animal heroes-第14节

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These　were　among　the　things　he　told　me　as　we　sat　by　the　fire　at
night。　I　knew　of　the　early　days　when　any　one　could　trap　or　poison
Wolves；　of　the　passing　of　those　days；　with　the　passing　of　the
simple　Wolves；　of　the　new　race　of　Wolves　with　new　cunning　that
were　defying　the　methods　of　the　ranchmen；　and　increasing　steadily
in　numbers。　Now　the　wolver　told　me　of　the　various　ventures　that
Penroof　had　made　with　different　kinds　of　Hounds；　of　Foxhounds　too
thin…skinned　to　fight；　of　Greyhounds　that　were　useless　when　the
animal　was　out　of　sight；　of　Danes　too　heavy　for　the　rough
country；　and；　last；　of　the　composite　pack　with　some　of　all　kinds；
including　at　times　a　Bull…terrier　to　lead　them　in　the　final
fight。

He　told　of　hunts　after　Coyotes；　which　usually　were　successful
because　the　Coyotes　sought　the　plains；　and　were　easily　caught　by
the　Greyhounds。　He　told　of　killing　some　small　Gray…wolves　with
this　very　pack；　usually　at　the　cost　of　the　one　that　led　them；　but
above　all　he　dwelt　on　the　wonderful　prowess　of　〃that　thar　cussed
old　Black　Wolf　of　Sentinel　Butte；〃　and　related　the　many　attempts
to　run　him　down　or　corner　himan　unbroken　array　of　failures。　For
the　big　Wolf；　with　exasperating　persistence；　continued　to　live　on
the　finest　stock　of　the　Penroof　brand；　and　each　year　was　teaching
more　Wolves　how　to　do　the　same　with　perfect　impunity。

I　listened　even　as　gold…hunters　listen　to　stories　of　treasure
trove；　for　these　were　the　things　of　my　world。　These　things　indeed
were　uppermost　in　all　our　minds；　for　the　Penroof　pack　was　lying
around　our　camp…fire　now。　We　were　out　after　Badlands　Billy。


VIII

THE　VOICE　IN　THE　NIGHT　AND　THE　BIG
TRACK　IN　THE　MORNING

One　night　late　in　September　after　the　last　streak　of　light　was
gone　from　the　west　and　the　Coyotes　had　begun　their　yapping
chorus；　a　deep；　booming　sound　was　heard。　King　took　out　his　pipe；
turned　his　head　and　said：　〃That's　himthat's　old　Billy。　He's
been　watching　us　all　day　from　some　high　place；　and　now　when　the
guns　are　useless　he's　here　to　have　a　little　fun　with　us。〃

Two　or　three　Dogs　arose；　with　bristling　manes；　for　they　clearly
recognized　that　this　was　no　Coyote。　They　rushed　out　into　the
night；　but　did　not　go　far；　their　brawling　sounds　were　suddenly
varied　by　loud　yelps；　and　they　came　running　back　to　the　shelter
of　the　fire。　One　was　so　badly　cut　in　the　shoulder　that　he　was
useless　for　the　rest　of　the　hunt。　Another　was　hurt　in　the
flankit　seemed　the　less　serious　wound；　and　yet　next　morning　the
hunters　buried　that　second　Dog。

The　men　were　furious。　They　vowed　speedy　vengeance；　and　at　dawn
were　off　on　the　trail。　The　Coyotes　yelped　their　dawning　song；　but
they　melted　into　the　hills　when　the　light　was　strong。　The　hunters
searched　about　for　the　big　Wolf's　track；　hoping　that　the　Hounds
would　be　able　to　take　it　up　and　find　him；　but　they　either　could
not　or　would　not。

They　found　a　Coyote；　however；　and　within　a　few　hundred　yards　they
killed　him。　It　was　a　victory；　I　suppose；　for　Coyotes　kill　Calves
and　Sheep；　but　somehow　I　felt　the　common　thought　of　all：　〃Mighty
brave　Dogs　for　a　little　Coyote；　but　they　could　not　face　the　big
Wolf　last　night。〃

