point with much pride, while Speug endeavoured to look
unconscious as the owner of this instrument of war.

"Dod, I'll have a try myself," said Bulldog. "It's many a year since
I've spun a top. Where's yir string?" and he strode up the walk winding
the top, and the boys behind looked at one another, while Nestie
triumphed openly.

"Are you frightened, Speug?" he whispered. "Ain't he great? And just you
wait; you haven't begun to see things yet, not h-half."

Upon the doorstep Bulldog spun the top with a right hand that had not
lost its cunning, but rather had been strengthened by much cane
exercise. "It's sleeping," he cried in huge delight. "If you dare to
touch it, pity you!" but no one wished to shorten its time, and the
three hung over that top with fond interest, as Bulldog timed the
performance with his watch, which he extricated from his trouser pocket.

"Ye're a judge of rabbits, Speug," said the master. "I would like to
have yir advice," and as they went down through the garden they halted
at a place, and the robins came and sat on Bulldog's shoulder and took
crumbs out of his hand, and a little further on the thrushes bade him
welcome, and he showed the boys where the swallows had built every year,
and they also flew round his head.

"If ye dinna meddle with them, the birds 'ill no be afraid o' you, will
they, Dandie?" and the old terrier which followed at his heels wagged
his tail and indicated that he also was on good terms with every living
thing in the garden.

No one in the Seminary ever could be brought to believe it, even
although Speug tried to inculcate faith with his fists, that Bulldog had
carried out a litter of young rabbits in his hat for inspection, and
that, before the three of them laid themselves out for a supper of
strawberries, Speug had given to his master the best knowledge at his
command on the amount of green food which might be given with safety to
a rabbit of adult years, and had laid it down with authority that a
moderate amount of tea-leaves and oatmeal might be allowed as an
occasional dainty.

After the attack on the strawberries, in which Speug greatly
distinguished himself, and Bulldog urged him on with encouraging words,
they had tarts and lemonade in the house, where not a sign of cane or
tawse could be found. Bulldog drew the corks himself, and managed once
to drench Speug gloriously, whereat that worthy wiped his face with his
famous red handkerchief and was inordin