RUBY. 55 



but a moderate breadth of water, he would get 

 over anything reasonable in the shape of a fence 

 that could be found about the town. 



I was a heavy weight, — riding nearly two hun- 

 dred pounds, — and necessarily rode with judg- 

 ment. If there was a low place in a fence, we 

 never chose a high one; but, at the same time, 

 if there were no low places, we took the best we 

 could find. Ruby seemed to know that the two 

 of us were solid enough to break through any 

 ordinary pile of rails, and what we could not jump 

 over we jumped at. More than once did he carry 

 away the top rail of a snake fence with his knees, 

 and land fair and square on the other side ; but 

 it was a very high leap that made this necessary. 



He would jump on to the porch of the quarter- 

 master's office (approached from the ground by 

 four steps), and then jump over the hand-rail and 

 land on the ground below again, almost wagging 

 his tail with delight at the feat. 



His ear was quicker than mine for the peeping 

 of quail and for the drumming of grouse, and, 

 in the absence of a good dog, there is no doubt 



