perils of men； guns； Dogs； and impassable fences are much
increased。 Yet those who knew Warhorse best were not at all
surprised to find that he had made a form in the middle of a
market…gardener's melon…patch。 A score of dangers beset him here；
but there was also a score of unusual delights and a score of
holes in the fence for times when he had to fly； with at least
twoscore of expedients to help him afterward。
III
Newchusen was a typical Western town。 Everywhere in it； were to
be seen strenuous efforts at uglification； crowned with
unmeasured success。 The streets were straight level lanes without
curves or beauty…spots。 The houses were cheap and mean structures
of flimsy boards and tar paper； and not even honest in their
ugliness； for each of them was pretending to be something better
than itself。 One had a false front to make it look like two
stories； another was of imitation brick； a third pretended to be
a marble temple。
But all agreed in being the ugliest things ever used as human
dwellings； and in each could be read the owner's secret
thoughtto stand it for a year or so； then move out somewhere
else。 The only beauties of the place； and those unintentional；
were the long lines of hand…planted shade…trees； uglified as far
as possible with whitewashed trunks and croppy heads； but still
lovable； growing； living things。
The only building in town with a touch of picturesqueness was the
grain elevator。 It was not posing as a Greek temple or a Swiss
chalet； but simply a strong； rough； honest； grain elevator。 At
the end of each street was a vista of the prairie； with its
farm…houses； windmill pumps； and long lines of Osage…orange
hedges。 Here at least was something of interestthe gray…green
hedges； thick； sturdy； and high； were dotted with their golden
mock…oranges； useless fruit； but more welcome here than rain in a
desert； for these balls were things of beauty； and swung on their
long tough boughs they formed with the soft green leaves a
color…chord that pleased the weary eye。
Such a town is a place to get out of； as soon as possible； so
thought the traveller who found himself laid over here for two
days in late winter。 He asked after the sights of the place。 A
white Muskrat stuffed in a case 〃down to the saloon〃； old Baccy
Bullin； who had been scalped by the Indians forty years ago； and
a pipe once smoked by Kit Carson； proved unattractive； so he
turned toward the prairie； still white with snow。
A mark among the numerous Dog tracks caught his eye： it was the
track of a large Jack…rabbit。 He asked a passer…by if there were
any Rabbits in town。
〃No； I reckon not。 I never seen none；〃 was the answer。 A
mill…hand gave the same reply； but a small boy with a bundle of
newspapers said： 〃You bet there is； there's lots of them out
there on the prairie； and they come in town a…plenty。 Why；
there's a big； big feller lives right round Si Kalb's
melon…patchoh； an awful big feller； and just as black and as
white as checkers！〃 and thus he sent the stranger eastward on his
walk。
The 〃big； big； awful big one〃 was the Little Warhorse himself。 He
didn't live in Kalb's melon…patch； he was there only at odd
times。 He was not there now； he was in his west…fronting form or
bed； because a raw east wind was setting in。 It was due east of
Madison Avenue； and as the stranger plodded that way the Rabbit
watched him。 As long as the man kept the road the Jack was quiet；
but the road turned shortly to the north； and the man by chance
left it and came straight on。 Then the Jack saw trouble ahead。
The moment the man left the beaten track； he bounded from his
form； and wheeling； he sailed across the prairie due east。
A Jack…rabbit running from its enemy ordinarily covers eight or
nine feet at a bound； and once in five or six bounds； it makes an
observation hop； leaping not along； but high in the air； so as to
get above all herbage and bushes and take in the situation。 A
silly young Jack will make an observation hop as often as one in
four； and so waste a great deal of time。 A clever Jack will make
one hop in eight or nine； do for observation。 But Jack Warhorse
as he sped； got all the information he needed； in one hop out of
a dozen； while ten to fourteen feet were covered by each of his
flying bounds。 Yet another personal peculiarity showed in the
trail he left。 When a Cottontail or a Wood…hare runs； his tail is
curled up tight on his back； and does not touch the snow。 When a
Jack runs； his tail hangs downward or backward； with the tip
curved or straight； according to the individual； in some； it
points straight down； and so； often leaves a little stroke behind
the foot…marks。 The Warhorse's tail of shining black； was of
unusual length； and at every bound； it left in the snow； a long
stroke； so long that that alone was almost enough to tell which
Rabbit had made the track。
Now some Rabbits seeing only a man without any Dog would have
felt little fear； but Warhorse； remembering some former stinging
experiences with a far…killer； fled when the foe was seventy…five
yards away； and skimming low； he ran southeast to a fence that
