60 HEART OF THE SOUTHERN CATSKILLS 



which one of us had brought along thinking to 

 read in the woods. They mouthed the volume 

 around a good deal, but its logic was too tough 

 for them, and they contented themselves with 

 devouring the paper in which it was wrapped. 

 If the cattle had not been surprised at just that 

 point, it is probable the tent would have gone 

 down before their eager curiosity and thirst for 

 salt. 



The raid which Larkins's dog made upon 

 our camp was amusing rather than annoying. 

 He was a very friendly and intelligent shep- 

 herd dog, probably a collie. Hardly had we 

 sat down to our first lunch in camp before he 

 called on us. But as he was disposed to be 

 too friendly, and to claim too large a share of 

 the lunch, we rather gave him the cold shoul- 

 der. He did not come again; but a few even- 

 ings afterward, as we sauntered over to the 

 house on some trifling errand, the dog suddenly 

 conceived a bright little project. He seemed 

 to say to himself, on seeing us, "There come 

 both of them now, just as I have been hoping 

 they would; now while they are away I Avill 

 run quickly over and know what they have got 

 that a dog can eat." My companion saw the 

 dog get up on our arrival, and go quickly in 

 the direction of our camp, and he said some- 

 thing in the cur's manner suggested to him the 

 object of his hurried departure. He called my 

 attention to the fact, and we hastened back. 

 On cautiously nearing camp, the dog was seen 

 amid the pails in the shallow water of the creek 



