The suburban citizen., 1902-02-15


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 a great draft
horse. But he pulled with a will,
Tended for himself, and within the
knowledge Of men had never stolen
a 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'y!'
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 were ready for the sled.
He stood stock-still for the harness,
and at the first Hi, by! Gee up,
therep' he bounded away with a
wagging tail and a glad bark. 1t was
as if nothing pleased him so much on
a frosty morning as the prospect of
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-quiver for
what might come, to where young
Billy waited. Qn Newfoundland the
law requires that all dogs shall be
clOgged as a precautiOn against their
killing sheep and goats which run
wild. The clog is III the form OF
billet Of wood weighing at least
seven and half pounds, and tied to
the dogs neck) II the clog were
taken off,-as it was almost sure 10
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 be
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 a lookout ahead, that he was
called the Skipper.
Sure, it's a clever Cog, thatg' was
Billys boast. He would save life
that dog wouldw
This was proved beyond doubt when
little Isaiah Tommy Goodman tcddied
over the wharfhead, where he Lad been
playing with a squid. Isaiah Tommy
was four years old, and would sure
~ have been drowned had not the Skip
per strolled down the wlars Just at
that moment.
The Skipper was obedient to the
Instinct of all Newfoundland dogs to
drag the sons of men from the water.
He plunged t. 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
ful 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
a 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 afectionate behavior.
In honesty-although the fish were
even then drying on the flakes, all ex.
posed, and he carried his clog like
hero.
skipper" Billy Topsail would cJac.
ulate, you do be clever dog!"
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
fish 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 were hardly discernible, for the mist
hung thick off the shore. -Four punts
and a skiff were bObbing half a 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
Eilly to the dog. "'Tls getting thick
In the sou'west."
-he Skipper stretched himself and
Wagged his tail lie 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.
lis that, Billy, by" said he. "Tbe
punts as much as one hand can man.
age In fair wind. An It's a dead heat
to the harbor now"
Then Billy said a word for himself
wen put IN for ballast. The uunfs
too light for a gale"
He sculled the punt TO tba Ilttlo
cove by the Head nud tha,.o 1oo1., =,