nder
the buffaloes.

He went on in this way, without any special adventure, for a couple of
hours, and then began to see a gray light appearing in the eastern sky.
About the same time, the windows of the farm-houses, which he passed on
the road, began to be illuminated by the fires, which they were kindling
within. Now and then, he could see a man hurrying out to a barn, to feed
the cattle. Jonas thought that they ought to be up earlier. The sun rose
soon after, and the fields on every side sparkled by the reflection of
his rays, from the crystalline surface of the snow. Tall columns of
dense white smoke ascended from the chimneys, some erect, others leaning
a little, some one way, some another. In a word, it was a cold, still,
winter morning.

At length, as Jonas was walking his horses up a long hill, he heard
light footsteps behind him. He turned round to see what was coming, and,
to his utter astonishment, he saw Franco, coming up, upon the full run,
and close behind the sleigh. He came to the side of it, and looked up,
with every appearance of exultation and joy.

"Why, Franco," said Jonas, "how came you here?"

He stopped his horses, and Franco leaped up before him. His ears, and
the glossy black hair which curled under his neck and upon his sides,
were tipped with frost. Jonas patted him upon his head, saying,--

"Why, Franco, how did you get out of the barn? and how did you find out
which way I came?"

Franco wagged his tail, and curled down around Jonas's feet, but he made
no reply.

Jonas was very much surprised, for, as he had no permission to take
Franco, he had concluded that it was his duty not to take him; and when
he found that he was inclined to come with him, at the time that he was
harnessing the horses, he conducted him back into the barn, and, to make
it secure, he fastened up the place where he had got in, the first night
that he lodged there. He knew that the barn would be opened when Amos
came out in the morning, to take care of the old General and the oxen,
but said he to himself, "I shall by that time be ten miles off, and it
will be too late for him to follow or find me." Jonas was therefore very
much surprised, when he found that Franco had contrived to make his
escape, and to track his master so many miles.

Jonas drove on very prosperously, until it was about time for him to
stop and give his horses some breakfast. As for himself, he ate his
breakfast from his box, when they were c