o I have received lessons from
them. I have developed their intelligence; they have formed my
character."

I laughed. This seemed strange to me.

"You find that odd," he continued; "odd that a dog could give a lesson
to a man, yet it is true. The master is obliged to watch over himself
when he undertakes to teach a dog. The dog takes after the master. Show
me your dog and I'll tell you what you are. The criminal has a dog who
is a rogue. The burglar's dog is a thief; the country yokel has a
stupid, unintelligent dog. A kind, thoughtful man has a good dog."

I was very nervous at the thought of appearing before the public the
next day. The dogs and the monkey had the advantage over me, they had
played before, hundreds of times. What would Vitalis say if I did not
play my part well? What would the audience say? I was so worried that,
when at last I dropped off to sleep, I could see in my dreams a crowd of
people holding their sides with laughter because I was such a fool.

I was even more nervous the next day, when we marched off in a
procession to the market place, where we were to give our performance.
Vitalis led the way. Holding his head high and with chest thrown out, he
kept time with his arms and feet while gayly playing his fife. Behind
him came Capi, carrying Pretty-Heart on his back, wearing the uniform of
an English general, a red coat and trousers trimmed with gold braid and
helmet topped with a plume. Zerbino and Dulcie came next, at a
respectful distance. I brought up the rear. Our procession took up some
length as we had to walk a certain space apart. The piercing notes of
the fife brought the people running from their houses. Scores of
children ran behind us, and by the time we had reached the square, there
was a great crowd. Our theater was quickly arranged. A rope was fastened
to four trees and in the middle of this square we took our places.

The first numbers on the program consisted of various tricks performed
by the dogs. I had not the slightest notion what they did. I was so
nervous and taken up in repeating my own part. All that I remember was
that Vitalis put aside his fife and took his violin and played
accompaniments to the dogs' maneuvers; sometimes it was dance music,
sometimes sentimental airs.

The tricks over, Capi took a metal cup between his teeth and began to go
the round of the "distinguished audience." When a spectator failed to
drop a coin in, he put his two fore paws upon the r