252 Summer Studies of Birds and Books CHAP. 



rub his head against my legs, but beyond this he 

 did not trust himself to go. He never was a trouble 

 in the house, like the fidgety little smooth-haired 

 terriers ; he had a just perception, not only of his 

 own dignity, but of his master's need of quiet. If a 

 gentleman may be defined as one who never takes a 

 liberty, Billy was a gentleman. 



Nor was his outward appearance of a kind to 

 inspire emotion. His wiry white hair was extra- 

 ordinarily long on his neck and shoulders, like a lion's 

 mane, and was a most effective armour against the 

 attacks of his enemies ; but it fell away on his flanks 

 as he grew older, and became at last so short as to 

 give him the appearance of having been shaved. I 

 frequently pointed out this defect to him, and the 

 tacit answer was always the same, that his nature 

 required it and so it must be. So with his ears ; 

 while one drooped gracefully, the other stood stark 

 upright, and had tempted his most deadly foe to bite 

 a mouthful out of it ; and this incongruity, together 

 with some slight difference of colour, gave to one 

 side of his face the aspect of a damaged warrior, and 

 to the other that of a mild infant. Tail he had none 

 to speak of, and he was also " underhung." No one 

 could readily have guessed that he came of a good 

 stock ; yet within that quaint little carcase there was 

 a mind worth making acquaintance with. 



Not that he was what is called a clever dog ; I 



