THANKSGIVING DAY AT ERROLSTRATH--KATE'S RETURN--CUSTER'S BATTLE WITH "BLACK KETTLE"--KATE TELLS HER STORY--THE ORIGIN OF INDIAN CORN--A WOLF HUNT WITH GENERAL CUSTER--A WOLF STORY BY THE COLONEL Page 156 CHAPTER XII A WOLF HUNT--TWO SNAKE STORIES--TERRIBLE STRUGGLE WITH A MOUNTAIN WOLF--A MAIL RIDER EATEN--THE OLD TRAPPER'S EXPERIENCE WITH FOUR OF THE FIERCE BEASTS Page 193 CHAPTER XIII JOE, ROB, AND THE OLD TRAPPER--GENERAL CUSTER ARRIVES AT THE RENDEZVOUS--THE WOLF DENS--FIRST TUSSLE BETWEEN THE HOUNDS AND A WOLF--CINCH'S GREAT BATTLE Page 211 CHAPTER XIV A WILD TURKEY HUNT--THE TRIP TO MUD CREEK--THE TURKEY ROOST--THE SHOOTING BEGINS--COUNTING THE NUMBER KILLED--JOE SELLS TURKEYS Page 222 CHAPTER XV HOW THE ROBIN CAME TO KANSAS--MOCKING-BIRDS--EATEN BY SNAKES--JOE LOSES HIS TAME ELK--THE LAST OF THE WOLVES--FINDING THE QUAIL'S NEST--JOE BUILDS A CAGE FOR THEM--RAISING CHICKENS Page 229 CHAPTER XVI THE PAWNEES RETURN--ANTELOPE HUNT WITH THE INDIANS--JOE MISSES--WHITE WOLF--TALK OF A WILD HORSE HUNT--THE SAND-HILL CRANES--THEIR WEIRD COTILLION Page 246 CHAPTER XVII WILD HORSES--JOE SLEEPS IN WHITE WOLF'S TENT--CAMP ON THE WALNUT--WOLVES AND LYNXES--KILL AN ELK--THE CHASE--CAPTURE OF THE BLACK STALLION--WHITE WOLF'S SKILL--BREAKING THE HORSES Page 256 CHAPTER XVIII THE LAST HERD OF BUFFALO--THE STAMPEDE--THE SOLDIERS IN FULL CHASE--JOE GETS TWO COWS--HAULING IN THE MEAT--RATTLESNAKES Page 272 CHAPTER XIX THE INDIAN HORSE-RACE--KATE'S PONY WINS--THE TRADE WITH THE PAWNEES--THE DANCES AT NIGHT--THE INDIANS SAY GOOD BY TO THE FAMILY--NOBLE ACTION OF WHITE WOLF Page 281 CHAPTER XX CONCLUSION RETROSPECTIVE--THE OLD TRAPPER PASSES AWAY--MR. AND MRS. THOMPSON ARE DEAD--GENERAL CUSTER AND COLONEL KEOGH ARE KILLED--ERROLSTRATH BELONGS TO JOE AND ROB Page 295 THE RANCHE ON THE OXHIDE CHAPTER I TAKING UP A "CLAIM" IN KANSAS--THE TRAIL FROM LEAVENWORTH--ANIMALS SEEN EN ROUTE--PRAIRIE CHICKENS--BUILDING THE CABIN--THE COSY SITTING-ROOM--ANIMALS FOUND IN THE TIMBER AND ON THE PRAIRIE--WHY THE CREEK WAS NAMED "OXHIDE" IN 1865-66, immigrants began to rush into the new state of Kansas which had just been admitted into the Union. A large majority of the early settlers were old soldiers who had served faithfully during the war for the preservation of their country. To these veterans the Government, by Act of Congress, made certain concessions, whereby they could take up "claims" of a hundred and sixty acres of the public land under easier regulations than other citizens who had not helped their country in the hour of her extreme danger.