122 My Dogs in the Northland 



vengeful gipsies. The cause of this ven- 

 geance and Jack's premature death, was 

 this: 



One day, when Jack was returning home 

 from the butcher's shop with a well-filled 

 basket, he was suddenly attacked by a fierce 

 white bull-dog belonging to these gipsies. 

 Jack, faithful to his trust, while still hold- 

 ing on to his basket, managed to shake off 

 the treacherous brute that had so assailed 

 him when thus encumbered with his load. 

 He succeeded in getting home with his 

 basket, but the minute it was safely deliv- 

 ered, Jack was off like a shot. I was aston- 

 ished to see the ease with which he sprang 

 over the front gate, and his sudden disap- 

 pearance down the street. He was not long 

 in reaching the encampment of these gipsies. 

 The bulldog, the object of his ire, was now 

 ensconced in the yard, but Jack speedily 

 sprang over the gate and quickly seized him, 

 and although his owners had boasted of his 

 terrible fighting powers, he was no match 

 for the insulted and indignant Jack. 



Those who saw the fight or punishment, 

 said that after the first minute or so Jack 

 was so completely the master that he 

 literally shook that big bulldog as a trained 



