Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-07-03


49, in Ruddy Cove, which is on
the northeast coast. He had black
hair short, straight and wiry,-the
curly haired breed has failed on the
island,-and broad, ample shoulders,
which his forbears had transmitted TO
him from generations Of hauling
wood.
He was heavy, awkward and ugly,
resembling somewhat Il great draft
horse. But he pulled with a will,
Tended for himself, and within the
knowledge of men had never stolen
fish; so he had a high place in the
hearts of all the people Of the Cove,
and a safe one in their estimation.
Skipper. Skipper! Here, b'yp'
The ringing call, in the voice Of
young Billy Topsail, his master, a
fisherman's son, never failed to bring
the dog from the kitchen with an
eager rush, when the snow lay deep
on the rocks and all the paths Of the
| wilderness We're ready for the sled.
He stood stock-still for the harness,
and at the first Hi, by! Gee up,
therer' he bounded away with Il
wagging tail and a glad bark. 1t was
as il nothing pleased him 50 much on
frosty morning as the prospect OF a
hard days work.
If the call came In summertime
when the Skipper was doing IN the
| cool shadow of a flake,-a platform
of boughs for drying fish,-he
scramled to his feet, took his clog In
his mouth and ran, all a-quiyer Tor
what might come, to where young
Billy waited. Qn Newfoundland the
law requires that all dogs shall be
clogged as precaution against their
killing sheep and goats which run
wild. The clog is in the form of a
billet Of wood, weighing at least
seven and a half pounds, and tied to
the dogs neck.) If the clog were
taken off,-as it was almost sure to
be,-it meant sport in the water.
Then the Skipper would paw the
ground and whine until the stick was
flung out for him. But best Of all he
loved to dive for stones.
At the peep of many a day, too, he
went out in the punt to the fishing
grounds with Billy Topsail, and there
kept the lad good company all the
day long. 1t was because he sat on
the little cuddy in the bow, as IL
keeping 4 lookout ahead, that he was
called the Skipper.
Sure. tits q clever dog that!" was
Billys boast. HE would save life
that dog would"
This was proved beyond doubt when
little Isaiah Tommy Goodman toddled
over the wharfhead, where he had been
playing with a squid. Isaiah Tommy
was four years old, and would sure
ly have been drowned had not the Skip
per strolled down the wharf just at
that moment.
The Skipper was obedient to the
instinct of all Newfoundland dogs to
drag the sons of men from the water.
lie plunged l. and caught Isaiah Tom
my by the collar Of his pinafore. Still
following his instinct, he kept the
child's head above water with power
full strokes of his fore paws while he
towed him to shore. Then the outcry
which Isaiah Tommy Immediately set
up brought his mother to complete
| the rescue.
For this deed the Skipper was petted
day and half, and fed with fried
caplin and salt pork, to his evident
qualification. No doubt he was per-
suaded that he had acted worthily.
However that be, he continued in
merry moods, in afeectionate behavior,
in honesty-althoug the fish were
even then drying on the flakes, all ex-
posed, and he carried his clog like Il
hero.
skipper" Billy Topsail would cjac-
ulate, you do be clever dogr'
One day in the fall of the year, when
high winds spring suddenly from the
land, Billy Topsail was fishing from
the punt, the Never Give Up, over
the shadows of Mol.y's Head. 1t was
'hsh weather." as the Ruddy Cove
men say-gray, cold and misty. The
harbor entrance lay two miles to the
southwest The bluffs which marked
1t We're hardly discernible, for the mist
hung thick off the shore Four punts
and a skiff We're bobbing half mile
farther out to sea, their crews fishing
with hook and line over the side.
Thicker weather threatened, and the
day was near spent.
'Tis time to be off home, by" said
Billy to the dog. "'Tis getting thick
In the sou'wcst."
The Skipper stretched himself and
wagged his tail. He had no word to
say, but Billy, who like all fishermen
IN remote places, had formed the habit
OF talking to himself, supplied the
answer.
""Tis that, Billy, by" said he. "The
punts as much as one hand can man.
age In fair wind. An tits a dead beat
to the harbor now"
Then Billy said a word for himself
"We'n put in for ballast. The punt's
too light for a gale"
He sculled the punt to the little