early
so strong, being grown helpless and unwieldly through long habits of
greediness and laziness. I saw that I could easily master him and take
one of his bones by brute force, and at first I felt inclined to help
myself by this means. I thought I had a good right so to do. I actually
wanted the necessaries of life, while he was revelling in superfluous
luxury. Was I not justified, nay more, was I not bound in common sense
and justice to take from him what he did not want, and give it to myself
who did want it? Even if I robbed him of one of his bones, I should
leave him as much as I took away.

_Robbed_--another awkward word! I paused again. Assault and robbery were
perhaps not so mean as sneaking theft, but were they more allowable? The
bones were his own, his property; given to him by some one who had a
right to dispose of them; and though at this moment I might wish for a
more equal distribution, I had sense enough to know that it would be a
bad state of things if every dog were to seize upon every neighbouring
dog's bones at his own discretion. It might suit me at this moment, but
to-morrow a stronger dog might think that _I_ had too much, and insist
upon my relinquishing half of _my_ dinner. Who was to be the judge?
Every dog would differ in opinion as to how much was his own fair share,
and how much might be left to his neighbour. No large dog would allow
another to dine while he himself was hungry; and it would end by the
strongest getting all the bones, while the poor, inferior curs were
worse off than ever. So I determined to respect the rights of property,
for the sake of small dogs as well as for my own.

After all, starvation was not inevitable. It might be possible to get a
dinner without fighting for it. I sat down opposite my new acquaintance,
and entered into civil conversation with him. I found him much more
friendly than I expected. He had certainly been accustomed to more
indulgence and idleness than was good for him, but his natural
disposition was not entirely spoilt. He was the peculiar pet of a lady,
who thought it kindness to cram him from morning till night with food
that disagreed with him, to provide him with no occupation, and to
deprive him of healthy exercise, so that no wonder he had grown lazy and
selfish; but his native spirit was not entirely extinguished, and he
assured me that a bare bone to growl over, and a little comfortable rain
and mud to disport himself in like a dog, were s