that, seeing he never grasped the desperate dangers of the modern
road, his life, had he been so foolish as to forsake the country for the
town, would probably have been limited to hours. For a better, freer life
he was fortunately born, and he certainly never threw this chance away,
but made the very most of it, and came to great happiness thereby.

Of course it took time; but a beginning was made in those halcyon, summer
days, and the art of working by the hand gradually brought to some
perfection. No little of this dog's gladness in life was centred
eventually in this accomplishment, and he was never happier than when at
practice. The education began by teaching him to lie down at the
command--"Stop there," and then in leaving him behind for gradually
lengthening periods. So well did he know these words, that he would act
on them instantly, and in this way once lost his walk by a slight
misunderstanding. An explanation of the method was being given one day,
when walking with a friend. The opening words were of course used. Some
time after the dog was missed, and it was not until steps had been
retraced for a considerable distance that he was found, lying where he
had first heard the words and looking a little shy.

The next proceeding was to start him, and then to stop him, till by
degrees he came to understand the movement of the hands or arms. In this
way it was possible to send him to great distances, or move him to right
or left, much after the manner in which we who are soldiers move our men.
When a hand was uplifted high, he would drop at once, so that nobody
would think that there was a dog within a mile: he might be lying in
rough grass where the ragwort was high, or the wheat, as they say, was
proud, and be himself invisible. But he could see well enough with those
bright eyes of his, and the moment the arm was waved he was off with a
stride of two yards or more, circling round and making the valley ring to
his glad bark. He always entered into the whole fun of the thing, and
looked upon it as the finest game that had ever been invented.

"Ah, well," remarked Job as he watched, and Scot gave tongue for very
jealousy--"ah, well, I allus liked that dog."

And so did every one.

With each little addition to the sum of knowledge he possessed, master
and dog grew closer to one another. It is always a moot point whether our
dogs consider they belong to the family with which they live, or whether
they do not re