had been sniffing the air, reminiscently, for a few
seconds. Now, his eyes verified what his nostrils had told him. A
pallidly glaring and shaking man, leaning against the veranda rail for
support, had an oddly familiar scent and appearance to Laddie.

The collie stepped forward to investigate. The nerve-smashed Higham saw
him coming; and thrust out one gloved hand in frightened rebuff.

The flicking gesture was unpleasantly like a blow. As the menacing hand
slapped toward his jaws, Lad caught at it, in wary self-defense.

He recalled this man, now. He remembered he had been bidden to "watch"
him. He did not spring at his assailant. But a warning snap answered
the frenzied thrust of the hand. His teeth closed lightly on the
glove-fingers, just as Higham, in fear, jerked back his arm.

The loose glove came away in the dog's mouth.

Colonel Osbourne, wheeling about to demand some explanation of his
kennel-manager, beheld a bare hand as vividly crimson as Lochaber
King's ruined coat.

"Laddie," observed the Mistress, that evening, as she placed on the top
trophy-shelf an embossed silver cup, antique, and nine inches high, and
stood back pride fully, to note the effect. "Laddie, I know--I just
KNOW,--you'd have won it, even if poor Lochaber King had competed.
But,--oh, I wish I could make head or tail of any of the things that
have happened, today! How do you suppose it all started, anyhow, dear?"
she asked, turning to her husband for help in the riddle.

"I'd be willing to bet a year's pay it 'all started' about six feet
from shore in this lake," responded the Master, "and about a fortnight
ago."

But he spoke it in the depths of his own guiltily exultant heart.
Outwardly, he merely grinned; and said with vacuous conviction:

"Laddie, you're a grand dog. And,--if you didn't win that cup from
Lochaber King in one way, you certainly won it in another!"

CHAPTER IV. Hero-Stuff

Life was monstrous pleasant, for Lad, at the Place. And never, except
in early puppyhood, was he lonely. Never until the Master was so
foolish as to decide in his own shallow human mind that the big collie
would be happier with another collie for comrade and mate.

After that, loneliness more than once crept into Laddie's serene life;
and into the dark sorrowful eyes behind which lurked a soul. For, until
one has known and relied on the companionship of one's kind, there can
be no loneliness.

The Master made another blunder--this o