Scouting with Kit Carson

darkness. The action of the animals caused the men at once to look more carefully to the horses. Every one of the beasts had been hobbled, an

ting himself that he was no longer alone, thought what his own feelings would have been if, without the presence of the other trappers, he had heard these hungry and savage animals prowlin

hey had been farther away. Occasionally one or the other seated itself upon its haunches and, throwing back its head, sent forth its mournful howls. At the same time i

would be wise to shoot the treacherous animals, he had quietly and yet sharply objected. "There isn't one of you," he said, "but mi

eness of their desire to drive away their foes. All four were whining and, although the hair about their necks was still erect, t

nd and listening intently to the sounds made by the two wolves. These animals had acted peculiarly from

y were, Kit Carson suddenly raised his rifle

onged, in no way resembling the howl of a wolf, broke the silence. For a moment the men in the

Laughing lightly, he ran quickly to the place where the wounded wolf was

sperately, it rose upon its hind feet and for a brief time struggled to escape. The effort, h

ad had followed Kit Carson and was only a few yards behind him when the guide stopped to watch the struggles of the animal b

ill. Seizing the wolf by its fore-shoulders, the guide alternately with his foot a

ne in the camp. "If you let that fel

s to free itself were useless, the wolf was forced to approach the campfire, where the men curiously were watching the antics of the strange animal. Never before had Reuben seen a sight like the one he was now beholding. Why the wolf did not

ost of the men to laugh. Reuben recalled now the stories which Jean had told him of how some of the Indians, disguising themselves as wild animals, in the darkness of the night had crept near the camp of the trappers to steal their furs or run away with

aptive, suddenly tore away the skin in front, and as it fell to the grou

as taken up by others, and for a brief time t

, "We will have none of that. He is my prisoner, anyway." The guide, slight and boyish, in his figure, speaking in a ton

the leg. I suspected just what he was trying to do, and though he played the trick well, he l

d the calf of his leg. A bandage was soon made and applied, and after the feet and hands of the prisoner ha

as near as the presence of the prisoner indicated, Reuben was at a loss to understand why the fire should have been kept up. Howev

to the prisoner. "Come here!" called the leader when he saw that

two or three nights ago," he said. "He was one of the three I told you about that had been tryin

his one ta

e who did speak it said he was t

im in conversation, but either the lad did not understand what w

plaining that as soon as they had all had breakfast and the horses had been watered and permitted to

Reuben. "Shall I go away w

rson quietly, "and if he is dead he will not need your help

are you

in camp pretty soon, but just now we are busy on some other work. You will be s

to leave Jean,"

ne that left him. He left you. Come, m

ve no

of it?" inqui

rairie-dog village and the horse stumbled and

l ponies that are not being ridden

ecision, an hour later Reuben found himself astride a stocky little pony riding beside Kit Carson, who w

eared to be an Indian trail. The captive Indian was still in their midst, although, he was no longer bound. What had become of hi

o look about for a suitable place where they might halt and prepare such food as they

euben, who still wa

se to the trail. Look at it cl

overed an object that instantly aroused

quickly to Kit Carson. "I see