THE WOLF HUNTERS 



An' while the blacksmith is workin* on 'em one 

 of you can stay there an' the other can go to a 

 meat market an' git a piece of fresh meat an' 

 bring it out to camp right away so that I can put 

 it on to cook for dinner. While you're gettin' the 

 meat, bring a loaf or two of soft bread, too. We've 

 got plenty of hardtack in the wagon, but we'd 

 better use baker's bread while we're in reach of it 

 an' save the hardtack to use on the road, in 

 camps where fuel is scarce." 



Leaving Jack at the blacksmith's shop to attend 

 to the shoeing of the team, I carried out Tom's 

 various instructions. 



While a kettle of bean soup was boiling Tom 

 was busy rearranging things in the mess-chest and 

 wagon. Fearing that he might neglect the soup 

 and let it scorch, I asked: 



"Tom, is there any danger of the beans stick- 

 ing to the bottom of the camp-kettle and burn- 

 ing?" 



"What do you take me for, young fellow?" he 

 retorted indignantly. "Do you s'pose I've been 

 a-cookin' an' eatin' Uncle Sam's beans all these 

 years an' ain't learnt how to cook bean soup with- 

 out burnin' it? Ef that soup scorches I'll agree 

 to eat the whole mess." 



"Of course you know how to cook 'em," I said 

 apologetically, "but I noticed the beans are get- 

 tin' soft and thought maybe while you was busy 

 at something else they might get burnt." 



28 



