a few minutes to eat the biscuit and piece of
bacon which he had taken from the rear of the chuck wagon before setting
forth. He found a spring not far away, and, having given Spraddle a
good, deep drink, and filling his small canteen, which was tied to the
cantle of his saddle, he set forth again.

It was about two o'clock when he came in sight of the first real game of
the day. On the top of the rise ahead of him he saw an animal about the
size of a dog. As he rode toward it, it raised its head and gave a long,
low, mournful howl.

"Coyote," exclaimed Dick to himself breathlessly. "I'll get that fellow,
and take him back to camp. Won't Ted be surprised when he sees it?"

He took his Remington out of the boot, slipped in the necessary
cartridges to fill the magazine, and rode forward slowly and cautiously.

The coyote watched him sharply, occasionally raising its head to utter
its mournful cry. When Dick thought he had got within shooting distance,
he stopped Spraddle, took a good, long aim at the coyote, and fired.

The ball kicked up the dust several feet in advance of the coyote,
which, with another howl, this time one of derision, as it seemed to
Dick, turned and trotted away.

"That was a bum shot," muttered Dick. "I'm glad Ted or Stella did not
see it. Better luck next time."

The coyote ran a short distance, then stopped and looked over its
shoulder to see if Dick was following, and, seeing that he was, took up
its lope again.

It had got some distance from Dick, when, on the top of another rise,
it stopped again, and Dick heard once more its luring cry.

It seemed to be an invitation to follow him. Dick had not paid any
attention to the direction in which he was going, and had kept no track
of time.

That he was following game, and that he intended to get it if it took
all day, was all he thought of. Soon the coyote stopped again, and
looked at Dick in a tantalizing sort of way, and again Dick approached
it cautiously.

When he thought he was within range, he raised his Remington, and,
taking a long, deliberate aim, fired. Again he missed. But he had the
satisfaction of seeing that the ball had struck the earth several feet
nearer the coyote than the first.

The coyote realized it, too, for he did not wait for another invitation,
but started on his way in a hurry, with Dick riding pell-mell after him.

Dick for the first time realized that the day was going when he noticed
the long shadow cast b