326 ALL ABOUT DOGS 



old doggy book, an account of two greyhounds said 

 to be as arrant thieves as ever lived. They would 

 now and then steal into the cooking house, belong- 

 ing to the kennels, lift up the boiler lid with their 

 noses or paws, and if any portion of the joints or 

 pieces of meat rose above the water, suddenly seize 

 them and before there was time for them to suffer 

 much from the heat, fling it out on the stone floor 

 and eat it at their leisure, when it had grown cold. In 

 order to prevent this, the top of the boiler was secured 

 by an iron rod, passing under its handle and tied to the 

 handle of the boiler on each side; and not many days 

 passed before they found out they could gnaw the cords 

 around it, displace the rod and fish out the meat as be- 

 fore. Small chains were then substituted for the cords 

 and the meat was cooked in safety for nearly a week, 

 when they found that by rearing on their hind legs and 

 applying their united strength towards the upper part 

 of the boiler, they could lift it off the fire and roll it on 

 the floor, so getting at the soup or broth, although the 

 meat was not in their reach. The keeper who looked 

 after them expressed himself heartily glad when they 

 were gone, for he said he was often afraid to go into 

 the kennel, wondering what they would be up to next, 

 and felt sure they were demons, and not dogs at all. 



A singular story is told of King Richard II. of 

 England, and a dog of this breed. It is given in the 

 quaint language of Froissart. " A Greyhound called 

 Mithe, who always wayted upon ye Kynge, and wolde 

 know no man els. For when so ever ye Kynge did ryde, 

 he that kept ye Greyhounde dyd lette hym lose, and he 



