ON THE PRAIRIE 103 



up our minds to push back for the home 

 ranch, as we did not wish to be caught out 

 in a long storm. The lowering sky was al- 

 ready overcast by a mass of leaden-gray 

 clouds; and it was evident that we had no 

 time to lose. In a little over an hour we were 

 back at the log camp, where the ram was 

 shifted from Manitou's back to the buck- 

 board. A very few minutes sufficed to pack 

 up our bedding and provisions, and we 

 started home. Merrifield and I rode on 

 ahead, not sparing the horses ; but before we 

 got home the storm had burst, and a furi- 

 ous blizzard blew in our teeth as we gal- 

 loped along the last mile of the river bottom, 

 before coming to the home ranch house ; and 

 as we warmed our stiffened limbs before the 

 log fire, I congratulated myself upon the 

 successful outcome of what I knew would 

 be the last hunting trip I should take during 

 that season. 



The death of this ram was accomplished 

 without calling for any very good shooting 



