TOM'S PLAN 



"It's sure a fine plan," said Jack, "if we can 

 carry it through; but how much money is it going 

 to take?" 



"It's a great scheme, Tom," Padded, "and it 

 seems to me there ought to be money in it; but 

 have we the capital?" 



"We'll have some money," said Tom, "but, of 

 course, we've got to sail pretty close to the wind 

 and to cut our coat according to our cloth. When 

 we get our 'final statements' cashed we ought 

 to have about two hundred dollars apiece. This 

 ought to buy us a good team of ponies and camp 

 outfit, with supplies for the winter. At outfitting 

 towns like Saint Joe, Leavenworth, Kansas City, 

 or Independence there are chances to buy a good 

 team and camp outfit in the fall from people who 

 are coming in from buffalo hunting, and get them 

 cheap, too. 



"We ought to go to one of those towns, look out 

 for such hunting parties, and, if we can find what 

 we want cheap, take it in; then we can strike out 

 for the plains by the old Santa Fe road, select a 

 location in about the thickest of the herds, build 

 us a cabin or dugout, and get ready for winter." 



Jack and I agreed that the plan was sound, and 

 Tom then asked us for any ideas or suggestions 

 that we might have. We both felt, however, that 

 his fifteen years' service had given him so much 

 experience that he was much more likely to think 

 of the necessary points than we, and we had far 



