112 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



by stacks of thin loaves of bread, all of which was 

 eagerly eaten by the assembled guests. 



A wagon of supplies was sent to Loco camp, about 

 fifteen miles away, and Dyche went there with a 

 letter from Horton to the man in charge. The hunt- 

 ing outfit was shipped on the wagon, while Dyche fol- 

 lowed on "old Weazel," a horse highly recommended 

 for his good qualities. During the following ten 

 days Dyche had no cause to regret his selection, for 

 the horse was a perfect hunter. 



He was now in the heart of the turkey country, 

 and a preliminary skirmish that evening convinced 

 him that there were several flocks in the vicinity. 

 Early next morning he rode to Wolf Creek, four miles 

 away, and while travelling carefully he suddenly 

 came upon a flock of twenty-five or thirty turkeys, 

 scratching under a bunch of jack-oak trees. He was 

 seen, however, and in order to get around them he 

 rode back out of sight, and then made a careful stalk. 

 He was disappointed, and when he reached the place 

 where the birds had been, they had disappeared. 

 One turkey was soon seen running over a distant 

 ridge, and Dyche hurried after it, getting another 

 sight just as it was going over a second hill. A 

 quick shot secured it, and with the sound half a 

 dozen others rose from the grass and weeds, and one 

 more was killed as they started to fly over the hill. 

 Carrying his two specimens, which were fine old hens, 

 to the horse, Dyche started for the ranch, satisfied 

 with his first day's work. On the way down the 

 creek he noticed another flock. Hiding in the bushes 

 he watched them for over an hour, noticing especially 



