THE WOLF HUNTERS 



envelope as he marked on it, and did not notice 

 us. I was still wondering what he could be doing 

 when the Irishman's quick wit comprehended the 

 situation, and he whispered : 



"He's copyin' the brands on our mules. We'll 

 hear more of this by an' by." 



"How?" I asked. 



"He'll send somebody to claim 'em, on a lost- 

 strayed-or-stolen plea, an' the claimer will prove 

 ownership by showing the exact brands marked 

 on paper before he has been near the mules. I've 

 known that trick played before." 



As we entered the store the old storekeeper and 

 Tom came out of the grain room — Tom with a 

 sack of corn on his shoulder, making mysterious 

 winks at us as he moved toward the door, indi- 

 cating that he desired us to go back to the wagon. 



The store man cast an inquiring glance at the 

 decanter and then at Captain Tucker. The lat- 

 ter nodded his head and said: 



"Chalk it down." 



On the way to the wagon we met Joe, who had 

 probably completed draughting our mules' brands 

 to his satisfaction. 



We told Tom of all that had occurred, and I 

 rather expected that he would reprimand Jack for 

 acting so rashly, but to my surprise he approved 

 of the Irishman's doings. 



"Perfectly right, perfectly right," said Tom. 

 "It won't do to give back to such fellows a par- 



46 



