THE WOLF HUNTERS 



write the letter right away an' send it in by the 

 mail which will go past this afternoon. I think 

 the general will send the troops immediately, for 

 he is makin' war on these bushwhackers wherever 

 he can hear of them. If the scheme is carried out 

 right the soldiers will be apt to kill or capture 

 this whole gang. I'd like to stay an' help 'em at 

 it, but it will take four or five days, at least, 

 before the soldiers can get here. Ef this gang 

 undertakes to make war on us we may have to 

 teach 'em a lesson on our own hook." 



"Well, Tom," I asked, "what are your plans 

 for meeting this emergency if you think these fel- 

 lows are going to give us trouble?" 



Before he could answer me the two jayhawk- 

 ers came out of the store and, without making 

 any hostile demonstrations, went to their horses, 

 mounted, and rode a little way back down the 

 road we had come, and then, turning across the 

 prairie struck for the timber farther down the 

 creek. They eyed us in passing but said not a 

 word. As they rode past us we noticed that 

 both were mounted on good-looking animals, es- 

 pecially Tucker, whose mount was a splendid, 

 large black horse of fine proportions and good 

 movement. 



