“You heard what he said,” answered Frank. “He’s after trout. And you can see he’s kind o’ soft on goats, too. I wouldn’t wonder if he thinks a big goat is as good as a big ram.”
Frank’s fears were soon confirmed. When the airship party returned and made its report, both Mr. Mackworth and his guests seemed satisfied with their present location. For six full days there was no talk of moving on. The next day the party took horses to the hills after goats and, when the rough ground became too difficult for the animals, all dismounted and proceeded on foot.
It was a hard day’s work with only such luncheon as they carried. Return was made after night had fallen with two good heads as the result; one was Mr. Mackworth’s prize and the other Captain Ludington’s. None but males were shot. Sam Skinner brought down a young buck deer for fresh meat.
“That was pretty strenuous,” said Mr. Mackworth as the pipes came out after dinner. “I suggest a rest to-morrow and another trip to Josephine Falls the day after.”
In the afternoon of the next day the boys and Lord Pelton made a trip to Michel in the Loon to get more of the May trout flies which Phil had found so successful. Some fresh venison was carried to Nelse and Robert, and two hundred pounds of ice was brought back. This flight was varied a little, the route being laid on the west side of the Elk River near the mountains. Crossing the river four miles from camp five moose were seen, half covered with water and fighting flies.
“That means more delay, I suppose,” grunted Phil to Frank. However, the discovery was promptly reported. The result was an expedition that evening as soon as the monoplane had returned. Captain Ludington toppled the biggest bull of the group; Lord Pelton fired and missed and Mr. Mackworth got the second largest animal after a chase of a half mile.
“If we could only find a few mountain sheep around here, I don’t see why we should trouble about a climb in the mountains,” said Mr. Mackworth, smiling as usual, after returning. “We have trout, grouse, deer, moose, goats and, undoubtedly, plenty of bear. And we are near enough to get ice from Michel by our aërial express.”
“I think we could get some sheep,” remarked Frank significantly. “We can take you as far into the mountains as you want to go.”
“O, we’ll move along in a day or two,” remarked Mr. Mackworth. “There’s no hurry. We must do a little mountain climbing just for the experience. This sort of camp life is too easy; a pack camp’ll be more like the real thing.”