“But we couldn’t stay here two or three days,” said John.
“We might do worse,” replied Alex. “This isn’t a bad camping place, and besides, it seems to me good country to make a little hunt, if we care to do that.”
“It certainly would be a fine place for beaver,” said Rob, “if it weren’t against the law to kill them.”
“Yes, or other things also—bear or bighorns, I should think very likely.”
“I suppose there isn’t any law against killing bears,” said Rob, “but how about bighorns? I thought they were protected by law.”
“We’ll talk about that after a while,” Alex answered. “Of course, no one would want to kill beaver at this time of year, no matter what the law was, because the fur is not good.”
“I see by Sir Alexander’s journal,” continued Rob, “that it must have been along in here that they saw so much beaver work. There are plenty of dams even now, although it’s a hundred years later than the time he came through.”
“I suppose when we get down farther there are fewer creeks,” said John, “and the rocks and trees are bigger. I don’t know just where we are now, because the trees are so thick a fellow can’t see out.”