232 My Dogs in the Northland 



would be one fish less in Martin's pan under 

 the stove where the fish were being thawed 

 out in the evening. If the kitchen door was 

 left open for only a few minutes, it was quite 

 sufficient time for Koona. Although a 

 fairly good sized dog he seemed able to make 

 himself very small and silent when he 

 wanted to enter that kitchen unobserved. 

 His favourite plan was to follow in close be- 

 hind the Indian servant girl and, seizing the 

 first fish reached, as stealthily to retire. If 

 detected and followed up so closely that he 

 could not escape with the fish he would, if 

 possible, suddenly dash around some corner, 

 and lo! when reached by his pursuers he 

 would be found demurely sitting up and 

 apparently wondering what all the fuss was 

 about. 



Not a vestige of the fish that we saw 

 him carrying in his mouth is now visible. 

 Where has it gone? Have our eyes deceived 

 us? Surely it must have been some other 

 dog than this solemn looking fellow that 

 sits up so steadily on the ground. But there 

 are some folks who are as clever as dogs, and 

 one says : " Look at the odd way Koona's 

 bushy tail is being held ! " On investiga- 

 tion, it is found that the clever rascal is 



