“We’ll ride ‘roun’ the thicket as gently as possible,” he said, “an’ then open fire.  Remember, we want a tender young cow, two of ’em if we can get ’em, an’ don’t fool with the bulls.”

Ned’s heart throbbed as Old Jack bore him around the thicket.  He had fought with men, but he was not yet a buffalo hunter.  Just as they turned the flank of the bushes a huge buffalo bull, catching their odor, raised his head and uttered a snort.  The Panther promptly fired at a young cow just beyond him.  The big bull, either frightened or angry, leaped head down at Old Jack.  The horse was without experience with buffaloes, but he knew that those sharp horns meant no good to him, and he sprang aside with so much agility that Ned was almost unseated.

The big bull rushed on, and Ned, who had retained his hold upon his rifle, was tempted to take a shot at him for revenge, but, remembering the Panther’s injunction, he controlled the impulse and fired at a young cow.

When the noise and confusion were over and the surviving buffaloes had lumbered away, they found that they had slain two of the young cows and that they had an ample supply of meat.

“Ned,” said the Panther, “you know how to go back to the cabin, don’t you?”

“I can go straight as an arrow.”

“Then ride your own horse, lead the other two an’ bring two men.  We’ll need ’em with the work here.”

The Panther and Obed were already at work skinning the cows.  Ned sprang upon Old Jack, and rode away at a trot, leading the other two horses by their lariats.  The snow was gone now and the breeze was almost balmy.  Ned felt that great rebound of the spirits of which the young are so capable.  They had outwitted Urrea, they had taken his prisoners from him, and then had escaped across the Rio Grande.  They had found shelter and now they had obtained a food supply.  They were all good comrades together, and what more was to be asked?

He whistled as he rode along, but when he was half way back to the cabin he noticed something in a large tree that caused him to stop.  He saw the outlines of great bronze birds, and he knew that they were wild turkeys.  Wild turkeys would make a fine addition to their larder, and, halting Old Jack, he shot from his back, taking careful aim at the largest of the turkeys.  The huge bird fell, and as the others flew away Ned was lucky enough to bring down a second with a pistol shot.

His trophies were indeed worth taking, and tying their legs together with a withe he hung them across his saddle bow.  He calculated that the two together weighed nearly sixty pounds, and he rode triumphantly when he came in sight of the cabin.

Will saw him first and gave a shout that drew the other men.

“What luck?” hailed young Allen.

“Not much,” replied Ned, “but I did get these sparrows.”

He lifted the two great turkeys from his saddle and tossed them to Will.  The boy caught them, but he was borne to his knees by their weight.  The men looked at them and uttered approving words.