he spoke he thrust the knife point right into the centre of the white
patch, fully half an inch; and the dog, utterly stupefied by the poison,
or else from some misty knowledge that it was being helped, hardly
winced, but lay with one eye open, looking up at Tom, who laid the head
down upon the grass. For a few moments there was nothing to see but the
little gaping cut. Then a tiny drop of black blood appeared, then very
slowly another, and soon after a little thread of discoloured blood
trickled gently away.

"He's a-goin' to croak," said Pete hoarsely, and he looked in an
agonised way at Tom.

"I hope not. That may do him good."

"But oughtn't you to tie it up with a handkychy?"

"No; that must be better out of him. I say, look here--can't you carry
him to that hole of yours under the fir-trees?"

Pete looked at him sharply.

"Well, I know where it is," said Tom. "If you lay him down there, out
of the sun, perhaps he'll get better."

Pete nodded, and passing his hands under the dog, lifted it in his arms,
to begin tramping through the furze-bushes toward the distant pines,
from which he had seen and stalked Tom not so long before.

"Shall I come with you?" said Tom.

"If yer like," was the reply, and Tom followed; and when after a time
Pete stopped to rest, he relieved him, and carried the dog for some
distance, holding it too when the pit was reached, and Pete lowered
himself down to take it, and creep in with it to place it on his
fir-needle bed.

Tom followed, and the two lads knelt there in the semi-darkness looking
at the patient, which lay for some minutes just as it had been placed.

"He is a-going to croak," said Pete suddenly, for the door gave a feeble
whine, and then stretched itself out.

"No, he isn't--he's going to sleep," said Tom, for the dog yawned, and
then curled itself up tightly, apparently falling into a stupor at once,
for it did not stir.

"Perhaps he'll come round," said Tom, backing out of the hole. "Now,
show me where the nearest water is."

"It ain't fur now," said Pete, following him. "It's where I gets water
to drink;" and starting off for the edge of the fir-wood, Tom followed,
feeling puzzled at the change that had come over the scene.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

In a few minutes Pete stopped at the edge of a hollow, where, half
covered by sedge rushes and bog plantain, there lay a good-sized pool of
clear water, down to which Tom made his way, followed by his