spoiled_! The wolves with their fierce teeth would tear it to pieces.
This thought decided them upon a different plan; and all three galloped
down the ridge and out into the meadow--surrounding the buffalo as they
came up. The wolves scattered in every direction; and the great bull,
now perceiving his new enemies, commenced rushing from one to the other,
endeavouring to carry their horses upon his horns. It was with great
difficulty that they could keep out of his reach; but at length another
well-directed shot from Basil's rifle entered the heart of the animal;
and, after balancing himself upon his spread limbs, and rocking awhile
from side to side, the huge creature fell forward upon his knees and lay
motionless, with a stream of blood pouring from his lips. In a few
moments he was dead!

Having made sure of this, our hunters flung themselves from their
horses, drew their skinning-knives, and made up to the noble quarry.
You may fancy their astonishment as well as chagrin, when, upon getting
close to the animal, they discovered that what they had taken for a
white buffalo was no white buffalo after all, but a _black one painted
white_! Neither more nor less. The thing was too plain. The lime-like
coating which covered the huge animal all over was now apparent; and as
they passed their hands through the long hair, a white substance
resembling pulverised chalk came off upon their fingers!

What could have caused the strange phenomenon, they asked one another.
But the explanation was soon found. They remembered the gypsum hills
over which they had ridden on the preceding day. They remembered, too,
that it had rained in the night. The buffaloes had been among these
hills; and, according to their usual habit, had rolled and wallowed
about in the wetted dust-heaps. The white, alabaster-like mud had
adhered to their skins--thus giving them the colour which had so much
deceived and mystified our hunters!

"Well," exclaimed Basil, giving a kick to the body of the dead bull,
"even _black_ buffalo is not so bad after all. At the worst we shall
have fresh meat for dinner; and with that let us console ourselves for
the disappointment."

So saying, Basil made signs to his brothers to assist; and all three set
about preparing to skin the animal.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

THE MYSTERIOUS WALLET.

That day our hunters dined, for the first time, on fresh buffalo-beef.
After dinner they were not idle, but spent the