Page:Edward Ellis--Alden the Pony Express Rider.djvu/192

 and although they saw deer and a few buffaloes, in no case could they get near enough for a shot.

“This is the worst luck we have had for over a week,” commented the dissatisfied Alden.

“Dere’s no saying what we’ll git afore we goes back to camp,” replied Jethro; “I has a sort ob feeling dat we’re gwine to run into a flock ob grizzlies.”

“Suppose we do, what is your plan?”

“Jest load and fire as fast as we kin till we’ve tumbled ’em all ober on dere heads, and den scoot fur camp.’

“I think you’ll do the scooting before you bring down a grizzty, but Shagbark told us that we are not in a section where we are likely to meet any of those animals.”

Being well convinced on this point, Jethro could afford to pose.

“It gibs me a big pain to larn dat, ’cause I’se been reckoning on getting one ob de biggest of dem critters in de hull West.”

“It may be Shagbark is mistaken, in spite of what he told us!”

Jethro who was riding beside his master, looked in a scared way at him.

“You doan’ think dat kin be so!”