Young　Penroof；　as　though　in　answer　to　one　of　the　unput　questions；
said：

〃Say；　boys；　I　believe　old　Billy　had　a　hull　bunch　of　Wolves　with
him　last　night。〃

〃Didn't　see　but　one　track；〃　said　King　gruffly。

In　this　way　the　whole　of　October　slipped　by；　all　day　hard　riding
after　doubtful　trails；　following　the　Dogs；　who　either　could　not
keep　the　big　trail　or　feared　to　do　so；　and　again　and　again　we　had
news　of　damage　done　by　the　Wolf；　sometimes　a　cowboy　would　report
it　to　us；　and　sometimes　we　found　the　carcasses　ourselves。　A　few
of　these　we　poisoned；　though　it　is　considered　a　very　dangerous
thing　to　do　while　running　Dogs。　The　end　of　the　month　found　us　a
weather…beaten；　dispirited　lot　of　men；　with　a　worn…out　lot　of
Horses；　and　a　foot…sore　pack；　reduced　in　numbers　from　ten　to
seven。　So　far　we　had　killed　only　one　Gray…wolf　and　three　Coyotes；
Badlands　Billy　had　killed　at　least　a　dozen　Cows　and　Dogs　at　fifty
dollars　a　head。　Some　of　the　boys　decided　to　give　it　up　and　go
home；　so　King　took　advantage　of　their　going；　to　send　a　letter；
asking　for　re雗forcements　including　all　the　spare　Dogs　at　the
ranch。

During　the　two　days'　wait　we　rested　our　Horses；　shot　some　game；
and　prepared　for　a　harder　hunt。　Late　on　the　second　day　the　new
Dogs　arrivedeight　beautiesand　raised　the　working　pack　to
fifteen。

The　weather　now　turned　much　cooler；　and　in　the　morning；　to　the
joy　of　the　wolvers；　the　ground　was　white　with　snow。　This　surely
meant　success。　With　cool　weather　for　the　Dogs　and　Horses　to　run；
with　the　big　Wolf　not　far　away；　for　he　had　been　heard　the　night
before；　and　with　tracking　snow；　so　that　once　found　he　could　not
baffle　us；escape　for　him　was　impossible。
　
We　were　up　at　dawn；　but　before　we　could　get　away；　three　men　came
riding　into　camp。　They　were　the　Penroof　boys　back　again。　The
change　of　weather　had　changed　their　minds；　they　knew　that　with
snow　we　might　have　luck。

〃Remember　now；〃　said　King；　as　all　were　mounting；　〃we　don't　want
any　but　Badlands　Billy　this　trip。　Get　him　an'　we　kin　bust　up　the
hull　combination。　It　is　a　five…and…a…half…inch　track。〃

And　each　measured　off　on　his　quirt　handle；　or　on　his　glove；　the
exact　five　and　a　half　inches　that　was　to　be　used　in　testing　the
tracks　he　might　find。

Not　more　than　an　hour　elapsed　before　we　got　a　signal　from　the
rider　who　had　gone　westward。　One　shot：　that　means　〃attention；〃　a
pause　while　counting　ten；　then　two　shots：　that　means　〃come　on。〃

King　gathered　the　Dogs　and　rode　direct　to　the　distant　figure　on
the　hill。　All　hearts　beat　high　with　hope；　and　we　were　not
disappointed。　Some　small　Wolf　tracks　had　been　found；　but　here　at
last　was　the　big　track；　nearly　six　inches　long。　Young　Penroof
wanted　to　yell　and　set　out　at　full　gallop。　It　was　like　hunting　a
Lion；　it　was　like　finding　happiness　long　deferred。　The　hunter
knows　nothing　more　inspiring　than　the　clean…cut　line　of　fresh
tracks　that　is　leading　to　a　wonderful　animal；　he　has　long　been
hunting　in　vain。　How　King's　eye　gleamed　as　he　gloated　over　the
sign！


