Jack, and Many Things Concerning Him 89 



decided objection to being found so close, 

 where there is any danger of their whiskers 

 being singed. So I naturally feared trouble, 

 and perhaps failure in my efforts to save 

 my noble dog. Very quickly however were 

 our fears turned into laughter, for Jack at 

 once displayed an intelligence and clever- 

 ness that simply amazed us all, wise as we 

 all knew him to be, for no sooner did he 

 understand that that buffalo robe and fire 

 had been designed for him, than he at once 

 proceeded to make the very best possible 

 use of both. At first he moved around on 

 all of his feet, keeping different parts of his 

 body as near to the fire as he could without 

 burning himself. After a while he seemed 

 to think that this was not satisfactory, and 

 so he steadied himself up on his hind legs, 

 and there, like a great dancing bear, he kept 

 jumping around before the fierce fire, turn- 

 ing every part of himself to the bright, 

 warm flames. 



Under the power of the fierce heat, the 

 great chunks of ice speedily melted and ran 

 down his hind legs on to the robe. This 

 water bothered him at first, but he alertly 

 moved to dryer places, keeping, however, 

 as close to the fire as possible. From the 



