A Dog in Exile. 69 



Now it happened that a gentleman, hearing all 

 this from the earl's gamekeeper, before the dread 

 sentence had been executed, all at once remembered 

 that one of his friends, who was preparing to 

 emigrate to Patagonia, purposed taking out some 

 good dogs with him, and thinking that this retriever 

 would form an acceptable gift, he begged for it. 

 The gamekeeper gave it to him, and he in turn gave 

 it to his friend, and in this way Major escaped the 

 penalty, and in due time, after seeing and doubtless 

 reflecting much by the way, arrived at his destina- 

 tion. I say advisably that Major probably reflected 

 a great deal, for in his new home he never once 

 gave way to his criminal appetite for sheep's blood : 

 but whenever the flock came in his way, which was 

 often enough, he turned resolutely aside and skulked 

 off out of the sound of their bleating as quickly as 

 possible. 



All I heard from my host only served to raise my 

 opinion of Major, and, remembering what he had 

 accomplished that day, I formed the idea that the 

 most glorious period of his life had just dawned, 

 that he had now begun a series of exploits, com- 

 pared with which the greatest deeds of all retrievers 

 in other lands would sink into insignificance. 



I have now to relate Major's second important 

 exploit, and on this occasion the birds were geese. 



The upland geese are excellent eating, and it was 

 our custom to make an early breakfast off a cold 

 goose, or of any remnants left in the larder. Cold 

 boiled goose and coffee, often with no bread it 



