rawing his hand, hurried it into his breeches pocket--"but what!
did not she scratch Joe Webster's little boy's hand into ribbons,
because the boy tried to prevent her running off with a ball of string?"

"And well," grunted the Corporal, "that was not Jacobina's doing, that
was my doing. I wanted the string--offered to pay a penny for it--think
of that!"

"It was priced three pence ha'penny," said Peter.

"Augh--baugh! you would not pay Joe Webster all he asks! What's the use
of being a man of the world, unless one makes one's tradesmen bate a
bit? Bargaining is not cheating, I hope?"

"God forbid!" said Peter.

"But as to the bit string, Jacobina took it solely for your sake. Ah,
she did not think you were to turn against her!"

So saying, the Corporal, got up, walked into his house, and presently
came back with a little net in his hand.

"There, Peter, net for you, to hold lemons. Thank Jacobina for that; she
got the string. Says I to her one day, as I was sitting, as I might be
now, without the door, 'Jacobina, Peter Dealtry's a good fellow, and
he keeps his lemons in a bag: bad habit,--get mouldy,--we'll make him
a net: and Jacobina purred, (stroke the poor creature, Peter!)--so
Jacobina and I took a walk, and when we came to Joe Webster's I pointed
out the ball o'twine to her. So, for your sake, Peter, she got into this
here scrape--augh."

"Ah!" quoth Peter laughing, "poor Puss! poor Pussy! poor little Pussy!"

"And now, Peter," said the Corporal, taking his friend's hand, "I am
going to prove friendship to you--going to do you great favour."

"Aha!" said Peter, "my good friend, I'm very much obliged to you. I know
your kind heart, but I really don't want any"--

"Bother!" cried the Corporal, "I'm not the man as makes much of doing
a friend a kindness. Hold jaw! tell you what,--tell you what: am going
away on Wednesday at day-break, and in my absence you shall--"

"What? my good Corporal."

"Take charge of Jacobina!"

"Take charge of the devil!" cried Peter.

"Augh!--baugh!--what words are those? Listen to me."

"I won't!"

"You shall!"

"I'll be d--d if I do!" quoth Peter sturdily. It was the first time he
had been known to swear since he was parish clerk.

"Very well, very well!" said the Corporal chucking up his chin,
"Jacobina can take care of herself! Jacobina knows her friends and her
foes as well as her master! Jacobina never injures her friends, never
forgives foes. Look to yoursel