218 FRIENDS WORTH KNOWING. 



duced, though hardly one of superior education in this re- 

 spect; and in the light of it, it is not difficult to suppose 

 that a sharp dog should be able to follow back a train of 

 odors that he had experienced shortly before. 



But there is another way by which anxious animals may 

 learn their route both going and coming, and that is by 

 listening and inquiring. It is remarkable how much of 

 what is said by their masters all dogs understand. The 

 books and periodicals of natural history and sport abound 

 with illustrations of this, and one lately occurred within my 

 own experience. A very good-natured and amusing, but 

 utterly unthoroughbred, little dog was a member of a fam- 

 ily which I was visiting. The dog and I became very good 

 friends at once, and remained so until the second day, when 

 I casually began to joke his master upon owning such a 

 miserable cur. At once the little dog pricked up his ears, 

 and, noticing this, I continued my disparagements in a 

 quiet, off-hand tone, his master meanwhile defending and 

 condoling with him, until at last the dog could stand it no 

 longer, but, without any provocation beyond my language, 

 which was not addressed to him at all, sprung up and softly 

 bit at my heel, as though to give me warning of what 

 might happen if the joke went any further ; and after that 

 he utterly broke off our friendship. 



