"Perhaps we may come to the end of it that way." They all turned their horses for the south, and commenced riding in that direction.
They rode for at least two miles, keeping along the border of the settlement: but they could still see it ahead, apparently stretching for miles farther.
"We have come the wrong way," said Lucien; "we might have done better had we turned north.

We must cross it now; what say you, brothers ?" All agreed to this; for it is not very pleasant to be going about, when the goal of one's journey is within sight.

So the heads of the horses were brought round once more facing the butte; and the party rode in among the mounds, and proceeded slowly and with great caution.

As they approached, the little "dogs" ran to their hillocks, barked at the intruders, shook their short tails, and then whisked themselves off into their holes.

Whenever the party had got past, a hundred yards or so, the marmots would come forth again, and utter their tiny cough-like notes as before; so that, when our travellers were fairly into the "town," they found themselves at all times in the centre of a barking circle! The owls rose up before them, alighting at short distances; then, once more startled, they would fly farther off, sometimes sailing away until out of sight, and sometimes, like the marmots, hiding themselves within the burrows.