sn't
much people about that day, and close at hand was only one man, a
tall, thin chap, with a 'ook nose and a pointed beard, with a few
white hairs runnin' through it. He had a 'ard, cold look and red
eyes, and I took a sort of mislike to him, for it seemed as if it
was 'im as they was hirritated at. He 'ad white kid gloves on 'is
'ands, and he pointed out the animiles to me and says, 'Keeper,
these wolves seem upset at something.'

"'Maybe it's you,' says I, for I did not like the airs as he
give 'isself. He didn't get angry, as I 'oped he would, but
he smiled a kind of insolent smile, with a mouth full of white,
sharp teeth. 'Oh no, they wouldn't like me,' 'e says.

"'Ow yes, they would,' says I, a-imitatin' of him. 'They
always like a bone or two to clean their teeth on about tea
time, which you 'as a bagful.'

"Well, it was a odd thing, but when the animiles see us
a-talkin' they lay down, and when I went over to Bersicker
he let me stroke his ears same as ever. That there man kem
over, and blessed but if he didn't put in his hand and stroke
the old wolf's ears too!

"'Tyke care,' says I. 'Bersicker is quick.'

"'Never mind,' he says. I'm used to 'em!'

"'Are you in the business yourself?' I says, tyking off my
'at, for a man what trades in wolves, anceterer, is a good
friend to keepers.

"'Nom,' says he, 'not exactly in the business, but I 'ave made pets
of several.' And with that he lifts his 'at as perlite as a lord,
and walks away. Old Bersicker kep' a-lookin' arter 'im till 'e was
out of sight, and then went and lay down in a corner and wouldn't
come hout the 'ole hevening. Well, larst night, so soon as the moon
was hup, the wolves here all began a-'owling. There warn't nothing
for them to 'owl at. There warn't no one near, except some one that
was evidently a-callin' a dog somewheres out back of the gardings in
the Park road. Once or twice I went out to see that all was right,
and it was, and then the 'owling stopped. Just before twelve
o'clock I just took a look round afore turnin' in, an', bust me, but
when I kem opposite to old Bersicker's cage I see the rails broken
and twisted about and the cage empty. And that's all I know for
certing."

"Did any one else see anything?"

"One of our gard'ners was a-comin' 'ome about that time from a
'armony, when he sees a big gray dog comin' out through the garding
'edges. At least, so he says, but I don't give much for it myself,
for if