108 EARLY DAY STORIES. 



willows for fuel. A pole was planted on a knoll nearby, 

 and on this was hung a grain sack as a signal to locate the 

 camp, as the tepee was hidden by the willows. 



The next morning I got an early start, taking along a 

 luncheon and going west to hunt elk, although deer would 

 be welcome if elk were not found. The country was sand 

 hill, in some places consisting of low knolls and little flats, 

 in others of big sand hills with blow-outs where the drift- 

 ing sands had been scooped out by the winds, and in other 

 places still, wide flats covered with heavy grass . I had 

 not gone far, when on rising a little knoll I was met by 

 a coyote coming on the run from the opposite direction. I 

 was surprised at the suddenness of his appearance and he 

 was badly scared. Turning quickly aside he ran off in a 

 different direction. I thought I would try my luck at a 

 running shot, and to my surprise the shot brought him 

 down. Taking off the skin and tying it up in as small a 

 bundle as possible so as to carry it easily I went on. Soon 

 there were fresh signs of elk and going on slowly, and hunt- 

 ing carefully, a band of thirty-six was found about four 

 miles from camp. They were in a difficult place to ap- 

 proach, but I was not sorry for this, because there is much 

 more satisfaction in getting game when one has to work 

 hard for it than when it is easily done. They were directly 

 west, and on the farther side of a level hay flat that was 

 half a mile wide. On the west and north of the herd were 

 low, sandy knolls, on the south and southwest rather high 

 sand ridges. The wind was moderate and was blowing from 

 the southwest. The only way to reach them was to go 

 north, then west and then come in from the northwest under 

 cover of the low knolls. It took a long time, the distance 

 to be traveled being about two miles, and in some places 

 this had to be done on hands and knees. Finally under 

 cover of big grass and a small knoll a good chance was had 

 for a shot. By this time nearly all were lying down, some 



