pared to withstand the temptations held out to him, for they were
enough to turn the head of any town lad. To go to a wood was almost
enough, but one with such wonders in was too much--nests and birds of
such rarity. Fox cavern, waterfall, and a dark tarn, besides catching
rats with the dog; he could not stand all that. And then when the
sarcastic remarks of his cousin were put into the scale he was
completely done for, and, turning quite reckless of the consequences, he
let the scale containing duty fly up into the air, and jumped into the
other with his cousins, and away they ran to loosen Dick. But this was
easier said than done, for Dick could see at a glance that there was
mischief afoot, and nearly ran mad with delight: he barked, he leaped,
he tore at his chain, he tugged so that Harry could not unbuckle his
collar; and when at last it was dragged over his head, turning his ears
inside out, and making his rough hair stand up in a bigger Brutus than
ever, and nearly making him blind, he raced round the yard with his
mouth wide open; dashed at the old raven, and knocked him over before he
could hop upon the wall, where he got at last, and shook the dust off
his feathers with an angry "jark;" while Dick, withy staring eyes and
his tongue hanging out, ran right between Philip's legs, made a feint at
Fred, and then leaped right on Harry, who caught hold of his short
stumpy tail as he went down and dragged him towards the gate.

"Whoop," and away; over the field right to the far corner, where the
cattle drank from the little horse-pond, which was black with
podnoddles, wagging and waving their little tails in their hurry to get
into deep water. "Whoop," and away along the lane; all idleness and
fatigue forgotten, and every nerve strained to reach the wished-for
spot, which was only about two miles from the field where the lads
played at cricket.

"Last man there to have two kicks," said Harry, just as he was well in
front, and starting off at full speed, but passed in a moment by Dick,
who raced away, making believe to discover a treasure every two minutes;
and sniffing and barking at every rat or rabbit hole they passed. Off
and away--Harry in front with Dick, Philip next, and Fred panting in the
rear, hot and out of breath with his run, and asking his companions to
stop.

"Whup! whup! whup! yaff! yaff!" said Dick, as they came up to a field
containing a flock of sheep, heavy with their long wool; and over the