Jonas to go out after supper, and drive the dog away.

"Let us give him some supper first, father," said Oliver.

"No," said his father; "the more you give him, the more he won't go
away. I expect now, you've fooled with him so much, that it will be hard
to get him off, at any rate."

"_Jonas_ has not fooled with him any," said Oliver.

"Nor I," said Josey.

After supper, Jonas went out, according to orders, to drive Franco away.
It was a raw, windy night, but not very cold. Franco was in a little
shed where there was a well, near the back door. He was lying down, but
he got up and came to Jonas when he saw him appear at the door.

"Come, Franco," said Jonas, "come with me."

Franco wagged his tail, and followed Jonas.

Jonas walked out into the road, Franco after him. He walked along until
he had got to some distance from the house, Franco keeping up with him
all the way, sometimes on one side of the road, and sometimes on the
other. At length, when Jonas thought that he had gone far enough, he
stopped. Franco stopped too, and looked up at Jonas.

"Now, Franco, I've got to send you away. It's a hard case, Franco, but
you and I must both submit to orders. So go off, Franco, as fast as you
can."

So saying, Jonas pointed along the road, in the direction away from the
house, and said, "St---- boy! St---- boy!"

Franco darted along the road a few steps, barked once, and then turned
round, and looked eagerly at Jonas, as if he did not know what he wanted
him to do.

"_Get home_!" said Jonas, in a stern and severe tone; "_get home_!" and
he stamped with his foot upon the ground, and looked at Franco with a
countenance of displeasure.

Franco bounded forward a few steps over the smooth and icy road, and
then he turned round, and stood in the middle of the road, facing Jonas,
and looking very much astonished.

"Get home, Franco!" said Jonas again; and, stooping down, he took a
piece of hardened snow or ice from the road, and threw it towards him.
The ice fell, before it reached Franco, and rolled along towards his
feet, which made him scamper along a little farther; and then he
stopped, and turned around, and looked at Jonas, as before.

Jonas began slowly to turn backwards, keeping his eye on Franco.

"It's a hard case, Franco, I acknowledge. If I had a barn of my own, I'd
let you sleep in a corner of it; but I must obey orders. You must go and
find your master."

So saying, Jonas turned round and walked