THE WOLF HUNTERS 



"In what?" I asked in perplexity. "In a buf- 

 falo?" 



As he attempted to explain, still coughing, I in- 

 terrupted him with : 



"Never mind, Jack; don't try to talk. I savvy. 

 Here, let me help you on Prince, and when we get 

 to camp you can tell us all about it." 



Helping him on the horse, I walked alongside of 

 him to camp, but insisted that he should not try 

 to talk until his lungs got clear of the smoke and 

 ashes he had inhaled. 



When he had answered my questions as to how 

 he had escaped the fire and got his clothes wet by 

 replying, "In the buffalo," I was at first puzzled; 

 but gradually the explanation dawned on me. He 

 had tried the exploit I had read of to him and Tom 

 the other night out of Cooper's "The Prairie." 



On reaching camp I hurriedly told Tom of 

 Jack's exploit and his condition and suggested 

 that no questions be asked for the present. We 

 helped him into the dugout and put him to bed. 

 I explained to Tom how, as I conjectured, Jack 

 had escaped the fire but the Irishman was not in 

 a condition to tell us about that, though it was 

 with difficulty that we kept him from trying to 

 talk. 



By the next forenoon our Irishman was able to 

 talk without much difficulty. 



"Well, sir," he began in a weak voice, "I be- 

 lieve it's the closest call I've had this long time, 



240 



