PRINCE MORDGE. 261 



make off for such a point, and, swimming boldly out, 

 would intercept the boat as she passed along. He 

 never attempted to swim after a boat, knowing well 

 that his powers of getting along in the water were not 

 equal to those of the boat. He always ran along 

 shore, watching its course, and swimming off the 

 moment he found that it was edging nearer, and that 

 he could meet it. 



The last great (and active) service which Prince 

 Mordge performed was one of his most notable feats. 

 I was returning home from a long ramble. There 

 were no friendly walls within half a mile, and my 

 usual absent-mindedness had made me oblivious to the 

 fact that Slop and I were not the only wanderers on 

 the hillside. My guardian was trotting home a good 

 way ahead, and I was dreaming as I went. Suddenly 

 there came from no great distance the "muttered 

 thunder" which was, and is, and evermore shall be, 

 the terror of my life. Glancing round, I beheld a 

 fierce little bull, known as the " black baste 0' Skae," 

 and the bugbear of our wanderings. He was coming 

 after me at a rapid gallop ! 



To run, and run wildly, was of course my only line 

 of action ; but the " black baste o' Skae " could do the 

 same, and do it with four feet instead of two, which 

 gave him an enormous advantage over me. Oh ! the 

 horror of that short bewildered flight ! I did not dare 

 lose time by looking behind, yet it was too terrible to 

 know that the foe was on my track, and by his deep- 

 toned threatenings was certainly nearing me rapidly, 



