PREPARING SKIN AND BONES. 130 



placed in water, and the whole was boiled until a 

 strong brine was made, which was allowed to cool. 

 An excavation was made in the ground eighteen 

 inches in diameter and six inches deep, and into this 

 a part of the skin free from bullet-holes was pushed, 

 forming a cup, into which was poured the milk- 

 warm brine. Then the whole skin was thoroughly 

 wetted with a small sponge. The head and feet were 

 then placed in the vat and the whole skin thoroughly 

 saturated with the brine and left to soak for six hours, 

 when the operation was repeated. When this soaking 

 was finished the skin was hung in a shady place to 

 dry, care being taken to turn the edges out frequently. 

 At the end of a few days the skin was dry and ready 

 for packing. It was folded and sewed in a burlap 

 bag marked with a label showing a number which 

 corresponded with the number of the description in 

 the note-book. Each bone was also marked with a 

 similar number and the specimen was ready for the 

 storeroom. This same process was gone through 

 with in every case where the skin was preserved. 



Just as the sun was going down a big animal was 

 heard in the woods tearing along at full speed, making 

 a noise like a herd of deer. The doctor and Dyche 

 jumped for their guns, and were ready for anything, 

 when out of the timber came the judge on Nellie 

 Gray, at full speed, waving his hat and shouting. 



" Well, by the long-horned angora !" said the doc- 

 tor, " I'll bet the judge has killed a deer. Yes, there 

 it is hanging to the back of his saddle." 



Nellie Gray seemed to share the excitement of the 

 judge as they came tearing into the camp. 



