SCRAPPEU. 105 



in the house ? I don't speak for myself altogether, though 

 I know he has taken a dislike to me, and as a rule dosfs 

 make friends with me at once : but I was thinking of the 

 ladies." 



"Bless you!" laughed the other. "Why, old Scrapper 

 would not hurt a soul; he won't even fight another dog 

 until he is half worried himself, and then he goes at it 

 like a fiend. Besides, all the ladies adore him, in spite 

 of his beauty ; and, another thing, he always sleeps on a 

 mat in my sister's room at night." 



" Perhaps it's my fancy, but I have got rather a dread 

 of that animal ; however, it does not matter. Good- night, 

 old man." 



" Good-night. By the way. Strange, do you ever walk 

 in your sleep ? " 



" Walk in my sleep ! No ; why ? " 



"I could have sworn that I heard your door open last 

 night, but I could neither see nor hear anything when 

 I looked out." 



"The effects of that last whisky, old fellow," laughed 

 Strange. " I told you you would dream if you had it. 

 When I go to bed I fall asleep at once, and sleep like a 

 top till Drake calls me in the morning. Good-night, 

 Frank. Take my advice, and don't have another whisky 

 when you get back into the billiard-room, or you will see 

 snakes or burglars or something. Ha, ha ! " and, slapping 

 his friend on the back, he retired into his room. 



It was the middle of dinner the following day, and 

 Strange had just hurriedly left the table with his handker- 

 chief to his nose, murmuring as he passed Frank's chair : 

 "My nose again, old man. Please apologise to Lady 

 Adelaide. Don't bother ; I shall be in again in five minutes 

 or so." 



