friendship； an honor which I appreciated more as months went on；
and by midsummer not Carnegie； Vanderbilt； and Astor together
could have raised money enough to buy a quarter of a share in my
little Dog Snap。
II
Though not a regular traveller； I was ordered out on the road in
the autumn； and then Snap and the landlady were left together；
with unfortunate developments。 Contempt on his partfear on
hers； and hate on both。
I was placing a lot of barb…wire in the northern tier of States。
My letters were forwarded once a week； and I got several
complaints from the landlady about Snap。
Arrived at Mendoza； in North Dakota； I found a fine market for
wire。 Of course my dealings were with the big storekeepers； but I
went about among the ranchmen to get their practical views on the
different styles； and thus I met the Penroof Brothers'
Cow…outfit。
One cannot be long in Cow country now without hearing a great
deal about the depredations of the ever wily and destructive
Gray…wolf。 The day has gone by when they can be poisoned
wholesale； and they are a serious drain on the rancher's profits。
The Penroof Brothers； like most live cattle…men； had given up all
attempts at poisoning and trapping； and were trying various
breeds of Dogs as Wolf…hunters； hoping to get a little sport out
of the necessary work of destroying the pests。
Foxhounds had failedthey were too soft for fighting； Great
Danes were too clumsy； and Greyhounds could not follow the game
unless they could see it。 Each breed had some fatal defect； but
the cow…men hoped to succeed with a mixed pack； and the day when
I was invited to join in a Mendoza Wolf…hunt； I was amused by the
variety of Dogs that followed。 There were several mongrels； but
there were also a few highly bred Dogsin particular； some
Russian Wolfhounds that must have cost a lot of money。
Hilton Penroof； the oldest boy； 〃The Master of Hounds；〃 was
unusually proud of them； and expected them to do great things。
〃Greyhounds are too thin…skinned to fight a Wolf； Danes are too
slow； but you'll see the fur fly when the Russians take a hand。〃
Thus the Greyhounds were there as runners； the Danes as heavy
backers； and the Russians to do the important fighting。 There
were also two or three Foxhounds； whose fine noses were relied on
to follow the trail if the game got out of view。
It was a fine sight as we rode away among the Badland Buttes that
October day。 The air was bright and crisp； and though so late；
there was neither snow nor frost。 The Horses were fresh； and once
or twice showed me how a Cow…pony tries to get rid of his rider。
The Dogs were keen for sport； and we did start one or two gray
spots in the plain that Hilton said were Wolves or Coyotes。 The
Dogs trailed away at full cry； but at night； beyond the fact that
one of the Greyhounds had a wound on his shoulder； there was
nothing to show that any of them had been on a Wolf…hunt。
It's my opinion yer fancy Russians is no good； Hilt；〃 said
Garvin； the younger brother。 〃I'll back that little black Dane
against the lot； mongrel an' all as he is。〃
〃I don't unnerstan' it；〃 growled Hilton。 〃There ain't a Coyote；
let alone a Gray…wolf； kin run away from them Greyhounds； them
Foxhounds kin folly a trail three days old； an' the Danes could
lick a Grizzly。〃
〃I reckon；〃 said the father； 〃they kin run； an' they kin track；
an' they kin lick a Grizzly； maybe； but the fac' is they don't
want to tackle a Gray…wolf。 The hull darn pack is scairtan' I
wish we had our money out o' them。〃
Thus the men grumbled and discussed as I drove away and left
them。
There seemed only one solution of the failure。 The Hounds were
swift and strong； but a Gray…wolf seems to terrorize all Dogs。
They have not the nerve to face him； and so； each time he gets
away； and my thoughts flew back to the fearless little Dog that
had shared my bed for the last year。 How I wished he was out
here； then these lubberly giants of Hounds would find a leader
whose nerve would not fail at the moment of trial。
At Baroka； my next stop； I got a batch of mail including two
letters from the landlady； the first to say that 〃that beast of a
Dog was acting up scandalous in my room；〃 and the other still
more forcible； demanding his immediate removal。
〃Why not have him expressed to Mendoza？〃 I thought。 〃It's only
twenty hours； they'll be glad to have him。 I can take him home
with me when I go through。〃
III
My next meeting with Gingersnap was not as different from the
first as one might have expected。 He jumped on me； made much
vigorous pretense to bite； and growled frequently； but it was a
deep…chested growl and his stump waggled hard。
The Penroofs had had a number of Wolf…hunts since I was with
them； and were much disgusted at having no better success than
before。 The Dogs could find a Wolf nearly every time they went
out； but they could not kill him； and the men were not near
enough at the finish to learn why。
Old Penroof was satisfied that 〃thar wasn't one of the hull
miserable gang that had the grit of a Jack…rabbit。〃
We were off at dawn the next daythe same procession of fine
