ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 181 



CHAPTER XVI 



The first coming of ' The Lady ' — Captain H. and his pet aversion — His 

 conversion by Tim — Fright with a snake — Grass fires — Caterpillars 

 and fishing-lines — Silk moths — Trials of silk-culture — And success. 



Not one of our tours but was marked by its own special 

 incidents, pleasurable or the reverse, sometimes even 

 momentous, as when dog Punch, who left home so gaily, 

 never returned. Another and happier one, bringing gain 

 instead of loss, was when we brought back a still craven- 

 looking pariah dog who turned out to be worth almost any 

 other two of ours put together, for the true sporting instinct 

 that was found in her, only needing to be called out. She 

 displayed an obedience, too, not to be surpassed that 

 followed speedily on finding her unowned, homeless self 

 provided with both home and master ; and a certain direct- 

 ness of demeanour soon took the place of the cringing, 

 deprecating air, as though apologising for her existence, 

 which had been her nearest approach to friendship at the 

 beginning of our acquaintance. A very poor thing indeed 

 she was when first espied creeping about on the fringe of our 

 camp, just within sight and sniff of the dogs' fragrant 

 supper, not expecting to be given any of that, however, 

 and on the watch to dodge any missile that might be hurled 

 at her, that being about all she was used to receive unsought, 

 by the look of her cavernous ribs. A meaty bone first in- 

 spired a touch of courage, and day by day she approached 

 nearer, till a civilised tinful could be placed for her accept- 

 ance. That was how ' The Lady,' as she came to be called 

 from her gentleness, entered our family ; a gentleness quite 

 apart from the craven bearing of fear — the more craven 



