Jack’s first impression ran along the line of what a wonderful prize such a rare mountain retreat must some day prove for cattle, driven from the open range by the coming of cold, and heavy snows.
Ah! a second structure now bobbed up; but like the other it had the look of a rough shelter unsuited for human use. Others by degrees came along, and Jack counted nearly a dozen up to the time he struck quite a commodious log cabin, looking like some he had seen in times gone by when in a logging camp in Michigan, where a bunch of loggers cutting timber during the winter, had to be kept warm when feeding.
Men were clustered around this structure, some lying on the ground, while others sauntered about, evidently talking and joking; although any sounds they might be making came but faintly to the strained hearing of the watchers up on the heights, so great was the distance separating them.
“Hot-diggetty-dig! thar they be, partner, the hull kittin’ crew,” Perk ventured to say, softly; for as yet they did not know whether a lookout or vidette was kept posted, where he could have a range of vision covering many miles out over the rock strewn country toward the east and south.
“Just a round dozen in sight,” muttered Jack, who was already using the binoculars; “but at that there might be as many more in the huts and shacks. Away off there to the north, where the grass looks greenest I can see a small herd of ponies feeding; remember, Perk, some of those accounts hinted that in all probability they conducted their raids on horseback, and faded away again completely after striking.”
“Huh! seems like they got a reg’lar system organized,” grunted the observant Perk, staring off to the section where Jack indicated.
“That’s all the work of our old friend, Slippery Slim,” he was told in terms that would not admit of any denial; “he’s shown in his past jobs he’s a wonderful organizer—if he had been straight, and in the army, his genius might have pushed him far up the ladder; as it is he’s only been able to prove one of the nastiest thorns in the flesh the Government ever tackled.”
“Then I kinder guess it’ll be a relief if we carry this job through to a finish, and get the critter landed for keeps back where his wings’ll be fair clipped.”
“You said it, Perk.”
Jack still held on to the glasses, finding it so interesting trying to locate this thing and that; but then Perk had most astonishingly keen eyesight, and could pick up considerable information unaided. He was accustomed to staring into dim far-off spaces when aloft, which added to his ability in that line.