ran easterly。 Behind this he went like a low…flying Hawk； till a
mile away he reached another of his beds； and here； after an
observation taken as he stood on his heels； he settled again to
rest。
But not for long。 In twenty minutes his great megaphone ears； so
close to the ground； caught a regular sound …crunch； crunch；
crunchthe tramp of a human foot； and he started up to see the
man with the shining stick in his hand； now drawing near。
Warhorse bounded out and away for the fence。 Never once did he
rise to a 〃spy…hop〃 till the wire and rails were between him and
his foe； an unnecessary precaution as it chanced； for the man was
watching the trail and saw nothing of the Rabbit。
Jack skimmed along； keeping low and looking out for other
enemies。 He knew now that the man was on his track； and the old
instinct born of ancestral trouble with Weasels was doubtless
what prompted him to do the double trail。 He ran in a long；
straight course to a distant fence； followed its far side for
fifty yards； then doubling back he retraced his trail and ran off
in a new direction till he reached another of his dens or forms。
He had been out all night and was very ready to rest； now that
the sun was ablaze on the snow； but he had hardly got the place a
little warmed when the 〃tramp； tramp； tramp〃 announced the enemy；
and he hurried away。
After a half…a…mile run he stopped on a slight rise and marked
the man still following； so he made a series of wonderful quirks
in his trail； a succession of blind zigzags that would have
puzzled most trailers； then running a hundred yards past a
favorite form； he returned to it from the other side； and settled
to rest； sure that now the enemy would be finally thrown off the
scent。
It was slower than before； but still it came〃tramp； tramp；
tramp。〃
Jack awoke； but sat still。 The man tramped by on the trail one
hundred yards in front of him； and as he went on； Jack sprang out
unseen； realizing that this was an unusual occasion needing a
special effort。 They had gone in a vast circle around the home
range of the Warhorse and now were less than a mile from the
farm…house of the black Dog。 There was that wonderful board fence
with the happily planned hen…hole。 It was a place of good
memoryhere more than once he had won； here especially he had
baffled the Greyhound。
These doubtless were the motive thoughts rather than any plan of
playing one enemy against another； and Warhorse bounded openly
across the snow to the fence of the big black Dog。
The hen…hole was shut； and Warhorse； not a little puzzled；
sneaked around to find another； without success； until； around
the front； here was the gate wide open； and inside lying on some
boards was the big Dog； fast asleep。 The Hens were sitting
hunched up in the warmest corner of the yard。 The house Cat was
gingerly picking her way from barn to kitchen； as Warhorse halted
in the gateway。
The black form of his pursuer was crawling down the far white
prairie slope。 Jack hopped quietly into the yard。 A long…legged
Rooster； that ought to have minded his own business； uttered a
loud cackle as he saw the Rabbit hopping near。 The Dog lying in
the sun raised his head and stood up； and Jack's peril was dire。
He squatted low and turned himself into a gray clod。 He did it
cleverly； but still might have been lost but for the Cat。
Unwittingly； unwillingly； she saved him。 The black Dog had taken
three steps toward the Warhorse； though he did not know the
Rabbit was there； and was now blocking the only way of escape
from the yard； when the Cat came round the corner of the house；
and leaping to a window…ledge brought a flower…pot rolling down。
By that single awkward act she disturbed the armed neutrality
existing between herself and the Dog。 She fled to the barn； and
of course a flying foe is all that is needed to send a Dog on the
war…path。 They passed within thirty feet of the crouching Rabbit。
As soon as they were well gone； Jack turned； and with…out even a
〃Thank you； Pussy；〃 he fled to the open and away on the
hard…beaten road。
The Cat had been rescued by the lady of the house； the Dog was
once more sprawling on the boards when the man on Jack's trail
arrived。 He carried； not a gun； but a stout stick； sometimes
called 〃dog…medicine；〃 and that was all that prevented the Dog
attacking the enemy of his prey。
This seemed to be the end of the trail。 The trick； whether
planned or not； was a success； and the Rabbit got rid of his
troublesome follower。
Next day the stranger made another search for the Jack and found；
not himself； but his track。 He knew it by its tail…mark； its long
leaps and few spy…hops； but with it and running by it was the
track of a smaller Rabbit。 Here is where they met； here they
chased each other in play； for no signs of battle were there to
be seen； here they fed or sat together in the sun； there they
ambled side by side； and here again they sported in the snow；
always together。 There was only one conclusion： this was the
mating season。 This was a pair of Jack…rabbitsthe Little
Warhorse a