“I want to get some game.”
“Yes, I’ll have my rifle in a minute.”
Hastening into the tent he occupied, Reuben soon returned with his rifle, powder-horn, and bullet-pouch. Together the two men started on their hunt among the mountains. They had not gone far before they discovered that they would be able to obtain as many rabbits as they might desire.
“I want bigger game than that,” said Kit Carson dryly. “If you want to turn back you may go, Reuben, but I’m going on a little farther. I have seen some signs that make me think there are some elk not far away.”
“Have you seen their tracks?”
“Yes, there are some now,” replied the scout, pointing, as he spoke, to some spots in the ground before him.
Reuben was unable to discover any resemblance to the track of an elk, even after he had carefully inspected the places indicated, but his confidence in his companion was supreme and he quickly said, “I’ll go on with you.”
He was rejoiced when not long after the advance was resumed they saw near a clump of trees in the distance a small herd of the animals they were seeking.
“The thing for us to do,” whispered Kit Carson, “is to try to get closer to those trees. If we once get under cover there I think we can bag two or three.”
Cautiously and slowly the two eager hunters worked their way toward the trees in the distance. Both were aware how keenly alert the elk were and how difficult it would be for the hunters to obtain the shelter they were seeking. Frequently the animals lifted their heads and gazed in their direction. Less than a half-hour had elapsed before Kit Carson said abruptly in a low voice: “They have seen us! The only thing to do now is to try to bring down one of them. Be quick, Reuben!”