106 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



reached Darlington, just across the river from Fort 

 Reno, next day, Christmas eve. Dyche had a letter 

 of introduction to the Indian agent, Colonel John D. 

 Miles, who immediately took charge of the naturalist 

 as his guest. 



Colonel Miles was something of a sportsman him- 

 self, and readily gave information regarding the game 

 of the Territory. His advice was that Dyche should 

 go to Fort Cantonment, and arrangements were made 

 that night with the driver of the buckboard that car- 

 ried the mail, to take the hunter the sixty-five miles 

 across the country to the fort. 



The trip was to be made in one day, and the sour- 

 visaged driver seemed doubtful as to Dyche's abil- 

 ity to stand it ; but the latter said he could if any- 

 one else could, and they started. After ten miles of 

 the roughest riding Dyche had ever experienced, he 

 got out a strap and fastened himself to the seat. The 

 cold wind blew across the bleak prairie at the rate of 

 forty miles an hour, and by the time the half-way 

 dugout was reached the naturalist was chilled to the 

 bone. The driver told him that they changed drivers 

 and teams there, and that if he thought he could not 

 stand the rest of the trip he could stay there until the 

 next change, two days later. Dyche thanked him 

 for the offer, but said he thought he could go the 

 rest of the way. On a table in the dugout was a big 

 corn-pone and an immense turkey, cooked to perfec- 

 tion. He needed no second invitation from the 

 young man who was preparing to take the old 

 driver's place, to help himself. With the drumstick 

 and second joint in one hand and a huge piece of 



