airie-dog town, and for hours my ears were greeted with--

"Did you see that one?"--"Ain't they funny little things? so cunning!"--
"How can we catch one?"--"Just look at that owl!" and a hundred similar
exclamations.

The boys were vastly amused by the curious antics of these little
fellows, who, although not human, possess many of the most distinguishing
characteristics of humanity, in their actions. They have often been
classed with the marmot by prairie Travellers; but, to my own mind,
partake more of the nature of the squirrel or rabbit. In frisking,
flirting, sitting erect, or barking, they resemble the former; while, in
feeding and burrowing, they may be classed with the latter.

They are exclusively herbivorous, and live upon the fine, short grass
that is generally found growing in abundance in the vicinity of their
towns, which are always located upon arid, elevated plains, at a great
distance from water.

[Illustration: Prairie-Dogs.]

During the two days that our route lay through this town, we made many
attempts to capture one of the little fellows; but they cleverly evaded
all the snares set for them, invariably dodged at the flash of our
pistols, chattering away as lively as ever, while the little brown owls
and rattlesnakes that shared their houses with them fell frequent victims
to the boys' rifles.

After leaving their town, Hal declared, that, if he and Ned could remain
behind the train for a few hours, he knew they could capture one;
becoming so urgent in his appeal, that I finally yielded a reluctant
consent to the project, cautioning them under no circumstances, to remain
away from the train more than two or three hours. This they faithfully
promised not to do, and departed; notwithstanding Jerry pronounced it as
downright foolish a proceedin' as he ever seed.

Four or five hours later, when we reached our camping ground for the
night, neither of them had overtaken us, and I began to feel alarmed at
their prolonged absence. My apprehensions were somewhat relieved for the
moment by one of the men, who informed me he had seen their animals
coming over the "divide" some three or four miles in our rear.

A few minutes later, however, when the riderless animals came galloping
furiously in, with their long lassos dragging in the dust behind them,
the camp became a scene of confusion indescribable.

Labor of all kinds was suspended, and everyone anxious to hear what
everyone else thought.

Jerr