WOLF-COURSING 117 



over the prairie the sharp eyes of the punchers were scan- 

 ning the ground far and near, and sooner or later one of 

 them would spy the motionless form of a coyote, or all 

 would have their attention attracted as it ran like a fleet- 

 ing gray or brown shadow among the grays and browns of 

 the desolate landscape. Immediately dogs and horses 

 would stretch at full speed after it, and everything would 

 be forgotten but the wild exhilaration of the run. 



It was nearly noon when we struck the chuck wagon. 

 Immediately the handy round-up cook began to prepare 

 a delicious dinner, and we ate as men have a right to eat, 

 who have ridden all the morning and are going to ride 

 fresh horses all the afternoon. Soon afterward the horse- 

 wranglers drove up the saddle band, while some of the 

 cow-punchers made a rope corral from the side of the 

 wagon. Into this the horses were driven, one or two 

 breaking back and being brought into the bunch again 

 only after a gallop more exciting than most coyote chases. 

 Fresh ponies were roped out and the saddle band again 

 turned loose. The dogs that had been used during the 

 morning then started campward with the chuck wagon. 

 One of the punchers was riding a young and partially 

 broken horse; he had no bridle, simply a rope around the 

 horse's neck. This man started to accompany the wagon 

 to the camp. 



The rest of us went off at the usual cow-pony trot or 

 running walk. It was an hour or two before we saw any- 

 thing; then a coyote appeared a long way ahead and the 

 dogs raced after him. The first mile was up a gentle 

 slope; then we turned, and after riding a couple of miles 



