THE WOLF HUNTERS 



handy to git out of the wagon. The tent an' our 

 bundles of bedding can go on top. The camp- 

 stools, buckets, an' camp-kettles can be tied on 

 outside. An', mind you, everything must be 

 stowed away snug or we won't be able to get our 

 truck all on the wagon." 



Stripping the wagon-sheets off the bows, we 

 packed the wagon to the best advantage, leaving 

 at the hind end a vacant space to receive the mess- 

 chest and stove. Replacing the sheets, we tied 

 them down snugly to the wagon-box, all around, 

 to be prepared for rainy weather. 



Tom, who once had served as hospital steward, 

 had learned something of the use of medicines, 

 and during our stay in Leavenworth he fitted up 

 a small medicine-chest and stocked it with such 

 remedies as he knew how to use, to be prepared 

 for emergencies. 



"You may not need 'em very often," he re- 

 marked; "y u may never need 'em; but, as Wild 

 Bill says of his pistols, when you do need 'em 

 you'll need 'em bad." 



As we were to pull out in the morning, Wild 

 Bill rode out to our camp that evening to take 

 supper with us. The evening was pleasantly 

 passed with music from Jack's fiddle, singing by all 

 hands, and wound up by a jig danced by Wild 

 Bill which astonished and delighted us all. 



As Wild Bill was mounting his horse to return 

 to town, Tom took the precaution to chain the 



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