"I want to remind you men," said Tom one day, "that this fine weather we've been having can't, in the nature of things, last much longer. We're liable to have a cold rain, turning to a sleet or snow-storm, or maybe a regular old blizzard swooping down on us now soon, an' we must be prepared for it. Our camp's in pretty good shape, but we haven't fitted ourselves out with fur caps an' mittens an' other fixings to enable us to stand the winds of winter. I propose that we put in our spare time for the next few days a-dressing some hides, an' then a-cutting out and making us a good fur cap an' pair of mittens apiece, an' something in the way of buffalo overshoes, too, to slip on over our boots, an' a wolfskin overcoat apiece.
"Now, the first thing to do is to select the hides to be used an' flesh 'em, an' then get out that package of alum that we brought along to tan 'em with an' go to dressing 'em. Those little yellow fox skins ain't worth much to sell, but they will be just the things for caps an' mittens. I've got an old buffalo robe that we can cut up for overshoes an' put rawhide soles to 'em. As for myself, I've been thinking that the next time I go over to the fort I'll see if I can find enough dressed buffalo calfskins in Weisselbaum's stock--it'll only take about six or eight--to make me an overcoat; for a buffalo calfskin overcoat is a mighty serviceable garment for winter wear."
"You're right, they are," said Jack, "but I guess me an' Peck'll have to put up with a coyote coat apiece for knockin' around here this winter, and when we get back to Leavenworth we'll have a stylish overcoat of beaver skins put up for next winter. What do you say, Peck?"
"I'm favorable," I replied, "but, as this is a partnership business, of course we'll have to pay Tom for his interest in the beaver skins."
"Well," said the old man, "I'll balance the account with you this way. I'll make it a stand-off, if I get otter skins enough, by having me a fancy overcoat made of them."
The caps, mittens, overshoes, and coats were duly made and gave us much comfort during the storms of winter.
Game continued plenty. We often killed antelope within a few rods of our dugout and sometimes had to turn out in the night and help the dog drive a herd of buffalo out of camp.