146 WAITING IN THE WILDERNESS 



Jack became excited. He watched them for a 

 few seconds and then hurried eagerly toward 

 them. The coyote skulked near. The herder, 

 thinking it was a cunning coyote trick to stam- 

 pede his flock, fired at Jack. For a moment the 

 collie stood still, baffled, and, I suppose, dis- 

 couraged, and then retreated. The astonished 

 herder looked after him and finally concluded 

 that this must be the oft-heard-of collie of the 

 desert. 



The sheep herder had seen Jack a number of 

 times near his flock. The first time Jack was 

 watching a mirage, apparently of moving ob- 

 jects resembling cattle. At these Jack was look- 

 ing all absorbed and did not see the close 

 approach of the herder. The herder having once 

 seen him noticed him later as he came to watch 

 the flock from some distance off. 



Apparently Jack was often searching for a 

 master or looking for a flock. Now and then he 

 was seen or heard. At times a collie howl rang 

 out over the desert at twilight; again Jack was 

 the royal one among a number of admiring 

 coyotes. 



I have often wondered concerning the un- 

 known adventures of Jack as king of the coyotes. 

 While with a prospector making a night move to 

 the next water hole with his burros, a collie- 

 coyote cry rang out strangely over the wide, 



