238 Sporting Sketches 



would so sinfully waste, while within are upper and 

 lower berths for four, and a low cot excellent for a 

 man of all work. Heavy paper is tacked over the 

 inside walls, there are nails to support all sorts of 

 gear, and there are also a table, some benches, and 

 a fine cook-stove and outfit. All this clearly is 

 White Man's medicine, and burly indeed have been 

 the patients of that prairie pharmacy. Upon the 

 wall-paper are the pencilled scores of many a glori- 

 ous day, and the tenderfoot surely would be puzzled 

 by the names affixed thereto. The names, however, 

 are no jokes; for Royalty, Statecraft, Bar, Pulpit, 

 Art, and Science have all snored in those humble 

 bunks, and pricked pleased ears at the hiss of the 

 shaved bacon when the pink forefinger of Dawn 

 plucked at the mist-curtain eastward. 



Three old campaigners made short work of stow- 

 ing the outfit in the wagons. Thompson, having 

 been purchasing agent, attended to the checking 

 off of various bags and boxes, leaving only hand- 

 bags, guns, and raincoats for our attention. The 

 Breed wagons were a three-seated spring rig and 

 one of the ordinary farm type, and into the first 

 went guns, shells, and a box of lunch. Then the 

 other was carefully loaded and Thompson sung 

 out : " All aboard, Batteese ! But first shake hands 

 with Mr. S . This is your punter, Ed, and a rare 

 good un he is. The other chap's only a driver." 

 Batteese solemnly shook my hand, but there was a 

 twinkle in the wild eye which hinted that the ob- 

 servant rascal already had seen enough to reconcile 

 him to the task of looking afteF.the green one. As 

 a rule, the punters are a bit jealous, each keen to 



