Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-01-01

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colored yelping animal which was
cross between a greyhound and fox
hound, and two others that were
crosses between greyhound and
wire-haired Scotch deer hound. Old
man Prindle's contribution to the pack
consisted OF two immense brindled
mongre.s OF great strength and fero-
cious temper.
As was very anxious to see wolf
hunt the Judge VOLUNTEERED to get one
up, and asked old man Prindle to as
sist, for the sake OF his two big fight
ing dogs: though the very names OF the
latter. General Grant and Old Abe.
were gall and wornwood to the un-
reconstructed soul OF the Judge. Still
they were the only dogs anywhere
around capable Of taekling a savage
timber wolf. and without their aid
the Judges own high-spirited animals
ran a serious risk OF Injury, for they
were altogether too game to let any
beast escape without a struggle.
Luck favored US. Two wolves had
killed calf and dragged 1t into long
patch Of dense brush where there was
a little spring, the whole furnishing ad-
mirable cover for any Wild beast Ear
ly In the morning we started on horse
back for this bit OF cover. which was
some three miles of. The party con
sisted OF the Judge. old man Prindle.
cowboy, myself, and the dogs. The
Judge and | carried our rifles and the
cowboy his revolver, but old man Prin-
die had nothing but a heavy whip, for
he swore. with many oaths. that no one
should interfere with his big dogs, for
by themselves they would surely
make the wolf feel sicker than
stuck hog" Our shaggy ponies rack
ed along at fve-mile gait over the
dewy prairie grass. The two big dogs
trotted behind their master. grim and
ferocious. The track-hounds Bre tied
In couples. and the beautiful grey
hounds loped lightly and gracefully
alongside the horses. The country was
nne. A mile to our right small plains
river wound In long curves between
banks fringed with cottonwoods. Two
or three miles to our left the foot hills
rose sheer and bare. with clumps OF
black pine and cedar In their sorges.
We rode over gently rolling prairie,
with here and there patches OF brush
at the bottoms Of the slopes around
the dry watercourses.
At last we reached q somewhat deep
er valley, In which the wolves were
harbored. Wolves lie close In the day
| time and will not leave cover II they
can help It: and as they had both food
and water within we knew II was
most unlikely fAst this couple would
be gone. The valley was a couple OF
hundred yards broad and three or four
times as long. Allied with a gpswth OF
ash and dwarf elm and cedar. thOrny
underbrush choking the spaces be-
tween. Posting the cowboy. to whom
he gave his ride. with two greyhounds
on one ssde u the upper end. and old
man Prindle with two others on the
opposite side, while was left at the
lower end TO guard against the possi
bllity OF the wolves breaking back. the
Judge himself rode into the thlcket
near me and loosened the track hounds
20 let them find the wolves trail The
big dogs also were uncouped and al
lowed " 20 In with the hounds Their
power OF scent was very poor. but they
were SURF to be guided Alright by the
baying OF the hounds. and thelr pres
ence would give confidence to the lat.
ter and make them ready TO rout the
wolves out OF the thicket. which they
would probably have shruuk from do
Ing alone There was moments
pause OF expectation after the Judge
entered the thicket with his hounds.
We sat mctionless on our horses,
eagerly booking through the keen frssh
morning air. Then q ciamorous baying
from the thicket In which both the
hoveman and dogs had disappcared
showed that the hounds had struck
the trail OF their quarry and were run.
ming on hot scent For couple OF
minutes we could not be quite certain
whkh way the game was going 10
break. The hounds ran Lgzag through
the brush. as we could tell by their
haying. and once some yelping and a
great row showed that they had come
rather closer than they had expected
upon NJ least one Of the wolves.
In another minute. however. the lat.
ter found II too hot for them aud
bolted from the thieket Ny nrst no
tlce OF this was seeing the cowboy
who was standing by the side OF his
horse, suddenly throw up his ride and
nre, while the grsyhounds who had
been springtng high In the air. half
maddened by the clamor in the thicket
below, for n moment dashed OF the
wrong way. confused by the report of
the gun. rode for all was worth
to where the cowboy stood. and in.
stantly caught glimpse OF two
wolves, griEzled gray and brown.
which having been turned by his shot
had started straight over the hill
aCvoss the plain toward the mountains
three miles away. As soon as | saw
them saw also that the rearmost Of
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