IX

RUN　DOWN　AT　LAST

It　was　the　roughest　of　all　rough　riding。　It　was　a　far　longer　hunt
than　we　had　expected；　and　was　full　of　little　incidents；　for　that
endless　line　of　marks　was　a　minute　history　of　all　that　the　big
Wolf　had　done　the　night　before。　Here　he　had　circled　at　the
telephone　box　and　looked　for　news；　there　he　had　paused　to　examine
an　old　skull；　here　he　had　shied　off　and　swung　cautiously　up　wind
to　examine　something　that　proved　to　be　an　old　tin　can；　there　at
length　he　had　mounted　a　low　hill　and　sat　down；　probably　giving
the　muster…howl；　for　two　Wolves　had　come　to　him　from　different
directions；　and　they　then　had　descended　to　the　river　flat　where
the　Cattle　would　seek　shelter　during　the　storm。　Here　all　three
had　visited　a　Buffalo　skull；　there　they　trotted　in　line；　and
yonder　they　separated；　going　three　different　ways；　to
meetyeshereoh；　what　a　sight；　a　fine　Cow　ripped　open；　left
dead　and　uneaten。　Not　to　their　taste；　it　seems；　for　see！　within　a
mile　is　another　killed　by　them。　Not　six　hours　ago；　they　had
feasted。　Here　their　trails　scatter　again；　but　not　far；　and　the
snow　tells　plainly　how　each　had　lain　down　to　sleep。　The　Hounds'
manes　bristled　as　they　sniffed　those　places。　King　had　held　the
Dogs　well　in　hand；　but　now　they　were　greatly　excited。　We　came　to
a　hill　whereon　the　Wolves　had　turned　and　faced　our　way；　then　fled
at　full　speed；so　said　the　trail；and　now　it　was　clear　that
they　had　watched　us　from　that　hill；　and　were　not　far　away。

The　pack　kept　well　together；　because　the　Greyhounds；　seeing　no
quarry；　were　merely　puttering　about　among　the　other　Dogs；　or
running　back　with　the　Horses。　We　went　as　fast　as　we　could；　for
the　Wolves　were　speeding。　Up　mesas　and　down　coulees　we　rode；
sticking　closely　to　the　Dogs；　though　it　was　the　roughest　country
that　could　be　picked。　One　gully　after　another；　an　hour　and
another　hour；　and　still　the　threefold　track　went　bounding　on；
another　hour　and　no　change；　but　interminable　climbing；　sliding；
struggling；　through　brush　and　over　boulders；　guided　by　the
far…away　yelping　of　the　Dogs。

Now　the　chase　led　downward　to　the　low　valley　of　the　river；　where
there　was　scarcely　any　snow。　Jumping　and　scrambling　down　hills；
recklessly　leaping　dangerous　gullies　and　slippery　rocks；　we　felt
that　we　could　not　hold　out　much　longer；　when　on　the　lowest；
dryest　level　the　pack　split；　some　went　up；　some　went　down；　and
others　straight　on。　Oh；　how　King　did　swear！　He　knew　at　once　what
it　meant。　The　Wolves　had　scattered；　and　so　had　divided　the　pack。
Three　Dogs　after　a　Wolf　would　have　no　chance；　four　could　not　kill
him；　two　would　certainly　be　killed。　And　yet　this　was　the　first
encouraging　sign　we　had　seen；　for　it　meant　that　the　Wolves　were
hard　pressed。　We　spurred　ahead　to　stop　the　Dogs；　to　pick　for　them
the　only　trail。　But　that　was　not　so　easy。　Without　snow　here　and
with　countless　Dog　tracks；　we　were　foiled。　All　we　could　do　was　to
let　the　Dogs　choose；　but　keep　them　to　a　single　choice。　Away　we
went　as　before；　hoping；　yet　fearing　that　we　were　not　on　the　right
track。　The　Dogs　ran