DOGS I HAVE KNOWN 75 



them quite Christian-like." " Well," I replied, " if 

 he does, just open the kennel door and see what he 

 will do." It was opened and the dog ran in and 

 began licking the puppies, who crowded round him. 

 He then jumped up on the bench, followed by them, 

 and lay down ; the puppies crawled all over him, 

 biting his ears and tail, evidently greatly delighted 

 to have him, and finally settled to sleep in all 

 positions on him, the dog never moving, and seemed 

 almost afraid to breathe for fear of disturbing them 

 — in fact, he took them entirely under his pro- 

 tection, and the contorted attitudes the dog would 

 lie in rather than disturb the puppies were wonder- 

 ful. I used to think he must hurt himself ; but he 

 would never leave them, and if I got him out for a 

 little while, thinking he must want rest, he would 

 always run back to them, never seeming happy 

 until he had got in with them again. This con- 

 tinued until they were all grown big enough to 

 take care of themselves. It has always struck me 

 as being the most wonderful piece of pure benevol- 

 ence I ever knew of. 



I once knew a very eccentric dog. He was a 

 real old English spaniel, one of that kind you so 

 rarely see, with long body, short legs, with great 

 bone, grand head, jaws and teeth like a wolf's almost, 

 and long ears that would meet round his nose. 



