crawled almost within leaping distance, when the angry _bizz_ of a
Rattlesnake just ahead warned her that she was in danger. Not that the
Ratler cared anything about the Prairie-dog, but he did not wish to
be disturbed; and Tito, who had an instinctive fear of the Snake, was
forced to abandon the hunt. The open stalk proved an utter, failure with
the Alderman, for the situation of his den made every Dog in the town
his sentinel; but he was too good to lose, and Tito waited until
circumstances made a new plan.

All Coyotes have a trick of watching from a high look-out whatever
passes along the roads. After it has passed they go down and examine its
track. Tito had this habit, except that she was always careful to keep
out of sight herself.

One day a wagon passed from the town to the southward. Tito lay low and
watched it. Something dropped on the road. When the wagon was out of
sight Tito sneaked down, first to smell the trail as a matter of habit,
second to see what it was that had dropped. The object was really an
apple, but Tito saw only an unattractive round green thing like a
cactus-leaf without spines, and of a peculiar smell. She snuffed it,
spurned it, and was about to pass on; but the sun shone on it so
brightly, and it rolled so curiously when she pawed, that she picked it
up in a mechanical way and trotted back over the rise, where are found
herself at the Dog-town. Just then two great Prairie-hawks came skimming
like pirates over the plain. As soon as they were in sight the Prairie-
dogs all barked, jerking their tails at each bark, and hid below. When
all were gone Tito walked on toward the hole of the big fat fellow whose
body she coveted, and dropping the apple on the ground a couple of feet
from the rim of the crater that formed his home, she put her nose down
to enjoy the delicious smell of Dog-fat. Even his den smelled more