and by pushing them against, and throwing them
upon each other, irritated and angered them until they finally went to
work in real earnest, greatly to the delight of the lookers-on. Rover
fought bravely, but he was evidently no match for his larger and
stronger antagonist, who tore him savagely, while he seemed unable to
penetrate Nero's thick yielding skin. The shouts that arose from the
group around were all in favour of Nero, who was a general favourite--as
he was one of those large, peaceable, benevolent fellows, belieing his
name, whom all liked, while there was something of the churl and savage
about Rover, that caused him to have but few friends.

The contest had waged about ten minutes, fiercely, and Rover was
evidently getting "worsted," when Dick, who had been constantly
encouraging his dog, stooped close to his ear, and spoke something in a
low, quick, energetic tone.

Instantly Rover crouched down, and darting forward, seized the forepaw
of Nero in his mouth, and commenced gnawing it eagerly. The noble
animal, thus unexpectedly and basely assailed, found the pain to which
he was suddenly subjected so great as to take away all power of
resistance. He would not utter a cry, but sat down, and permitted the
other dog to gnaw away at his tender foot without a single sign of
suffering. As the cry of pain, the dog's "enough," was to terminate the
battle, the fine fellow was permitted thus to suffer for several
minutes, before the bystanders came forward and pulled Dick Lawson's dog
off. Nero would have died before a sound could have been extorted from
him.

As Nero had not cried "enough," Bob Markland contended afterwards that
his dog had not been whipped, to settle which difference of opinion he
and Dick had several hard battles, in which the latter, like his dog,
always came off the victor. The upshot of all these contests was, the
expulsion of Dick from the Sabbath-school, into which he carried the
bickerings engendered through the week. Another reason for his expulsion
was the frequency with which he played truant, and of his having, in
several instances, enticed other boys away from the school for the same
purpose.

Except Mr. Acres, nearly every man, woman and child in the
neighbourhood sincerely disliked, and some actually hated Dick Lawson,
for there was hardly a family some member of which had not been annoyed
by him in one form or another. But Mr. Acres liked the spirit of the
lad, as well as his tho