THE WOLF HUNTERS 



any more of them at present, for we can't spare 

 the time to do much wolf skinning, but just stam- 

 pede them and stand them off for a few days till 

 we get our hay cut and hauled; then you may go 

 for them, and the wolves, too. We don't often 

 have occasion to take the hide off a buffalo, but 

 I've been thinking it would be a good scheme to 

 skin a few of the first ones we kill till we get hides 

 enough to lay over the timbers on top of our dug- 

 outs before we throw the dirt on, to keep the fine 

 dirt from sifting down on the inside; so, Peck, 

 you may as well take the hide off this one and 

 bring it up to camp when you go down there to 

 poison the meat for wolf bait. 



"While Jack and I are mowing to-day you can 

 look out a suitable place along up the ravine here 

 above camp where we can make a crossing, and 

 dig down the banks a little, throwing the dirt into 

 the hollow so's we can cross the wagon over; and 

 while we're hauling hay we'll just leave the wagon 

 over on the other side of the draw. We'll stack 

 the hay, as we haul it, on the bank, close up to 

 the stable so's it'll be handy. 



"And, mind you, that at no time and under no 

 circumstances must the camp guard leave camp." 



"Have you seen any fresh signs, Tom, that 

 make you think there's Indians about?" I asked. 



"Not a thing, but I want to keep you 'minded 

 with the idea that in this country 'eternal vigi- 

 lance is the price of life, liberty, and the pursuit 



138 



