WHITE-JACK AND COMPANIONS 



often found a bountiful meal of kernels of wheat 

 and corn. She looked everywhere about the 

 yard and then leaped away as the old shepherd 

 dog appeared at the barn door. She knew of 

 some sage-brush and and bunch-grass that stood 

 over the hill, whither she went in the hope of 

 appeasing her hunger. A coyote chanced to 

 be looking for his supper at the same time and 

 he too knew of the sage-brush and bunch-grass. 

 He did not want a meal of this sort, but he 

 knew that the rabbits did ; so he was prowling 

 about in hope of surprising some unfortunate 

 jack-rabbit at his feast and thus securing his 

 own evening repast. White-Jack leaped on, 

 full of hope, but all unconscious of the lurk- 

 ing danger. Her leaps became shorter and 

 the springs made by her stiffened legs grew 

 weaker. Presently she squatted in her tracks 

 on her haunches with a jerk to look and listen, 

 before venturing to partake of the much cov- 

 eted food that was but a few feet in front of her. 

 There she sat with one fore foot placed a little 

 before the other and her ears pointed in oppo- 

 site directions ; her large eyes had a wild stare 

 and her whiskers stood straight out. There 

 [79] 



