CHAPTER XV.
_Health and happiness return_--Incidents of the journey_--_A buffalo shot_--_A wild horse "creased"_--_Dick's battle with a mustang_.
Dick Varley's fears and troubles, in the meantime, were ended.

On the day following he awoke refreshed and happy--so happy and light at heart, as he felt the glow of returning health coursing through his veins, that he fancied he must have dreamed it all.

In fact, he was so certain that his muscles were strong that he endeavoured to leap up, but was powerfully convinced of his true condition by the miserable stagger that resulted from the effort.
However, he knew he was recovering, so he rose, and thanking God for his recovery, and for the new hope that was raised in his heart, he went down to the pool and drank deeply of its water.

Then he returned, and, sitting down beside his dog, opened the Bible and read long--and, for the first time, _earnestly_--the story of Christ's love for sinful man.

He at last fell asleep over the book, and when he awakened felt so much refreshed in body and mind that he determined to attempt to pursue his journey.
He had not proceeded far when he came upon a colony of prairie-dogs.
Upon this occasion he was little inclined to take a humorous view of the vagaries of these curious little creatures, but he shot one, and, as before, ate part of it raw.