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irritation of the cage was wearing off； and by the time I had lit
my third cigar； he waddled out to the fire and lay down； not
ignoring me； however； I had no reason to complain of that kind of
contempt。 He kept one eye on me； and I kept both eyes； not on
him； but on his stumpy tail。 If that tail should swing sidewise
once I should feel I was winning； but it did not swing。 I got a
book and put in time on that table till my legs were cramped and
the fire burned low。 About 10 P。M。 it was chilly； and at
half…past ten the fire was out。 My Hallowe'en present got up；
yawned and stretched； then walked under my bed； where he found a
fur rug。 By stepping lightly from the table to the dresser； and
then on to the mantel…shelf； I also reached bed； and； very
quietly undressing； got in without provoking any criticism from
my master。 I had not yet fallen asleep when I heard a slight
scrambling and felt 〃thump…thump〃 on the bed； then over my feet
and legs； Snap evidently had found it too cool down below； and
proposed to have the best my house afforded。
He curled up on my feet in such a way that I was very
uncomfortable and tried to readjust matters； but the slightest
wriggle of my toe was enough to make him snap at it so fiercely
that nothing but thick woollen bedclothes saved me from being
maimed for life。
I was an hour moving my feeta hair's…breadth at a timetill
they were so that I could sleep in comfort； and I was awakened
several times during the night by angry snarls from the DogI
suppose because I dared to move a toe without his approval；
though once I believe he did it simply because I was snoring。
In the morning I was ready to get up before Snap was。 You see； I
call him Snap…Ginger…snap in full。 Some Dogs are hard to name；
and some do not seem to need itthey name themselves。
I was ready to rise at seven。 Snap was not ready till eight； so
we rose at eight。 He had little to say to the man who made the
fire。 He allowed me to dress without doing it on the table。 As I
left the room to get breakfast； I remarked：
〃Snap； my friend； some men would whip you into a different way；
but I think I know a better plan。 The doctors nowadays favor the
'no…breakfast cure。' I shall try that。〃
It seemed cruel； but I left him without food all day。 It cost me
something to repaint the door where he scratched it； but at night
he was quite ready to accept a little food at my hands。
In a week we were very good friends。 He would sleep on my bed now
and allow me to move my feet without snapping at them； intent to
do me serious bodily harm。 The no…breakfast cure had worked
wonders； in three months we werewell； simply man and Dog； and
he amply justified the telegram he came with。
He seemed to be without fear。 If a small Dog came near； he would
take not the slightest notice； if a medium…sized Dog； he would
stick his stub of a tail rigidly up in the air； then walk around
him； scratching contemptuously with his hind feet； and looking at
the sky； the distance； the ground； anything but the Dog； and
noting his presence only by frequent high…pitched growls。 If the
stranger did not move on at once； the battle began； and then the
stranger usually moved on very rapidly。 Snap sometimes got
worsted； but no amount of sad experience could ever inspire him
with a grain of caution。 Once； while riding in a cab during the
Dog Show； Snap caught sight of an elephantine St。 Bernard taking
an airing。 Its size aroused such enthusiasm in the Pup's little
breast that he leaped from the cab window to do battle； and broke
his leg。
Evidently fear had been left out of his make…up and its place
supplied with an extra amount of ginger； which was the reason of
his full name。 He differed from all other Dogs I have ever known。
For example； if a boy threw a stone at him； he ran； not away； but
toward the boy； and if the crime was repeated； Snap took the law
into his own hands； thus he was at least respected by all。 Only
myself and the porter at the office seemed to realize his good
points； and we only were admitted to the high honor of personal
friendship； an honor which I appreciated more as months went on；
and by midsummer not Carnegie； Vanderbilt； and Astor together
could have raised money enough to buy a quarter of a share in my
little Dog Snap。
II
Though not a regular traveller； I was ordered out on the road in
the autumn； and then Snap and the landlady were left together；
with unfortunate developments。 Contempt on his partfear on
hers； and hate on both。
I was placing a lot of barb…wire in the northern tier of States。
