Once, after an ARICKARA Indian mother had finished all her packing, as
they were going to move camp, she fixed a travois on her big dog and
placed her baby in the basket. Then all was ready and they were about to
start, when a great, ugly black dog came along, and the two dogs began
to fight.
The squaw whipped them apart, and after she had quieted her poor little
baby boy, who had been very much frightened, she put him back into his
little carriage, and soon the Indians started.
[Illustration: THE TWO DOGS BEGAN TO FIGHT.]
The squaw walked beside the dog to guide him and, also, to amuse her
baby. Indian babies play with little dolls made of buckskin, with long
buckskin fringe for hair. If a feather is placed in the dolly's hair the
babies think it is beautifully dressed.
The baby of our story was having a lovely time with his dolly and so his
mother thought she would just drop back and have a little chat with
another Indian mother while the baby was good.
She had hardly turned around, when that naughty dog saw a great big jack
rabbit, just ahead, and thought it would make a delicious dinner. Off he
started. He jumped right through the rough sage brush, and the poor baby
rolled out. His mother was afraid he would be badly hurt, but he was
only frightened. When the squaw caught the naughty dog again, she tied a
rope around his neck and kept tight hold of it, so he couldn't play
another trick on her.
When the Indians stopped and camped, the little boy picked up a stick
and whipped that dog as hard as he could for treating him so badly
during the day's traveling.
[Illustration: THE LITTLE BOY PICKED UP A STICK.]
[Illustration]