THE PRAIRIE WOLF. 185 



two ochreous-colored objects were seen stealing out of a 

 burrow in the open ground a little way below us, as if they 

 thought themselves too modest to face such a large com- 

 pany as ours. Their presence was a signal for a fierce 

 yell of delight, and away went our party after them. This 

 caused the prowlers to think we had some sinister designs 

 against them, and to consider the enthusiasm of our greet- 

 ing too demonstrative for their sensitive nature; so they 

 gave a startled look of surprise, which lasted for a few 

 seconds, and feeling assured that they were the great cen- 

 tre of attraction, became alarmed, and sped away at their 

 best pace. The dogs, assuming that something was up, 

 began to bark loudly ; but when they were " hied " on they 

 fancied that it was the signal to commence fighting, and 

 at it they went, now rolling over and over each other, then 

 breaking loose in order to overtake their masters. Two 

 mongrels, which were too cautious to fight and too fleet 

 of foot to be captured by the bullies, espied the runaways, 

 and after them they went with sharp yelps. The quarries 

 being checked to the leeward, headed up wind ; but they 

 had not gone far before they were stopped by another par- 

 ty of horsemen and their dogs. This forced them to take 

 a middle course, so they bent their footsteps toward a se- 

 ries of wave-like hillocks that stretched far away to the 

 north. Horses and dogs were now in full pursuit, and it 

 was hard to tell whether the latter or the men made the 

 most noise, for all were yelling or yelping. The chase led 

 over the hillocks for a mile or two, then into a narrow val- 

 ley, and up this the hunted turned their noses. This gave 

 us a splendid chance for a run, and we resolved to utilize 

 it, as we had no fleet dogs to bring them to bay. Putting 

 spurs to our steeds, each individual now made a race of it, 

 as every one was anxious to claim the first brush. 



We had a good run of two miles or more over this pret- 

 ty vale, when the coyotes again changed their course sud- 

 denly, and broke over the hills with, apparently, an army of 

 dogs in pursuit. They had, in fact, almost run into an In- 

 dian village, and had, as a result, brought the large canine 



