74 THE COUNTRY. BOY 



turn a back somersault just for the asking. 

 What is more, he understood any plain 

 language, the kind we used in Silverton. 



When I was an engine wiper he was the 

 watchdog of all the company's property. 

 Thus, when Receiver Scott, of the O. R. Co., 

 doubted the dog's ability to watch the engine 

 all night as he slept on the cab seat — where 

 I ought to have been, but was accustomed to 

 stay away from my post and sleep in my bed 

 — DufF attacked the inquisitive receiver who 

 had sneaked up in the dark, and treed him on 

 an old-fashioned pump in the yard of a nearby 

 hotel. 



A lady once, when I was boasting of Duff's 

 wonderful intelligence, said: 



"Do 3^ou mean to tell me that I can't hide 

 your knife where he can't find it?" 



"Yes," I said; "it would be impossible." 



I told DufF to go in the next room till we 

 hid the knife. She put it up on the top shelf 

 of the sideboard, behind the only real cut glass 

 there was in Silverton. 



Duff came in and began to sniff with his 

 head up. Before either of us had time to stop 

 him he mounted the sideboard, knocking down 



