n
attached to the boy's tender skin, blood flowed freely for a few
minutes, and then ceased. Even on one or two of the birds they found a
leech adhering to the feathers where the poor thing's blood had
followed the shot. Picking up the game, the two boys escorted the
elated Sandy to the cabin, where his unexpected adventures made him
the hero of the day.

"Couldn't we catch some of those leeches and sell them to the
doctors?" asked the practical Oscar.

His father shook his head. "American wild leeches like those are not
good for much, my son. I don't know why not; but I have been told that
only the imported leeches are used by medical men."

"Well," said Sandy, tenderly rubbing his wounded legs, "if imported
leeches can bite any more furiously than these Kansas ones do, I don't
want any of them to tackle me! I suppose these were hungry, though,
not having had a taste of a fresh Illinois boy lately. But they didn't
make much out of me, after all."

Very happy were those three boys that evening, as, filled with roast
wild duck, they sat by and heard their elders discuss with Younkins
the details of the grand buffalo hunt that was now to be organized.
Younkins had seen Mr. Fuller, who had agreed to make one of the party.
So there would be four men and the three boys to compose the
expedition. They were to take two horses, Fuller's and Younkins's, to
serve as pack-animals, for the way to the hunting-ground might be
long; but the hunting was to be done on foot. Younkins was very sure
that they would have no difficulty in getting near enough to shoot;
the animals had not been hunted much in those parts at that time, and
the Indians killed them on foot very often. If Indians could do that,
why could not white men?

The next two days were occupied in preparations for the expedition, to
the great delight of the boys, who recalled with amusement something
of a similar feeling that they had when they were preparing for their
trip to Kansas, long ago, away back in Dixon. How far off that all
seemed now! Now they were in the promised land, and were going out to
hunt for big game--buffalo! It seemed too good to be true.

Bread was made and baked; smoked side-meat, and pepper and salt
packed; a few potatoes taken, as a luxury in camp-life; blankets,
guns, and ammunition prepared; and above all, plenty of coffee,
already browned and ground, was packed for use. It was a merry and a
buoyant company that started out in the early