356 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OP 



the dogs retreated again to within five steps of the men. 

 I asked, in a low tone, why my companions did not shoot ; 

 but obtaining no reply, I determined, if I again got sight 

 of the wolves, to shoot, ninning or standing ; for I knew 

 that, as soon as the wolves found they could not maintain 

 their ground, they would leave the den, and clear out. 



The third attack the dogs made, they were again beaten 

 back — the wolves, as before, following them closely; but 

 as they turned very quickly towards their den, I fired at 

 the hindmost one, and broke one of its thighs ; and imme- 

 diately after a ball from William's rifle broke its back. 

 As soon as the old male wolf found that his mate was 

 gone, he gave a loud growl, and left the battle-ground in 

 our possession. 



It was hard to find where the young wolves were in the 

 den, there being numbers of holes which had been used as 

 inlets to the main den. As we could not find them with- 

 out tools, we sent a hand for those that we wanted, and 

 another to take care of our venison. Dewitt and I re- 

 mained at the den, to keep the old wolf from carrying ofi" 

 the pups, and, if possible, to find out where they had con- 

 cealed themselves. While the two men were gone, every 

 thing being quiet, the young wolves began to whine , 

 when we found they were in a difi'erent place entirely from 

 where we had supposed them to be. But as our venison 

 had to be taken home, it fell to the lot of myself and my 

 boy to carry it thither. We left the battle-ground for thic 

 purpose, and late the same evening the other hunters re 

 turned with the heads of five young wolves, which, toge 

 ther with that of the old one, were worth one hundred and 

 five dollars. 



After this hunt, I attended to my farm and mill, which 

 kept my family in comfortable circumstances. During the 

 summer, my fi'th son, Meshach A. Browning, gave me an 

 invitation to visit him, saying tha: ther 3 was in his neigh- 



