THE WOLF HUNTERS 



One team would have been ample to have taken 

 the supplies to Saunders, but Tom calculated that 

 by sending two the second team, in the absence 

 of our own, could be used, in returning next day, 

 to move our plunder into the post. 



Captain Saunders could not say enough in praise 

 of the old man's forethought and unselfishness. 

 "He is certainly a valuable man among soldiers," 

 he said, "for he always seems to ki*ow what to 

 do and how to do it." 



"Cap," interjected Wild Bill, "you will please 

 bear in mind that I suggested that Tom was the 

 man to send on that trip." 



"So you did," admitted Saunders, "and you 

 certainly knew your man." 



I had assigned the use of our tent to Captain 

 Saunders' guard detail; and by stuffing a bale of 

 skins into the mouth of the tunnel under the tri- 

 pod, to stop the draught, and carrying the other 

 bales outside, they made for themselves very com- 

 fortable quarters. 



The other men made their beds on the open 

 prairie, outside the tent, with their saddles for pil- 

 lows; and most of them turned in early, to get out 

 of the cold night wind and from weariness, while 

 a few still sat around the camp-fire talking over 

 the events of the day. 



The officers and Wild Bill prepared to sleep with 

 us in the cabin, and after we had spread down our 

 beds I spoke to Bill about the events of the morn- 

 ing and the loss of his horse. 



280 



