“Not till we get back to the Springs,” answered Badger.
“Why a store?” inquired Grace.
“I was thinking of buying a new outfit for Chunky.”
“For Chunky? May I ask why this sudden attack of benevolence?” laughed Miss Briggs who had overheard the conversation.
“It isn’t benevolence. It is remorse,” spoke up Emma. “Tom is conscience-stricken because he permitted Stacy to get mixed up with an irritable geyser.”
“I consider it very fine of Tom,” said Grace glowingly. “Yes, by all means get Stacy a new outfit. I should say it would be an excellent idea, too, to buy soap.” Grace gave her husband a quick glance.
“Soap, eh? What do you know about the soap, Emma?” questioned Tom, turning to Miss Dean.
“Good soap makes good suds,” responded Emma innocently, whereupon both Grace and Tom laughed heartily. “You are a pretty good sport after all, and not nearly so stupid as you look,” was her parting shot.
That day the Overland Riders reached the Continental Divide and made camp for the night beside a little lake whose waters flowed both ways, one side sending its quota of water towards the Pacific, the other starting on its long journey to the Atlantic. At this point they left the government road next morning and took to the rougher traveling across country, heading for the Shoshone Geyser Basin, a wild and remote section of the Park.
Arriving at the Basin, they made camp on Shoshone Lake, nearly eight thousand feet above the level of the sea.