THE CAPTAIN’S DOG.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2752, 5 March 1910, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE CAPTAIN’S DOG.

(By Louis Ennult.)

Captain Pigault had a dog which lie bad neither bought, nor found, nor brought up, nor received as a gift. The wav in which it had fallen into bis hands was somewhat romantic. Some time before bis marriage the captain was walking one evening on the wharf a.t -Honfleur, watching lrom a -distance the ships entering and leaving the harbour. This is a iavour-it-c: amusement of retired sailors who feel (homesick for the sea, which they always decide they have left too soon. His -attention was attracted suddenly by the dhouts and loud laughter of a dozen little rascals who were throwing stones into the river and uttering joyful exclamations when they hit the mark. Pigault knew that they were at the pitiless age. He suspected something was wrong and approached the bank to see the victim of this, cruel sport. . Skion .he caught sight of a poor dog, some distance from the shore, struggling hard- against the current, which was strong at that place. . The dog would have .succeeded' in reaching the •shore, for lie was swimming vigorously, but every time that he was on. the point of landing he saw himself driven back pitilessly by the cries, the threats, and the blows of bis fierce enemy. It was evident that these young scoundrels wished to have the barbarous S-lea.su.re of seeing the poor beast rown.

They seemed likely to have that pleasure soon, because the animal was worn out, and the moment seemed near when it would have to give up. The captain was angry. “If you hoys don’t quit.” he cried, “I will -throw you into the water in place of the dog, who is better than any one of you.” As an energetic gesture accompanied these ‘words’the boys ran off without waiting for anything further. The dog soon saw that the way was left clear for him, and lie understood chat the newcomer was his rescuer. This help of sympathy gave him new strength* In spite of the current he succeeded in reaching the shore. It was at this moment that he gave the -captain the first proof of the intelligence which afterwards became so noteworthy. No- doubt he had heard say that there was nothing in the world .more disagreeable than to be near a wet dog that is shaking itself. So instead of thanking his rescuer at once he began by making his to-ilet at some distance. It was only after lie had shaken off all the water he could that he approached the eld sea captain timidly, .like one wiho has had misfortune and has' learned to -be suspicious of others. As if he did not dare come nearer he stopped a few steps from the captain, beating the earth with liis long bushy tail, and fixing on him a -bright, eager glance, which expressed all his feelings better than a. long speech could have done. Pigault understood this nui-te language and was -as touched by it as 1 by the noisiest demonstrations, perhaps more so. So, with a kind voice and with that honest look in which, a dog is never mistaken, he called him to come to his side.

The dog understood, Ibe-cause he approached, but slowly and timidly, and and again stopped a few steps away.

1 “How the po-or fellow must have j suffered to- be so much afraid of a man -who does not mean to hurt him,” said Pigault to himself, and since the dog did not dare come to him he went to tlie dog and patted tlie wet and muddy head. “You’re. not handsome,” lie said “but you look a.s it you were good. Go-me home with me. i have an empty kennel, but we must hurry so- as not to keep supper waiting.” The dog remained -where ho was a few moments, then as if he thought, he had been sufficiently .grateful he paid no further attention to the captain, but turned towards the bank and looked steadily to the west, where a largo sailing ship, . outward bound, was to be seen in the distance.

“Good-bye,” said the captain. “You are ungrateful, but if you think 1 am going to do you a kindness by foive you are mistaken,” and he turned to go home. At this moment the old sailor, who had been watching the scene, approached, and told the captain the dog’s st-ory. His name was Zero, and his master was the captain of the ship just disappearing in the distance. The master had beaten him and had never fed him enough, but the dog was faithful in spite of all. "While the captain and the sailor were talking together Zero made up his mind to do what he had probably been thinking of for some time, and with a little run jumped into the water and began swimming towards the ocean. “Go it,” said the sailor. “If you tiling that with your paws you can overtake tlie Queen Sophia with all her sails set and a lair wind astern you’re mistaken. It is too bad, Captain, that the dog’s master did'not take him along, but it is foolish of the dog to risk his life, fo join a master like that. Look 1 There lie sinks—no, fio’s still atlcut. Ah, it’s ended, he’s whirling in in an eddy —no, lie’s out of it. He is hard to kill. I. wish I had a rope to throw to him. I’m sure lie would have sense enough to catch the end of it and I would haul him in.”

