The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-06-08

| was NiOhSs anu ohS hhSW AZ was Sill"
SO we left her out-and she went and
sat in the dining-room, SO as to be able
to say she didn't have anything to do
with it if we got into trouble.
Alice and H. o. were to hide in the
furze bushes where Lord Tottenham
changes his collar, and they were to
say "Seize him!" to Pincher, and then
when Pincher had seized Lord Totem
ham we were to go and rescue him
from his deadly peril. And he would
say: SLOW can l reward you, my noble
young preservers?" and it would be all
right.
So we went up to the heath. We were
afraid of being late. Oswald told the
others what pracrastination was, so
they got to the furze bushes little aft
er two o'clock, and it was rather cold
Alice and III. o. and Pincher hid; but
Pincher did not like it any more than
they did, and as we three walked up and
down we heard him whining. And
Alice kept saying: lam so cold. Isn't
he coming yet? And H.O. wanted to
come out and jump about to warm him
self. But we told him he must learn to
be Spartan boy, and that he ought to
be very thankful that he hadn't got
beastly fox eating his inside all the
| time. H.O. is our little brother, and we
are not going to let it be our fault if
he grows up milksop. Because it was
not really cold. So they stayed where
they were. And at last, when even we
other three were beginning to feel
rather chilly, we saw Lord Tottenham's
| big black cloak coming along, tapping
| in the wind like great bird. So we said
to Alice:
"Hist! he approaches. You'll know
when to set Pincher on by hearing Lord
Tottenham talking to himself; he al
ways does while he is taking off his col
lar.'
Then we had walked away whistling,
to show we were not thinking of any
thing. Our lips were rather cold, but
we managed to do it.
Lord Tottenham came striding along,
talking as usual. People call him the
mad protectionist. 1 don't know what
it means, but don't think people ought
to call lord such names.
AS he passed us he said: Ruin of the
country, sir! Fatal error, fatal error"
and then we looked back and saw he
was getting quite near where Pincher
was and Alice and H. o. We walked on,
so that he shouldn't think we were look
ing, and in a minute we heard Pincher
bark, and then nothing for bit, and
then we looked around, and sure
enough good old Pincher had got Lord
Tottenham by the trouser leg, and was
holding on, so we started to run.
Lord Tottenham had got his collar off
it was sticking out sideways under
his ears, and he was shouting "Help!
help! murder!" exactly as if some one
had explained to him beforehand what
he was to do. Pincher was growing
and snarling and holding on. When we
got up to him said
''Dickie, we must rescue this good,
old man.
Lord Tottenham roared in his fury:
Good old man be something-or-oth-
cred! Call the dog Off"
So Dicky said: ut is dangerous
task, but who would hesitate to do an
ACT Oh true bravery
| And all the time Pincher was worry
ing and snarling, and Lord Tottenham
shouting to us to get the dog away.
| And he was dancing about in the road
| with Pincher hanging on like grim
death, and his collar tapping about
| where it was undone.
Then Noel said: "Haste, ere yet it be
too late;" so I said to Lord Tottenham:
| Stand still, aged sir, and L will en-
deavor to alleviate your distress"
He stood still and stopped down and
caught hold of Pincher and whispered:
"Drop it, sir, drop it,
So then Pincher dropped it, and Lord
Tottenham fastened his collar again
he never does change it if there's any
one looking-and he said:
"Pm much obliged, I'm sure. Nasty,
vicious brute. Here's something to
drink my health"
But Oswald explained that we are tee
totalers and do not drink peoples
healths. So Lord Tottenham said:
"Weil, I'm much obliged anyway. And
now I come to think of it, of course
you're not young ruffians, but gentle
mems sons, Ell? Still, you won't be
above taking tip from an old boy-I
wasn't when 1 was your age" and he
pulled out half sovereign.
1t was very silly, but now we had
done it felt it would be beastly mean
to take the old boys chink after put
ting him in such funk. He didn't say
anything about bringing us up as his
own sons, so didn't know what to do.
1 let Pincher go, and was just going to
say he was very welcome and we'd
rather not have the money, which
seemed the best way out of it when
that beastly dog spoilt the whole show.
Directly let go he began to jump up
at us and bark for joy and try to lick
| He Of what