Page:The Cross Pull.pdf/234

 pulled Flash back each time to his own side of the tree. This was to teach him more quickly that they must both follow the same course. Flash quite often started off at a tangent to investigate anything which happened to interest him.

A snowshoe hare, whose coat was in the course of transition from the pure white of winter to the dark gray of summer and which was now splotched with maltese and white, leaped from his bed and darted away. Flash was after him with one leap which threw him flat at the end of his leash and jerked Moran to his knees, his back jarred by this lurch at his belt. Progress was slow and erratic for the first mile, much easier the second and from then on they proceeded without difficulty. Flash had learned that it was better for all concerned if he chose the same route as Moran.

Moran commenced circling when three miles from camp. Every few feet he stooped and examined the ground narrowly. He persisted in this course until it was impressed upon Flash that he was searching for something. His ears, eyes and nose informed him that there was nothing of interest in their immediate neighborhood so he was not much concerned. However, Moran’s behavior at last roused his own interest and he