“I can’t stay -here and see the dog drown,” said thc captain. “I have saved men who were not as loyal as lie. I will save him, too, or we will go down together.” Quick as ho spoke the captain leaped into a boat, and, handling the oars skilfully, quickly reached tlie dog in distress, seized him by the skin of the neck and swung him into the boat. With a few vigorous strokes of the oar lie reached the bank, where the sailor moored the boat, while the captain lilted tlie half drowned dog and placed him gently on tlie shore. Zero had an energetic character. As soon as he saw himself again on the land lie felt like a new dog. A sudden complete and unexpected revolution took place in his thoughts. The conduct of his master aoneared to him in a new light. He understood that a man who had left him behind on purpose was not worth risking his life a third time to reach. He also saw that it would be useless to try to reach the Queen Sophia. So lie sat down on bis haunches, sad and pensive, in the attitude that a painter might give a philosophical dog who knows men too well to expect anything from them and who has had too much experience to have much hope. He probably thought that now he was nothing blit a roving dog in a strange land, a tramp without food or lodging, without T oof or fireside, with the prospect of passing the night in the hotel with the starry roof, which isn’t much better for dogs than for men.

The captain had watched him with an interest at which lie himself was astonished. “That,” said lie to himself, “is -a remarkable dog. Wouldn’t it lie funny if he could write down; or at any rate tell, what his thoughts are? But it is growing late. My soup will be cold, and yet I can’t leave this poor fellow here, who seems to have no one in the world to care for him unless it is myself.”

Then, ad-dressing the dog, as if he could understand, he said: ‘'Come along, old fellow, you must see by tliis time that it is all over with the other one. Don’t think of him any more, but come to me.’’ And to make his words more forcible he tied one comer of his large handkerchief through the collar of Zero, who this time came along without) resistance. “You’re late.” said the captain's housekeeper, “and what in the world are vou dragging behind you like that?”

“This is a. friend whom I have invited to supper,” said the captain with a heartv laugh. “You friend is not handsome,” said the housekeeper, as she stood back to let the captain enter. “Maybe, but yon will see that he is good. Fix up something nice for him.’“He looks as if he- needed it,” said she, looking at the wet, dirty, hungry, pitiful dog, but as she was. good hearted she gave him a better supper than lie had had for a long time.

That night Zero slept in the kennel with a chain about his neck, hut to him the chain was only a- matter of form. He could not have been coaxed to run away. He liked his kennel, lie liked the fare, and- he loved the captain with a love which was destined to grow deeper day by day.

A JAPANESE COMPLIMENT. The Japanese have ever the instinct of politeness. It may happen, however, as in the case recorded below, that their idea of a compliment is not precisely that of the one to whom they wish to show courtesy. The story is told by Inspector-General Hornaday. “I remember a little Japanese who attended one of our banquets,” he said, “and a queer compliment that he -paid to a colonel’s wife. “I sat between the two, and the lady said across me: — “ ‘Mr Takashiru, you compress the ladies’ feet in your country, don’t you P” “ ‘Oh, no, madam; that is a Chinese custom,’ said Takasliiru. ‘We Japanese allow our ladies’ feet to grow to :!eir full' size. Not that —’ “And lie bowed and hissed in the polite Japanese way: “ ‘Not that they could ever hope to rival yours, madam!’ ”

WIT IN RAGS. Tho ragged little fellow suddenly sprang from nowhere, darted towards the cab which the man in a hurry had just summoned, and politely opened the door. Then he handed in the portmanteau, carefully closed the door, and waited. But the man in a hurry had no loose change. Moreover, his ulster was tightly buttoned, and he would have to squirm considerably to get at his money. Therefore ho gazed stonily ahead at nothing, and ignored the expectant- child, The youngster knew from experience that he had struck a hopeless case, and he smiled sourly. "Nearest work’us, cabby!” he called to the driver, as he darted for another ca&.