THE WOLF HUNTERS 



had taken when we discerned two dark bodies 

 nearing us that seemed to be a man on foot and, 

 just behind him, a mounted man. 



Letting them come on till they were within a 

 few feet of the muzzles of our rifles, Tom's voice 

 suddenly rang out: 



"Halt! Who comes there?' 9 



We could now see plainly that there were but 

 two persons, a footman and a mounted man, and 

 heard a prompt response from the horseman, in 

 the unmistakable voice of our Irishman, as they 

 both suddenly stopped. 



"Jack, with a prisoner!" This sounded agree- 

 able but mystifying, but the speaker enlightened 

 us by adding: "I've captured Tucker, the jay- 

 hawker, and his horse." 



We all moved back to our tent and struck a 

 light to take a look at Jack's captures and hear 

 his explanation. But the Irishman declined to 

 talk in the presence of his prisoner more than to 

 answer a few commonplace questions. 



By the light of the candle we saw Jack had tied 

 the prisoner's arms together at the elbows, behind 

 his back, with the end of the jayhawker's lariat, 

 while with the other end securely fastened to the 

 horn of his saddle he had been driving the fellow 

 before him. 



The desperado seemed now very crestfallen 

 and by no means pugnacious and had nothing to 

 say. 



64 



