CHAPTER 5DURING the next two years the ranchmen continued their efforts to put an end to the Black Grizzly, but as time went on the grizzly, grown even more cunning, still eluded them. Charley Pratt, however, was determined to get him if anyone could.
One spring morning Charley stood by the river looking at Dapple Gray, who had his nose down to the water. When he had finished drinking, he held his head up and looked across the river. Dapple was now a beautiful, full-grown horse, nearly five years old, and one of the finest saddle horses on the ranch.
Charley began to talk to him as he had done since he was a yearling colt, almost as if he were a human companion. “Well, Dapple,” he said, “I guess you’re through drinking. If you are, I think we better go on up the bank and see if we can ge
