er, forget
this day."

"Nor I," groaned Head-nurse, "but 'tis for the Heir-to-Empire."

It was a full hour before the slope ended in a level bog, on the other
side of which began a visible descent. Then in the angled hills a blue
shadow began to rise, telling of a valley below them.

"Bismillah!" (Thanks be to God) cried Foster-father piously. And every
one echoed the remark except Baby Akbar. He turned round and looked back
at the snowy peaks which were beginning to show behind them.

"Amma, Dadda 'way 'way mountains," he said regretfully and his little
mouth went down as for a cry, when everybody's attention was distracted
by the sudden appearance of a huge furry black dog which came bounding
down the hill side, its big white teeth gleaming as it uttered shrill,
sharp, growling barks.

Head-nurse and Foster-mother shrieked with fright, little Adam ran like
a hare for the shelter of his mother's petticoats, and Meroo the
cook-boy, remembering his bare legs--for like all Indian scullions he
wore short cotton drawers--squatted down where he was standing, in order
to protect them. Even Roy, brave boy that he was, looked uncomfortable,
and both Foster-father and Old Faithful whipped out their swords.

These were not needed, however, for the next instant a wild-looking
figure clad in a brown blanket started up from behind a rock and shouted
to the dog. It stopped instantly, but stood still--snarling, though
obedient.

It was the funniest looking dog you can imagine. Bigger than a big
collie, it was furry all over even to its tail. And it was black as ink.
In fact with its tiny prick ears and small sharp pointed muzzle all lost
in a huge soft black ruff and nothing to be seen but red tongue, white
teeth and beady black eyes, it was a regular golliwog of a dog.

When Foster-father saw the man in the brown blanket, who from his crook
was evidently a shepherd, he heaved a sigh of relief. "Now," he said,
"we shall be able to find out our way."

But he was mistaken. The man did not understand a word they said,
neither could they understand a word he said.

Head-nurse was in despair. "He speaks like a ghost of the desert," she
wept. "We shall all die of starvation before he understands."

"Die?" echoed Foster-father stoutly. "Not so, woman! There is one
language all understand."

Whereupon he placed himself right in front of the shepherd, opened his
mouth wide and then shook his head. Next he pointed to his stomach a