Part 10 (1/2)
”Yes, I believe ere,” s his precious knife, sheath and all, for the entertainment of Nellie
”Well, I can't reain after that
You knoe packed in a big hurry in the o in on top, and then overlooked it
Such a fool play, too, when that was the prize of the whole collection!”
groaned Bluff
”And you've looked over the whole outfit here, have you?” Frank continued, surveying the piled-up mess of stuff
”Yes; three separate tioose of myself, and you knoanted to use that trusty blade soin ood service; but nothing can ever take the place of that beautiful piece of steel”
”Well, let's get these things in so like order before the boys cos to you, and chuck the balance of your extra clothes in your own bag, for I see that you've had most of them out”
”Yes I even wondered if I could have stuck that knife in a my other shi+rts and underclothes, but it isn't there I'll have to stand it, but you felloill never knohat a loss this is to et a chance to use it on an elk, or soht that if Bluff had his way his reat loss, for he was apt to remind the in, anxious to ascertain if his little developing outfit caes of hypo and other necessities
It was decided to put in that day around the ranch seeing how Mr Mabie ran his business Then on the followinga party of theame would likely be found
”We'll occupy three cao to the second by taking several bullboats that will be waiting for us, and shooting the rapids in the river That would be an experience you boys ht enjoy,” reet a co settler carried on a big cattle ranch
Reddy seemed to have been picked out by the owner to keep with thelad of this, for so cowboy
”Rapids, did you say?” exclai up with rapture ”Why, that would tickle us froh soara Frank, here, has done it up in Maine, so he tells us I hope what you have will beat his experience all hollow”
”Well, they are so
”And if I could only be on the shore, to see you shoot down, it would afford reatest pleasure in the world Not that I don't want to go through, too, butall these wonderful events in an i a picture Some scoffers may doubt a story, but pictures never lie”
”That shows your innocence, Will,” re beside the fish they caught, which I knew rapher had arranged it so that it looked all of two feet”
”I'm surprised that you, with all your experience, shouldn't know that,”
said Frank, pretending to frown
”You , that's all What I intended to say was that _my_ pictures would never lie,” affirmed Will sturdily
”Hear! hear! So aside, Will, I'm ready to back you up on that score The only fault I find with you is your ambition to take a fellow in every pickle he happens to drop into,” and Jerry made a wry face as he reured, that ont to excite his chuhter at such times as they looked at the faithful reproductions in their album at the clubhouse
In this pleasant way the day passed, and evening found theer to complete their preparations for the morrow Mr Mabie answered every question fired at hi sports connected with the gareat disappoint Mr Mabie with these queries; for Bluff was the son of a lawyer, and would never take things for granted