THE SICK BOY 133 



rascal (meaning the Indian, who, they knew, understood 

 not a word of English) was in the house? The mother, for 

 so she proved to be, bade them speak less loudly, made men- 

 tion of my watch, and took them to a corner where a con- 

 versation took place, the purport of which it required little 

 shrewdness in me to guess. I tapped my dog gently; he 

 moved his tail, and with indescribable pleasure I saw his 

 fine eyes alternately fixed on me and raised toward the trio 

 in the corner. I felt that he perceived danger in my situa- 

 tion. The Indian exchanged the last glance with me." 



An hour of terror followed. The lads were sinking 

 into a drunken sleep, when the thought of stealing the 

 watch seemed to take possession of the Indian squaw. She 

 went to one of the lads, and said to him in a voice that 

 Audubon could hear: 



" Settle him, and then I'll have the watch." 



The naturalist cocked his gun locks silently, and then 

 touched his faithful dog on the head. The two watched 

 the squaw with intent eyes, the dog bent on one thing only, 

 the safety of his master. 



In this hour of suspense some travelers suddenly ap- 

 peared at the door. Audubon told them his story; the 

 squaw was arrested, and the cabin burned. 



This story gives a view of prairie life on the Missis- 

 sippi at that time, and also of the perils that the American 

 woodman met in his solitary journeys with his alert and 

 faithful dog. 



