"It will come. It's bound to come. Now here's the lake ahead of us. Isn't it a beauty? I told you we'd find a lot of these fine little lakes all along the slopes of the ridges, but this seems to be the gem of them all. See how the water breaks into waves and looks like melted silver! And the banks sloping and firm, covered with thick green turf, run right down to the water's edge, like a gentleman's park." "It's all that you claim for it," said Will, making a wide, sweeping gesture, "and, bright new lake, I christen thee Lake Boyd!" "The lake accepts the name," said the hunter with a pleased smile, and then he added, also making a wide, sweeping gesture: "Green and sheltered valley, I christen thee Clarke Valley." "I, too, accept the compliment," said Will. "The far side of the valley is much the steeper," said the hunter, "and I think it would be a good idea for us to build the wickiup over there. It would be sheltered thoroughly on one side at least by the lofty cliffs." "Going back a moment to the search you were making a little while ago, have you noticed the footprints of any wild animals?" "Aye, Will, my lad, so I have. I've seen tracks of elk, buffalo and bear, and of many smaller beasts." "Then, that burden off your mind, we might as well locate the site of our house." "Correct. I think I see it now in an open space under the shelter of the cliff." They had ridden across the valley, and both marked a slight elevation under the shadow of the cliff, a glen forty or fifty yards across, protected by thick forest both to east and west, and by thin forest on the south, from which point they were approaching. "It's the building site that's been reserved for us five hundred years, maybe," said the hunter. "The mountain and the trees will shelter us from most of the big winds, and if any of the trees should blow down their falling bodies would not reach us here in the center of the open space. There is grass everywhere for the horses, and water, both lake and running, for all of us." They unsaddled the riding horses, took the packs off the others and turned them loose. All four neighed gratefully, and set to work on the grass. "They've done a tremendous lot of mountain climbing, and they've carried heavy burdens," said Boyd, "and they're entitled to a long rest, long enough to heal up their sore feet and fill out their sides again. Now, Will, you'll make a great hunter some day, but suppose, for the present, you guard the packs while I look for an elk and maybe a bear. Two of them would furnish more meat than we could use in a long time, but we need their skins." "I'm content to wait," said Will, who was saddle-tired.