THE ALPINE DOG. 145 



ance with him. But as the man left the place, 

 Bass followed him, showing strong symptoms that 

 he was determined to have the post-bag. The man 

 did all he could to keep possession of it. But, at 

 length, Bass, seeing that he had no chance of 

 getting possession of the bag by civil entreaty, 

 raised himself on his hind legs, and putting a great 

 fore-paw on each of the man's shoulders, he laid 

 him flat on his back in the road, and quietly pick- 

 ing up the bag, he proceeded peaceably on his 

 wonted way. The man, much dismayed, arose and 

 followed the dog, making, every now and then, an 

 ineffectual attempt to coax him to give up the bag. 

 At the first house he came to, he told his fears, and 

 the dilemma he was in ; but the people comforted 

 him, by telling him that the dog always carried the 

 bag. Bass walked with the man to all the houses 

 at which he delivered letters, and along the road 

 till he came to the gate of St. Margaret's, where he 

 dropped the bag, and, making his bow to the man, 

 he returned home. I presume I have now given 

 you enough of Bass. His companion, Raith, is 

 remarkable for having, in his eagerness to bark jat 

 some noise at ihe outer-door, jumped over a window 

 twenty-three feet and an half high, on the hard 

 gravel. He was stunned for a time, but he broke 

 no bones ; and, after about an hour's repose on his 

 usual pillow in the large dining-room chair, he 

 showed that he was as well as ever. 



I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully, 

 THO. DICK LAUDER. 



