red eyes glaring at me over the edge of the snowbank.  The Indians were sound asleep, and, knowing they were very tired, I did not wake them, but got my gun, and, wrapping myself in my blankets, sat up by the fire to watch the varmints and warm my feet.  Presently I heard a long wild howl down in the woods, and knew by the “whirr-ree, whirr-ree” in it that it proceeded from the throat of the dreaded buffalo wolf, or Kosh-e-nee, of the prairies.  There was another howl, then another, and another, and, finally, a loud chorus of a dozen.  Instantly silence fell among the coyotes, and they began to scatter.  For a time all was quiet, and I had begun to doze, when suddenly the coals flew all over me, and I opened my eyes just in time to see a great gray wolf spring out of the fire and bound up the snowbank.  I leaped to my feet and peered into the darkness, where I could see scores of dark shadows moving about, and a black cluster gathered under my saddle.  I called the Indians, who quietly and nimbly jumped to their feet, and came forward armed with their revolvers.  I told them what had happened, and that we were surrounded by a large pack of gray wolves.  We had no fear for ourselves, but felt uneasy lest they might attack our horses, who were pawing and snorting with alarm.  I spoke to them kindly, and they immediately became quiet.  At the suggestion of the Indians I brought forward my revolvers, and we all sat down to watch the varmints, and see what they would do.

In a few minutes, a pair of fiery, red eyes looked down at us from the snowbank; then another, and another pair, until there were a dozen.  We sat perfectly still, and presently one great gray wolf gathered himself, and made a leap for the elk-meat on the saddle.  He nearly touched it with his nose, but failed to secure the coveted prize, and fell headlong into the fire.  We fired two shots into him, and he lay still until one of the Indians pulled him out to keep his hair from burning and making a disagreeable smell.  In about five minutes, another wolf leaped at our elk-meat and fell in the fire.  We despatched him as we had done the first one, and then threw him across the dead body of his brother.  So we kept on firing until we had killed eight wolves; then, tired of killing the brutes with pistols, I brought out my double-barrelled shot-gun, and loading each barrel with nine buckshot, waited until they were gathered thick under the tree on which hung my meat, and then let them have it.  Every discharge caused some to tumble down, and sent the rest scampering and howling to the rear.  Presently they became more wary, and I had to fire on them at long range.

The Indians now went out and gathered some dry limbs, and we kindled up a bright fire.  Then we threw the carcasses of the nine dead wolves, that were in our camp, over the snowbank, and knowing that the beasts would not come near our bright fire, two of us lay down to