Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 45720-h.htm or 45720-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/45720/45720-h/45720-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/45720/45720-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/jackyoungranchma00grinrich Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). In Chapter VII the Indian name "Ikuts tárush" is mentioned twice. The "u" in both words has a macron above it and is represented as [=u]. JACK, THE YOUNG RANCHMAN [Illustration: "JACK COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE CALF HAD NOT BEEN CHOKED TO DEATH."--_Page 101._] JACK, THE YOUNG RANCHMAN Or A Boy's Adventures in the Rockies by GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL Author of "Pawnee Hero Stories," "Blackfoot Lodge Tales," Etc. [Illustration] New York Frederick A. Stokes Company Publishers Copyright, 1899, By Frederick A. Stokes Company Nineteenth Printing Printed in the United States of America 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