"Then you can shoot the wolves you cheated us out of last night," remarked Flag.
"Confound you, Flag! I've half a mind to shoot you, or Doc, or whoever it was that put the strychnine on the meat, and then left it on the table. I'm not sure but I could make out a case of intentional poisoning, and have you all arrested."
"No, you couldn't Ed," said Doe, with a provoking smile, "because there wasn't any strychinine on the meat. You've just been cleverly sold, that's all."
Ed glanced at the faces of Squire and Flag, and saw that they were on the point of "exploding." Hastily finishing his single cup of coffee, the victim of the "sell" arose from the table took his gun from its rest, and left the shanty without a word.
"Whew! he's as mad as a hornet," said Flag. "I shouldn't wonder if he did something ugly in revenge."
"Yes, wouldn't he be enraged if the joke should get into the papers? His editorial dignity, and all that. He'll never forgive us, you, may be sure."
"Nonsense! a tempest in a teapot," said Squire, with an uneasy laugh.
"It will blow over by dinner-time; he didn't eat much breakfast, and hunger is a potent agent to bring an enemy to terms," philosophized Doc.
"Well good-by, boys, for I must be off to camp." The young surveyor rose, shouldered his kit, and stood in the doorway. "Take care of yourself, Doc. Don't let Ed do any cooking until he gets over his pet, or he might poison us, in good earnest; "saying which, the young man turned his face toward the western prairie, whistling gayly as he went.
"Flag's a good fellow," said Doc, thoughtfully; "long may he wave!"
CHAPTER III.
THE TRAGEDY IN THE TIMBER.
The beauty of this May morning seemed to have called abroad every thing animate. Birds sung merrily from the neighboring woodland-the sly and graceful prairie-wolf leaped noiselessly through the grass within a few rods of the passer-by—great, fat, lazy and harmless snakes lay coiled up in pairs on the sunniest banks, and already small yellow butterflies fluttered around the wild pinks, larkspurs and honeysuckles.
Henry Edwards and Fredrick. Allen, the Doc and Squire of the
