r I can call it nothing else, and I
uttered the one word:

"Gyp!"

It was magical in its effects, for the faithful beast it was, and
uttering a low cry of delight he began nuzzling about my face, licking
me, pawing me, and crouching closer to me, as all the while he kept up a
regular patting noise with his tail.

My speech had returned now, and with it a feeling of shame for my
cowardice, as I thought it then, though I do not think so hardly about
it now.

"Gyp, you good old dog!" I whispered. "And so you've found me out!"

I suppose he did not understand my words, but he liked the sound of my
voice, for he continued his eager demonstrations of delight, many of
which were exceedingly unwelcome. But unwelcome or no I could not help
myself, and had to lie there passive till, apparently satisfied that
enough had been done, Gyp crouched close to me with his head upon my
breast.

For a time I thought he was asleep, and thoroughly enjoying the
consolation of his company in my wretched position, I lay thinking of
the wonderful instinct of the animal, and of his training to be silent,
for in spite of the excitement of our meeting he had not barked once.

But Gyp was not asleep, for at the slightest sound outside he raised his
head quickly, and in the deep silence I could hear the great hairy ears
give quite a flap as he cocked them up.

As the noise died away or failed to be repeated, he settled down again
with his head upon my breast till some fresh sound arose--a distant cry
in the forest, or a voice talking in some neighbouring hut, when he
would start up again, and once uttered a low menacing growl, which made
me think what an unpleasant enemy he would be to a bare-legged savage.

Once more Gyp uttered a low growl; but after that he lay with his head
upon my breast, and I could feel his regular breathing. Then he lifted
a paw and laid it by his nose, but evidently it was not a comfortable
position, and he took it down. And there we lay in that black silence,
while I wished that dog could speak and tell me where my friends where;
whether they had sent him, or whether his own instinct had led him to
hunt me out. Whichever way it was, I felt a curious kind of admiration
for an animal that I had before looked upon as a kind of slave, devoted
to his master, and of no interest whatever to anyone else.

"Poor old Gyp!" I thought to myself, and I wished I could pat his head.

I kept on wishing that I could pay h