WHITE-JACK AND COMPANIONS 



the hunter that they were often struck down 

 with a stick or a " black-snake whip." 



The second jack in the hunt was a brave, 

 long-winded fellow, who doubled back on his 

 trail and gave his pursuers a hard run, but in 

 half an hour the girl and her companion again 

 joined the party. As she approached she 

 proudly held a jack-rabbit at arm's length for 

 the admiration of her companions. When 

 weighed it tipped the scale at fourteen pounds, 

 being the largest rabbit any of the party had 

 ever seen in that region, the average weight of 

 the prairie jack-rabbit being from seven to 

 eleven pounds. I shall never forget the picture 

 of the French and Indian girl, flushed and ex- 

 cited from the chase. She sat astride the sad- 

 dle ; her woollen hood held by its string from 

 the saddle-horn ; her long, straight, black hair 

 loosened and blowing freely in the wind. The 

 boys and girls were wildly shouting and cheer- 

 ing her for the large catch when she rose in her 

 saddle and threw the limp and lifeless animal to 

 her companion, saying, " He shot it, I didn't," 

 but her companion coloring, threw it back again 

 declaring the honor was all hers. With the 

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