he took
off the skin, as this process destroyed the strong odour belonging to
the creature. Jack was very interested, and watched him until the skin
was hung out to dry.

Pedro taught Jack to know some of the principal grasses that grew on
the prairie. There was the bunch grass, the buffalo grass, and the
funny sickle-shaped 'gamma' grass, on which thousands of cattle fed,
and amongst others, Pedro pointed out a terrible plant, the dread of
many a ranchman. With its pretty white flowers it looked harmless
enough; but woe to the poor animals who ate much of the plant, for it
contained a deadly poison which had first the effect of driving them
crazy, and ended by killing them. It was called 'loco,' which in
English means 'crazy,' and some people call it the 'crazy weed.'

A great number of cactus bushes grew round the tent; some were quite
big, with long arms stretching out, covered with prickles, and others
grew close to the ground, and Jack had to look carefully when he
walked, or he would have got badly pricked.

Pedro was a grand story-teller, and often as they sat watching the
sheep or working in the tent, he would tell wonderful tales. When they
heard the dismal howls of bands of coyotes, or prairie wolves, he would
tell Jack what cowardly creatures they really were: how they were
afraid to attack strong cattle, but would persistently follow a weak,
sick animal for days, dogging its footsteps until the poor thing fell
from exhaustion. Then they would pounce on it and tear it in pieces.

He would tell him, too, about the time when he lived on the Indian
frontier, and had to help to protect the settlers from the bands of
fierce Apaches, Utes, and Navajo Indians, who came making raids for
cattle over the border, often setting fire to houses and killing the
settlers. He described how the Indians had massacred thousands of
buffaloes by driving them into deep ravines where they could not
escape, and then killing them, not so much to provide themselves with
food as to prevent their enemies getting them. It was cruel slaughter,
and the result has been that the buffaloes are almost extinct now,
where years ago they swarmed in vast herds on the prairie.

As Jack listened to Pedro's tales of wonderful escapes from mountain
lions, wolves, and bears, he saw himself that the Mexican was right,
when he said it was impossible for a little child like him to attempt
to cross the big mountains all alone, and he wisely ma