“Maybe,” said he, as he clasped their hands at parting, “you’ll be back just as you say. And maybe again you won’t, for you might find Williams among the missions up there where you’re going, looking for that river of gold that old Goat Beard talked about. But, however it turns out, don’t forget that I’ve got to care a good bit about you two boys; and I’m only sorry that I couldn’t do something for you that’d help you to get what you’re after.” And so the lads went off on another journey through mountain, plain and desert. Shortly after this, Kit joined a fur hunting expedition sent out by the celebrated firm of Bent & St. Vrain, under the leadership of Captain Lee, once of the United States Army. Later he spent some time on the Laramie River with old Zeke Matthews and two other men, the venture being one of his own. It was returning with this that Kit met with the most desperate adventure that he had taken part in up till that time. The party had gone into camp one afternoon, and being short of meat, Kit took his rifle and started out to look for game. A mile from camp he came upon elk signs; he followed their tracks until he came in sight of them feeding upon a hillside. Craftily he advanced upon them; but fine as was his skill the elk got scent of him, tossed their antlered heads and broke into a run. Up went the never failing rifle, and a noble buck dropped upon the brow of the hill. “A lucky shot,” spoke the trapper, as he stood with the empty rifle smoking in his hands, his eyes upon the fallen buck. But hardly had he spoken the words when he heard a most terrific series of roars; like lightning he turned and saw a pair of enormous grizzly bears, their eyes red with rage, and their cruel teeth gleaming, charging down upon him. There was no time to think out a plan of defense; the grizzly is an immense brute, weighing more than a thousand pounds, and often swift enough to outrun a horse. So Kit dropped his empty rifle, turned about and ran. The great beasts came lumbering after him, to all appearances awkward and slow, but in reality with astonishing swiftness. Kit knew their speed, having had previous experience with them, though none so desperate as this; and he knew that in a few moments, at most, he would be overtaken. As he ran his eyes went here and there for a place of safety; then, straight ahead, he saw a tree, the branches of which were fairly low. As he came under it, he grasped a limb and with a mighty pull swung himself upward, a blow from the foremost grizzly barely missing him. The tree had been the only thing the hard-pressed trapper could think of; and no sooner had he gotten settled in a branch than he realized that he was in a sort of trap. Bears are noted climbers; even the enormous grizzlies can ascend trees with ease. “Yes,” muttered Kit, as this came to him, “and they’ll be after me like a couple of tornadoes in a few minutes. So I’d better find something or some way of defending myself.”