nected therewith. He did not realize that Bill,
and not he himself, had killed the old-man. However, Bill was not
paying any particular heed to Finn just now, though he had greatly
admired the Wolfhound's handling of the kangaroo, as showing more
strength than any other hound's attack that he had ever seen.

With a single blow the kangaroo had practically laid open the whole
of one side of Jess's body. The gash his terrible foot had made
extended from the front of the breast down to the inside of the
flank; and it was far from being simply a skin wound. Down the
chest it had reached the bone; in the belly it had carved a furrow
which suggested the wound of an axe. Bill sighed as he told himself
that poor Jess's chances were problematical. An Englishman in
Bill's position would almost certainly have put a bullet through
the black hound's heart or head, if he had had a gun. But Bill had
done a good deal of kangaroo hunting in his time, and had seen many
and many a hound ripped open, and even then preserved to hunt
again.

A surgeon would have been vastly interested by Bill's operations
now. First, he walked along the gully to where he had seen a little
water and, bringing this back in his felt hat, proceeded carefully
to cleanse parts of the torn flesh as well as he could. Then he
unbuckled a big belt that he wore, and opening a pouch on it drew
out two or three needles and some strong white thread. Having
threaded one of the needles he began now, in as matter-of-course a
manner as though he were mending a shirt, to stitch up the whole
great wound so as to draw its sides together. During the whole
lengthy operation the black hound only moved her head twice, in a
faint, undecided manner, and almost as though from an intelligent
desire to watch Bill's progress; certainly with no hint of any wish
to interfere with it. It was far from being an easy or simple
operation, and doubtless Bill's performance of it differed a good
deal in detail from what a surgeon would have called the best
method; but the thing was done, and done thoroughly.

Then Bill filled a pipe and smoked it for a time, while watching
the filmy eyes of his hound. Presently he rose and brought more
water in his hat. This he held under Jess's muzzle in such a
position as to enable her to loll her tongue in it, and lap a
little. The gratitude which shone in her eyes was very touching and
unmistakable. Bill waited for another quarter of an hour, and then
he s