of mournful
thoughts of his lost Master to permit of his inquiring closely into
those smells and other details of his immediate surroundings, which
would have interested him in ordinary circumstances.

Now, as his eyes fell upon the green gate, an overpowering desire
to see the Master swept through his mind. He had no intention of
running away from his new owner. His one thought was just to run
down to the old lodging and see the Master again. His hind-quarters
bent under him, and the next instant saw him neatly clearing the
top of the five-foot gate, with never a thought of the
consternation he left behind him in poor Mr. Sandbrook's mind.

Before the portly merchant had the gate fairly open, Finn had
trotted thirty or forty yards down the moonlit road in the
direction from which he had approached the house with the Master on
the morning of the previous day. He paused once, and looked back at
Mr. Sandbrook, in response to agitated cries and whistles; but, not
being able to explain his precise object in going out in a manner
that would have been comprehensible to the merchant, he decided
that it would be better to get on with the matter in hand without
delay. So he went forward again, and this time at an easy canter
which took him out of earshot of Mr. Sandbrook in less than one
minute.

When Finn arrived in the streets of the city he was more than a
little confused, and once or twice took a wrong turning. But he
always retraced his steps and found the right turning before going
far, and in due course he arrived at the house in which he had
lodged with his friends. Rising on his hind-feet, he pawed the
front door vigorously. A few moments later the door was opened by
the landlady, to whose utter astonishment Finn brushed hurriedly
into the little passage and up the stairs to the door of the room
the Master had used, where he paused, with one foot pressed against
the closed door.

"Here, Sam!" cried the startled landlady, "you talk about your
blessed menagerie, come an' look 'ere. My word, this'll surprise
yer!"

The landlady's son, who had paid her a flying visit that day,
appeared in the passage in his shirt sleeves, holding a small lamp.
The landlady closed the front door, and together the two walked
upstairs to where Finn sat, whining softly, and pawing at the
closed door of what had been the Master's sitting-room.

"My bloomin' oath, what a dog!" exclaimed Sam, as his mother
reached forward and opened the