THE WOLF HUNTERS 



from the creek. He was grumbling because he 

 had not put out more traps. 



"Time enough," said Tom consolingly. *'WeVe 

 now found out that there's plenty of 'em there and 

 can wait awhile. Their fur'U be getting heavier 

 an' better all the time.'' 



He and Jack were finishing skinning the third 

 one as I dismounted and threw down my batch 

 of coyote pelts. 



'*How many did you get?" asked Jack. 



"Only eight," I replied. "If I'd had time to 

 have killed and poisoned three or four buffalo in 

 different directions out around camp I'd 'a' got as 

 many as the horse could carry." 



"Time enough for the wolves, too, by and by," 

 said Tom. 



"Now, men," said Tom after we had discussed 

 beaver and how to catch them, "while you were 

 out I went over to the ravine and found a good 

 place for our dugouts and measured and staked 

 off the ground where we'll dig 'em. After dinner 

 we can move camp over there close to the work. 

 And while I'm getting the grub ready you two 

 can water the horses and mules and be a-making 

 a lot of little pins to peg your skins down to dry." 



After dinner we moved camp close to the bank 

 of the ravine, where Tom had marked out the 

 ground for our winter quarters. On the opposite 

 bank he had staked out a site for a larger dugout 

 for a stable. The ravine here was narrow, and 



132 



