Rover I, the Successful Dog Doctor 177 



down through the deep snow until he 

 reached the ground. If bulging roots or 

 hard uneven ground or sharp pointed stones 

 were met with, he would at first with his 

 teeth try to remove them. If in this he 

 failed, he shifted his ground until he was 

 satisfied, then with a grunt of great satis- 

 faction, he curled round and round in his 

 thus carefully prepared nest and rested 

 until the welcome call to supper brought 

 him, with the others, to their different In- 

 dian drivers to receive each the allowance 

 of two well thawed white fish. This was 

 the only meal of the twenty-four hours, and 

 so was much prized. 



Big and apparently powerful as Rover 

 was, his driver had to keep a vigilant watch, 

 or the good-natured fellow would in all 

 probability be robbed of one of his fish by 

 some cunning rascal of a dog from another 

 train. He was always a dainty, slow eater. 

 He ate his supper with great delight and 

 accompanied each morsel torn off and de- 

 voured, with most amusing grunts or snorts 

 of satisfaction. So leisurely did he thus 

 take his supper, that he was invariably the 

 last dog to finish. This was often an an- 

 noyance to his driver, especially as he was 



