THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



open, summer or winter and after two or 

 three soft cries, repeating them at short inter- 

 vals until I got up and spoke to him, he would 

 at once go to the side door and wait to guide 

 me to where the trouble was, and there we al- 

 ways found Jack on guard. This had been re- 

 peated several times, and always in the same 

 way. Once the brooder-house caught fire, and 

 but for their timely warning the loss would have 

 been ruinous. 



So when I was aroused one night when the 

 Master Man was away from home, I hurried 

 out without waiting to awaken Sidney. Instead 

 of the brooder-house, as I feared, Rover piloted 

 me to the pheasantry. It was a cloudy night, 

 and the light uncertain, so I didn't see Jack, but 

 ran against him, and felt that he was rigid and 

 half -crouching, ready to spring. At the same 

 time I made out three figures within the enclo- 

 sure. 



Just what happened next I don't know. 

 The light must have improved, for I saw the 

 men plainly, and they evidently saw us. Sev- 



354 



