“Will I?” Johnny asked himself this question in all seriousness, but did not attempt to answer it. He had seen much of life, had lived in many climes; but to go into the great white wilderness to a desperate tribe of starving half savages in the company of an old man and a girl, armed only with bows and arrows—
“What good could we possibly do?” he asked himself.
The simple household duties of the cabin done, Faye joined them beside the fire.
She had been sitting there but a short time when a great shaggy dog, one of the Corporal’s team, rose from the floor and approached her. After kissing her hand he laid his shaggy head in her lap.
“He knows you,” said the Corporal in surprise.
“Yes,” she said. “He used to belong to a next door neighbor. You must have bought him from that man. We are great friends,” she said, addressing the dog. “Aren’t we, Tico?”
At the sound of the name Tico, the dog gave forth a low woof, then stood staring intently into her eyes.
“Tell you what,” the Corporal said quite suddenly. “I’ll give him to you. Then if you go—” he hesitated, “wherever you go, he’ll be company, protector and guide.
“He’s not much account in the team, anyway,” he added half apologetically. “Too old when I took him. Dogs need to be trained young.”
“I—I—why, thank you! That would be grand, wouldn’t it, Tico?”