The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-07

"Believe could sleep standing without any support behind me, Pm so tired and sleepy" said Fred. Truth is. I don't want to descend any more mountains for a coon's age. It wasn't so bad coming up"
 Well, 1 reckon not" said Ned. we didn't walk very far, If you'll remember. I believe those steeds of ours carried us part of the way"
 Well. I'd almost forgot about those burros. I do hope they are still at the place where we left them." said Fred. wish we hadn't lugged these guns along. They're getting awfuly heavy. and we haven't needed them."
 'Yes, but a fellow never knows when he might have, a call for them" responded Ned. "All the mountain Hons aren't killed yet. I've heard that one was seen on the south side of this mountain last week."
 And so they trudged on and down, talk Ing to pass the time away. After going a distance of what seemed to them several miles they began to wonder If they had got onto the wrong tral. for no burros had they yet found.
 NO, we couldn't have got on another trall." said Ned, flor there is but one on this side of the mountain. you know"
 Then Fred stopped suddenly and caught hold of his companion's arm. Say, pard. do you suppose we could have got started-started back on the wrong side of the mountain?"
 Something like fear seized Ned. Then he said; 'l don't remember coming to
 
 crawl round near the summit, do you It does look a bit off, I declare"
 But being brave fellows they went right on. following the steepest and most crooked trail 1t had ever been their mis- fortune to go oyer Almost exhausted, they found themselves at n miners cabin about midnight. Tapping on the door, they asked the old miner who opened 1t If he could tell them where they were.
 Yes, they were on the south side of old Mount M, about halfway mp.
 You mean about halfway down." laughed Ned. flor we've spent this much of the night in descending"
 Now, what'll we do about our bur ros?" asked Fred. ''The poor little beasts will stand there and wait and wait for us. It's a mensly shame that we're such pair of greenies.''
 But 1t was decided that they could not possibly go back for them that night, so they contented themselves to stay with the old miner the remainder of the night and return to their 'steeds' the follow ing morning.
 Bright and early, after breakfast witt their good host, ''the chums" started bacl l over the tedious trail of the night be l fore. After the long climb and then tho | descent on the other side they arrived at the place where they had left theil burros. But no burros were there. Tn, l ground where they had stood showed signs of the animals uneaslness, nno they had succeeded In loosening thell brides and had taken themselves off.
 Well, after all our consideration oi them, the little beasts hadn't enough consideration for us to await our re- turn" cried Ned. Don't catch me vast. ing my strength and time on them again. l can tell you
 "Well, it's walk home, and without n bite to eat, too," said Fred In n hungry tone. "Gee, mountain climbing sn' t what"
 I've must take the bad with the good, pard,' said Ned. Besides. I'd do 1t all over again to see the pictures we saw from the top. Nothing really good is