The Opelousas courier., 1902-04-05

ton was desperate. He would rise,
he was sure, but only to renew the
struggle. How long he could keep the
dog off he could not tell. Until the
punts came down to his aid? He
thought not.
He came to the surface prepared to
dive again. But the Skipper had dis
appeared. An ejaculation of thanks
giving was yet on the boys lips, when
| the dogs black head rose and moved
swiftly toward him. Billy had a start
Of ten yards-or something more.
He turned on his side and set off at
top speed. There was nc better SWIM
mer among the lads Of the harbor. Was
| he a match for a powerful Newfound-
land dog2 1t was soon evident that
he was not.
The Skipper gained rapidly. Billy
| felt a paw strike his foot. He put
| more force into his strokes. Next the
| paw struck the calf Of his leg. The
dog was now upon him-pawing his
back. Billy could not sustain the
weight. To escape, that he might
take up the fight in another way, he
Owed again.
The dog was waiting when Billy
came up-waiting eagerly, on the alert
to continue the chase.
Skipper, cid fellow-good old dog"
Billy called in a soothing voice.
STEADY, sstha Down, sir-back!"
The<5g was not to be deceived. He
came, sby turns whining and gasping.
He was more excited, more determined,
than ever. Billy waited for him. The
fight was to be face to face. The boy
had determined to keep him off with
his hands until strength failed-to
drown him If he could. All love for
the dog had gone out Of his heart.
The weeks Of close and merry com
partnership, Of romps and rambles
and sport, were forgotten. Billy was
fighting for life. So he waited with.
out pity, hoping only that his strength
might last until he had conquered
When the dog was within reach Billy
struck him in the face. A snarl and an
angry snap was the result.
Rage seemed suddenly to possess the
dog. He held back for a moment,
growing fiercely, and then attacked
with a rush. Billy fought as best he
could, trying to catch his enemy by
the neck and to force his head beneath
the waves. The effort was vain; the
dog eluded his grasp and renewed
the attack. In another moment he
had laid his heavy paws on the boys
The weight was too much for Billy.
Down he went, freed himself, and
to the surface, gasping for |
It appeared to him now that
he had but a moment to live. He felt
self-possession going from him
and at that moment his ears caught
the sound Of a voice.
"Put your ARM"
The voice seemed to come from far
away. Before the sentence was COM
Dleted the dogs paws were again on
shoulders and the water stopped
he boys hearing. What were they
to him? The thought that some
hand was inspired him.
With this new courage to aid. he
for the third time. The voice
vas Observation-Disclosures he came up,
he heard every word.
"Put your arm around his neckw one
nan cried.
Catch him by the scruff of the
leckE' cried another.
Billy's self-possession returned. He
would follow this direction. The Skip
Ter swan a~nxiously to him. 1t may
Re that he wondered what this new at
itude meant. It may be that he hoped
eason had returned to the boy-that
It last he would allow himself to be
aved. Billy caught the dog by the
cruf of the neck when he was within
rms length. The Skipper wagged
lis tail and turned about. There was
brief pause, during which the faith
u1 old dog determined upon the direc-
ion he would take. He espied the
UNITS, which had borne down with all
peed. Toward them he swan, and
here was something of pride in his
strokes, something of exulta-
ion in his whine. Billy struck out
nth his free hand, and soon boy and
og were pulled over the side Of the
earest punt.
Through it all, as Billy now knew,
ne dog had only wanted to save him.
That night Billy Topsail took the
kipper aside for a long and coniden-
al talk. Skipper" said he, Il beg
our pardon. You see, I didn't know
that twas you wanted. I'm sorry I
yer had a hard thought against you, 4
nd I'm sorry I tried to drown you,
When I thought you only wanted tod
ave yourself, twas Billy Topsail you
'ere thinking Of. When I thought
Oh wanted to climb atop of me, twas
" collar you wanted to catch. When
thought you wanted to bite me- twas
scolding you were giving me for
" ~foolishness. Skipper, by, honest,
beg your pardon. Next time I'll
now that all a Newfoundland dog
ants is a chance to tow me ashore. .
I'll give him a whole chance. But: :
don't you think you might
i've given me q chance to do some
ling for myself?"
At which the Skipper wagged his
lil.-Youth's Companion. Z
The Tlirob Artistic.