"Pooh!" said Joe; "these Indians don't hunt in the mountains, they hunt on the prairie, they kill buffalo, but they don't go much into the mountains, nor into the timber; they're afraid of bears. Lots of bears here. S'pose you feel like it, some day you and me go up on the mountain, maybe kill a sheep."
"Oh, wouldn't I like it," said Jack; "those mountains look so big and gray and rough. I'd just love to get up on 'em and climb round there."
"Well," said Joe, "s'pose to-morrow's a good day, maybe we go up there."
"All right," said Jack, "I'd like nothing better, and I'll speak to Hugh about it as soon as he comes back. He's gone off to the head chief's lodge now."
"Yes," said Joe, "I know; they're having a big talk over there. I don't know what it's about. I expect maybe it's something about the Medicine Lodge. That comes pretty soon now."
"Yes," said Jack, "I heard Hugh say that he thought it would come before long. I want to see that too."
"Well," said Joe, "that'll last four days, and then pretty soon after that I guess the camp'll move out onto the prairie."
The boys were still talking there when Hugh returned to the lodge, and Jack at once spoke to him about what Joe had proposed.
"Why yes," said Hugh, "that's a good thing to do. Likely as not you might kill a sheep up there, and anyhow, it's a good climb, and it'll do you good to get up onto the high hills and look out over the prairie. I can't go with you, myself, because the old man over there wants me to spend the day with him to-morrow, but you and Joe can go, and I guess you won't get into no mischief. Ever been up there, Joe?"