I began to believe I could take care of myself. I reasoned out that, as the
peaks were snow-capped, I should find water, and very likely game, up
higher. Moreover, I might climb a foothill or bluff from which I could get
my bearings.

It seemed to me that I passed more pine-trees than I could have imagined
there were in the whole world. Miles and miles of pines! And in every mile
they grew larger and ruggeder and farther apart, and so high that I could
hardly see the tips. After a time I got out of the almost level forest into
ground ridged and hollowed, and found it advisable to turn more to the
right. On the sunny southern slopes I saw trees that dwarfed the ones on
the colder and shady north sides. I also found many small pines and
seedlings growing in warm, protected places. This showed me the value of
the sun to a forest. Though I kept a lookout for deer or game of any kind,
I saw nothing except some black squirrels with white tails. They were
beautiful and very tame, and one was nibbling at what I concluded must have
been a seed from a pine-cone.

Presently I fancied that I espied a moving speck far down through the
forest glades. I stopped Hal, and, watching closely, soon made certain of
it. Then it became lost for a time, but reappeared again somewhat closer.
It was like a brown blur and scarcely moved. I reined Hal more to the
right. Not for quite a while did I see the thing again, and when I did it
looked so big and brown that I took up my Winchester. Then it disappeared
once more.

I descended into a hollow, and tying Hal, I stole forward on foot, hoping
by that means to get close to the strange object without being seen myself.

I waited behind a pine, and suddenly three horsemen rode across a glade not