Year: 1870

that dog, I said to myself, Lilly Trot,


there has been foul play with your |
old mate, and you must find out what
has become of him ?"


And here Lilly Trot, having work
ed up his story dramatically, dropped
into the curtain of silence upon the
act, and paused for a while. The
night by this time was somewhat ad-
vanced, and a distant rolling of thun-
der betokened the possible approach
of storm. | could only see my COM


panion's face when it was lighted up


by the glare from the blazing tree,


and then it looked strangely weird


like. The shadows that were created


by the Pickering fire seemed to be i'm


bued with life, and to mock the ele-


ment that shaped them. Lilly Trot


dug his heel into the blazing trunk,


and a shower of sparks flew upwards,


and thousand fantastic shades tore


at the bosom of the earth; then, as


the bright sparks died in the gloomy


night and fell to earth, the dark shad-


ows ran up the trees and leapt from


branch to branch, from trunk to trunk,


until they were lost in the black


depths of the surrounding forest. |


could imagine them creeping on US,


when the fire was extinguiShed like


stealthy deyils-gliding toward US
from tree to tree, until they came up.


on US while we were sleeping, and


struck US dead. The scene was drear


enough for the creation of those or


other lancieS as strange. | was glad


when Lilly Trot resumed his story.


The sight Of that dog" he continu-


ed, "did give me a turn. | felt as if


fash oflightning had lighted up my


brain. ] had fifty pictures in my mind


in moment, but the ugliest one of


them all was the picture of my dear


old Sandy Jim lying dead upon the


ground, and German Alf grinning


over him. Lion was the finest and


most faithful beast | ever knew; and


had often heard Sandy Jim say that


he would rather be a poor beggar all


his life with Lion for a companion,


than a rich cove without him. He


was a brave dog. Il was difficult


matter getting out of his clutches, if
| his blood was up, once you were in


them. He would hold on like grim


death; and in former times had been


the terror OF every dog in the neigh


borhood. He was cut and bitten all


over from the battles he had fought.


How the dickens German ALI manag-


ed to keep him, and how he had got


hold of him at ALL was more than |


was ever able TO discover. The best


part Of all this came into my head


while | was having my tea in a grog-


shanty near German Alfs tent. For


after | caught sight of Lion | crept
quietly away; it was not dark enough


yet for me to do anything, and | did
not want German All to see me skull
ling about his tent. | made inquiries
about German All, and found that he
was generally disliked, that he did
not associate with any Of the gold


diggers. and that he was spoken of by
: nearly everybody as a miserly, rich,
surly German thief. One thing l
! made up my mind to, and that was to
have Sandy Jim's dog that very night.
so, when it got dark, | watched
German AIf out of his tent-where
he was living all by himself, and not


with two mates, as he had told me


and when he was we'll out of sight, l
; crept near to the dogs chain. Not
near enough for him to get hold OF


me; knew the nature OF the dog too
well for that. Lions chain ratified as
l approached; and | knew by that


and a low kind Of groBl that he used
to give-a growl that would last for
L five minutes together, without hi;


seeming % wait to catch breath-that
j Lion knew there was some perso1
= near his tub, who, perhaps, didn
s have any business there. There wa.
J an old tune that Sandy Jim used tC
y whistle-a tune that | never heard
0 from anybody but himself; he called
| it The Ploughman's Delight So
q while the dog was growing, | con
h menced to whistle this tune, in exact
d imitation of my mate. As whistled
1t Lions growing grew fainter anc
l. fainter, until it stopped altogether
II and then | knew that the dog was
q puzzled and was considering; for ht
Is and | had always been good friends


and he had heard me whistle FTht
e Ploughman's Delight a good man,
n, times. | whistled the tune right thro
1t and then | called, Lion Lion 7 In
b. moment the dog came towards me a
- far as the chain would allow him
is and then ! took courage to creel
N closer to him. Lion Lion T called
re and | put out my hand. He knew M
| directly. He licked my hand, and
| crept right up to him and playe,
fe with him. He jumped about me wit
= SO much delight that | thought h
if would break his chain. And sur
h. enough he did break it, swapping i
H. clean away from the side of the tent
n | could not have wished for anythin
O. better. as now German ALI, when
e, found that Lion was gone, would nc
d, be so certain that had made off wit
m him; and | did not want to arous
if AlfS suspicious.


at a made off at once into the busl
ed the rattle Of the chain along the groun
on telling me that the dog was close O
or my heels; and when we had got t
'rt what | considered safe distance,
IN knelt down and wrenched the cola
at from Lions throat and threw it ava,
ch Now Lion | said, placing his tw
nd forepaws against my shoulders, an
Nv looking into his eyes-it was dar
ne but | could see his eyes blazing-'no'
tie Lion, want to find out what has b
nd come of Sandy Jim, your governo
on my old boy. l don't believe he hs
- been rightly dealt with; and if an
" thing foul has happened to him, l
I'd, find it out, so help me God and ye
ad shall help me to do it. Upon II


l word, the faithful old dog knew wh'


l | was saying as well as l did mysel
ch- and | do believe that he swore an GA
Wn "a strong as mine that he Wonld he