246 THE OX FAMILY 



into a gray mass but a few yards away in all direc- 

 tions. 



Having- turned my horse to look about, I lost my 

 direction and had no idea from what point I had trav- 

 elled or where to go. It was getting very cold. The 

 situation was alarming. I knew I could not remain 

 out on the plains and must try and rejoin my friends. 

 But where were they? I started to ride slowly for- 

 ward and listened to hear any sound. The silence was 

 appalling. A dog slipped past ahead of me and I 

 tried to follow him, but in a few moments he was lost 

 in the snow. Another dog came to my side, but im- 

 mediately started to leave me. I spoke to him sharply 

 and he fortunately stopped, and when he started on 

 again I followed him, speaking to him repeatedly. 

 How much smarter that beast is than I, I thought, and 

 held on to him for my deliverance. So long as I could 

 keep him in sight I felt that I was safe. I knew he 

 would rejoin the others, or at least go home. He was 

 a stranger, however, and I feared that he would desert 

 me at any moment. A few bounds would take him 

 out of sight. At length, after a long ride, I saw the 

 blurred forms of two horsemen, and as the dog bounded 

 forward I followed him and was greeted by my friend, 

 who had been much alarmed for my safety. They had 

 given up the chase when it began to snow, but my 

 friend had seen me take after the wolf and had been 

 trying to find me in the storm. He fortunately was 

 familiar with the country, and we returned safely to 

 Denver. 



Although the antelopes are the fleetest game animals 

 in North America and are fast enough sometimes to 



