Canine Sagacity. 293 
Saturday and Frisky had again disappeared. Search was 
everywhere made, but the missing one was nowhere to be 
found. That he had slipped out when the door was opened, 
was now most obvious. No effort was made to find his 
hiding-place, for we all knew that he would come back with 
the shadows. 
His coming was later this time than before. The sun had 
long gone to rest. It was pitch dark when the pawing of 
little feet against the door announced his return. 
This second offence was passed over as the first had been, 
and Frisky was his jolly, frolicsome self once more. A score 
of Saturdays was thus managed and the hateful bath escaped. 
for well this cunning bit of flesh and fur knew that the sev- 
enth was the only day of the week when it was convenient 
for his mistress to attend to his ablutions. 
That Frisky was able to count, or had some means of 
determining the coming of the day he so thoroughly 
detested, there can be no question. But the exceeding cute- 
ness of his nature not only showed itself in his manner of 
getting rid of the hateful bath, but in various other ways. 
He seemed equal to every emergency that could arise. Often- 
times I have watched him, as he lay upona rug by the kitchen- 
hearth, or upon the pillow of a new-made bed, for he was at 
liberty to go where he pleased about the house, and I have 
fancied that I could see him thinking, or read the train of 
thoughts passing through his mind, so human-like seemed 
he in these reflective moments. 
When scolded for some trifling misdoing, or threatened 
with denial of some expected pleasure, no so-called brute 
could show more pitying glances. His grief was often heart- 
rending to behold. Prostrate upon the ground or carpet, or 
in what place soever he chanced to be, he would moan and 
moan for hours together, and only consent to be comforted 
when the burden was lifted from off his soul by a kind 
word spoken, a smiling look given, or a quick, hearty shake 
of his delicate paw. When happy, and it did not take much 
