THE LITTLE RED DOG 241 



him over the turf. Away he would go, performing 

 a wide circuit, then, doubling back, would fly to 

 her for safety. She, stooping and holding out her 

 hands to him, would wait his coming, and at the 

 end, with one flying leap, he would land himself 

 in her arms, almost capsizing her with the force 

 of the impact, and from that refuge look back 

 reproachfully at us. 



The cunning little ways of the small red dog 

 were learned later when I came to know him in 

 the city of Buenos Ayres. Loitering at the water- 

 side one day, I became aware of an animal of this 

 kind following me, and no sooner did he catch my 

 eye than he came up, wagging, wriggling, and 

 grinning, smiling, so to speak, all over his body; 

 and I, thinking he had lost home and friends and 

 touched by his appeal, allowed him to follow me 

 through the streets to the house of relations where 

 I was staying. I told them I intended keeping 

 the outcast awhile to see what could be done with 

 him. My friends did not welcome him warmly, 

 and they even made some disparaging remarks 

 about little red dogs in general; but they gave 

 him his dinner a big plateful of meat which he 

 devoured greedily, and then, very much at home, 

 he stretched himself out on the hearth-rug and 

 went fast asleep. When he woke an hour later he 

 jumped up and ran to the hall, and, finding the 

 street-door closed, made a great row, howling and 

 scratching at the panels. I hurried out and opened 

 the door, and out and off he went, without so 



