efforts to keep himself afloat. In order to avoid the stroke of his paws, Lewis swam round him, and, supporting himself by resting one hand upon the buoy, he grasped the knife with the other, and at one stroke severed the string. 11. The effect was instantly perceptible: freed from the restraint which had till now paralyzed' his efforts, the dog at once rose higher in the water; and, even in that extremity, his affection for his master overpowering his instinct of self-preservation, he swam toward him with the child's boat (of which, throughout the whole scene, he had never loosened his hold) in his mouth. Merely waiting to assure himself that the animal had yet strength enough remaining to enable him to regain the shōre, Lewis set him the example by quitting the buoy, and striking out lustily for the bank. 12. But now the weight of his clothes, thoroughly saturated as they had become, began to tell upon him; and his strokes became weaker, while his breath came short and thick. Faust, on the contrary, freed from the string which had entangled him, proceeded merrily, and reached the shōre ere Lewis had performed half the distance. Depositing the boat in triumph at the feet of one of the bystanders, the generous animal only stopped to shake the water from his ears, and then, plunging in again, swam to meet his master. 13. It was perhaps fortunate that he did so; for Lewis's strength was rapidly deserting him, his clothes appearing to drag him down like leaden weights. Availing himself of the dog's assistance, he placed one arm across its back, and, still paddling with the other, he was partly dragged and partly swam forward till his feet touched ground, when, letting the animal go free, he waded through the shallow water and reached the bank, exhausted indeed, but in safety. 14. Rejecting the many friendly offers of assistance with which he was instantly overwhelmed, he wrung the water from his dripping hair, stamped it out of his boots, and hastily resuming his coat and waistcoat, was about to quit a spot where he was the observed of all observers, when Lord Bellefield, after exchanging a few words with his companions, made a sign to attract Lewis's attention. Having succeeded in so doing, he said, 1 Păr a lýzed, made powerless. "That is a fine dog of yours, sir; will you take a twenty-pound note for him?". 15. Lewis's countenance, pale from exhaustion, flushed with anger at these words; pausing a mōmènt, however, ere he replied, he answered, coldly, "Had he been for sale, sir, I should scarcely have risked drowning in order to save him. I value my life at more than twenty pounds." Then, turning on his heel, he whistled Faust to follow him, and walked away at a rapid pace in the direction of Hyde Park Corner. A III. 25. THE KENTUCKIAN'S DOG. KENTUCKIAN sportsman had à favorite stag-hound, strong, and of first-rate qualities, named Bravo, which he, on one occasion, when going on a hunting-expedition, left at home, taking in his stčad, on trial, a fine-looking hound which had been presented to him a few days before. Having gone a certain length into the woodland in quest of game, he fired at a powerful stag,' which he brought down after a considerable run, and believed to be dead. 2. The animal, however, was only stunned by the shot. He was no sooner touched with the keen edge of the knife, than he rose with a sudden bound, "threw me from his body," says the hunter, "and hurled my knife from my hand. I at once saw my danger, but it was too late. With one bound he was upon me, wounding and almost disabling me with his sharp horns and feet. I seized him by his wide-spread antlers,' and sought to regain possession of my knife, but in vain; each new struggle drew us further from it. 3. "My horse, frightened at the unusual scene, had madly fled to the top of an adjoining ridge, where he stood looking down upon the combat," trembling and quivering in every limb. My dog had not come up, and his bay' I could not now hear. The struggles of the furious animal had now become dreadful, and every moment I could feel his sharp hoofs cutting deep into 1 Stǎg, the male red deer. 2 Ant' ler, a start or branch of a horn of an animal of the deer family, as of the moose or stag. 3 Com' bat, a struggle to resist, conquer, or destroy; a small battle. 