My letters were forwarded once a week； and I got several
complaints from the landlady about Snap。
Arrived at Mendoza； in North Dakota； I found a fine market for
wire。 Of course my dealings were with the big storekeepers； but I
went about among the ranchmen to get their practical views on the
different styles； and thus I met the Penroof Brothers'
Cow…outfit。
One cannot be long in Cow country now without hearing a great
deal about the depredations of the ever wily and destructive
Gray…wolf。 The day has gone by when they can be poisoned
wholesale； and they are a serious drain on the rancher's profits。
The Penroof Brothers； like most live cattle…men； had given up all
attempts at poisoning and trapping； and were trying various
breeds of Dogs as Wolf…hunters； hoping to get a little sport out
of the necessary work of destroying the pests。
Foxhounds had failedthey were too soft for fighting； Great
Danes were too clumsy； and Greyhounds could not follow the game
unless they could see it。 Each breed had some fatal defect； but
the cow…men hoped to succeed with a mixed pack； and the day when
I was invited to join in a Mendoza Wolf…hunt； I was amused by the
variety of Dogs that followed。 There were several mongrels； but
there were also a few highly bred Dogsin particular； some
Russian Wolfhounds that must have cost a lot of money。
Hilton Penroof； the oldest boy； 〃The Master of Hounds；〃 was
unusually proud of them； and expected them to do great things。
〃Greyhounds are too thin…skinned to fight a Wolf； Danes are too
slow； but you'll see the fur fly when the Russians take a hand。〃
Thus the Greyhounds were there as runners； the Danes as heavy
backers； and the Russians to do the important fighting。 There
were also two or three Foxhounds； whose fine noses were relied on
to follow the trail if the game got out of view。
It was a fine sight as we rode away among the Badland Buttes that
October day。 The air was bright and crisp； and though so late；
there was neither snow nor frost。 The Horses were fresh； and once
or twice showed me how a Cow…pony tries to get rid of his rider。
The Dogs were keen for sport； and we did start one or two gray
spots in the plain that Hilton said were Wolves or Coyotes。 The
Dogs trailed away at full cry； but at night； beyond the fact that
one of the Greyhounds had a wound on his shoulder； there was
nothing to show that any of them had been on a Wolf…hunt。
It's my opinion yer fancy Russians is no good； Hilt；〃 said
Garvin； the younger brother。 〃I'll back that little black Dane
against the lot； mongrel an' all as he is。〃
〃I don't unnerstan' it；〃 growled Hilton。 〃There ain't a Coyote；
let alone a Gray…wolf； kin run away from them Greyhounds； them
Foxhounds kin folly a trail three days old； an' the Danes could
lick a Grizzly。〃
〃I reckon；〃 said the father； 〃they kin run； an' they kin track；
an' they kin lick a Grizzly； maybe； but the fac' is they don't
want to tackle a Gray…wolf。 The hull darn pack is scairtan' I
wish we had our money out o' them。〃
Thus the men grumbled and discussed as I drove away and left
them。
There seemed only one solution of the failure。 The Hounds were
swift and strong； but a Gray…wolf seems to terrorize all Dogs。
They have not the nerve to face him； and so； each time he gets
away； and my thoughts flew back to the fearless little Dog that
had shared my bed for the last year。 How I wished he was out
here； then these lubberly giants of Hounds would find a leader
whose nerve would not fail at the moment of trial。
At Baroka； my next stop； I got a batch of mail including two
letters from the landlady； the first to say that 〃that beast of a
Dog was acting up scandalous in my room；〃 and the other still
more forcible； demanding his immediate removal。
〃Why not have him expressed to Mendoza？〃 I thought。 〃It's only
twenty hours； they'll be glad to have him。 I can take him home
with me when I go through。〃
III
My next meeting with Gingersnap was not as different from the
first as one might have expected。 He jumped on me； made much
vigorous pretense to bite； and growled frequently； but it was a
deep…chested growl and his stump waggled hard。
The Penroofs had had a number of Wolf…hunts since I was with
them； and were much disgusted at having no better success than
before。 The Dogs could find a Wolf nearly every time they went
out； but they could not kill him； and the men were not near
enough at the finish to learn why。
Old Penroof was satisfied that 〃thar wasn't one of the hull
miserable gang that had the grit of a Jack…rabbit。〃
We were off at dawn the next daythe same