THE WOLF HUNTERS 



"Now, boys/' said Bill as he dismounted and 

 tied Black Prince to the wagon, "you haven't told 

 me yet how much you're going to tax me for this 

 horse, and if you'll let me know I'll go right up to 

 Weisselbaum's and get the greenbacks for you, 

 for he said he'd let me have them." 



"We've talked the matter over, Bill," said Tom, 

 speaking for our party, "an' have concluded that, 

 seeing as how you lost your best horse in our 

 service, and in consideration of the good service 

 you've done us all the way along, an' old-time 

 friendship and so forth, that it'll be no more'n 

 right for us to make you a present of Black Prince, 

 subject only to the condition that if the rightful 

 owner of the horse ever turns up and claims him 

 you'll then have to make terms with him; but 

 that's a very remote possibility." 



"Do you mean it, Tom? Is that so, boys?" 

 asked the scout in confused astonishment at such 

 good luck as he looked around from one to an- 

 other of us. "Am I to have that fine horse with- 

 out paying you a dollar?" 



" That's what! That's the job we've put up on 

 you," we replied. 



"Well, now, boys " stammered Bill in a diffi- 

 dent sort of way as he seemed to be trying to 

 study up a nice little speech of thanks. 



"Aw, give us a rest!" interrupted old Tom in 

 his rough and good-humored effort to help Bill out 

 of his embarrassment. "The horse is yours, and 



288 



