A Sportsman 375 



Divided upon each side of the end of the car, with- 

 out making any response, we sat calmly with our 

 repeating rifles in hand, fully prepared for any emer- 

 gency which might occur, and determined to fire upon 

 any intruders who might come in upon a forcible entry. 



The united strength of several was evidently ex- 

 erted in pressure upon the door, but without avail. 

 Upon this being repeated, with violent kicking, Captain 

 Slawson called out asking what the matter was, 

 and was answered that an order had been received 

 to get into the car. The Captain called out in^a 

 loud voice that no one could come in until morning, 

 and if any forcible entrance was made, there would 

 be an immediate killing. 



Loose railroad ties were strewn about in the vicinity, 

 and it occurred to us that one of these might be em- 

 ployed as a battering-ram to stave in the door. The 

 Captain heard a mention of this from the outside, and 

 called out in a still louder voice that if they broke in 

 the door they would surely % be killed, for we were 

 fully armed in readiness. This settled the affair, and 

 our callers retired after some further talk among 

 themselves, well aware that results too serious for 

 them would occur from any further advances. To- 

 ward morning we were awakened by our porter, 

 who gave us word that some mysterious actions 

 were going on beneath our car, and feared we were 

 going to be blown up. We aroused quickly in response, 

 and surely there were curious proceedings going on 

 below. A slight investigation, however, put us [at 

 ease, as we found the cause of tnis noise proceeded 

 from coyotes disputing for bones and offal thrown out 

 by the porter. 



