BILLY AND HANS 



that we learned to understand each 

 other so well that I rarely mistook 

 his want, were it water or food, or to 

 climb, or to get on my table, or rest 

 in my pocket. Notwithstanding all 

 the forbearance which Hans showed 

 for his mischievous ways, and the real 

 attachment he had for Billy, Billy 

 clearly preferred me to his companion ; 

 and when during the following winter 

 I was attacked by bronchitis, and was 

 kept in my bedroom for several days, 

 my wife, going into the study after a 

 day of my absence, found him in an 

 extraordinary state of excitement, 

 which she said resembled hysterics, 

 and he insisted on being taken. It 

 occurred to her that he wanted me, 

 and she brought him upstairs to 

 my bedroom, when he immediately 

 pointed with his nose to be taken to 

 me ; and as she was curious to see 

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