RAB AND HIS FRIENDS 



fastens on his throat. To our astonishment, 

 the great creature does nothing but stand 

 still, hold himself up, and roar yes, roar ; 

 a long, serious, remonstrative roar. How is 

 this ? Bob and I are up to them. He is 

 muzzled! The bailies had proclaimed a 

 general muzzling, and his master, studying 

 strength and economy mainly, had encom- 

 passed his huge jaws in a home-made ap- 

 paratus, constructed out of the leather of 

 some ancient breechin. His mouth was open 

 as far as it could ; his lips curled up in rage 

 a sort of terrible grin ; his teeth gleaming, 

 ready, from out the darkness ; the strap across 

 his mouth tense as a bowstring ; his whole 

 frame stiff with indignation and surprise ; 

 his roar asking us all round, " Did you ever 

 see the like of this ? " He looked a statue 

 of anger and astonishment, done in Aberdeen 

 granite. 



We soon had a crowd : the Chicken held 

 on. " A knife ! " cried Bob ; and a cobbler 

 gave him his knife : you know the kind of 



18 



