PIPER AND THE GERMAN 



proved to be like many other promises I have had : I 

 never saw one pup even, although I heard there were 

 six grand youngsters in the first lot. 



I never had a licence for him nor did he ever wear 

 a collar. He would go in and out of my apartment 

 just like a man and I am sure would often try to talk. 

 He endeavoured to say something quite civilly to a 

 big German once at St Moritz, and the hulking pig 

 kicked him. Piper looked to me to take up the 

 quarrel, and I did. The German was three times my 

 size, and it must have looked funny when I faced that 

 " Boche." 



" What did you want to kick my dog for ? " I asked 

 him. 



He smiled at first, then he must have seen my 

 dangerous " bantam " look, for he turned green and 

 — apologised. I think Piper was disappointed that 

 there was no scrap ; he might have been useful round 

 the German's calves. 



It may seem odd to some people that I have given 

 so much space to just a dog, but apart from liking all 

 dogs, Piper was out by himself in intelligence; we 

 understood each other just like two men talking. I 

 miss him still and have never had the heart to get 

 another. There are some living creatures in the world 

 who cannot be replaced, and Piper was one — of tw^o. 



• ••••••, 



In the first chapter of this book I mentioned my first 

 dog — Tony. One of the lasting memories of my life 

 is when I assassinated a dog to save Tony's life. Yet 

 I was almost as fond of the dog I murdered as I was of 

 Tony. It was a question of the oldest friend having 

 to be protected. It was when I was working at the 

 oil wells. I used to have to take a can every morning 

 to Pat Grace's cottage for milk. Pat also worked at 



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