THE COCKER SPANIEL. 347 



most intense anxiety for his charge. This same delight is 

 shown when any member of the family returns from even 

 a temporary absence, and the same solicitude and care are 

 bestowed upon any member of the family who lies down 

 during the day. At night, Nep seems to think it his duty 

 to guard the room of his young mistress. He sleeps just 

 outside her door, and anyone who attempts to approach 

 it gets into trouble at once. 



There are no small children in this family^ but when 

 friends call and bring children the little dog is delighted 

 beyond measure. He at once takes charge of the little 

 folks, and not even their own mother is allowed to punish 

 them in his presence. After caressing and romping with 

 them a few minutes, he sails away, gets his ball, brings 

 it, and in all but words invites his playmates to a friendly 

 game. They throw the ball through the halls, he retrieves 

 it, lays it at their feet, and looking up at them, beseeches 

 them, with his great dark eyes and eager, excited motions, 

 to throw it again. 



He plays hide-and-seek with them as enthusiastically 

 and as skillfully as any one of their own number. Some 

 member of the party holds him and "blinds" him, by plac- 

 ing his long, silky ears over his eyes. When the signal is 

 given and he is released, he races through the house with 

 the speed of a Greyhound for a few moments, in a kind 

 of general search. Then he cools down and goes about his 

 work more systematically. He approaches, looks at, and 

 smells of each child in the room even if there be a dozen 

 of them apparently in order to learn which one is missing. 

 Then he starts on a tour of the rooms and halls, searching 

 for both foot and body scent, and soon locates the fugitive, 

 no matter where he or she may be. The little children 

 frequently step into a closet and close the door, but Nep 

 finds them all the same, and having smelt at the thresh- 

 old until sure he is right, sets up an emphatic barking that 

 soon brings the hidden treasure laughing and screaming 

 into the light. 



Once when playing this game with him a little girl hid 



