Bowser the Hound | Page 3

he will keep on until he drops if his wonderful nose

can still catch the scent of the one he is following. Bowser is
wonderfully persistent. So, though he was very, very tired, he kept his
nose to the ground and tried to run even faster, for the scent of Old Man
Coyote was so strong that Bowser felt sure he would soon catch him.
Bowser didn't look to see where he was going. He didn't care. It was
enough for him to know that Old Man Coyote had gone that way, and
where Old Man Coyote could go Bowser felt sure he could follow. So,
still baying with all his might and making the hills ring with the sound
of his great voice, Bowser kept on.
Hidden in a little thicket, stretched out so that he might rest better, Old
Man Coyote listened to that great voice drawing nearer and nearer.
There was a wicked grin on Old Man Coyote's face, and in his yellow
eyes a look of great eagerness. In a few minutes Bowser came in sight,
his nose in the trail Old Man Coyote had left. Into Bowser's voice crept
a new note of eagerness as his nose picked up the scent stronger than
ever. Straight on he raced and it seemed as if he had gained new
strength. His whole thought was on just one thing--catching Old Man
Coyote, and Old Man Coyote knew it.
Bowser didn't see that he was coming to a steep bank. He didn't see it at
all until he reached the edge of it, and then he was going so fast that he
couldn't stop. Over he went with a frightened yelp! Down, down he fell,
and landed with a thump on the ice below. He landed so hard that he
broke the ice, and went through into the cold, black water.
Old Man Coyote crept to the edge of the bank and peeped over. Poor
Bowser was having a terrible time. You see, the cold water had taken
what little breath his fall had not knocked out of him. He doesn't like to
go in water anyway. You know the hair of his coat is short and doesn't
protect him as it would if it were long. Old Man Coyote grinned
wickedly as he watched Bowser struggling feebly to climb out on the
ice. Each time he tried he slipped back, and all the time he was
whimpering.
Old Man Coyote grinned more wickedly than ever. I suspect that he
hoped that Bowser would not be able to get out. But after a little

Bowser did manage to crawl out, and stood on the ice, shivering
shaking. Once more Old Man Coyote grinned, then, turning, he trotted
back towards Farmer Brown's.
CHAPTER IV
POOR BOWSER
Follow a crooked trail and you will find a scamp at the end.
_Bowser the Hound._
Poor Bowser! He stood shivering and shaking on the ice of the strange
river to which Old Man Coyote had led him, and he knew not which
way to turn. Not only was he shivering and shaking from his cold bath,
but he was bruised by his fall from the top of the steep bank, and he
was so tired by his long run after Old Man Coyote that he could hardly
stand.
Old Man Coyote had stayed only long enough to see that Bowser had
managed to get out of the water, then had turned back towards the Old
Pasture, the Green Meadows and the Green Forest near Farmer Brown's.
You see, Old Man Coyote knew the way back. He would take his time
about getting there, for it really made no particular difference to him
when he reached home. He felt sure he would be able to find something
to eat on the way.
But with Bowser it was very different. Poor Bowser didn't know where
he was. It would have been bad enough under any circumstances to
have been lost, but to be lost and at the same time tired almost to death,
bruised and lame, wet and chilled through, was almost too much to bear.
He hadn't the least idea which way to turn. He couldn't climb up the
bank to find his own trail and follow it back home if he wanted to. You
see, that bank was very steep for some distance in each direction, and
so it was impossible for Bowser to climb it.
For a few minutes he stood shivering, shaking and whimpering, not
knowing which way to turn. Then he started down the river on the ice,

for he knew he would freeze if he continued to stand still. He limped
badly because one leg had been hurt in his fall. After a while he came
to a place where he could