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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