262 BIG GAME FIELDS 



the trail on top, and in that case we could come 

 pretty near telling how many there are, and which 

 way they are headed." 



It was a heart-breaking climb, but after break- 

 fast we started up the ridge on foot. We had no 

 intention of taking the hounds, but when we were 

 well on our way discovered they had followed 

 us, so rather than to return we let them continue. 



"Big doings!" said Hi as he reached the trail. 

 "See here, they are all going up, four of them, 

 and right here they are all coming back again, 

 right fresh too; been done since sun-up by 

 George, there's five going back, and look here, 

 there's one old fellow packing one leg. See," he 

 continued, "he's traveling on three legs. I won- 

 der what battle he's been in that put one leg out 

 of commission?" 



The tracks were fresh and plain even to an 

 inexperienced eye. There were five wolves, 

 headed south, just recently passed and one going 

 on three legs. This much, which is more than I 

 had expected to learn, we had discovered in a 

 comparatively short space of time. Where they 

 would go or how far off they were at that moment 

 no one could tell. 



"Hello!" exclaimed Hi, "those darn dogs have 