Horses and superb riders； the big blue Dogs； the yellow Dogs； the
spotted Dogs； as before； but there was a new feature； a little
white Dog that stayed close by me； and not only any Dogs； but
Horses that came too near were apt to get a surprise from his
teeth。 I think he quarrelled with every man； Horse； and Dog in
the country； with the exception of a Bull…terrier belonging to
the Mendoza hotel man。 She was the only one smaller than himself；
and they seemed very good friends。
I shall never forget the view of the hunt I had that day。 We were
on one of those large； flat…headed buttes that give a kingdom to
the eye； when Hilton； who had been scanning the vast country with
glasses； exclaimed： 〃I see him。 There he goes； toward Skull
Creek。 Guess it's a Coyote。〃
Now the first thing is to get the Greyhounds to see the preynot
an easy matter； as they cannot use the glasses； and the ground
was covered with sage…brush higher than the Dogs' heads。
But Hilton called； 〃Hu； hu； Dander；〃 and leaned aside from his
saddle； holding out his foot at the same time。 With one agile
bound Dander leaped to the saddle and there stood balancing on
the Horse while Hilton kept pointing。 〃There he is； Dander； sic
himsee him down there。〃 The Dog gazed earnestly where his
master pointed； then seeming to see； he sprang to the ground with
a slight yelp and sped away。 The other Dogs followed after； in an
ever…lengthening procession； and we rode as hard as we could
behind them； but losing time； for the ground was cut with
gullies； spotted with badger…holes； and covered with rocks and
sage that made full speed too hazardous。
We all fell behind； and I was last； of course； being least
accustomed to the saddle。 We got several glimpses of the Dogs
flying over the level plain or dropping from sight in gullies to
reappear at the other side。 Dander； the Greyhound； was the
recognized leader； and as we mounted another ridge we got sight
of the whole chasea Coyote at full speed； the Dogs a quarter of
a mile behind； but gaining。 When next we saw them the Coyote was
dead； and the Dogs sitting around panting； all but two of the
Foxhounds and Gingersnap。
〃Too late for the fracas；〃 remarked Hilton； glancing at these
last Foxhounds。 Then he proudly petted Dander。 〃Didn't need yer
purp after all； ye see。〃
〃Takes a heap of nerve for ten big Dogs to face one little
Coyote；〃 remarked the father； sarcastically。 〃Wait till we run
onto a Gray。〃
Next day we were out again； for I made up my mind to see it to a
finish。
From a high point we caught sight of a moving speck of gray。 A
moving white speck stands for Antelope； a red speck for Fox； a
gray speck for either Gray…wolf or Coyote； and which of these is
determined by its tail。 If the glass shows the tail down； it is a
Coyote； if up； it is the hated Gray…wolf。
Dander was shown the game as before and led the motley mixed
processionas he had beforeGreyhounds； Wolfhounds； Foxhounds；
Danes； Bull…terrier； horsemen。 We got a momentary view of the
pursuit； a Gray…wolf it surely was； loping away ahead of the
Dogs。 Somehow I thought the first Dogs were not running so fast
now as they had after the Coyote。 But no one knew the finish of
the hunt。 The Dogs came back to us one by one； and we saw no more
of that Wolf。
Sarcastic remarks and recrimination were now freely indulged in
by the hunters。
〃Pahscairt； plumb scairt；〃 was the father's disgusted comment
on the pack。
〃They could catch up easy enough； but when he turned on them；
they lighted out for homepah！〃
〃Where's that thar onsurpassable； fearless； scaired…o'…nort
Tarrier？〃 asked Hilton； scornfully。
〃I don't know；〃 said I。 〃I am inclined to think he never saw the
Wolf； but if he ever does； I'll bet he sails in for death or
glory。〃
That night several Cows were killed close to the ranch； and we
were spurred on to another hunt。
It opened much like the last。 Late in the afternoon we sighted a
gray fellow with tail up； not half a mile off。 Hilton called
Dander up on the saddle。 I acted on the idea and called Snap to
mine。 His legs were so short that he had to leap several times
before he made it； scrambling up at last with my foot as a
half…way station。 I pointed and 〃sic…ed〃 for a minute before he
saw the game； and then he started out after the Greyhounds；
already gone； with energy that was full of promise。
The chase this time led us； not to the rough brakes along the
river； but toward the high open country； for reasons that
appeared later。 We were close together as we rose to the upland
and sighted the chase half a mile off； just as Dander came up
with the Wolf and snapped at his haunch。 The Gray…wolf turned
round to fight； and we had a fine view。 The Dogs came up by twos
and threes； barking at him in a ring； till last the little white
one rushed up。 He wasted no time barking； but rushed straight at
the Wolf's throat and missed it； yet seemed to get him by the
nose； then the ten big Dogs closed in； and in two minutes the
Wolf was dead。 We had ridden hard to be in at the finish； and
though o