Chapter I: Preface: Dear Boys

In my last story, the title of which was "The Pioneer Boys of Missouri," I half-promised that later on I might continue the recital of Dick and Roger Armstrong's fortunes, and carry them further along their pathway toward the far-distant Pacific. The opportunity to redeem that promise having been given to me, I gladly meet you once more in these pages; and I trust this story will afford you quite as much pleasure in the reading as I have taken in the writing.

It will be remembered that we left the two pioneer lads in the winter camp of the Lewis and Clark exploring party. This company had been sent out, chiefly through the personal influence of the President at Washington, to find a way across the newly-acquired country, and blaze a path to the Pacific. They had gone into camp close to the quaint Mandan Indian village, far up on the Yellowstone River, which stream they had been following since leaving the Missouri.

Apparently their troubles and difficulties had all been smoothed away, and there seemed to be clear sailing ahead for Dick and his cousin. They anticipated spending the long winter months in various ways--studying Indian character and habits, doing more or less hunting and trapping, and possibly learning if there could be any real truth in the strange stories they had heard from numerous sources concerning a Land of Enchantment that existed near the "Big Water" at the source of the river of the yellow rocks and the troubled current.

Unexpected developments, it chanced, caused the boys to venture into this unknown and mysterious region, where they met with many adventures which I have endeavored to narrate in this volume. It will be seen that, although the various tribes of Indians inhabiting the Great Northwest country at that time undoubtedly knew of the marvels embraced in what is now Yellowstone Park, a superstitious feeling of awe for the Evil Spirit's workings made their visits to that region few and far between, though their love for the chase did take them there at times.

I trust that if any of you ever get a chance to visit this National Reservation you will do so. And if you read the history of Yellowstone Park you will find that perhaps the first authentic account of its astonishing wonders was given to the world by a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

HARRISON ADAMS.

_April 1, 1915._

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
PREFACE v
I THE YOUNG EXPLORERS 1
II SAVED BY A JACK-RABBIT 11
III THE TERROR OF THE MOUNTAINS 22
IV BAD NEWS 32
V READY FOR A FRESH START 43
VI ON THE TRAIL TO THE BAD LANDS 54
VII THE STRANGE AWAKENING 65
VIII THE VALLEY OF ENCHANTMENT 76
IX SURROUNDED BY MYSTERIES 86
X ATTACKED BY HOSTILE BLACKFEET 97
XI ON THE BANK OF THE YELLOWSTONE 107
XII UNEXPECTED HELP 117
XIII DEEPER INTO THE WONDERLAND 127
XIV THE LANDSLIDE 138
XV SHELTER FROM THE BITING NORTH WIND 148
XVI THE BATTLE IN THE CAVE 159
XVII THANKS TO THE WOLF PACK 170
XVIII THE GIANT PAINT POT 180
XIX A SUDDEN PERIL 190
XX PRISONERS OF THE BLACKFEET 201
XXI BINDING UP AN ENEMY'S WOUNDS 211
XXII IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT 223
XXIII THE ESCAPE 231
XXIV AN INDIAN'S GRATITUDE 241
XXV THE SNOW AVALANCHE 253
XXVI TRACKING A BUFFALO 261
XXVII FIRE FANCIES 271
XXVIII WITH HOPEFUL HEARTS 282
XXIX THE HUNTERS' FEAST 293
XXX ALLIES WITH COPPER-COLORED SKINS 303
XXXI THE CAMP ON THE BIG WATER 314
XXXII A WELL WON VICTORY--CONCLUSION 325
NOTES 335

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
"SOME OF THE BRAVES STARTED TO FASTEN THE PRISONERS
TO TWO TREES" (_See page 219_) _Frontispiece_
"HIS TREMBLING FINGER SUDDENLY PRESSED THE TRIGGER" 23
"MEAGER THOUGH THAT SUPPER MAY HAVE BEEN, THERE WAS
NOT A WORD OF COMPLAINT" 68
"BEFORE THEM THEY SAW A MIGHTY COLUMN OF STEAMING
WATER" 126
"TURNING AROUND FROM TIME TO TIME AS THOUGH HALF
INCLINED TO COME BACK" 175
"THE BUFFALO WAS JUST IN THE ACT OF TURNING WHEN
THE FRONTIERSMAN FIRED" 294

The Pioneer Boys of the Yellowstone