
in and out； round and about； through a labyrinth of valleys and canons and
ravines； farther and farther into a mysterious shut…in country that seemed
to have no end。 Once in a while； to be sure； we zigzagged up a trifling
ascent； but it was nothing。 And then at a certain point the Tenderfoot
happened to look back。
〃Well！〃 he gasped； 〃will you look at that！〃
We turned。 Through a long straight aisle which chance had placed
just there； we saw far in the dista