210 FIVE AOKES TOO MUCH. 



interpose to save some tramp from the fate of the 

 gentleman mentioned in Scripture, whose flesh was 

 eaten by dogs. On these occasions Sher was true to 

 himself ; and while Gran rushed headlong on the en 

 emy, he would suddenly bounce out from under a 

 bush, or slip round through the fence, and make a di 

 version in the rear. My dogs were soon a terror to 

 the neighborhood, and a much more effectual protec 

 tion than patting the children on their heads. To be 

 sure, there were a few drawbacks to set off these ad 

 vantages. It was difficult to keep any work-people 

 round the place ; and I had to pay for a pair of pan 

 taloons that my painter left principally in Gran s 

 mouth ere he could escape up his ladder when a sud 

 den attack caught him unprepared. 



There was but one matter in which the kittens and 

 pups all four agreed, and that was to steal whatever 

 they had the slightest fancy for. Milk was the weak 

 ness of the kittens, and, provided they could discover 

 any unguarded pan, a truce was declared, and friend 

 and foe united in foraging upon their master. On 

 such occasions they were content to drink together 

 from the same dish in the most amicable way, al 

 though the moment the feast was exhausted the cats 

 iled to their intrenchments, without so much as clean 

 ing their whiskers, and hostilities were renewed. The 



