230 EARLY DAY STORIES. 



and having a chimney and fire place in the back end. They 

 killed one of the biggest, fattest badgers that I ever saw, 

 and warmed and lighted the dugout with a fire of red roots 

 and the fat of the badger, a piece of which would be thrown 

 into the fire as often as needed. The weather became very- 

 cold the mercury going down to twenty-two minus by our 

 thermometer at home ; but we were entirely comfortable, and 

 were living high all the time. 



On our way back we camped again at the Tumble- 

 dumps, and just as we were going into camp here came our 

 herd of elk again in plain sight about a mile to the south. 

 Dan and I went after them while the boys fixed the camp 

 and took care of the horses. It was not difficult to get near 

 enough for a shot for the reason that they were among some 

 low sand knolls, behind which we could crawl to within easy 

 distance. Dan did the counting because he had lost his hear- 

 ing in the army. At the word three I fired and got a cow 

 elk Dan had in a bad cartridge and his gun snapped. He 

 has never recovered from the disappointing effects of that 

 untoward incident. However fourteen deer and one elk 

 it was enough. 



It was our farewell hunt for elk in Nebraska. 



