s suddenly took it into his
head to do more than peep! He raised his tail stiff in the air--a sign
of wicked intentions--turned round, and received Larry's horse on his
forehead. Larry described the segment of a pretty large circle in the
air, and fell flat on his back; but he jumped up unhurt, caught his
horse, which was only a little stunned, and, remounting, continued the
pursuit of the bull and killed it. He then pulled up, and looked round
to see how it fared with his companions. Ben and Bunco were not in
sight, but he observed Will Osten in hot pursuit of a large wolf. With
a wild cheer, he made after him, and, by making a detour, came in front
of the wolf, and turned it. Will fired at it quite close, but missed.
Larry, who had reloaded, also fired and missed. Then they loaded and
fired again, without success; so they endeavoured to ride over the
animal, which they succeeded in doing, as well as in running against
each other violently more than once, but without hurting the wolf, which
dodged between the horses' legs, snarling viciously. This game went on
until the horses began to get exhausted. Then the wolf made straight
off over the plain, and gained the mountains, still hotly followed,
however, until it became evident to the pursuers that their steeds were
blown, and that the wolf was distancing them at every stride.

When they at length unwillingly pulled up, the shades of evening were
beginning to descend on the scene, and neither buffalo nor comrades were
within range of their vision.

"Humph! we've got lost because of that rascal," grumbled Will Osten.

"Bad luck to it!" exclaimed his companion.

"Have you any idea of the way back?" asked Will, with a look of
perplexity.

"Not in the laste," said Larry; "it's always the way, when a man goes on
a wild-goose chase he's sure to come to grief, an' a wild-wolf chase
seems to belong to the same family."

Will was too much vexed to reply, so he urged his steed to a gallop, and
tried to retrace his way to the little plain, but the more they wandered
the deeper did they appear to stray into the mountains.

Meanwhile, the trapper and Bunco, having cut off the best parts of the
animals they had killed, made their encampment on the highest bluff they
could find near the lake, and prepared supper; looking out now and then
for their absent comrades. As the evening wore on they became anxious,
and went out to search for them, but it was not till the foll