could get through very soon--perhaps not
before spring.

Second, that the animals consisted of one large, shaggy, black dog
(breed uncertain) named Kaiser; one large black-and-white cat named
Pawsy; one cow named Blossom; two bronco horses, one named Dick, the
other Ned; twenty-two hens and one rooster, without any particular
names except that I called one of the hens Crazy Jane.

Third, that there was enough hay in the barn for the horses and cow,
though other feed would be short unless I could find more about town
somewhere; that I ought to be able to scare up enough food for myself
by going through the stores, though some kinds might be short; that
there was plenty of coal.

Fourth, that there were guns of all kinds, and probably a good supply
of ammunition.

Fifth, that there might be $20,000 in a safe across the street.

Sixth, that there was a gang of cutthroats somewhere about who wanted
the money, and would come after it the minute they knew I was alone;
and might come sooner.

By this time I was sleepy; so I covered up Kaiser on one end of the
lounge, the cat on the other, put out the lamp, and went up-stairs and
popped into bed.

CHAPTER VI

Some Account of what I do and think the first Day alone: with a
Discovery by Kaiser at the End.

I woke up with a start in the morning, thinking that it was all a bad
dream; then I knew it wasn't, and wished it were; and next I was very
glad to hear the blizzard still roaring as hard as ever, which may
seem odd to you. But the fact is that I had thought a long time after
I went to bed and had decided on two things--first, that I was safe
from the robbers as long as the storm lasted, and, second and more
important, that I had a plan which might serve to keep them away for a
while at least after the storm stopped. I got up and looked out of the
window, but I might as well have looked into a haystack for all I saw.
I could not even see the houses on the other side of the street.

I went down, said good-morning to the cat and dog, and started the
fire. It was colder; I peeped at the thermometer through the window,
and saw it was a dozen degrees below zero. I found the stock at the
barn all right and cheerful; the chickens were down making breakfast
of what I had given them for supper, all except Crazy Jane, who had
finished eating and was trying to get out of the barn, maybe thinking
that she could make a nest in a snowbank, or could scratch for
anglewor