kett's help, he dragged out from one of the wagons
a gunny-sack, containing some kidneys, lungs, and other refuse animal
matter, obtained from the Fort Wingate butcher, and these he smeared
with the deadly powder. Then they prepared several torches of pine
slivers, and, amid the unanswered questionings of their companions, left
camp, carrying the sack of meat between them. Beginning at a point a few
rods from the tents, they strewed the poisoned bait for half a mile
along the banks of the little stream flowing from the spring. It was an
exciting task, for they seemed to hear suspicious sniffs, and the soft
pattering of feet on both sides of them; while Glen felt certain that
his torchlight was reflected from gleaming eyeballs more than once. So
greatly did these things work upon their imaginations that when, as they
started back towards camp, their last torch suddenly went out, leaving
them in blackest darkness, they both took to their heels, and raced
breathlessly for the distant light of the friendly camp-fire. When they
reached it, in perfect safety, they burst out laughing in one another's
faces, and wondered what they had run from.

Glen was disappointed, as he lay shivering in his blankets that night,
not to hear so many wolves as usual, while the few howls that did reach
his ears seemed to come from a distance. Still, he comforted himself
with the reflection that dead wolves couldn't howl, and doubtless all
those that had ventured near the camp had eaten the poisoned meat, and
had their howlings effectually silenced.

It seemed to him that he had hardly dropped asleep when he was rudely
awakened by being pulled, feet foremost, out of his blankets, under the
side of the tent, and into the open air. At the same moment "Billy"
Brackett's laughing voice cried, "Come, Glen, here it is broad daylight,
and high time we were gathering in our wolves."

Whew! how cold it was! and in what a hurry Glen sprang from the frozen
ground, to rush back into the tent for his boots and army overcoat. He
had everything else on, for there was very little undressing at night in
that party. As for being sleepy, the biting air had awakened him as
effectually as a dash of ice-water.

As they left camp, "Billy" Brackett shouted back to one of the Mexican
axemen to follow after them, and the man answered that he would be along
in a minute. It was light enough, when they reached the place where they
had left the first of the poisoned meat,