nd where am I to get another pair when they're worn out?" remonstrated
Scood.

"How should I know? There, jump in."

Ken set the example, which was followed by Scood, and, as the boat
glided off, yielding to the stream and the impetus, a miserable yelp
came from the rocks above, followed by two dismal howls in different
keys. Then there was an atrocious trio performed by the three dogs,
each of which raised its muzzle and its eyes skyward, and uttered an
unmusical protest against being left behind.

"Yah, kennel! go home!" roared Kenneth; and the collie and deerhound,
after another mournful howl apiece, went back, but the grey terrier paid
no heed to the command, but came closer down to the water, and howled
more loudly.

"Ah, Sneeshing!" cried Scoodrach.

"Yow--how!" cried the dog piteously, which evidently by interpretation
out of the canine tongue meant, "Take me!"

"Will you be off?" shouted Kenneth.

"How-aoooo!"

"If you don't be off, I'll--"

The lad raised his gun, cocked both barrels, and took aim.

The effect upon the ugly little terrier was instantaneous. He tucked
his tail between his legs, and rushed off as hard as ever he could lay
leg to rugged rock?

Nothing of the kind. He took it as a direct insult and an injurious
threat. Raising his stumpy tail to its full height of two inches,
without counting the loose grey hairs on the top, he planted his four
feet widely apart, and barked furiously, changing his appealing whines
to growls of defiance.

"You shall not frighten him," said Scood, showing his teeth.

"I'll let you see," cried Kenneth. "Here, you, Sneeshing, be off!
home!"

There was a furiously defiant roulade of barks.

"Do you hear, sir? Go home!"

A perfect volley of barks.

Bang!

Kenneth fired over the dog.

"You shall not frighten him," said Scoodrach again.

He was quite right, for the shot seemed to madden the dog, who came to
the very edge of the rock, barking, snarling, leaping up with all four
legs off the rock at once, dashing to and fro, and biting at the scraps
of lichen and seaweed.

"She says you're a coward, and don't dare do it again," cried Scoodrach,
grinning.

"Does he? Then we'll see," cried Kenneth, firing again in the air.

"I told you so," cried Scoodrach. "Look at him. She'd bite you if you
wass near."

"For two pins I'd give him a good peppering," grumbled Kenneth, slipping
a couple of cartridges into the gun, and laying it down.