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two…legged giant。 This trick he had tried several times with
success； but twice it turned out a sad failure： once； when the
Cat proved to be a mother whose Kittens were near； then Jack
Warhorse had to flee for his life； and the other time was when he
made the mistake of landing hard on a Skunk。
But the Greyhound was the dangerous enemy； and in him the
Warhorse might have found his fate； but for a curious adventure
with a happy ending for Jack。
He fed by night； there were fewer enemies about then； and it was
easier to hide； but one day at dawn in winter he had lingered
long at an alfalfa stack and was crossing the open snow toward
his favorite form； when； as ill…luck would have it； he met the
Greyhound prowling outside the town。 With open snow and growing
daylight there was no chance to hide； nothing but a run in the
open with soft snow that hindered the Jack more than it did the
Hound。
Off they wentsuperb runners in fine fettle。 how they skimmed
across the snow； raising it in little puff…puff…puffs； each time
their nimble feet went down。 This way and that； swerving and
dodging； went the chase。 Everything favored the Dog；his empty
stomach； the cold weather； the soft snow；while the Rabbit was
handicapped by his heavy meal of alfalfa。 But his feet went
puffpuff so fast that a dozen of the little snow…jets were in
view at once。 The chase continued in the open； no friendly hedge
was near； and every attempt to reach a fence was cleverly stopped
by the Hound。 Jack's ears were losing their bold up…cock； a
sure sign of failing heart or wind； when all at once these flags
went stiffly up； as under sudden renewal of strength。 The
Warhorse put forth all his power； not to reach the hedge to the
north； but over the open prairie eastward。 The Greyhound
followed； and within fifty yards the Jack dodged to foil his
fierce pursuer； but on the next tack he was on his eastern course
again； and so tacking and dodging； he kept the line direct for
the next farm…house； where was a very high board fence with a
hen…hole； and where also there dwelt his other hated enemy； the
big black Dog。 An outer hedge delayed the Greyhound for a moment
and gave Jack time to dash through the hen…hole into the yard；
where he hid to one side。 The Greyhound rushed around to the low
gate； leaped over that among the Hens； and as they fled cackling
and fluttering； some Lambs bleated loudly。 Their natural
guardian； the big black Dog； ran to the rescue； and Warhorse
slipped out again by the hole at which he had entered。 Horrible
sounds of Dog hate and fury were heard behind him in the
hen…yard； and soon the shouts of men were added。 How it ended he
did not know or seek to learn； but it was remarkable that he
never afterward was troubled by the swift Greyhound that formerly
lived in Newchusen。
II
Hard times and easy times had long followed in turn and been
taken as matters of course； but recent years in the State of
Kaskado had brought to the Jack…rabbits a succession of
remarkable ups and downs。 In the old days they had their endless
fight with Birds and Beasts of Prey； with cold and heat； with
pestilence and with flies whose sting bred a loathsome disease；
and yet had held their own。 But the settling of the country by
farmers made many changes。
Dogs and guns arriving in numbers reduced the ranks of Coyotes；
Foxes； Wolves； Badgers； and Hawks that preyed on the Jack； so
that in a few years the Rabbits were multiplied in great swarms；
but now Pestilence broke out and swept them away。 Only the
strongestthe double…seasonedremained。 For a while a
Jack…rabbit was a rarity； but during this time another change
came in。 The Osage…orange hedges planted everywhere afforded a
new refuge； and now the safety of a Jack…rabbit was less often
his speed than his wits； and the wise ones； when pursued by a Dog
or Coyote； would rush to the nearest hedge through a small hole
and escape while the enemy sought for a larger one by which to
follow。 The Coyotes rose to this and developed the trick of the
relay chase。 In this one Coyote takes one field； another the
next； and if the Rabbit attempts the 〃hedge…ruse〃 they work from
each side and usually win their prey。 The Rabbit remedy for this；
is keen eyes to see the second Coyote； avoidance of that field；
then good legs to distance the first enemy。
Thus the Jack…rabbits； after being successively numerous； scarce；
in myriads； and rare； were now again on the increase； and those
which survived； selected by a hundred hard trials； were enabled
to flourish where their ancestors could not have outlived a
single season。
Their favorite grounds were； not the broad open stretches of the
big ranches； but the complicated； much…fenced fields of the
farms； where these were so small and close as to be like a big
straggling village。
One of these vegetable villages had sprung up around the railway
station of Newchusen。 The country a mile away was well supplied
with Jack…rabbits of the new and selected stock。 Among them was a
little lady Rabbit called 〃Bright…eyes；〃 from her leading
characteristic as she sat gray in the gray brush。
She was a good runner； but was especially successful with the
fence…play that baffled the Coyotes。 She made her nest out in an
open pasture； an untouched tract of the ancient prairie。 Here her
brood were born and raised。 One like herself was bright…eyed； in
coat of silver…gray； and partly gifted with her ready wits； but
in the other； there appeared a rare combination of his mother's
gifts with the best that was in the best strain of the new
Jack…rabbits of the plains。
This was the one whose adventures we have been following； the one
that later on the turf won the name of Little Warhorse and that
afterward achieved a world…wide fame。
Ancient tricks of his kind he revived and put to new uses； and
ancient enemies he learned to fight with new…found tricks。
When a mere baby he discovered a plan that was worthy of the
wisest Rabbit in Kaskado。 He was pursued by a horrible little
Yellow Dog； and he had tried in vain to get rid of him by dodging
among the fields and farms。 This is good play against a Coyote；
because the farmers and the Dogs will often help the Jack；
without knowing it； by attacking the Coyote。 But now the plan did
not work at all； for the little Dog managed to keep after him
through one fence after another； and Jack Warhorse； not yet
full…grown； much less seasoned； was beginning to feel the strain。
His ears were no longer up straight； but angling back and at
times drooping to a level； as he darted through a very little
hole in an Osage hedge； only to find that his nimble enemy had
done the same without loss of time。 In the middle of the field
was a small herd of cattle and with them a calf。
There is in wild animals a curious impulse to trust any stranger
when in desperate straits。 The foe behind they know means death。
There is just a chance； and the only one left； that the stranger
may prove friendly； and it was this last desperate chance that
drew Jack Warhorse to the Cows。
It is quite sure that the Cows would have stood by in stolid
indifference so far as the Rabbit was concerned； but th