The Last of the Buffalo 



carry us into the midst of them. Know- 

 the capabiHties of our horses, which were 

 thin from long travel, we felt sure that if 

 the buffalo should take the alarm before 

 we were close to them, we could not over- 

 take the cows and young animals which 

 always run in the van, and should have to 

 content ourselves with old bulls. On the 

 other hand, if we could dash in among 

 them during the first hundred yards of the 

 race, we should be able to keep up with 

 and select the fattest animals in the herd. 

 When we reached a point just below 

 the crest of the hill, I stopped and waited, 

 while Charley, my companion, rode on. 

 Just before he got to the top he too halted, 

 then took off his hat and peered over the 

 ridge, examining so much of the prairie 

 beyond as was now visible to him. His 

 inspection was careful and thorough ; and 

 when he had made sure that nothing was 

 in sight, his horse took a step or two for- 

 ward and then stopped again, and the rider 

 scanned every foot of country before him. 

 The horse, trained as the real hunter's 

 horse is always trained, understood what 

 was required of him, and with pricked ears 

 examined the prairie beyond with as much 

 interest as did his rider. When the calf 

 of Charley's right leg pressed the horse's 



253 