4 Bay, bark. 5 Hoofs (hofs). my flesh; my grasp upon his antlers was growing less and less firm, and yet I relinquished not my hold. 4. "The struggle had brought us near a deep ditch, washed' by autumn rains, and into this I endeavored to force my adversary; but my strength was unequal to the effort: when we approached to the věry brink, he leaped over the drain. I relinquished my hold, and rolled in, hoping thus to escape him; but he returned to the attack, and throwing himself upon me, inflicted numerous severe cuts upon my face and breast befōre I could again seize him. 5. "Locking my arms round his antlers, I drew his head close to my breast, and was thus, by great effort, enabled to prevent his doing me any serious injury. But I felt that this could not last long; every muscle and fiber of my frame was called into action, and human nature could not long bear up under such exertion. Faltering a silent prayer to Heaven, I prepared to meet my fate. 6. "At this moment of despair' I heard the faint bayings of the hound; the stag, too, heard the sound, and springing from the ditch, drew me with him. His efforts were now redoubled, and I could scarcely cling to him. Yet that blessed sound came nearer and nearer! Oh, how wildly beat my heart as I saw the hound emerge from the ravine, and spring forward with a short, quick bark, as his eye rested on his game! 3 4 7. "I released my hold of the stag, which turned upon the new enemy. Exhausted," and unable to rise, I still cheered the dog, that, dastard '-like, fled before the infuriated animal, which, seemingly despising such an enemy, again threw himself upon me. Again did I succeed in throwing my arms around his antlers, but not until he had inflicted several deep and dangerous wounds' upon my head and face, cutting to the věry bone. 8. "Blinded by the flowing blood, exhausted and despairing, I cursed the coward dog, which stood near, baying furiously, yet refusing to seize his game. Oh, how I prayed for Bravo! 1 Washed (wosht). ? Despair (de spår), loss of hope. 3 Emerge (e mårj'), come forth from; rise out of and appear. + Ravine (ra vèn'), a deep and narrow hollow, usually worn by water. 5 Exhausted (egz hast' ed), deprived wholly of strength; fatigued. 6 Dǎs' tard, one who meanly shrinks from danger; a great coward. 'Wound (wond), a hurt; an injury; damage. The thoughts of death were bitter. To die thus in the wild forest ǎlōne, with none to help! Thoughts of home and friends coursed like lightning through my brain. At that moment, when hope herself had fled, deep and clear over the neighboring hill came the baying of my gallant Bravo! 6 9. "I should have known his voice among a thousand. I pealed forth, in one faint shout: On, Bravo, on!' The next moment, with tiger-like bounds, the noble dog came leaping down the hill, scattering the dried autumnal leaves like a whirlwind in his path. No pause he knew;' but fixing his fangs' in the stag's throat, he at once commenced the struggle. 10. "I fell back, completely exhausted. Blinded with blood, I only knew that a terrific struggle was going on. In a few moments all was still, and I felt the warm breath of my faithful dog as he licked my wounds. Clearing my eyes from gōre, I saw my late adversary dead at my feet, and Bravo, 'my own Bravo,' as the heroine of a modern novèl would say, standing over me. He had gnawed in two the rope with which he had been tied, and following his master' through all his windings, arrived in time to rescue him from a horrible death." But blown abroad by the pride within! 1 Făngs, tusks; long, pointed teeth by which the prey is seized and held. 2 Master (mås' ter). p. 18. 2. Look,-how 'round his straining throat And the red blood gallops through his veins,— Through the boasting heart of man! 2 Douglas, Guzman,* or the Guelph, 3. He, who hath no peer, was born, 5 And yet, he was but friend to one, By some lone fountain fringed with green; He lived (none else would he obey 8 II. 27. DON FULANO. PROCTER. HERE they came! Gerrian's whole band of horses in full career! First, their heads suddenly lifted above a crest of 1 Lin' e age, descendants in a line from a common forefather; race. 2 Bourbon (bör' bon), the name of a French royal family which traces its origin to Louis IX. 3 Douglas, here refers to a Scottish family which has been connected with the royal houses of Scotland and England, and with the most distinguished nobles of Europe. 4 Guzman (goth mån'). 5 Guelph (gwelf), a line of German princes, originally Italian, and traced to the 9th century, from which the present royal family of England claims its descent. 6 O'Brien, the name of a family ranking among the most ancient in Ireland. 'Bedouin (bed' 8 èn), one of a tribe of Arabs. 8 Balkh (bålk). |