“Yes; I have a rifle, revolver, and shot-gun.”
“All right. We are well provided for in that line, but strychnine is what we shall depend on, so don’t forget to lay in a good supply of it when you go back to the village. Before you go I will tell you what else we need, and bright and early to-morrow morning we’ll set out. When we reach a country in which wolves are known to be plenty, we’ll make a camp, and go to work at once. The first thing will be to procure bait, which may be anything in the shape of fresh meat that comes in our way. The skin we shall save, of course; but the meat will be cut up into pieces, sprinkled with strychnine, and scattered about over the snow. The next morning we’ll go out and bring in our dead wolves. The skins will be taken off and cured, and the carcasses will serve as bait for other wolves.”
“You will need warmer clothes than those you have on, if you are going to be exposed to the weather,” said Oscar.
“I know it; and I shall depend on you to buy some for me. I shall soon be able to repay you, for there is money in this business. Everybody says so.”
“I am glad of it, and since you seem determined to go into it, I hope you will be successful. If you are, you can return Mr. Smith’s money with legal interest.”
Oscar watched his brother narrowly as he uttered these words, and was not much surprised at the effect they produced upon him.
Tom jumped to his feet, and doubling up his fists, began flourishing them in the air over his head, preparatory to saying something emphatic. Then, suddenly recollecting himself, he dropped his hands by his side, and took his seat on the log again.
“I can do that, can’t I?” said he, with a great show of earnestness, which, like the enthusiasm he had exhibited a few minutes before, was all “put on” for the occasion. “It would restore me to my old standing in society, wouldn’t it?”
“No, it wouldn’t, although it would go a long way toward it. It is, in fact, the very first step you must take if you want to regain the confidence of the folks in Eaton. There is a stain upon your character, and you must live it down. That’s what I had to do.”
“You! My conduct didn’t affect you in any way.”
“I should say it did, and in more ways than one. Mr. Smith discharged me because he was afraid to trust me, and that is what brought me out here. You remember how much sport you used to make of my taxidermy, don’t you? Well, it is now bringing me in a hundred dollars a month, clear of all expenses. I received enough in advance to make mother comfortable a long time, and a thousand dollars besides with which to pay my bills.”