72 . Idle Days in Patagonia. 



he reached me. Fortunately he had a long distance 

 to swim, and before he reached land I began to 

 reflect that if I received him roughly, with blows, 

 I would never get the geese those three magnifi- 

 cent white and maroon-coloured geese that had 

 cost me so much labour to kill. Yes, I thought, it 

 will be better to dissemble and be diplomatic and 

 receive him graciously, and then perhaps he will be 

 persuaded to go again and fetch the geese. In the 

 midst of these plans Major arrived, and sat down 

 facing me without shaking himself, evidently be- 

 ginning to experience some qualms of conscience. 



"Major," said I, addressing him in a mild gentle 

 voice, and patting his wet black head, "you have 

 treated me very badly, but I am not going to punish 

 you I am going to give you another chance, old 

 dog. Now, Major, good and obedient dog, go and 

 fetch me the geese." With that I pushed him 

 gently towards the water. Major understood me, 

 and went in, although in a somewhat perfunctory 

 manner, and swam back to the island. On reaching 

 it he went up to the geese, examined them briefly 

 with his nose and sat down to deliberate. I called 

 him, but he paid no attention. With what intense 

 anxiety I waited his decision ! 



At last he appeared to have made up his mind ; 

 he stood up, shook himself briskly and will it be 

 believed ? began to worry the geese again ! He 

 was not merely playing with them now, and did not 

 scatter the feathers about and bark, but bit and tore 

 them in a truculent mood. When he had torn them 



