The Black Wolf Pack | Page 8

reckon I can tell you more than most
people round these parts for he makes my game park his stampin'

grounds every onct in a while, an' let me tell you he hunts some
peculiar, he do, he's half man and half wolf--but shucks, I won't spoil
the show, you will see how he hunts for yourself if you stay here long.
Glory be, but he's got me some bashful and shy. But mosey along and
I'll hist yore stuff on this here cayuse while you let them tha' dogs out
of their chicken coop boxes. You can cache your dude duds in the
Emporium general store over yonder next to Squinty Quinn's saloon,
an' then we're off for the hills. I'll yarn about this Wild Hunter while we
hit the trail."
An hour spent in Grave Stone gave me an opportunity to wash myself
and change my clothes for some that would be more substantial for
out-of-door wear, start several letters east telling of my safe arrival, buy
the things I had overlooked, store my surplus clothes with the
postmaster at the general store, and repack my kit for pony travel. Then,
after watching Big Pete skilfully throw the diamond hitch, we were off
for the hills and our first camp. I hoped that I was on my way to find
my real father and unravel the mystery that surrounded my strange
babyhood. But I little guessed what adventures I was to have or the
strange things I was to see before my quest was ended.
We traveled fast all the remaining portion of the afternoon and toward
evening we made camp and for the first time in my life I slept under the
sky. At the end of the fifth day we reached the secret and narrow
opening of a big valley or "park" in the midst of a wild tumble of
mountains. Big Pete said we would pitch our tent in the park.
"Tha's plenty of signs 'round too an' if we loosen t' dogs p'raps we kin
stir up a mountain lion or collar some fresh meat t' start camp with,"
said he as he slid off his horse and took the leashes off the dogs.
It took us but a short time to arrange our camp, then Big Pete followed
by the frisking dogs slipped silently into the woods. He was gone
scarcely a quarter of an hour when he reappeared again without the
dogs, motioned for me to get my gun and follow him.
"Tha's elk signs all bout," he said, "an' the muts broke away on a fresh
trail. Now you an' me'll climb through that draw yonder and hide out on

the runway till they drive an elk in gun shot. Come along."
I followed eagerly and presently we had climbed through a thickly
grown poplar grove and found a suitable hiding place among the small
poplars. We had the wind right and a clear view of most of the open
park. Big Pete stooped down and motioned for me to do likewise.
I quietly crouched beside him and waited--waited until my legs were
cramped, waited until the dampness from the moss struck through the
heavy soles of my tenderfoot shoes and chilled my feet; waited until
my arm was so numb that it felt like a piece of lead--then, in spite of
the danger of incurring Big Pete's displeasure and in spite of my dread
of being thought a dude tenderfoot, I changed my position, rubbed life
into my arm and assumed an easier pose.
In front of us was a small lake, deep, dark and unruffled. All around the
edge was a natural wharf formed from the gigantic trunks of trees
which had fallen for ages into the lake and been washed by wind and
waves and forced by winter ice into such regular order and position
along the shore that their arrangement looked like the work of men.
Back of this wharf and all about was the wilderness of silent wood; a
wilderness enclosed by a wall of mountains, whose lofty heads were
uplifted far above the soft white clouds that floated in the blue sky
overhead and were mirrored in the lake below. An eagle, on apparently
immovable wings, soared over the lake in spiral course. As I watched
the bird its wings seemed suddenly endowed with life. At the same
instant my guide gave a low grunt of warning.
"What is it?" I asked in a whisper, for there was a strange expression in
my companion's eyes.
"It's--it's him, so help me!--Keep yer ears open and yer meat-trap shut!"
growled Pete.
I did so. The trained ear of the hunter had detected the sound of
crackling twigs and swishing branches made by some animals in rapid
motion.

"Ah!" I exclaimed,