THE WOLF HUNTERS 



dropped it, stooped down an' dug a little hole 

 with his knife, raked the snake's head into it an' 

 covered it up so's nobody would tramp on it with 

 bare feet an' get pizened, wiped his knife on his 

 britches' leg an' returned it to the sheath, tore a 

 piece off his ol' hankercher an' wrapped his cut 

 finger up, an' went on an' 'tended to his horse — 

 all without sayin' a word or makin' any fuss; an' 

 when I got my breath enough to say, *Nesbit, that 

 was a close call,' he merely remarked indifferent 

 like: *Yes, but you know a miss is as good as a 

 mile.' 



"It had all been done so quietly an' quickly 

 that the other men passin' by hadn't noticed 

 what was goin' on. 



"Well, sir, I count that one of the coolest, grit- 

 tiest things I ever saw done, an' when I got back 

 to camp I went an' told the orderly sergeant about 

 it, an' he had to go an' tell the captain; an' then 

 the captain sent for me, an' I had to tell him all 

 the particulars; an' when I got through all the ol' 

 man had to say was, 'He'll do,' but I could see 

 that the captain was mightily pleased with the 

 raw recruit. 



"Well, the upshot of it was the next evenin' at 

 'retreat' the orderly sergeant published an order 

 to the company to the effect that 'Private Nesbit 

 is hereby appointed corporal an' will be obeyed 

 an' respected accordingly.' 



'You see, the captain saw from that little affair 



98 



