the dog jack
From Laura Ingalls Wilder's handwritten Pioneer Girl manuscript, upon leaving Indian Territory to return to Wisconsin:

Pa traded the horses Pet and Patty for some larger horses and because Jack wanted to stay with Pet and Patty as he always did Pa gave him to the man who had them. Then we went on our way in the covered wagon.

Later, the black and white spotted puppy named Wolf is mentioned as living with the Ingalls family (and Black Susan) in the Big Woods. There is no dog mentioned as going with the Ingalls families to Minnesota.

From the handwritten manuscript for On the Banks of Plum Creek (Chapter 7, "Company"):

When Ma sent Laura for a fresh bucket of water she stayed down by the creek as long as she dared.

Laura knew it was not polite to go away and leave company, but Ma had sent her and there was no need to hurry back.

When at last Laura was back at the door, she heard Jack's low growl from the top of the creek bank. She looked up and then she screamed. Jack and some dog were fighting at the top of the path.

Jack had hold of the strange dog's throat and the strange dog was biting into Jack's shoulder.

Neither made a sound now. And neither one would ever let go, for the strange dog was a bulldog too.

Ma came hurrying out when Laura screamed but she saw nothing wrong.

"A dog is fighting Jack," Laura shouted pointing. Then Ma looked up and saw them and she and Mrs. Nelson ran up to where they were. But they could make the dogs stop.
Mrs. Nelson was almost crying. "My dog!" she said. "He will be killed by the throat!"

Laura and Mary were there and Ma was holding Laura back from trying to help Jack. Pa was not in sight and there was no help anywhere. The dogs would surely kill each other.

"He is hurting Jack! He’s hurting Jack!" Laura kept crying as she tried to break away.

"Hold her Mary! We don't want her in the fight," Ma said. Then she turned quickly and went down the path.

"Oh! Is Ma running away, leaving Jack to be killed," Laura thought.

But Ma came hurrying back carrying the bucket full of cold water. She went close to the two tumbling, fighting dogs and poured all the cold water on their heads and faces.

It ran down all over them wetting them well and in surprise they opened their mouths, letting go and backed away from each other.

Ma grabbed Jack by the collar and led him away down the path and into the dugout. She brought Carrie and Anna out and shut Jack inside. Then she brought them both up the path.

Mrs. Nelson took Anna on her arm, called her dog and went home with him following. "I bet I tie him good next time!" she said as she went.

When Mrs. Nelson and her dog were gone Ma opened the door and Jack came out. He lay down on the path by the door. He was panting and tired.

Ma washed his wound with fresh, cold water while Laura petted and comforted him. "He didn't let the bad, old dog come down our path did he," she said as she stroked his head and rubbed his ears. And Jack, to thank her, licked her hand with his great, red tongue.

When they told Pa about the fight, Pa said, "I guess Jack is not growing old so fast as I thought. That dog of Nelson's is a great fighter, and Jack had the best of him. "But whatever made you throw water on them, Caroline? How did you ever think of that?"

"Oh! I don't know. "I just thought it might cool their tempers," Ma answered.

"And it worked!" Pa laughed. "It worked and it's worth remembering!"

If neither Jack nor Wolf lived at Plum Creek, and if there is a ring of truth to this story, what two dogs were fighting?
- posted by pioneergirl at 10:09 PM