THE HALF-MONKEY. 



41 



it stood straight out, and made that member look 

 enormously large. The tool with which he ac- 

 complished so much was his curious row of lower 

 front teeth, which ended in points almost as 

 sharp as needles, and projected so much that 

 they could not be used to bite, but made an 

 effective scraper for the skin, or a comb for his 

 own gray wool. 



Warmed and dressed, the playful fellow began 

 his evening's amusement. If the master's quiet 

 game of cribbage was going on, he often began 

 by springing without warning to the middle of 

 the table, scattering cards like chaff, upsetting 

 cribbage-board and sending the pegs flying, slap- 

 ping cards out of the hands of the players and 

 biting needle-like holes in them. 



To make a great commotion of any sort was 

 his delight. Sitting peacefully on my lap, or 

 lying flat upon his stomach, every limb stretched 

 out, apparently the most innocent and harmless 

 of pets, he would often quietly rise to his feet, 

 and, before I suspected him, snatch my book out 

 of my hand or spring over it into my face. If 

 I started at this rough salute, as I was tolerably 

 sure to do, he was struck with panic, gave one 

 mighty bound to the mantel, the bracket of a 

 lamp, the edge of an open door, or the floor, 

 where he stood a few seconds motionless as he 

 alighted. A fright, indeed, always struck him 



