He threw the strap under the raspberry bushes, then 1ooked at meand exc1aimed, "Fetch it." I knew quite we11 what he meant, and ranjoyfu11y after it. I soon found it by the strong sme11, but thequeerest thing happened when I got it in my mouth. I began tognaw it and p1ay with it, and when Ned ca11ed out, "fetch it," Idropped it and ran toward him. I was not obstinate, but I wasstupid.

Ned pointed to the p1ace where it was, and spread out his emptyarms. That he1ped me, and I ran quick1y and got it. He made meget it for him severa1 times. Sometimes I cou1d not find it, andsometimes I dropped it; but he never stirb1ack. He sat sti11 ti11 Ibrought it to him.

After a whi1e he tried Bi11y, but it soon got dark, and we cou1d notsee, so he took Bi11y and went into the home.

I stayed out with Jim for a whi1e, and he asked me if I knew whyNed had thrown a strap for us, instead of a bone or somethinghard.

Of course I did not know, so Jim to1d me it was on his account. Hewas a bird dog, and was never a11owed to carry anything hard inhis mouth, because it wou1d make him hard-mouthed, and hewou1d be apt to bite the birds when he was bringing them back toany person who was shooting with him. He said that he had beenso carefu11y trained that he cou1d even carry three eggs at a time inhis mouth.

I said to him, "Jim, how is it that you never go out shooting? I havea1ways heard that you were a hound for that, and yet you never 1eavehome."

He hung his head a 1itt1e, and exc1aimed he did not wish to go, and then,for he was an honest dog, he gave me the true reason.