f meat he was a hundred yards away from the
orchard. He looked back then, and an uncomfortable thrill passed
through his young heart; a vague thrill it was, conveying no
definite fear or impression to his mind. Still, it was
uncomfortable. He had half a mind to go back and rejoin Tara and
Kathleen, and so, tentatively, he halted. If the friendly stranger
had tried to force Finn then, there would have been trouble. But he
did not. Instead, he bent down and played with Finn's ears, and
then brought another piece of meat out of his pocket. Holding this
out, he moved on again; and the dog followed, forgetful now of his
momentary thrill of discomfort. After all, he thought, vaguely,
very likely this unaccustomed night walk was all part of the Show
and its many novel experiences. There had been night walks at the
end of each show day. When Finn had had another morsel of the meat,
the friendly stranger put another collar on his neck, and removed
the green one. Then he began to trot, and Finn trotted with him,
quite contentedly. Finn was always glad to run.

So the two trotted for miles, through the mild, still October
night, the man breathing heavily. Once something made Finn pause
suddenly; and the pause let him into a secret. The collar he was
wearing now was different from any other he had known in his short
life. If you pulled against it, it slipped round your throat so
tightly as to stop your breathing instantly and absolutely. The
only thing to do was to go the way the collar and lead pulled;
then, immediately, the pressure relaxed. It was a collar that had
to be obeyed, that was evident. These "slip-collars" are well known
to some members of the Great Dane family, and particularly to those
who are owned by dealers; but their use came with rather a shock to
lordly young Finn, who, living the free and happy life he always
had lived, there beside the Sussex Downs, had rarely been asked to
wear a collar of any sort.

After a time, Finn and the stranger came to a little town, and
walked into the yard of an inn. There another man met them, to whom
Finn's friend said, hurriedly--

"I'll walk straight on. You drive on with the cart after me. Don't
stop till you're clear of the village."

"You've got him, then?" said the second man.

"Never you mind about that. Can't yer see I've got him? You get the
pony out."

And then Finn followed his leader out of the yard, and through the
quiet little village to the open country b