The Master of the Teviotdale. 2 5 



Doctor fell, some of his dogs, whose blood was regu- 

 larly up, caught him by the hip in the melee, and bit 

 hirn so severely that the leg became benumbed down 

 to the foot, and he could not get up again. Jack then 

 slipped and went down in trying to land him, and was 

 bitten by one of the dogs in the hand. Mrs. Grant, 

 as reserve corps, then flew to their aid, and the Doctor 

 was got out of the loch, still holding on to the hind 

 legs of the otter, which just prevented his coat and 

 vest from being pulled right over his head. There 

 was a most fearful battle on the bank, and but for 

 Slash and his tremendous " back nip," the otter might 

 have won the day. Poor Billy was of no use; he hung 

 on " like grim death/' and tried to chew, but he seemed 

 to do no harm. On examination it was found that he 

 had struck two of his long tusks through his upper-lip, 

 and had thus fairly muzzled himself. There never 

 was such a bloody death, and the terriers, to use the 

 Doctor's noble simile, " looked as if scarlet nightcaps 

 had been drawn over their heads and necks." Billy 

 was in high fever next day, with a head so fearfully 

 swollen that the Doctor thought he could not recover, 

 and carried him perfectly blind to the photographer, 

 for a parting reminiscence. 



His head when submitted to the photographer was 

 just as broad as it was long, whereas in health the 

 length is about twice the width. He is now quite well 

 again and ripe for duty, and another photograph was 

 taken of him ; so that his friends at a distance might 

 see, with the aid of a magnifying-glass, what a tre- 

 mendous jobation he received during his " lock jaw." 

 The Doctor firmly believes that the dog owes his life 

 to the tender nursing and devotion of his mate, the 

 ex-pugilist Bobby, who took possession of him that 

 night, and never left him till all his face-wounds were 

 healed up. He lay with his patient on the kitchen 

 sofa, and never ceased to lick the raw spots. If Billy 

 went into the yard he accompanied him, and would 



