THE WOLF HUNTERS 



**What do you mean?" demanded Tucker in as- 

 sumed astonishment. 



"Just this," repHed Tom, looking sternly at the 

 jayhawkers' captain. "This little joke of your'n 

 has gone about far enough. These two men," 

 pointing to Jack and me, "stood an' watched that 

 feller you call Joe — that sneaking coyote out 

 yonder who wears the old cavalry jacket — take 

 this or yellow envelope out of his pocket an' copy 

 on it the brands of our mules while the team was 

 standin' in front of the store, when Joe had no 

 idea he was bein' watched. Now, I don't want 

 to hear any more of this foolishness. Mr. Jay- 

 hawker, ef you've any other business with us 

 please state it. Ef not this meeting stands ad- 

 journed." 



Seeing that his deception was detected and that 

 the scheme failed. Tucker apparently concluded 

 to try a bluff on us. 



"If you won't listen to reason," said he, "we'll 

 show you what we can do in another line. I'm 

 satisfied that them's Sawyer's mules an' we're 

 going to have 'em. It'll leave you fellows in a 

 bad fix to break up your team by taking the mules, 

 but I'm willin' to do what's right. You give the 

 mules up peaceably and I've got a pair of good, 

 old chunky ponies down to camp that I'll sell you 

 cheap. You may have 'em fer a hundred dollars. 

 I'll just call the boys up an' we'll take the mules 

 along with us now, an' " 



58 



