f the earth rising to be
breathed and drunk in and enjoyed; the place seemed to me a very
paradise, and the dog appeared to enjoy it as much as I.

Shock rarely spoke to me, but he did not turn his back. The boy was as
excited as the dog, going down on all-fours to push his way amongst the
heath and broom, and scratch some hole bigger where it was evident that
a rabbit had made his home. Then he was after a butterfly; then
stalking a bird, as if he expected to catch it without the proverbial
salt for its tail; and I'm afraid I was just as wild.

I don't know that I need say _afraid_, for our amusement was innocent
enough, and you must remember that we were two boys, who resembled Juno,
the dog, in this respect that we were let loose for a time, and enjoying
the freedom of a scamper over the hills.

We had gone some distance through the pines, when, as we turned back and
came to where they suddenly ended, and the earth down the slope seemed
to be covered with pine needles, and was all heather and short fine
furze, I sat down suddenly on the soft fir leaves, taking off my cap for
the sweet fresh breeze to blow through my hair. Shock flung himself
down on his chest, and the dog couched between us with her eyes
sparkling, her mouth open, and her tongue out and curled up at the end,
as she panted with fatigue and excitement.

"I say," cried Shock all at once, with his face flushed, and his eyes
full of excitement, "don't let's go back--let's stop and live here.
I'll find a cave in the sand."

"And what are we to live on?" I said.

"Rabbits, and birds, and snails, and fish--there's a big pond down
there. Let's stop. There'll be nuts and blackberries, and whorts, and
pig-nuts, and mushrooms. There's plenty to eat. Let's stop."

He looked up at me eagerly.

"I can make traps for birds, and ketch rabbits, and--look, there she
goes."

He started to his feet, for there was a bound and a rustle just below
us, as a rabbit suddenly found it was in danger, and darted away to find
out a place of refuge lower down the hill.

"Hey, dog! on, dog!" cried Shock, clapping his hands; and Juno took up
the scent directly, running quickly in and out amongst, the furze and
heath, while Shock and I followed for about a quarter of a mile, when,
panting and hot, we came upon Juno carrying a fine rabbit in her mouth,
for this time she had overtaken it before one of the burrows was
reached.

"Good dog!" cried Shock. "Dinner;" an