t is not a fact that the three mentioned
animals occupied the same quarters together, and that the story is a
myth.

The little prairie dogs had their villages the same as the Indians. I
have frequently seen a prairie dog come out and return into the same
hole in the ground. I have also seen a beautiful little white owl
silently perched at the side of the same hole and finally enter it,
and a few moments later a fierce rattlesnake would crawl into the same
hole. Whether it was the snake's permanent abode and it went in for a
much needed rest, or whether it was an enemy to the others and the
snake went in for a game supper of prairie dog puppies and owl squabs,
departing by another route, I am unable to say, as I never took the
trouble to investigate one of the holes to confirm the fact. If I had,
I would in all probability still be digging. However, in this case, I
am inclined to give Colonel Roosevelt the benefit of the doubt for the
reason that if nature had not created an enemy to check their
increase, the prairie dog would now over-run the country, as they
multiply faster than any known animal, and are very destructive to the
farm. The Government, through its agents, have destroyed thousands
every year in the West by distributing poisoned grain. Last, but not
least, of the life of the plains was the Pole Cat. Conscious of his
own ability to protect himself, he would often invade the camps at
night, making the life of the sleeper miserable.

TROUBLE EN ROUTE

After leaving Fort Carney our troubles began. Many of the drivers were
as treacherous as the Indians and would bear watching. One of them in
our mess was a former bushwhacker, who bore many scars of his former
unsavory life, one of which was the loss of an eye, which did not make
him a very desirable acquaintance, much less a companion. He was of an
ugly disposition, very seldom speaking to anyone and very few taking
the trouble to speak to him. At times he acted as if he had been
taking something stronger than coffee, but as we had not camped near
any ranch where the poison could be procured, I came to the conclusion
that he was a dope fiend. In some mysterious manner we had lost one of
our cups, and at each meal for a week it fell to the lot of this
particular bushwhacker to get left. He at last broke his long silence,
and in anger with oaths, vowed he would not eat another meal without a
cup, and would certainly take one from somebody, if obliged to. As