"He wanted to know where you fellows were, and said he was going out hunting himself." "He needn't come near us," cried the senator's son. "We don't want him." "Oh, he won't come near us--unless to make trouble, you may be sure of that," answered Dave. The cowboy had left word at Star Ranch that the young hunters might remain out longer than originally intended, so the chums did not worry about getting back. All rested during the morning, and after dinner started on the trail up into the mountains. "How is it, Phil?" asked Dave, on the way. "Oh, I can ride very well," was the reply. "But I am rather glad I haven't much walking to do. But I think I'll be O.K. by to-morrow." Sid Todd had been right about the climbing to be done during the last stage of the journey, and often the boys, as they looked ahead at the rocks before them, wondered how they were going to make progress. But the cowboy knew the trail, and up they went, the scenery every moment growing wilder and more impressive. "This is an ideal spot for wild animals," said Dave. "I should think hunting would be very good." Once they stopped to let the horses rest. They were out on a cliff and at a distance Sid Todd pointed out two nests perched up on the top of rocky crags. The nests were several feet in diameter. "What are they?" questioned Dave. "Eagles' nests," was the answer. "There are two of the eagles now," and the cowboy pointed out the big birds, floating lazily around between two distant mountain tops. "A fellow would have difficulty in getting to those nests," was Phil's comment. "Eagles usually build where nobody can git at 'em," returned Todd. "I shouldn't care to shoot an eagle," said Dave. "Somehow, I'd feel a good deal as if I had shot at our flag." "I think I'd feel that way, too," answered the senator's son. "The eagle and Old Glory seem to be linked together," added Phil. "But I wouldn't mind catching a young eagle and taming him." "You'd have your hands full doing it," said Sid Todd. "I know a cowboy who once caught an eagle, but the bird scratched him terribly and nearly took off one of his ears." On they went again, until, an hour later, they gained the top of the mountain. Here they found a stiff breeze blowing, and it was much cooler than below. "I see some game!" cried Dave, and pointed to a slope on the other side of the mountain. Two deer were in view. Scarcely had Dave spoken when a shot rang out and one of the deer jumped as if hit. The other ran off and disappeared in the bushes. Then, slowly and painfully, the second deer limped away. A second shot rent the air, but the wounded animal was not touched, and a second later it followed its mate to cover. CHAPTER XXIX TWO ELK AND A BEAR "I guess that hunter, whoever he is, will lose that deer," was Dave's comment. "He won't if he knows how to follow the game up," answered Sid Todd. "That deer was badly wounded, and game can't run far over these rough rocks."