scamper about, fancying I am
going to take him out. It is very dull for him, poor dog, and he
deserves some amusement," she said.

Dick promised to follow her wishes, and the next morning, saying that he
would try to shoot a rabbit, and summoning Faithful, who bounded after
him, he set off with his gun in his hand. With the assistance of the
dog, he soon shot a couple of rabbits, with which he was about to return
home. Faithful, however, highly delighted at finding himself abroad,
went ranging wildly over the fields. Dick called to him, but the dog
was too eager in the chase or too far off to hear his voice, and did
not, as usual, return. Some minutes passed, when Dick heard a shot
coming from the direction in which Faithful had disappeared. He hurried
on, fearing that one of the keepers had caught sight of him; but then
they all knew Janet's dog, and the most surly would not have had the
heart to fire at the honest brute, even though he might have been
infringing the game laws by scampering for amusement after a hare or
rabbit. Dick looked out anxiously, hoping to see the dog return; but
though he shouted, "Faithful! Faithful!" and whistled shrilly, the
animal did not make its appearance. Wondering what could have become of
it, he went on calling its name. At last he saw it crawling towards
him, dragging its limbs along in evident pain. At length the poor dog,
unable to get further, sank to the ground. Dick, darting forward to
where it lay, stooped down to ascertain how it was hurt. Its lacerated
side, which bled profusely, showed that it had been shot.

"What villain has dared to hurt you, my poor Faithful?" exclaimed Dick.

The dog's only reply, true to its name, was to lick his hand and
endeavour to rise, but again it fell back, and after a few convulsive
struggles, expired.

"Poor, poor Faithful! Janet will miss you, that she will! She will
never find so trusty an animal to lead her about; but I'll be revenged
on the fellow, whoever he is. He ought to have known that you never
poached, though you did love to run after a hare, for the fun of the
thing. If I can meet the savage brute I'll shoot him, as sure as my
name is Richard Hargrave."

"What's that you say, you young ruffian?" exclaimed a voice near him.

Dick had not observed three persons who had approached. Looking up, he
saw Lord Reginald and his brother midshipman, attended by a keeper.

"I do say that the heartless fellow who shot