Chapter I: Preface

Far away in the west, close to the backbone of the continent, lies the sage-brush country where the happenings described in the following pages took place.

The story is about real things and about real people, many of whom are alive to-day. The ranch lies in the Rocky Mountains, in a great basin, walled in by mountains on every hand, and 7,500 feet above the level of the sea.

The life there was exciting. There was good hunting--antelope and elk and bears and buffalo; and, far away--yet near enough to be very real--there were wild Indians.

It is a pleasure to review those days in memory.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Jack Danvers 1

II. Prairie Wolves and Antelope 11

III. The Road to the Ranch 21

IV. A Grizzly Killed 30

V. Roping and Riding 37

VI. An Ancient Massacre 49

VII. Hugh Chased by Indians 62

VIII. Jack's First Antelope 72

IX. John Monroe, Halfbreed 89

X. Cows in a Snow-drift 98

XI. Jack's First Elk 107

XII. Antelope Kids 116

XIII. Jack Kills a Lion 125

XIV. Wolves and Wolf-hounds 136

XV. Digging out a Wolf's Den 148

XVI. Birds and their Nests 157

XVII. Hunting on the Mountain 167

XVIII. With the Horse Roundup 180

XIX. Busting Broncos 194

XX. A Trip to Smith's Hole 206

XXI. Jack's First Camp-fire 214

XXII. A Load of Blacktail 225

XXIII. Occupations of a Cripple 236

XXIV. A Berrying Party 245

XXV. An Elk Hunt 254

XXVI. Jack Rides a Wild Horse 263

XXVII. A Mysterious Cave 274

XXVIII. What the Cave Held 285

XXIX. Swiftfoot in New York 297

ILLUSTRATIONS

"JACK COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE CALF HAD NOT
BEEN CHOKED TO DEATH." frontispiece

"JACK CREPT UP PAST HUGH ... AND TOOK A CAREFUL
AIM." 84

"THE ANIMAL LAUNCHED ITSELF FROM ITS PERCH FULL
TOWARDS JACK." 130

"RAISED HIS RIFLE TO HIS SHOULDER AND FIRED." 256

JACK, THE YOUNG RANCHMAN