and tried to discover more. It was the only consolation ,; 

 for having to take the leavings of the litter. 



Then there came a day when something happened 

 which might easily have turned out very differently, 

 and there would have been no stories and no Jock 

 to tell about ; and the best dog in the world would 

 never have been my friend and companion. The 

 puppies had been behaving very badly, and had stolen 

 several nekstrops and chewed up parts of one or two 

 big whips ; the drivers were grumbling about all the 

 damage done and the extra work it gave them ; and 

 Ted, exasperated by the worry of it all, announced that 

 the puppies were quite old enough to be taken away, 

 and that those who had picked puppies must take them 

 at once and look after them, or let some one else have 

 them. When I heard him say that my heart gave a 

 little thump from excitement, for I knew the day had 

 come when the great question would be settled once 

 and for all. Here was a glorious and unexpected chance ; 

 perhaps one of the others would not or could not 

 take his, and I might get one of the good ones. . . . 

 Of course the two big ones would be snapped up : 

 that was certain ; for, even if the men who had 

 picked them could not take them, others who 

 had been promised puppies before me would 

 exchange those they had already chosen for the 

 better ones. Still, there were other chances ; and^ 

 I thought of very little else all day long, wondering 

 if any of the good ones would be left ; and if so, 

 which ? 



In the afternoon Ted came up to where we were 

 65 E 



