A Dog in Exile. 69 
Now it happened that a gentleman, hearing all 
this from the earl’s gamekeeper, before the dread 
sentence had been executed, all at once remembered 
that one of his friends, who was preparing to 
emigrate to Patagonia, purposed taking out some 
good dogs with him, and thinking that this retriever 
would form an acceptable gift, he begged for it. 
The gamekeeper gave it to him, and he in turn gave 
it to his friend, and in this way Major escaped the 
penalty, and in due time, after seeing and doubtless 
reflecting much by the way, arrived at his destina- 
tion. I say advisably that Major probably reflected 
a great deal, for in his new home he never once 
gave way to his criminal appetite for sheep’s blood ; 
but whenever the flock came in his way, which was 
often enough, he turned resolutely aside and skulked 
off out of the sound of their bleating as quickly as 
possible. 
All I heard from my host only served to raise my 
opinion of Major, and, remembering what he had 
accomplished that day, I formed the idea that the 
most glorious period of his life had just dawned, 
that he had now begun a series of exploits, com- 
pared with which the greatest deeds of all retrievers 
in other lands would sink into insignificance. 
I have now to relate Major’s second important 
exploit, and on this occasion the birds were geese. 
The upland geese are excellent eating, and it was 
our custom to make an early breakfast off a cold 
goose, or of any remnants left in the larder. Cold 
boiled goose and coffee, often with no bread—it 
