n, at the end of the week, Roy came home. I told him my
troubles at once.

"Bring your Rustler along," he said grandly, "and introduce him to
_me_."

So I did. Rustler came along with his ears up, and his miserable tail
in the air. Roy lay by his kennel looking the image of serenity and
peacefulness. To judge by his expression, he might not have had a tooth
in his head.

Rustler stood with his feet as far apart as he could get them, and put
his head on one side.

"I have heard so much about you, Mr. What's-your-name," he said, "that I
have come to make a closer acquaintance."

"Delighted, I'm sure," said Roy, who has splendid manners.

"If you will get on your legs," said Rustler rudely, "I will tell you
what I think of you."

Roy got on his legs, still looking very humble, and the next minute he
had Rustler by the front foot, and was making him sit down and scream
just as Rustler had made me. It was a magnificent fight.

"Have you had enough?" said Roy, and then gave him more without waiting
for an answer.

"I don't want to fight any more," said Rustler at last; "I am sorry I
spoke."

"Then I'll teach you to have more pluck than to own it," said Roy.

When he had taught him for some time, he said, "Are you licked?"

"Yes," said Rustler, glaring at me out his uninjured eye.

"Are you sorry you tried to fight with me?"

"Yes."

"Will you promise to leave my little friend here alone?"

"Yes."

Then Roy let him go. We shook tails all round, and Rustler and I went
home.

"Poor Rustler," I said, "I know exactly how you feel."

"You little humbug," he said, with half a laugh--for he is not an
ill-natured fellow when you come to know him--"you managed it very
cleverly, and I'm not one to bear malice; but, I say, your friend is
A1."

We are now the most united trio, and Roy and Rustler have licked all the
other dogs in the neighbourhood.

A Noble Dog

ROVER would go into the water fast enough for a bathe or a swim, but he
would not bring anything out. The children used to throw in sticks, and
Rover and I used to bound in together; but I would bring the stick back,
while he swam round and round, enjoying himself.

I am not vain, but I could not help feeling how much superior I was to
such a dog as Rover. He is a prize Newfoundland, and I am only a humble
retriever of obscure family.

So one day I said to him--

"Why don't you fetch the sticks out when the children throw them in?"

"I