CH. III.] Aristocratic v. Pie. 43 



should be kept specially to make speeches 

 during the recess. I don't care to defend 

 myself^ but I must stand up for my dogs 

 against all comers ; and I assert boldly that, 

 nine times out of ten, a dog with no pedigree 

 is worth two with a long one. When I get a 

 new dog I never ask who he is, or who his 

 father was, but I go by his looks and his per- 

 formances. There are dogs like men In all 

 classes, who have either a mean, spiteful, 

 vicious look, or a dull, heavy, dead one ; such 

 I avoid both in dog and man, for I find they 

 are not worth knowing. Any other dog will 

 do for me, and even now, though I don't often 

 go ratting, I have as good a lot as ever stood 

 at a hole, and I don't think I can do better 

 than describe them as a guide to students 

 when they come to getting a kennel together. 

 First of all, I never give a lot of money for 

 a dog — how can I with rats at twopence 

 each ? — ^but, if I can, I drop on a likely-looking 



