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  The Boys of Crawford's Basin

  _THE STORY OF A MOUNTAIN RANCH IN THE EARLY DAYS OF COLORADO_

  BY SIDFORD F. HAMP

  _Author of "Dale and Fraser, Sheepmen," etc._

  ILLUSTRATED BY CHASE EMERSON

  W. A. WILDE COMPANY BOSTON CHICAGO

  _Copyrighted, 1907_

  BY W. A. WILDE COMPANY

  _All rights reserved_

  THE BOYS OF CRAWFORD'S BASIN

  "THERE WAS BIG REUBEN LOOKING DOWN AT US"]

  PREFACE

  In relating the adventures of "The Boys of Crawford's Basin," theauthor has endeavored to depict the life of the ranchman in themountains of Colorado as he knew it towards the end of the "seventies"of the century just past.

  At that date, the railroads, after their long climb from the MissouriRiver to the foot of the Rocky Mountains, were still seeking apracticable passage westward over that formidable barrier, and inconsequence, the mountain ranchman--who, by the way, was also sometimesa prospector and frequently a hunter--having no means of shipping hisproduce to the outside world, depended for his market upon one oranother of the many little silver-mining camps scattered over the State.

  That infant State was but just learning to walk without leading-strings;and it has been the aim of the author to show how two stout youngfellows, prone to honesty and not afraid of hard work, were able to dotheir share in advancing the prosperity of the growing Commonwealth inwhich their lot was cast.

  It may not be out of place, perhaps, to mention that, besides having hadconsiderable experience in ranching, the author was, about the date ofthe story, himself prospecting for silver and working as a miner. Hewould add, too, that several of the incidents related therein, and thosein his opinion the most remarkable, are drawn from actual facts.

  CONTENTS

  I. BIG REUBEN'S RAID 11

  II. CRAWFORD'S BASIN 27

  III. YETMORE'S MISTAKE 42

  IV. LOST IN THE CLOUDS 64

  V. WHAT WE FOUND IN THE POOL 82

  VI. LONG JOHN BUTTERFIELD 101

  VII. THE HERMIT'S WARNING 119

  VIII. THE WILD CAT'S TRAIL 134

  IX. THE UNDERGROUND STREAM 150

  X. HOW TOM CONNOR WENT BORING FOR OIL 169

  XI. TOM'S SECOND WINDOW 190

  XII. TOM CONNOR'S SCARE 210

  XIII. THE ORE-THEFT 229

  XIV. THE SNOW-SLIDE 250

  XV. THE BIG REUBEN VEIN 271

  XVI. THE WOLF WITH WET FEET 289

  XVII. THE DRAINING OF THE "FORTY RODS" 313

  ILLUSTRATIONS

  PAGE

  "THERE WAS BIG REUBEN LOOKING DOWNAT US" _Frontispiece_ 22

  "AH, SOX, IS THAT YOU?'" 78

  "WE SAW BEFORE US A VERY CURIOUSSIGHT" 155

  "'CAN FOLKS SEE IN FROM OUTSIDE?'" 213

  "HE SHOT DOWNWARD LIKE AN ARROW" 281

  The Boys of Crawford's Basin