me Joe had reloaded, but he did not fire at once, hoping to
get a closer shot at the beast. In the meantime the others of the herd
had disappeared completely.

Soon the buffalo was less than fifty yards off, and not daring to wait
longer Joe took steady aim and let drive. His rifle-barrel had been
pointed at one of those gleaming, bloodshot eyes, and the bullet sped
true, entering the brain of the beast. With a roar and a grunt the
buffalo went down, tearing up a great patch of grass in his fall.

"Hi! what's all the shooting about?" The cry came from Benson, as he
rode down the trail at a breakneck speed, rifle ready for use.

"A buffalo!" cried Darry.

"A buffalo? Look out for yourselves."

"Yes, take care," came from Captain Moore, who was behind the old scout.

"We've fixed him," said Joe, not without a good deal of pardonable
pride.

"Fixed him?" Old Benson looked out upon the glade. "By the great
Jehosophat!" he roared. "Gone and shot a buffalo all by your lone
selves! Or maybe he was dead when you got here?" he added suspiciously.

"You wouldn't think he was dead, if you could have seen him come toward
us," said Darry.

"But who shot him? I heard four shots."

"And every one of 'em went into the buffalo," answered Joe. "Two for
Darry and two for myself."

"But Joe finished him, with a shot in the eye," said Darry quickly.

"But Darry hit him in the leg, and that lamed him," said Joe, just as
quickly. "I guess honors are even."

"Certainly remarkable shooting," was Captain Moore's comment. "Old
hunters couldn't do better, could they, Benson?"

"Not much better, captain. I never would have dreamed of it, boys. And
to think I couldn't get a smell of 'em when I was out looking 'em up,"
Benson said, shaking his head dubiously.

"This buffalo wasn't alone," said Darry. "The others went in that
direction. You might follow them up."

"It wouldn't be any use now, lad. They are gone, and that's the end of
it."

"We mustn't lose too much time," put in the young captain. "I must make
the fort to-night, no matter what comes."

"But, Will, we can't leave this magnificent buffalo behind," pleaded his
brother. "Darry and I will want the skin, and we'll want to mount the
head and horns, eh, Darry?"

"To be sure."

"How long will it take to skin the beast, Benson?"

"An hour and over, if I want to make a good job of it," was the slow
reply. "It's too nice a hide to ruin by quick cutting."

"Supposing I