292 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



HELPING A FRIEND. 



1. A gentleman of wealth and position in London 

 had, some years ago, a country-house and farm about sixty 

 miles from the metropolis. At this country residence he 

 kept a number of dogs, and among them a very large 

 mastiff and a Scotch terrier ; and, at the close of one of 

 his summer residences in the country, he resolved to bring 

 this terrier with him to London for the winter season. 

 There being no railway to that particular part of the coun- 

 try, the dog traveled with the servants in a post-carriage, 

 and, on his arrival at the town-house, was brought out to 

 the stable, where a large Newfoundland clog was kept as a 

 watch-dog. This latter individual looked with anything 

 but pleasure on the arrival of the little intruder from the 

 country ; and, consequently, the Scotch terrier had not been 

 very long in his new home when this canine master of the 

 stable attacked him, and, in the language of human beings, 

 gave him a sound thrashing. 



2. The little animal could, of course, never hope by 

 himself to chastise his host for this inhospitable welcome, 

 but he determined that by some agency chastisement should 

 come. Accordingly, he lay very quiet that night in a re- 

 mote corner of the stable, but when morning had fully 

 shone forth he was nowhere to be found. Search was made 

 for him, as the phrase says, high and low, but without 

 success ; and the conclusion reluctantly arrived at was, 

 that he had been stolen. On the third morning after his 

 disappearance, however, he again showed himself in Lon- 

 don, but this time not alone ; for, to the amazement of 

 every one, he entered the stable attended by the big mastiff 

 from Kent. 



3. This great brute had no sooner arrived than he flew 

 at the Newfoundland dog, who had so badly treated his 



