Evening star., 1926-05-07

did Jerks" is no error in the
-jven priority-a crowd would gather.
Soon a class was formed. TO The
great delight of all ouioOkerS the two
or three ranks which paradcd in the
waist of the ship would pitch into 4
oonfused heap when an unexpected
roll came in the middle of difficult
exercise. Spot was always up first
and barked joyously Whcn the audi
tnce laughed.
People stopped offering to huy the
star performer, but many were the
anxious inquiries as TO what Panton
would do when Spot was taken from
him and put in quarantine, a fear
some ordinance as between owner and
dog. but most beneficial law when
tie ravages of hydrophobia are borne
in mind.
Panton had a stereotyped reply.
The kindest thing any one can do
is to forget all about Spot once we
and he said. He has been given
six months imprisonment so often
since we started out East that if the
sentences were consecutive he would
lie doing time for the remainder of the
century"
Although he meant to hoOdwink the
authorities If possible. he had no cut
and-dried scheme in mind. He knew
from old-tme experience at Dover,
tolkestone and all the channel ports
nf the war period that the law was
strictly enforced. Bribery would not
serve. Any kind of CollusiOn by
member of the ships crew was not to
h, thought of. as. if caught. the Of
fender would he fined heavily and
Use his job.
Wen Just trust 70 luck. pup. and
leave it at that" he told Spot. ana
o. Indicated that such was the true
1sophy Of the Northwest.
20 the good ship rolled across the
Atlantic, sped around the north of
Ireland, did her - knots per hour
through the glorious. the unmatched.
.e many believe, panorama Of the
Clyde and was s'Inmarily reduced to
81 crawl when d dense fog settled over
';reenock. Tenders Crept out through
tuc gloom and Crept as carefully back
iu the quay and its customs shed.
Ianton kept a tight hold on his
friend and brought him TO the fore
ptrt Of the small vessel. choosing the
Last ohtrusivc place he could find
ncal. the outer rail when the mooring
rones were made fast. Waiting until
inc gangway was clear of CrowdinG
Iassengers, he lifted Spot In his arms,
dropped him quietly into the sea, and
Signaled that he was TO swim straight
ahead. That was mere bagatelle
for a dog who would cross lake and
scare a. bull moose out into the open.
Spot vanished.
His master strolled past the busy
customs counter. had his passport
stamped, satisfied watchful eyes that
he was not carrying an atom of bag
gage, hurried along the quay until he
came to a boat stairs, and emitted q
shrill. long g-drawn-out whistle. In
remarkably short space of time
dogs head cutting an arrow in the
surface of the smooth water. came
out of the gloom a hearty shake or
two got rid Of most of the surplus
moisture collected during q 300-yard
e paddle, and the two sneaked furtively
into the town, both we'll aware that
they were cuiprtts, because Spot mod
cled his behavior on his masters in
all essential things.
For a long time thereafter two bat
tered pieces of luggage, a tin trunk
and a rawfIitle bag, repOSed unclaimed
in the customs shed at Greenock.
They bore the orthodox labels of
nrst-saloon passenger who wanted
them on the voyage, but the name OF
the owner had been accidentally OBJ
liberated. Probably they are in the
store YET. DelI contents al e VI 9iil"il
value, and this was certainly case
80 which the old adage applied that
sleeping dogs should be let lie.
OF course. the laWbreakers avoided
an trains which might convey the
Inip's passengers to their several des-
tinations Once in Glasgow. they
we're fairly safe. To make assurance
,inuhly sure. they did not travel direct
go London. but took the roundabout
r"utc by way of Edinburgh. And
.,nN. lest record which must deal
mainly with grave and remarkable
,r,lrrences should become a story of
81 dogs career, it may be taken for
..,anled that where John Panton was
spot was never far distant. The four
looted adventurer must bulk large I'm
ino recital, because. as shall he seen.
~, could never be ignored as a factor