SIR WALTER SCOTT AND HIS DOGS. I /I 



to do it in our company, and seems to say, ' Have done 

 with your nonsense, youngsters ; what will the Laird and 

 that other gentleman think of me if I give way to such 

 foolery ? ' ' 



At length the younger dogs fancied that they discovered 

 something, which set them all into a furious barking. Old 

 Maida for some time walked silently by his master, pre- 

 tending not to notice the clamors of the inferior dogs. At 

 last, however, he seemed to feel himself called on to attend 

 to them, and giving a plunge forward he opened his mind 

 to them with a deep "Bow-wow," that drowned for the 

 time all other noises. Then, as if he had settled matters, 

 he returned to his master, wagging his tail, and looking 

 in his face as if for approval. 



" Ay, ay, old boy," said Scott ; " you have done won- 

 ders ; you have shaken the Eildon Hills with your roaring, 

 and now you may shut up your artillery for the rest of 

 the day. Maida," he said, "is like the big gun of Con- 

 stantinople, it takes so long to get it ready that the 

 small ones can fire off a dozen times, but when it does 

 go off it carries all before it." 



Scott's four-footed friends made a respectful part of the 

 company at family meals. Old Maida took his seat gravely 

 at his master's elbow, looking up wistfully into his eyes, 

 while Finette, the pet spaniel, took her seat by Mrs. Scott. 

 Besides the dogs in attendance, a large gray cat also took 



