Retrieving in the Dark. 133 
he would not doit if he worked for an hour. To this I re- 
plied that I was not in the habit of betting on that which. 
I considered a certainty. Within three minutes he placed 
the ball in my hand. 
“Oh!” remarked one sceptical gentleman, “of course, the 
boys leave the balls about when they have done playing, 
and he might easily have picked up the first he came to.” 
The boys stoutly denied this impeachment, and brought out 
all the balls in their possession, two somewhat the worse 
for wear, besides that I had made use of. To clear up any 
doubts, I marked them all with different scratches, and had 
the dog taken into the house again. Giving two balls to 
members of the party, who threw them in different directions, 
I myself threw that which I had first used, and the three 
would then probably be lying twenty or thirty yards apart 
among the shrubberies. Again the dog was brought out and 
sent leather hunting, and I noticed less disposition to bet 
three to one against the dog, while evens were freely offered 
by some. In about the same time as before he brought 
one of the balls, laid it in my hand, and flung himself down 
as though he thought he had done quite enough to vindi- 
cate his character, amidst well deserved applause. On exa- 
mination, the ball turned out to be that which I had my- 
self thrown. Possibly this may have been accidental, but 
one can readily understand that he may have hunted for 
my scent alone, neglecting the other balls if he happened 
to meet with them. 
As a thunderstorm appeared to be brewing, the boys were 
anxious to get the other balls, and I was asked whether the 
dog could do it. I had some doubt myself, but the gentle- 
man who was at first so sceptical, thinking he had a good 
thing, offered two to one on the dog—without any takers. 
His confidence was quite justified, for in a few minutes both 
the remaining balls had been brought to hand. “ Bravo!” 
exclaimed Mr. Pringle, “that is as good a performance as 
his grandfather’s in finding my wounded ibis; Carlo II. 
