CHAPTER VII.
THE FIRST GAME.
It was an ideal day for hunting among the mountains.

The sun shone from an unclouded sky, and the air had just enough crispness to make exercise enjoyable.

In short, it was a perfect copy of that day which saw the V.
W.W.start from Fort Steele on their long ride northward to Bowman's ranch.
The other cowmen would have been glad to join in the hunt, but they could not be spared from duty.

Thus it came about that, as in the first instance, Hank Hazletine was the guide and only companion of Jack Dudley and Fred Greenwood on that which was destined to prove the most memorable hunt of their lives.
The three had ridden briskly through a part of the foot-hills until they reached the more elevated portion, when the hunter led the way up a winding trail until, early in the afternoon, they arrived at what may be called the limit of "horse navigation," which is to say their ponies could give them no more help, since the way was too broken for them to climb further.
Accordingly the three dismounted and removed all the trappings of the animals.

Hazletine was so familiar with the country that he came to this favored spot without mistake or hesitation.