Ryder was a little disposed to laugh because they had come into camp from the side opposite to that from which they had left it; but Hugh said, and Jack agreed with him, that on a night like that it was good to get to camp in any way they could.
The next day the train was packed early, and three days of long, fast travel took them back to Hope. There they learned that the next morning there would be a steamer down the river, and they prepared to take it.
Long before daylight, Hugh and Jack, with bags and blankets, were waiting in the canoe for the appearance of the steamer and as soon as it was seen coming they fired four shots to attract the pilot's attention. Presently the boat shut off steam and began to back, and the canoe was soon alongside. The baggage was tossed out; a handshake and a good-by to Ryder and Baptiste, and after a moment more the wheels were turning and the steamer sped down the river carrying Hugh and Jack toward New Westminster. The night was spent here, a pleasant call made on Mr. James, and the following morning they embarked for Victoria, and the next night were at Tacoma, where they found Mr. Sturgis.
It was a pleasant meeting. Mr. Sturgis told them much about his mine, and what he had seen on his journey to and from it, while Jack was full of the beauties of the British Columbian coast. But he said, that as far as he saw, it was not a good hunting country. "Of course, there are lots of deer and goats and some bears, but they are too easily killed to make hunting very good sport."
"But then," said Mr. Sturgis, "you really didn't hunt, did you? You just followed the beach."
"That's true," said Hugh, "and it isn't fair, of course, to judge a country that you have only just touched. Now, take it on that little trip that we made from Hope. I don't know as I ever saw sheep and goats so plenty, and there were plenty of deer in the only place we had time to look for them. But of course we just put in a few days to use up the time until we had to get here to see you."
"Well," said Jack, "I suppose that anybody who has been used to hunting on the plains and on the foot-hills of the mountains where buffalo and elk are plenty is likely to have a wrong idea of the game in a country where the animals don't gather together in great big bunches."
"Yes," said Mr. Sturgis, "that's true enough, I guess."
After dinner that night Mr. Sturgis said: "Well, it is time for us all to get back to our different jobs. You and I have got to go back to the ranch, Hugh, and see how the beef round-up is getting on; and you, Jack, have got to get East as fast as you can, and get to school. I think as good a way as any for us to return is to go back over the railroad that is just being built from Portland, and in that way we will see a new country. The country will be new, even to you, Hugh, won't it, as far east as Idaho?"
"Yes," said Hugh, "my range has never been out west of Lake Pend d'Oreille and Flathead Lake and all this Oregon and Washington country is new to me."