"Why, you see," began Jack, with a twinkle in his eye, "I was afraid that you might want to invest what money you've got saved in starting a wolf ranch of your own, or trying to buy this old man Harkness out. I supposed that was why you wanted to know the exact value of wolf hides, and what the State paid bounty on scalps. But I'm just as glad to find that you're not bothering your head over the business part of the game. Perhaps you'd like to meet up with this Harkness, thinking he might give you a chance to shoot his collection of hungry wolves. That would be a snap for a fellow who hates the beasts like you do, and has made a vow to never let one get past him, when he had a gun handy or a stone to heave."