TOM'S PLAN 



settlements you'll have to swear off until we get 

 back again; and that reminds me that when we 

 get our 'final statements' cashed it will be a good 

 idea for you to turn over your money to Peck, all 

 except a small allowance for a spree, if you must 

 have one." 



Jack was forced to yield to the decision of the 

 majority that whiskey should form no part of our 

 supplies. 



''Seems to me,*' I began, to change the subject, 

 *'that we've got to decide on where we'll go. 

 Where do you think we'd better locate our winter 

 camp, Tom?" 



"As to that, I haven't quite made up my mind," 

 said he, "but it must be somewhere near the centre 

 of the buffalo range and not too far from the 

 Santa Fe road. Fort Larned is about the middle 

 of the range this season, and I've thought some of 

 pitching our camp on Walnut Creek, about twenty 

 miles north of the fort." 



"It's now toward the last of August," continued 

 Tom, "and our time will be out in September. 

 We can call for our discharges now any time that 

 we see a chance to get transportation into the 

 States. It'll take us about a month to reach the 

 Missouri River if we go by bull train, and that'll 

 be about the first of October. Allowing about 

 ten days to fit out for the return, it'll take us the 

 rest of October to go back to the neighborhood 

 of Fort Larned. We won't want to do much wolf 



5 



