CHAPTER 7FOR almost a month none of the men got even a glimpse of the Black Grizzly in the daytime, but there was evidence of his inroads by night among the cattle.
One day in about the middle of the afternoon Dan, Charley, Bob, and Web came together near the river at a point where a shallow place led across it. Noticing that they were near the ford, Dan said: “Let’s ride across the river and see if there are any cows on the other side. I don’t really expect any, because the grazing there is not as good as on this side, but since we’re here let’s see.”
Dapple Gray walked ahead of the other horses down the shelving sandy bank to the shallow crossing. He paused at the edge but at Charley’s words, “Go on, Dapple,” he stepped into the stream and began to splash across in water scarcely up to
