sso slipped over her back paws. She leaped the whole
length of the other lasso. Jones caught it and fastened it more
securely; but this precaution proved unnecessary, for she suddenly sank
down either exhausted or choked, and gasped with her tongue hanging
out. Frank slipped the second noose over her back paws, and Jones did
likewise with a third lasso over her right front paw. These lassoes
Jones tied to different saplings.

"Now you are a good Kitty," said Jones, kneeling by her. He took a pair
of clippers from his hip pocket, and grasping a paw in his powerful
fist he calmly clipped the points of the dangerous claws. This done, he
called to me to get the collar and chain that were tied to his saddle.
I procured them and hurried back. Then the old buffalo hunter loosened
the lasso which was round her neck, and as soon as she could move her
head, he teased her to bite a club. She broke two good sticks with her
sharp teeth, but the third, being solid, did not break. While she was
chewing it Jones forced her head back and placed his heavy knee on the
club. In a twinkling he had strapped the collar round her neck. The
chain he made fast to the sapling. After removing the club from her
mouth he placed his knee on her neck, and while her head was in this
helpless position he dexterously slipped a loop of thick copper wire
over her nose, pushed it back and twisted it tight Following this, all
done with speed and precision, he took from his pocket a piece of steel
rod, perhaps one-quarter of an inch thick, and five inches long. He
pushed this between Kitty's jaws, just back of her great white fangs,
and in front of the copper wire. She had been shorn of her sharp
weapons; she was muzzled, bound, helpless, an object to pity.

Lastly Jones removed the three lassoes. Kitty slowly gathered her
lissom body in a ball and lay panting, with the same brave wildfire in
her eyes. Jones stroked her black-tipped ears and ran his hand down her
glossy fur. All the time he had kept up a low monotone, talking to her
in the strange language he used toward animals. Then he rose to his
feet.

"We'll go back to camp now, and get a pack, saddle and horse," he said.
"She'll be safe here. We'll rope her again, tie her up, throw her over
a pack-saddle, and take her to camp."

To my utter bewilderment the hounds suddenly commenced fighting among
themselves. Of all the vicious bloody dog-fights I ever saw that was
the worst. I began to belabor them