e latter, that if he were to hide a six-livre piece in the
dust, his dog would discover and bring it to him. The wager was
accepted, and the piece of money secreted, after being carefully
marked. When the two had proceeded some distance from the spot, M.
Dumont called to his dog that he had lost something, and ordered him
to seek it. Caniche immediately turned back, and his master and his
companion pursued their walk to the Rue St. Denis. Meanwhile a
traveller, who happened to be just then returning in a small chaise
from Vincennes, perceived the piece of money, which his horse had
kicked from its hiding-place; he alighted, took it up, and drove to
his inn, in the Rue Pont-aux-Choux. Caniche had just reached the spot
in search of the lost piece when the stranger picked it up. He
followed the chaise, went into the inn, and stuck close to the
traveller. Having scented out the coin which he had been ordered to
bring back in the pocket of the latter, he leaped up incessantly at
and about him. The traveller, supposing him to be some dog that had
been lost or left behind by his master, regarded his different
movements as marks of fondness; and as the animal was handsome, he
determined to keep him. He gave him a good supper, and on retiring to
bed took him with him to his chamber. No sooner had he pulled off his
breeches, than they were seized by the dog; the owner conceiving that
he wanted to play with them, took them away again. The animal began to
bark at the door, which the traveller opened, under the idea that the
dog wanted to go out. Caniche snatched up the breeches, and away he
flew. The traveller posted after him with his night-cap on, and
literally _sans culottes_. Anxiety for the fate of a purse full of
gold Napoleons, of forty francs each, which was in one of the pockets,
gave redoubled velocity to his steps. Caniche ran full speed to his
master's house, where the stranger arrived a moment afterwards,
breathless and enraged. He accused the dog of robbing him. 'Sir,' said
the master, 'my dog is a very faithful creature; and if he has run
away with your breeches, it is because you have in them money which
does not belong to you.' The traveller became still more exasperated.
'Compose yourself, sir,' rejoined the other, smiling; 'without doubt
there is in your purse a six-livre piece, with such and such marks,
which you have picked up in the Boulevard St. Antoine, and which I
threw down there with the firm conviction th