[Illustration]

The newcomer was a very large Coyote, half as tall again as Tito, and
the dark patch on his shoulders was so large and black that the cow-boys
when they came to know him, called him Saddleback. From that time
these two continued more or less together. They were not always
close together, often were miles apart during the day, but toward
[Illustration: They Considered Themselves Acquainted] night one or the
other would get on some high open place and sing the loud

Yap-yap-yap-yow-wow-wow-wow-wow,

and they would forgather for some foray on hand.

The physical advantages were with Saddleback, but the greater cunning
was Tito's, so that she in time became the leader. Before a month a
third Coyote had appeared on the scene and become also a member of this
loose-bound fraternity, and later two more appeared. Nothing succeeds
like success. The little bobtailed Coyote had had rare advantages of
training just where the others were lacking: she knew the devices of
man. She could not tell about these in words, but she could by the aid
of a few signs and a great deal of example. It soon became evident that
her methods of hunting were successful, whereas, when they went without
her, they often had hard luck. A man at Boxelder Ranch had twenty Sheep.
The rules of the county did not allow anyone to own more, as this was a
Cattle-range. The Sheep were guarded by a large and fierce Collie. One
day in winter two of the Coyotes tried to raid this flock by a bold
dash, and all they got was a mauling from the Collie. A few days later
the band returned at dusk. Just how Tito arranged it, man cannot tell.
We can only guess how she taught them their parts, but we know that she