were hungry mouths
to feed, and for their sakes he must forget that he should die sooner
than beg favors.

Frank felt rather stiff and sore on the following day. He was satisfied
to hang about camp, and let his chums do the hunting, for once.

Jerry could not be restrained, for his sporting blood demanded that he
keep going all the while. Will was just as eager to do his style of
shooting, and even wandered down the river to get a view of the Cree
teepee before the family of Running Elk broke camp.

Bluff took a notion to try fishing, and with considerable success. Later
in the day Frank also wet a line, and between them they managed to
secure a decent mess of fat trout for the whole party.

When Jerry came in he reported that he had had a shot at an elk, but
failed to stop his flight. He also declared that he had seen what he
believed to be a wolf skulking through the timber.

"Oh, I don't doubt it," said the old stockman, when Frank looked
questioningly at him. "The pesky critters like to hang around here,
looking for a nice calf that happens to stray away from its mammy's
side. Winter and summer, it's all the same to them, so long as we don't
get after the pack too hot. Never lose a chance to knock over a wolf, my
boy."

"I never mean to," said Jerry, holding up a piece of gray fur.

"That's wolf, all right; and look here, what did you do to him?"
demanded Mr. Mabie.

"I was very kind to the scamp, and hung him up in a tree, where the rest
of his tribe couldn't get at him to tear his hide to pieces. You see, I
had a notion that I'd like to have that skin for a rug, and that later
on, perhaps, one of the boys might go out with me and remove it much
better than I could," grinned Jerry.

"Thank you, my lad. I feel that you've done me a favor. Every wolf that
goes across the Great Divide means more calves to grow up; and you shall
have your rug, I pledge you my word."

Mr. Mabie shook the hand of the successful wolf hunter with emphasis,
showing that he felt deeply on the subject.

Just as he expected, Frank was still rather sore on the following day.
He let the others do the hunting that morning, Will tagging behind the
bunch with his ready camera.

They came in at noon, having covered some new ground, and brought the
best part of an elk with them. Mr. Mabie laughed, and wished it might
have been an antelope instead. He was not partial to elk meat, which was
perhaps natural in a stockman, who could kill