The Dog Crusoe and his Master

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Robert Michael Ballantyne. The Dog Crusoe and his Master

Chapter One. The Backwoods Settlement—Crusoe’s Parentage and Early History—The agonising pains and sorrows of his puppyhood, and other interesting matters

Chapter Two. A shooting match and its consequences—New friends introduced to the reader—Crusoe and his mother change masters

Chapter Three. Speculative remarks with which the reader may or may not agree—An old woman—Hopes and wishes commingled with hard facts—The dog Crusoe’s education begun

Chapter Four. Our hero enlarged upon—Grumps

Chapter Five. A mission of peace—Unexpected joys—Dick and Crusoe set off for the land of the Red-skins, and meet with adventures by the way as a matter of course—Night in the wild woods

Chapter Six. The great prairies of the “far west”—A remarkable colony discovered, and a miserable night endured

Chapter Seven. The “wallering” peculiarities of buffalo bulls—The first buffalo hunt and its consequences—Crusoe comes to the rescue—Pawnees discovered—A monster buffalo hunt—Joe acts the part of ambassador

Chapter Eight. Dick and his friends visit the Indians and see many wonders—Crusoe, too, experiences a few surprises and teaches Indian dogs a lesson—An Indian dandy—A foot-race

Chapter Nine. Crusoe acts a conspicuous and humane part—A friend gained—A great feast

Chapter Ten. Perplexities—Our hunters plan their escape—Unexpected interruption—The tables turned—Crusoe mounts guard—The escape

Chapter Eleven. Evening meditations and morning reflections—Buffaloes, badgers, antelopes, and accidents—An old bull and the wolves—“Mad-tails”—Henri floored, etcetera

Chapter Twelve. Wanderings on the prairie—A war-party—Chased by Indians—A bold leap for life

Chapter Thirteen. Escape from Indians—A discovery—Alone in the desert

Chapter Fourteen. Crusoe’s return and his private adventures among the Indians—Dick at a very low ebb—Crusoe saves him

Chapter Fifteen. Health and happiness return—Incidents of the journey—A buffalo shot—A wild horse “creased”—Dick’s battle with a mustang

Chapter Sixteen. Dick becomes a horse tamer—Resumes his journey—Charlie’s doings—Misfortunes which lead to, but do not terminate in, the Rocky Mountains—A grizzly bear

Chapter Seventeen. Dick’s first fight with a grizzly—Adventure with a deer—A surprise

Chapter Eighteen. A surprise and a piece of good news—The fur-traders—Crusoe proved, and the Peigans pursued

Chapter Nineteen. Adventures with the Peigans—Crusoe does good service as a discoverer—The savages outwitted—The rescue

Chapter Twenty. New plans—Our travellers join the fur-traders, and see many strange things—A curious fight—A narrow escape, and a prisoner taken

Chapter Twenty One. Wolves attack the horses, and Cameron circumvents the wolves—A bear-hunt, in which Henri shines conspicuous—Joe and the “Natter-list”—An alarm—A surprise and a capture

Chapter Twenty Two. Charlie’s adventures with savages and bears—Trapping life

Chapter Twenty Three. Savage sports—Living cataracts—An alarm—Indians and their doings—The stampedo—Charlie again

Chapter Twenty Four. Plans and prospects—Dick becomes home-sick, and Henri metaphysical—The Indians attack the camp—A blow-up

Chapter Twenty Five. Dangers of the prairie—Our travellers attacked by Indians, and delivered in a remarkable manner

Chapter Twenty Six. Anxious fears followed by a joyful surprise—Safe home at last, and happy hearts

Chapter Twenty Seven. Rejoicings—The feast at the block-house—Grumps and Crusoe come out strong—The closing scene

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Shortly after the incident narrated in the last chapter, the squatters of the Mustang Valley lost their leader. Major Hope suddenly announced his intention of quitting the settlement, and returning to the civilised world. Private matters, he said, required his presence there—matters which he did not choose to speak of but which would prevent his returning again to reside among them. Go he must, and, being a man of determination, go he did; but before going he distributed all his goods and chattels among the settlers. He even gave away his rifle, and Fan, and Crusoe. These last, however, he resolved should go together; and as they were well worth having, he announced that he would give them to the best shot in the valley. He stipulated that the winner should escort him to the nearest settlement eastward, after which he might return with the rifle on his shoulder.

Accordingly, a long level piece of ground on the river’s bank, with a perpendicular cliff at the end of it, was selected as the shooting ground, and, on the appointed day, at the appointed hour, the competitors began to assemble.

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“Never give in,” whispered Blunt encouragingly. Poor Varley’s want of confidence in his rifle was merited, for, on pulling the trigger, the faithless lock missed fire.

“Lend him another gun,” cried several voices. “’Gainst rules laid down by Major Hope,” said Scraggs.

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