Varley had taken several small pieces of meat in his pocket each
day, with the intention of rewarding Crusoe when he should at length be
prevailed on to fetch the mitten, but as Crusoe was not aware of the
treat that awaited him, of course the mitten never was "fetched."

At last Dick Varley saw that this system would never do, so he changed
his tactics, and the next morning gave Crusoe no breakfast, but took him
out at the usual hour to go through his lesson. This new course of
conduct seemed to perplex Crusoe not a little, for on his way down to
the beach he paused frequently and looked back at the cottage, and then
expressively up at his master's face. But the master was inexorable; he
went on and Crusoe followed, for _true_ love had now taken possession of
the pup's young heart, and he preferred his master's company to food.

Varley now began by letting the learner smell a piece of meat which he
eagerly sought to devour, but was prevented, to his immense disgust.
Then the mitten was thrown as heretofore, and Crusoe made a few steps
towards it, but being in no mood for play he turned back.

"_Fetch it_," said the teacher.

"I won't," replied the learner mutely, by means of that expressive
sign--_not doing it_.

Hereupon Dick Varley rose, took up the mitten, and put it into the pup's
mouth. Then, retiring a couple of yards, he held out the piece of meat
and said, "_Fetch it_."

Crusoe instantly spat out the glove and bounded towards the meat--once
more to be disappointed.

This was done a second time, and Crusoe came forward _with the mitten in
his mouth_. It seemed as if it had been done accidentally, for he
dropped it before coming quite up. If so it was a fortunate accident,
for it served as the tiny fulcrum on which to place the point of that
mighty lever which was destined ere long to raise him to the pinnacle of
canine erudition. Dick Varley immediately lavished upon him the
tenderest caresses and gave him a lump of meat. But he quickly tried it
again lest he should lose the lesson. The dog evidently felt that if he
did not fetch that mitten he should have no meat or caresses. In order,
however, to make sure that there was no mistake, Dick laid the mitten
down beside the pup, instead of putting it into his mouth, and, retiring
a few paces, cried, "_Fetch it_."

Crusoe looked uncertain for a moment, then he _picked up_ the mitten and
laid it at his master's feet. The lesson was learned at last!