nd marauding must always be the joy and secret of
his life!

Softly he emerged from the lodge and gave a sweeping glance around to
assure him that there were none to spy upon him. Suspiciously he sniffed
the air, as if to ascertain whether there could be any danger to his
sleeping master while he should be away.

His purpose was still a secret. It may be that it was not entirely a
selfish one, or merely the satisfying of his inherited traits. Having
fully convinced himself of the safety of the unguarded camp, he went
forth into the biting cold. The moon was now well up on the prairies of
the sky. There were no cloud hills in the blue field above to conceal
her from view. Her brilliant light set on fire every snow gem upon the
plains and hillsides about the hunters' camp.

Up the long ascent he trotted in a northerly direction, yet not
following his master's trail. He was large and formidable in strength,
combining the features of his wild brothers of the plains with those of
the dogs who keep company with the red men. His jet-black hair and sharp
ears and nose appeared to immense advantage against the spotless and
jeweled snow, until presently his own warm breath had coated him with
heavy frost.

After a time Shunka struck into his master's trail and followed it all
the way, only taking a short cut here and there when by dog instinct he
knew that a man must go around such a point to get to his destination.
He met many travelers during the night, but none had dared to approach
him, though some few followed at a distance, as if to discover his
purpose.

At last he reached Shell Lake, and there beheld a great gathering of the
herds! They stood in groups, like enormous rocks, no longer black,
but white with frost. Every one of them emitted a white steam, quickly
frozen into a fine snow in the air.

Shunka sat upon his haunches and gazed.

"Wough, this is it!" he said to himself. He had kept still when the game
scout gave the wolf call, though the camp was in an uproar, and from
the adjacent hills the wild hunters were equally joyous, because they
understood the meaning of the unwonted noise. Yet his curiosity was not
fully satisfied, and he had set out to discover the truth, and it may be
to protect or serve his master in case of danger.

At daybreak the great dog meekly entered his master's rude teepee, and
found him already preparing for the prospective hunt. He was filling his
inside moccasins full of buffalo h