Trail and Camp-Fire 



one after another from place to place. These 



seldom regarded the man i ay more than he 



did them. Occasionally one might ride down 



into a ravine, and almost over a wolf lying 



asleep in some sunny spot or under a bush. 



It would spring to its feet in great alarm, 



make a half dozen wild jumps to some high 



point, and stop for a look, and then, seeing 



that it was only a man, would continue to 



gaze, and at last trot unconcernedly away. 



Nowadays it is rather unusual for any one 



to see a wolf, and in recent times few men 



have had such an experience as happened to 



an acquaintance of mine, who, one morning in 



April, 1897, stepped out of the cabin to look 



about, when a big gray wolf came around the 



corner of the house within fifteen feet of him. 



Man and wolf were both astonished, and the 



man jumped into the house to get his gun, 



while the wolf ran to the top of a knoll about 



two hundred yards away, and halted. When 



it stopped the man shot, the ball entering the 



right ham, ranging through the body, and 



smashing the left shoulder. The wolf fell, 



sprang to its feet again, and ran around in a 



STrall circle, biting at the point where the ball 



had hit it, while it yelled dismally, and so 



166 



