alking to get
there; but now, refreshed and revived, Blacky was walking for the
pleasure of a promenade in one of the prettiest paths in the Canton of
Vaud.

Presently a side path appeared, leading off to the left; there was a
short hesitation on the part of Blacky, who reflected, and then passed
it, continuing on his way straight ahead, but not without some doubt and
uncertainty in his manner. Then he stopped; he must have made some
mistake. Yes; for he retraced his steps, and we took the turning to the
left, which, at the end of a hundred feet, led into an open circular
space, and Blacky, with his nose in the air, invited me to contemplate
the highly respectable height of the lofty rocks which formed this
circle. When Blacky thought I had seen sufficient, he turned around, and
we went on again in the path through the woods. Blacky had forgotten to
show me the circle of rocks--a slight error quickly repaired.

The road soon became very mountainous, broken, and difficult, and I
advanced slowly and with many precautions. As to Blacky, he sprang
lightly from rock to rock, but did not forsake me. He waited and fixed
his eyes on me with the most touching solicitude. At last I began to
hear a rushing of water; Blacky commenced barking joyously.

"Courage!" he said to me; "courage! We are nearly there; you will soon
see the Caldron."

It was in truth the Caldron. From a short height a modest stream fell,
splashing and rebounding on a large rock slightly hollowed. I should
never have been consoled for such a steep climb to see such a small
sight if I had not had brave little Blacky for a companion. He, at
least, was much more interesting and marvellous than the Caldron. On
either side of the fall, in little Swiss chalets, were two dairy-maids;
one was a blonde and the other a brunette; both were in their national
dress, and were eagerly on the lookout for my coming, standing on the
door-steps of their tiny houses--little wooden boxes, seemingly cut out
by machine.

It seemed to me that the blonde had very pretty eyes, and I had already
taken several steps towards her when Blacky began to bark emphatically,
and resolutely barred the way. Could he have a preference for the dark
one? I walked in the other direction. That was it; Blacky calmed down as
though by enchantment when he saw me seated at a table in front of the
house of his young protegee. I asked for a cup of milk; Blacky's friend
entered her little toy house, and