p alarmed by my tone.

"There," I said, "don't you see?"

"Heavens, it's a wolf! Where's my rifle?" he cried.

"I'm going to catch it," I said, springing up.

"Wake up, Jim," yelled Tom, "Jo's gone crazy. He's going to catch a live
wolf."

Jim sat up and looked around. "You lumax," he said, "that wolf is dead.
You don't suppose a live wolf would stand for all this racket."

He went over to examine our prize. "Where did you capture him?" asked
Jim.

"Down the canyon," I said, "Santa and he had a mix up."

"In which Jo joined," remarked the captain, "a foolhardy affair, but I
can understand how Jo was carried away for the moment. As we get older
we become more cautious."

"I see where you landed on him a couple of times with your knife," said
Jim. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"If you are waking call me early, mother dear," I quoted.

"Never mind your poetry, the next time Brer Wolf calls, I'm going to
answer," said Jim.

"It will be a nice thing to add to our collection, along with the bear
skin," I remarked.

We found that Santa Anna was pretty well chewed up about the neck, and
the captain had to doctor him up and also do some surgical work.

As we sat around the campfire in the morning eating our breakfast, the
captain made a suggestion.

"I was thinking, Jim," he said, "that we might put in a day or two
hunting before we go on. If I remember rightly this is a pretty fair
section for game."

"It's a fine idea," said Jim, "let's start out to-day."

"I have done my share of hunting," I said, "and I think I will take a
rest."

"You have certainly earned it," replied the captain.

"The next time you cry 'wolf' to me, I won't pay any attention," said
Tom.

"All right, Tommy," I replied, "then I will have to think up something
new."

"Would it not be a good idea to split our party?" suggested the captain.

"I think it would," replied Jim.

"Then I and Tom will go back into the mountains," continued the captain.

"Jo and I for the plains," cried Jim.

"We will look for the mountain sheep," remarked the captain.

"Jo and I will look for antelope," said Jim.

"And look out for Apaches," said the captain. "Keep a sharp lookout for
any signs of smoke," he continued, "don't rush into an ambush. Keep in
the open, watch the ridges and the gullies."

"We will remember," promised Jim.

So we proceeded to saddle our mustangs. We had the heavy, easy riding
saddles called Mexican, with high pommels