28 BRUNO 



positively refused to stay at home. It soon 

 came to be a regular thing for Julius to escort 

 him back every evening. 



The Nimrods lived nearly a mile from us, so 

 Julius did not lack for exercise. 



Mr. Nimrod finally came to remonstrate 

 with us. 



" You ought to shut him out," he cried, " then 

 he 'd have to come back home." 



For answer, Julius showed him certain long, 

 deep scratches on our handsome new doors, 

 adding, 



" Don't you see ? It 's as much as our doors 

 are worth to shut him out, and he leaps that 

 four-foot fence as if it were but four inches." 



There was obviously no possible reply to such 

 logic as this ; so he continued to come, drag- 

 ging sometimes a rope or strap, or some other 

 variety of tether, triumphantly proving that 

 love laughs at locksmiths! 



The Nimrods at last lost heart. Bruno never 

 would eat there, and he never stayed when he 

 could manage to escape. One night it was 

 raining hard when the time came for him to be 

 taken "home," so they did not go; and that 

 seemed to settle it. 



He was our dog. 



