therefore more timid creatures ventured out of the hills on to the
plain. It was not an hour after high-noon when Rhoda descried
through her glasses a group of grazing animals some distance ahead.

"Goodness! what are they?" demanded Bess, when her attention had
been called to them. "Chickens?"

"The idea!"

"They don't look any bigger than chickens," said Bess, with
confidence.

"Well," drawled Rhoda, handing her glass to the doubting one,
"they've got four legs, and they haven't got feathers. So I don't
see how you can make poultry out of them."

"Oh, the cunning little things!" cried Bess, having the glasses
focused in a moment on the spot indicated. "They--they are deer!"

"Antelope. Only a small herd," said Rhoda. "Now, if we can only get
near enough to them for a shot--"

"Oh, my! have we got to shoot them, Rhoda?" asked Grace. "Are they
dangerous--like that puma?"

"Well, no," admitted the Western girl. "But they are good to eat.
And you will be glad enough to eat roast antelope after it has hung
for a couple of days. Ah Foon will prepare it deliciously."

"Come on, Nan," said Bess, "and take a squint through the glasses.