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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 our view was distant； we saw at least that Snap had lived
up to the telegram； as well as to my promises for him。
Now it was my turn to crow； and I did not lose the chance。 Snap
had shown them how； and at last the Mendoza pack had killed a
Gray…wolf without help from the men。
There were two things to mar the victory somewhat： first； it was
a young Wolf； a mere Cub； hence his foolish choice of country；
second； Snap was woundedthe Wolf had given him a bad cut in the
shoulder。
As we rode in proud procession home； I saw he limped a little。
〃Here；〃 I cried； 〃come up； Snap。〃 He tried once or twice to jump
to the saddle； but could not。 〃Here； Hilton； lift him up to me。〃
〃Thanks； I'll let you handle your own rattlesnakes；〃 was the
reply； for all knew now that it was not safe to meddle with his
person。 〃Here； Snap； take hold；〃 I said； and held my quirt to
him。 He seized it； and by that I lifted him to the front of my
saddle and so carried him home。 I cared for him as though he had
been a baby。 He had shown those Cattle…men how to fill the weak
place in their pack； the Foxhounds may be good and the Greyhounds
swift and the Russians and Danes fighters； but they are no use at
all without the crowning moral force of grit； that none can
supply so well as a Bull…terrier。 On that day the Cattlemen
learned how to manage the Wolf question； as you will find if ever
you are at Mendoza； for every successful Wolf pack there has with
it a Bull…terrier； preferably of the Snap…Mendoza breed。
IV
Next day was Hallowe'en； the anniversary of Snap's advent。 The
weather was clear； bright； not too cold； and there was no snow on
the ground。 The men usually celebrated the day with a hunt of
some sort； and now； of course； Wolves were the one object。 To the
disappointment of all； Snap was in bad shape with his wound。 He
slept； as usual； at my feet； and bloody stains now marked the
place。 He was not in condition to fight； but we were bound to
have a Wolf…hunt； so he was beguiled to an outhouse and locked
up； while we went off； I； at least； with a sense of impending
disaster。 I knew we should fail without my Dog； but I did not
realize how bad a failure it was to be。
Afar among the buttes of Skull Creek we had roamed when a white
ball appeared bounding through the sage…brush； and in a minute
more Snap came； growling and stump…waggling； up to my Horse's
side。 I could not send him back； he would take no such orders；
not even from me。 His wound was looking bad； so I called him；
held down the quirt； and jumped him to my saddle。
〃There；〃 I thought； 〃I'll keep you safe till we get home。〃 'Yes；
I thought； but I reckoned not with Snap。 The voice of Hilton；
〃Hu； hu；〃 announced that he had sighted a Wolf。 Dander and Riley；
his rival； both sprang to the point of observation； with the
result that they collided and fell together； sprawling； in the
sage。 But Snap； gazing hard； had sighted the Wolf； not so very
far off； and before I knew it； he leaped from the saddle and
bounded zigzag； high； low； in and under the sage； straight for
the enemy； leading the whole pack for a few minutes。 Not far； of
course。 The great Greyhounds sighted the moving speck； and the
usual procession strung out on the plain。 It promised to be a
fine hunt； for the Wolf had less than half a mile start and all
the Dogs were fully interested。
〃They 'ye turned up Grizzly Gully；〃 cried Garvin。 〃This way； and
we can head them off。〃
So we turned and rode hard around the north side of Hulmer's
Butte； while the chase seemed to go round the south。
We galloped to the top of Cedar Ridge and were about to ride
down； when Hilton shouted； 〃By George； here he is！ We're right
onto him。〃 He leaped from his Horse； dropped the bridle； and ran
forward。 I did the same。 A great Gray…wolf came lumbering across
an open plain toward us。 His head was low； his tail out level；
and fifty yards behind him was Dander； sailing like a Hawk over
the ground； going twice as fast as the Wolf。 In a minute the
Hound was a