Year: 1873

Toby and Jip are two four-footed
friends of mine, much more interesting
and amusing than some that go on two


feet. Master Toby is an Englishman by


birth, of distinguished blood and breed


ing, born during the late war. His smooth


shiny coat is of olive-brown, with dark
stripes, like tiger; his eyes also are


brown, and soft and liquid as a child's.
He is very dignified and slow in all his
| movements; thinks always before he acts,


and then does exactly the thing he means
to, without any hurry or hustle. He is


large, even for mastiff and were he cross


instead of good -natured l should not want
tussle with him.


Master Jip is a wiry little Scotchman, a
genuine Dandy Dinmont, hardly as many
weeks old as Toby is years. They are
very good friends in general, because
Toby humors the little fellow, lets him
scramble over his back eat of his dinner,
and occasionally runs a race with him
down the long avenue. This last per-


formance makes Toby particularly good
natured, because he always wins the race;
his long stride easily gives him the vic.
tory, and he stands quietly by the gate till
Jip arrives, tumbling head over heels in
his eagerneSS.


There is one familiarity, however, that
Toby will not permit: No one-not even
Jip-can share the big soft mat in the
corner where Toby sleeps every night,
and, now that his years increase, a good
part of the day also. Jip knows just As
well as any one that it is forbidden
ground, and, like some little girls and
boys know, is all the more eager to
trespass.


He does not get chance very often, for
he would sooner jump into the fire than
to put foot on the sacred mat if Toby
were in sight; but it CHANGED one day
that Toby was investigating the contents
of an unusually interesting butchers cart,
and was absent longer than usual. Jip
came in from his morning walk, spied tho
vacant mat, looked continuously round
with his little bright black eyes, hoped
into the very center of the forbidden land,
curled himself up comfortably, and, his
head on his fore-paws, shut his eyes and
pretended very seriously that he was
sound asleep. In came master Toby,
ready for his napl The look of suspicion
and indignation that came into his face
when he saw his place occupied by saucy
master Jip, was very funny. He looked
calmly at the intruder for a few moments,
walked slowly to the hall door, which
opened into the kitchen, showed it open
with his head, walked as slowly across
the kitchen to the outside door and pushed
that wide open; then he came back, took
up master Jip by the nape of his neck





kitchen, and dropped him outside the
door in the yard.


Of course he did not hurry back; he
never was known to hurry, except when
running a race; but he returned in a COM
Portable, victorious fashion, that made it
funnier still to see his face when he found
Jip in just the same placel


He looked steadfastly at the puppy,
still, to all appearance, sound asleep; he
lifted his right paw over his head and
across his face, as if to say to himself,
"Am awake or dreaming? I certainly
thought took up that young fellow and
carried him out; but suppose didn't!
l will do it now certainlyr'


So Toby showed the doors open again,
took JipSnce more by the neck Il think
it must have hurt him, but he did not
dare make sound), and put him out into
the yard. When he got back again, how
ever, there was that impudent little fellow
curled up quietly in the center of his
mat!


1t was too much for a dog-even for q
high bred mastif-to endure! He looked
around, up and down the hall,
to discover if possible some explanation
Of the mystery. At length he saw the hall
window was wide open; 1 think he smiled
with satisfaction; at all events his lips part
I'd, and l could see every one of his great
white teeth; then he opened his mouth SO
vide thought his jaw would crack, and
shut his teeth with snap that said, I've
sot you nOw!"


Jip had been very cute, think He
Jaw the open window, and knew it was
horter way back to the mat to jump
through than to walk round so each time
le scrambled back, and got a. ely ar
anged before Toby's return, rather en-
Dying the practical joke, l think. He
lid not have anot.1er chance, however, for
master Toby was as wise as master Jip, if
'ou gave him time enough to think.


This time he took Jip by the neck quite
rmly, got up on the great hall chair and
ropped the culprit out of the window.
'hen quietly, and with the utmost dignity,
ot down, again took possession of his
ard-won field, with a grunt of satisfac-
ion, and settled himself for long nap
little Corporal.