202 THE ADVENTURES OF A NATURE GUIDE 



bounded off to one side. Other wolves sprang in 

 the air after it, but the wind carried the tumble- 

 weed along and the entire pack rushed in pursuit. 



This big, much-branched, ball-shaped weed was 

 two feet in diameter. When it touched the earth 

 the gale swept it, bounding forward and rolling 

 over and over, across the brown, wide plains. After 

 it came the closely massed wolves. Just as those 

 in the lead were nearing this animated plaything 

 it was caught by a whirlwind and pulled high into 

 the air. Two wolves leaped and tried to seize 

 it. Several sat down and stared after it as 

 though it were gone forever. The tumbleweed 

 commenced to descend, but buoyed up by the air 

 it came down slowly. The pack surged this way 

 and that, as the weed surged in descending, to be 

 beneath it; and while it was still several feet above 

 them a high-leaping fellow struck it head-on and 

 sent it flying to one side. It disappeared in a hol- 

 low and the wolves vanished after it. Puffs of 

 dust and occasionally the high-bounding weed 

 itself told me that the game was on as vigorously 

 as ever. 



The next act opened with the re-appearance of 

 one of the wolves running up a slope and looking 

 back over his shoulder. Up in the wind, a little 

 behind him and off to one side, came the tumble- 

 weed. The wolf turned, leaped at the weed, struck 

 it with his breast, and knocked it vaulting away. 

 The pack, rushing into view, swerved as one to seize 



