praise the
brave? If you thought this, dear Job, you did me and others wrong, great
wrong. There are some dogs, at least, who may forget an injury, but who
never forget a noble action, and I have too great a love for my species
to let you think so. I shall see you again, dear Job, though I must leave
you now. I should be blamed if it were known that I came here to talk to
you as I have done; but I could not help it, I could not let you believe
that a noble heart was not understood in Caneville. Adieu. Do not forget
the name of Fida."

She stooped down, and for a moment her silky hair waved on my rough
cheek, while her soft tongue gently licked my face. Before I could open
my mouth in reply--before, indeed, I had recovered from my surprise, and
the admiration which this beautiful creature caused me, she was gone. I
sprang on to my legs to observe which way she went, but not a trace of
her could I see, and I thought it would not be proper to follow her. When
I felt certain of being alone, I could hardly restrain my feelings. I
threw myself on my back, I rolled upon the grass, I turned head over
heels in the boisterousness of my spirit, and then gambolled round and
round like a mad thing.

Did I believe all the flattering praises which the lovely Fida had
bestowed on me? I might perhaps have done so then, and in my inexperience
might have fancied that I was quite a hero. Time has taught me another
lesson. It has impressed upon me the truth, that when we do our duty we
do only what should be expected of every dog; only what every dog ought
to do. Of the two, Fida had done the nobler action. She had shown not
only a promptness to feel what she considered good, but she had had the
courage to say so in private to the doer, although he was of the poorest
and she of the richest class of Caneville society. In saving the little
pup's life, I had risked nothing; I knew my strength, and felt certain I
could bring him safely to the shore. If I had _not_ tried to save the
poor little fellow I should have been in part guilty of his death. But
she, in bestowing secret praise and encouragement upon a poor dog who had
no friends to admire her for so doing, while her action would perhaps
bring blame upon her from her proud friends, did that which was truly
good and noble.

The thought of returning to my solitary home after the sad scene of the
night before, and particularly after the new feelings just excited, was
not a pleasant one. T