Two years passed away. The Mustang Valley settlementadvanced prosperously, despite one or twoattacks made upon it by the savages¹, who were, however,firmly repelled². Dick Varley had now become a man,and his pup Crusoe had become a full-grown dog. The"silver rifle," as Dick's weapon had come to be named,was well known among the hunters and the Redskins ofthe border-lands, and in Dick's hands its bullets were asdeadly as its owner's eye was quick and true.

Crusoe's education, too, had been completed. Faithfullyand patiently had his young master trained hismind, until he fitted him to be a meet companion in thehunt. To "carry" and "fetch" were now but triflingportions of the dog's accomplishments³. He could divea fathom⁴ deep in the lake and bring up any article thatmight have been dropped or thrown in. His swimmingpowers were marvellous, and so powerful were hismuscles that he seemed to spurn⁵ the water while passingthrough it, with his broad chest high out of thecurling wave, at a speed that neither man nor beastcould keep up with for a moment. His intellect nowwas sharp and quick as a needle; he never required asecond bidding. When Dick went out hunting, heused frequently to drop a mitten⁶ or a powder-horn unknownto the dog, and after walking miles away fromit, would stop short and look down into the mild, gentleface of his companion.

"Crusoe," he said, in the same quiet tones withwhich he would have addressed a human friend, "I'vedropped my mitten; go fetch it, pup." Dick continuedto call it "pup" from habit.

One glance of intelligence passed from Crusoe's eye,and in a moment he was away at full gallop⁷, nor didhe rest until the lost article was lying at his master'sfeet. Dick was loath⁸ to try how far back on his trackCrusoe would run if desired. He had often gone backfive and six miles at a stretch; but his powers did notstop here. He could carry articles back to the spotfrom which they had been taken and leave them there.

分享到：