Travis still doesn’t like Old Yeller, and he’s determined to force the dog to show himself for who he truly is. This is why Travis hangs the meat within Old Yeller’s reach: he’s hoping that Old Yeller will take the bait and get in trouble for stealing their food. Old Yeller, however, is a smart animal—he seems to have intuition about how his actions affect Travis. At this point, Travis and Old Yeller have a contentious and somewhat begrudging relationship. If they’re going to get along, each of them must find a way to learn from the other.