ip of Raud drew seaward to the dark,
And Thorir Hart leapt to the land, bidding his rowers live
Who could, Olaf and Vigi strained hard on the fugitive.

'Twas Vigi caught the runner's heel and stayed the windswift flight
Till Olaf's well-hurled spear had changed the day to endless night
For Thorir Hart, but not before his sword had stung the hound,
Whom the heroes bore on shield to ship, all grieving for his wound.

Now proud of heart was Vigi to be borne to ship on shield,
And many a day thereafter, when the bitter thrust was healed,
Would the dog leap up on the Vikings and coax with his Irish wit
Till 'mid laughter a shield was leveled, and Vigi rode on it.

PUPPYHOOD

"Only the envy was, that it lasted not still, or, now it is past,
cannot by imagination, much less description, be recovered to a
part of that spirit it had in the gliding by."

--Jonson's _Masque of Hymen_.

Sigurd was related to Vigi only by the line of Scandinavian literature.
The Lady of Cedar Hill was enjoying the long summer daylights and
marvelous rainbows of Norway, when word reached her that her livestock
had been increased by the advent of ten puppies, and back there came
for them all, by return mail, heroic names straight out of that
splendid old saga of _Burnt Njal_.

But this is not the beginning of the story. Indeed, Sigurd's story
probably emerges from a deeper distance than the story of mankind.
Millions of glad creatures, his tawny ancestors, ranged the Highlands,
slowly giving their wild hearts to the worship of man, and left no
pedigree. The utmost of our knowledge only tells us that Sigurd's sire,
the rough-coated collie Barwell Ralph (pronounced R[=a]fe), born
September 3, 1894, was the son of Heather Ralph, a purple name with
wind and ripples in it, himself the son of the sonorous Stracathro
Ralph, whose parents were Christopher, a champion of far renown, and
Stracathro Fancy; and of lovely Apple Blossom, offspring of Metchley
Wonder and Grove Daisy. Ralph's mother of blessed memory was Aughton
Bessie; her parents were Edgbarton Marvel, son of that same champion
Christopher and Sweet Marie, and Wellesbourne Ada, in proudest Scotch
descent from Douglas and Lady.

Sigurd's mother, Trapelo Dora, born May 16, 1900, was also a sable and
white rough collie. Her sire, Barwell Masterpiece, son of Rightaway and
Caermarther Lass, had for dashing grandsires Finsbury Pilo