THE WOLF HUNTERS 



interpreter, is at Larned he'll tell us all we want 

 to know about it. If Wild Bill was here, he'd go 

 right along an' guide us to a snug place for our 

 camp, 'cause he knows every foot o' the ground. 

 It's all open prairie from Pawnee to Walnut, an' 

 once we get across Pawnee Fork we can't miss it 

 ef we just follow the buffalo trails." 



We rolled out from Big Bend by sunrise, made a 

 short stop at Rath's ranch to renew old acquain- 

 tance with Charley, and in the evening camped at 

 the crossing of Ash Creek, a small stream with a 

 little timber along its banks. 



We reached Fort Larned by ten o'clock next 

 morning. I left Tom and Jack to inquire for mail, 

 while I went to the adjutant's office to report our 

 arrival and destination; after which I rejoined the 

 outfit at the sutler's. 



*'Well, now, men," said old Tom, gathering up 

 the mail matter and putting it away in the wagon, 

 "we must first hunt a camp, an' then we can 

 spend the rest of the day reading our papers an' 

 letters an' rounding up old acquaintances about 

 the garrison an' getting ready to go on to Walnut 

 Creek in the mornin'. I'm told that we can get 

 pretty good grass by crossin' the creek here an' 

 going half a mile up on the other side. We'll go 

 an' make camp an' eat dinner, an' then, leaving 

 one man to take care o' camp, the others can come 

 back and take in the garrison." 



A little crowd of idlers had gathered around our 



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