234 WILD SPOET8 IN THE SOUTH. 







island was wet, and full of little quagholes, in one of 

 which the Doctor fell, and was unable to move a single 

 step, and Wag, deliberately lying down on the other 

 side, ate up the prize. 



" Oh, Poke, what an invaluable dog !" 



" Hold your tongue, will you, and help me out. Throw 

 me a piece of stick to stand on. You, Scip ! you lazy 

 negro, bring me an oar. I am all out of breath ;" and 

 he polished his face with his handkerchief, as if the true 

 remedy for his misfortune was in active friction. 



" Escape ! Escape !" said two more snipe, getting up 

 right by the Doctor. Bang ! bang ! and they both fell 

 at the shot. 



" Hold hard there, don't shoot over me that way ; just 

 think, I can't dodge !" cried the Doctor, waving his hand 

 energetically toward us. 



" That proves your valor in the face of danger. There's 

 Scipio with a log. Now, altogether that's it! "Why, 

 Doctor, you look as though you had high top-boots 

 on!" 



"Never mind, it is clean mud," he replied, good- 

 humor edly. 



Wag, seeing himself unnoticed, came in to where wo 

 were standing. But, alas for his hide ! Jackson caught 

 him, and administered to him. such a castration, all the 



O ' 



while holding him up by the tail with one hand, while he 

 applied a stick with the other, that Wag retired from 

 the active pursuits of the chase to the more dignified re- 

 tirement of private life under the seats of one of tho 



