CHAPTER XXXV 



MY DOG PIPER 



"Has anyone seen Piper?" — Piper and the German — All I was fit for 



I CANNOT think how I have resisted so long the tempta- 

 tion to talk about my dog Piper. More than one 

 photograph of him appears in the book. Some dogs 

 are merely dogs, but Piper was Piper— an individual, 

 an inseparable companion, my pal ! Mind you, some- 

 tim.es it happens that dogs can be " general " — that 

 is, have too many friends, and in this Piper somewhat 

 erred. I never knew exactly when to expect him 

 back when he disappeared, and on occasions he never 

 gave me the slightest indication when he was going. 

 When he broke away on his own " jag " he would 

 come around after and begin his hunt for me : why, I 

 wonder, did he start all round the bar-rooms of Paris 

 on the off-chance of finding me ? He knew my haunts, 

 I suppose. And he would go mad when at last he ran 

 me to earth. Still, he was such a casual fellow that I 

 would never make too much fuss of him when he 

 found me, pretending to be rather offended when he 

 picked me up — offended at his being so offhanded 

 during the previous day or two. He " twigged " it 

 all right and would try and ingratiate himself by every 

 dog sign of affection and " playing up." 



With all his sagacity and devotion Piper was a 

 " dam-fool " dog if it comes to that, for he was crazy 

 on automobiling, and would take the chance of being 

 kidnapped for an odd ride. That is how the grievous 



256 



