lves of lager, Policeman Frode Hansen
promenaded his co-efficient with dignity up and down the street.

If he then happened to meet Trofast or any other of his canine friends,
he always made a long halt, for the purpose of scratching him behind the
ear. And when he observed the great _nonchalance_ with which the dogs
comported themselves in the street, it was a real pleasure to him to
sternly pounce upon some unhappy man and note down his full name and
address, because he had taken the liberty of throwing an envelope into
the gutter.

II.

It was late in the autumn. There was a dinner-party at the merchant's;
the family had been back from the country for some time.

The conversation flowed on languidly and intermittently, until the
flood-gates were suddenly lifted, and it became a wild _fos_
[Footnote: Waterfall, cataract.] For down at the hostess's end of the
table this question had cropped up: 'Can one call a lady a fine
lady--a real fine lady--if it be known that on a steam-boat she has
put her feet up on a stool, and disclosed small shoes and embroidered
stockings?' And, strangely enough, as if each individual in the
company had spent half his life in considering and weighing this
question, all cast their matured, decided, unalterable opinions upon
the table. The opposing parties were formed in an instant; the
unalterable opinions collided with each other, fell down, were caught
up again, and thrown with ever-increasing ardour.

Up at the other end of the table they took no part in this animated
conversation. Near the host there sat mostly elderly gentlemen, and
however ardently their wives might have desired to solve the problem
once for all by expressing their unalterable opinion, they were
compelled to give up the idea, as the focus of the animated conversation
was among some young students right down beside the hostess, and the
distance was too great.

'I don't think I see the big yellow beast to-day,' said Dr. Viggo Hansen
in his querulous tone.

'Unfortunately not. Trofast is not here to-day. Poor fellow! I have been
obliged to request him to do me a disagreeable service.'

The merchant always talked about Trofast as if he were an esteemed
business friend.

'You make me quite curious. Where _is_ the dear animal?'

'Ah, my dear madam, it is indeed a tiresome story. For, you know, there
has been stealing going on out at our coal warehouse at Kristianshavn.'

'Oh, good gracious! Stealing?'