THE GRAY WOLF. 153 



response. After thinking over their haste to escape from 

 the woods for a few moments, lie said lie thought he could 

 attribute it to the presence of Indians, and surmised that 

 they were encamped higher up on the hill. This guess 

 proved to be correct, for, on reaching an elevated piece of 

 ground a little later, we saw a large party of the sons of 

 the forest driving their mustangs out on the plains to 

 graze. While jogging home, the mellow cow's horn, which 

 the host used as a hunting-horn, was sounded at intervals 

 to recall the hounds if the run was over, but not one an- 

 swered the summons. When we were within three miles 

 of the house, we came upon them suddenly as they were 

 grouped around the dead wolf ; but they displayed no 

 signs of welcome on our approach, and sat sullenly in their 

 position until their owner threw the slain animal on his 

 horse. On resuming our march, we came upon a herd of 

 antelopes ; but the dogs paid no attention to it, as they 

 were not, as a rule, allowed to chase antelopes, not being 

 fleet enough to overtake them in a fair run. They were 

 used on deer, however ; but they went at such a pace in 

 the woods that they frequently overran the scent, and their 

 owner found it such a difficult matter to induce them to 

 hark back that he was often annoyed by them. For open 

 general running he considered they had few superiors, as 

 their nose and pace were fairly good. 



As they trotted home with us, they looked gaunt, bony, 

 and listless; but when they espied a coyote some distance 

 away, they Avere all animation at once, and, despite their 

 hard day's work and the peremptory recall of the horn, 

 they dashed after the creature in vigorous style, and with 

 a wild burst of yelps that must have nearly startled the 

 life out of it. The promenader, on discovering the canine 

 group, closed to its work with a will, and was soon show- 

 ing a clean pair of heels; but as both vanished rapidly in 

 the twilight, we were unable to see much of the chase. 

 The dogs returned about ten o'clock, having been evidently 

 successful in the run, and after a dinner of wolf-meat were 

 glad to retire to their couch of straw in the stable. Their 



