k precisely the same leap that his
master had done before him, and came out on the other side a good deal
higher up than Dick had done, for the dog had no savages to dodge, and
was, as we have said before, a powerful swimmer.

It cost him a good deal of running about to find the trail, and it was
nearly dark before he resumed his journey; then, putting his keen nose
to the ground, he ran step by step over Dick's track, and at last found
him, as we have shown, on the banks of the Salt Creek.

It is quite impossible to describe the intense joy which filled Dick's
heart on again beholding his favourite. Only those who have lost and
found such an one can know it. Dick seized him round the neck and
hugged him as well as he could, poor fellow, in his feeble arms; then he
wept, then he laughed, and then he fainted.

This was a consummation that took Crusoe quite aback! Never having seen
his master in such a state before he seemed to think at first that he
was playing some trick, for he bounded round him, and barked, and wagged
his tail. But as Dick lay quite still and motionless, he went forward
with a look of alarm; snuffed him once or twice and whined piteously;
then he raised his nose in the air and uttered a long melancholy wail.

The cry seemed to revive Dick, for he moved, and with some difficulty
sat up, to the dog's evident relief. There is no doubt whatever that
Crusoe learned an erroneous lesson that day, and was firmly convinced
thenceforth that the best cure for a fainting-fit is a melancholy yell.
So easy is it for the wisest of dogs as well as men to fall into gross
error!

"Crusoe," said Dick, in a feeble voice, "dear good pup, come here." He
crawled, as he spoke, down to the water's edge where there was a level
patch of dry sand.

"Dig," said Dick, pointing to the sand.

Crusoe looked at him in surprise, as well he might, for he had never
heard the word "dig" in all his life before.

Dick pondered a minute; then a thought struck him. He turned up a
little of the sand with his fingers, and, pointing to the hole cried,
"_Seek him out, pup_!"

Ha! Crusoe understood _that_. Many and many a time had he unhoused
rabbits, and squirrels, and other creatures at that word of command, so,
without a moment's delay, he commenced to dig down into the sand, every
now, and then stopping for a moment and shoving in his nose, and
snuffing interrogatively, as if he fully expected to find a buffalo at
the botto