“I wouldn’t lie there another hour and let them ants and bugs chaw over me as they did, for all the wolves in the state.” “But just think, Tom,” answered Balser, “when the wagons go to Brookville this fall we can get a shilling apiece for the wolfskins! Think of it! A shilling! One for you and one for me. I’ll furnish the powder and shot if you’ll squawk and whine. Squawks and whines don’t cost anything, but powder and lead does. Now that’s a good fellow, just lie down and whine a little. She’ll come out pretty quick.” Tom still refused, and Balser still insisted. Soon Balser grew angry and called Tom a fool, Tom answered in kind, and in a moment the boys clinched for a fight. They scuffled and fought awhile, and soon stumbled over the dead wolf and fell to the ground. Balser was lucky enough to fall on top, and proceeded to pound Tom at a great rate. “Now will you whine?” demanded Balser. “No,” answered Tom. “Then take that, and that, and that. Now will you whine?” “No,” cried Tom, determined not to yield. So Balser went at it again, but there was no give up to stubborn Tom, even if he was on the under side. At last Balser wiped the perspiration from his face, and, sitting astride of his stubborn foe, said:— “Tom, if you’ll whine I’ll lend you my gun for a whole day.” “And powder and bullets?” asked Tom. “Well, I guess not,” answered Balser. “I’ll lick you twenty times first.” “If you’ll lend me your gun and give me ten full loads, I’ll whine till I fetch every wolf in the woods, if the bugs do eat me up.” “That’s a go,” said Balser, glad enough to compromise with a boy who didn’t know when he was whipped. 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. [Illustration: “CAUGHT THEM BY THE BACK OF THE NECK.”]