cried Vanslyperken, snapping his fingers, and
approaching gradually. To his horror, the dog did the same thing
exactly: he rose, and approached Mr Vanslyperken gradually, and snapped
his fingers: not content with that, he flew at him, and tore the skirt
of his great-coat clean off, and also the hinder part of his trousers
for Mr Vanslyperken immediately turned tail, and the dog appeared
resolved to have his tail as well as that of his darling cur. Satisfied
with about half a yard of broadcloth as a trophy, the dog returned to
his former situation, and remained with the tail of the coat and the
tail of the cur before him, with his fierce eyes fixed upon Mr
Vanslyperken, who had now retreated to a greater distance.

But this transaction was not unobserved by several of the people who
inhabited the street of cottages. Many eyes were directed to where Mr
Vanslyperken and the sow and dog had been at issue, and many were the
conjectures thereon.

When the dog retreated with the skirt of the great-coat, many came out
to ascertain what was the cause of the dispute, and among others, the
man to whom the dog belonged, and who lived at the cottage opposite to
where the dog had lain down. He observed Vanslyperken, looking very much
like a vessel whose sails have been split in a gale, and very rueful at
the same time, standing at a certain distance, quite undecided how to
act, and he called out to him, "What is it you may want with my
dog, man?"

Man! Vanslyperken thought this designation an affront; whereas, in our
opinion, Vanslyperken was an affront to the name of man. "Man!"
exclaimed Vanslyperken; "why your dog has taken my property!"

"Then take your property," replied the other, tossing to him the skirt
of his coat, which he had taken from the dog.

By this time there was a crowd collected from out of the various
surrounding tenements.

"That's not all," exclaimed Vanslyperken; "he has got my dog's tail
there."

"Your dog's tail!" exclaimed the man, "what do you mean? Is it this
ragged mangy thing you would have?" and the man took the tail of
Snarleyyow, and held it up to the view of the assembled crowd.

"Yes," replied Vanslyperken, coming towards the man with eagerness;
"that is what I want," and he held out his hand to receive it.

"And pray, may I ask," replied the other, looking very suspiciously at
Vanslyperken, "what can you want with this piece of carrion?"

"To make soup of," replied another, laughing; "