bundle is the bitin' end, you can't help bein' nervish a little."

Having finished laying the cloth, Mrs Miff backed out of the room after
the manner of attendants on royalty, overturning two chairs with her
skirts as she went, and showing her full front to the enemy. But the
enemy gave no sign, good or bad. All the tufts were down flat, and he
stood motionless while Mrs Miff retreated.

"Dumps, what do you think of Mrs Miff?"

The doggie ran to me at once, and we engaged in a little further
conversation until my landlady returned with the viands. To my surprise
Dumps at once walked sedately to the hearth-rug, and lay down thereon,
with his chin on his paws--at least I judged so from the attitude, for I
could see neither chin nor paws.

This act I regarded as another evidence of good breeding. He was not a
beggar, and, therefore, could not have spent his childhood with the man
from whom I had bought him.

"I wish you could speak, Dumps," said I, laying down my knife and fork,
when about half finished, and looking towards the hearth-rug.

One end of him rose a little, the other end wagged gently, but as I made
no further remark, both ends subsided.

"Now, Dumps," said I, finishing my meal with a draught of water, which
is my favourite beverage, "you must not suppose that you have got a
greedy master; though I don't allow begging. There, sir, is your
corner, where you shall always have the remnants of my dinner--come."

The dog did not move until I said, "come." Then, with a quick rush he
made for the plate, and very soon cleared it.

"Well, you have been well trained," said I, regarding him with interest;
"such conduct is neither the result of instinct nor accident, and sure
am I, the more I think of it, that the sulky fellow who sold you to me
was not your tutor; but, as you can't speak, I shall never find out your
history, so, Dumps, I'll dismiss the subject."

Saying this, I sat down to the newspaper with which I invariably solaced
myself for half an hour after dinner, before going out on my afternoon
rounds.

This was the manner in which my doggie and I began our acquaintance, and
I have been thus particular in recounting the details, because they bear
in a special manner on some of the most important events of my life.

Being, as already mentioned, a medical student, and having almost
completed my course of study, I had undertaken to visit in one of the
poorest districts in London--in the neighbo