A FRIEND IN NEED. 109 



"Oh!" answered the intended dog-stealer, sliding 

 down again on the side whence he came, and George 

 heard of him no more. When this was reported to me 

 the next day, I almost regretted that George had not lain 

 quiet and permitted this scoundrel to have let himself 

 down, if he would have done so, to the tender mer 

 cies of Druid, Brutus, and Bar, who, on finding strange 

 tobaccoey legs suddenly thrust into their straw, would 

 very soon have made very short work of this son of free 

 dom, and taught him the wholesome necessity that there 

 was for no more of his attempts to steal the property of 

 a stranger. No doubt if he could have decoyed George 

 away, an effort would have been made to take some of 

 my dogs, but how, in the short time before daylight that 

 remained, they would have been able to blind or appease 

 the wise ferocity of Druid and Brutus, I have not the 

 least idea. I would have given worlds to have been hid 

 den close by, to have watched the dangerous endeavour. 



On the following morning I made one of the pleasant- 

 est acquaintances of those very many agreeable ones that 

 I formed during my stay in St Louis, and saw Mr Robert 

 Campbell. He at once set to rest all my anxiety as to 

 my dogs by giving up to their service the large rooms of 

 one of his houses or stores at the bottom of the town, 

 looking pleasantly on the Missouri river, from the ample 

 window of which George could amuse the succeeding 

 hours of his watch by looking at the river, shipping, and 

 constant bustle of that busy and crowded wharf, while at 

 the same time the windows, not being on a level with the 

 floor, could be set open, with a slight additional protec 

 tion, for the purposes of healthful and complete ventila 

 tion. The precautions in the disposal of his dogs taken 

 by George were excellent. Druid and Brutus were al- 



