Then they got up, and were as good friends as if no trouble had occurred between them.
Balser at once lay down upon the hillside above the wolf den, and Tom took his place to whine.
The boys understood their job thoroughly, and Tom’s whines soon brought out the old she-wolf. She looked cautiously about her for a moment, stole softly over to her dead mate, and dropped by his side with a bullet through her heart.
Tom was about to rise, but Balser said:—
“Whine again; whine again, and the young ones will come out.”
Tom whined, and sure enough, out came two scrawny, long-legged wolf whelps.
The boys rushed upon them, and caught them by the back of the neck, to avoid being bitten, for the little teeth of the pups were as sharp as needles and could inflict an ugly wound. Balser handed the whelp he had caught to Tom, and proceeded to cut two forked sticks from a tough bush, which the children called “Indian arrow.” These forked branches the boys tied about the necks of the pups, with which to lead them home.
“CAUGHT THEM BY THE BACK OF THE NECK.”
Tom then cut a strong limb from a tree with his pocket-knife. This was quite an undertaking, but in time he cut it through, and trimmed off the smaller branches. The boys tied together the legs of the old wolves and swung them over the pole, which they took upon their shoulders, and started home leading the pups. They arrived home an hour or two before sunset, and found that Liney and Sukey had arranged supper under the elms.