ii"^ 



/>* 



Tito 



quietly forward, and opening her wide gape, 

 took the rope in, almost under her ears, between 

 the great scissor-like back teeth, then chewed 

 it for a few seconds. The fibres quickly frayed, 

 and, aided by the strain the nervous Horse still 

 kept up, the last of the strands gave way, and 

 the Horse was free. He was not much alarmed ; 

 he knew the smell of Coyote ; and after jumping 

 three steps and walking six, he stopped. 



The sounding thumps of his hoofs on the 

 ground awoke the sleeper. He looked up, but, 

 seeing the Horse standing there, he went calmly 

 off to sleep again, supposing that all went 

 well. 



Tito had sneaked away, but she now returned 

 like a shadow, avoided the sleeper, but came 

 around, sniffed doubtfully at the coffee, and 

 then puzzled over a tin can, while Saddleback 

 examined the frying-pan full of " camp-sinkers " 

 and then defiled both cakes and pan with dirt. 

 The bridle hung on a low bush ; the Coyotes 

 did not know what it was, but just for luck they 

 cut it into several pieces, then, taking the sacks 

 that held Jake's bacon and flour, they carried 

 them far away and buried them in the sand. 



338 



