DOG STORIES 273 



rabbits in his curiosity, the sportsman drew near to watch 

 the proceedings. 



" You had better keep your dog away, sir," suggested a 

 stout little gentleman in spectacles. 



" Oh, Snap's all right ; never mind about him," replied 

 the sportsman. 



But Snap evidently thought that the whole affair was 

 got up for his amusement, and no sooner was the case 

 thrown into the water than he dived for it, came to the 

 surface with the deadly thing in his mouth, and made 

 straight for the bank with the obvious intention of laying 

 it at the feet of his master. Then was seen a strange 

 and comical sight : the eminent scientists, none of them 

 remarkable for youth or agility, bolting panic-stricken in 

 every direction from the innocently murderous dog. 



The sportsman showed as clean a pair of heels as any. 

 Snap, however, taking this to be part of the performance, 

 joined in the race, naturally sticking to his master, who at 

 last, exhausted and perspiring, flung himself down behind a 

 sand-hillock, shrieking out curses and shaking his fist 

 fiercely at the dog. 



But Snap came on with wagging tail, proud of his clever- 

 ness, and anxious to drop what he had retrieved beside his 

 master. All this time the fuse was burning lower and 

 lower. With a yell of terror the sportsman sprang to his 

 feet again and fled after the stampeding scientists, the dog 

 and the dynamite close at his heels. 



The experimentalists, whose breath was nearly spent, 

 screamed out imprecations against the approaching horror. 

 " Keep away ! Keep away ! You fool ! it must go off in 

 a few minutes. Don't let that infernal dog come near us ; it 

 means certain death. For God's sake, drive the brute away, 

 or we shall all be killed." But Snap, like avenging Fate, 

 trotted stolidly on in the track of his terror-smitten master. 

 Finally, the latter rushed to cover under another small 

 hillock, from behind which he bombarded the too faithful 

 Snap with stones and gravel so furiously that the dog 

 paused in amazement at this hostile reception. That pause 

 brought his doom.. There was a terrific explosion ; the 

 sportsman was blown on his back by the shock. When, 



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