THE DOG. 



by Neptune, — it was quite three months before Charger wag 

 himself again, and his recovery was entirely attributed to Nep- 

 tune, who ever after that was called Doctor Neptune — a 

 distinction which he received with his usual gravity. Now, 

 here I must say that Neptune was never quarrelsome. He 

 was a very large liver-coloured dog, with huge firm jaws, and 

 those small cunning eyes which I always thinV detract from 

 the beauty of the head of the Newfoundland ; his paws were 

 pillows, and his chest broad and firm. He was a dignified, 

 gentlemanly dog, who looked down on the ordinary run of 

 quarrels as quite beneath him. If grievously insulted he 

 would lift up the aggressor in his jaws, shake him, and let him 

 go — ij he could go — that was all. But in his heart of hearts 

 he resented the treatment his fiiend had received. 



" So when Charger was fully recovered, the two dogs set off 

 together to the Hill of Carrick, a distance of more than a mile 

 from their home, and then and there set upon the buU-dog. 

 While we were at breakfast the butler came in with the infor- 

 mation that something had gone wrong, for both Neptune and 

 Charger had come home covered with blood and wounds, and 

 were licking each other in the little stable. This was quickly 

 followed by a visit from the bristly Lad of Carrick, crying like 

 a child, — ^the great rough-looking bear of a man — because our 

 dogs had gone up the Hill and killed his pup, " Bluenose." 

 ' The two fell on him,' he said, ' together, and now you could 

 hardly tell his head from his tail.' It was a fearful retribution ; 

 but even his master confessed that Bluenose deserved his fate, 

 and every cur in the country rejoiced i.hat he was dead." 



Jesse relates a story of a dog of a sporting tendency, and 

 which belonged to a master of the same inclination. The gen- 

 tleman, however, was a very bad shot, a failing which the dog, 

 who usually accompanied him, took very much to heart. Once 

 or twice missing, the hound didn't mind — ^that will happen to 

 the most accomplished sportsman — but if, after banging away 

 for half an hour, no fall of feathers resulted, the indignant 

 bi'ute would grow more and more angry till at last he 

 would fly at the unlucky sportsman, and fiercely shake any 

 part of his raiment he could catch in his jaws. " This," says 

 Mr. Jesse, " is much the case with my old terrier, Peter. He 

 accompanies me when I am trolling, watches every throw with 

 much anxiety, and shows great impatience and some degree of 

 anger if I am a long time without taking a fish ; when I do 

 he appoajs delighted." 



