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Page 35
If he could have barked, his meaning would have carried more
convincingly, but he "hauded 'is gab" loyally. And, alas, the
caretaker was not to be beguiled. Mr. Traill had told him Bobby
had been sent back to the hill farm, but here he was,
"perseestent" little rascal, and making some sort of bid for the
man's favor. Mr. Brown took his pipe out of his mouth in
surprised exasperation, and glowered at the dog.
"Gang awa' oot wi' ye!"
But Bobby was back again coaxing undauntedly, abasing himself
before the angry man, insisting that he had something of interest
to show. The caretaker was literally badgered and cajoled into
following him. One glance at the formidable heap of the slain,
and Mr. Brown dropped to a seat on the slab.
"Preserve us a'!"
He stared from the little dog to his victims,
turned them over with his stout stick and counted them, and
stared again. Bobby fixed his pleading eyes on the man and stood
at strained attention while fate hung in the balance.
"Guile wark! Guile wark! A braw doggie, an' an unco' fechter.
Losh! but ye're a deil o' a bit dog!"
All this was said in a tone of astonished comment, so
non-committal of feeling that Bobby's tail began to twitch in the
stress of his anxiety. When the caretaker spoke again, after a
long, puzzled frowning, it was to express a very human
bewilderment and irritation.
"Noo, what am I gangin' to do wi' ye?"
Ah, that was encouraging! A moment before, he had ordered Bobby
out in no uncertain tone. After another moment he referred the
question to a higher court.
"Jeanie, woman, come awa' oot a meenit, wull ye?"
A hasty pattering of carpet-slippered feet on the creaking snow,
around the kirk, and there was the neatest little apple-cheeked
peasant woman in Scotland, "snod" from her smooth, frosted hair,
spotless linen mutch and lawn kerchief, to her white, lamb's wool
stockings.
"Here's the bit dog I was tellin' ye aboot; an' see for yersel'
what he's done noo."
"The wee beastie couldna do a' that! It's as muckle as his ain
wecht in fou' vermin!" she cried.
"Ay, he did. Thae terriers are sperity, by the ordinar'. Ane o'
them, let into the corn exchange a murky nicht, killed saxty in
ten meenits, an' had to be dragged awa' by the tail. Noo, what I
am gangin' to do wi' the takin' bit I dinna ken."
It is very certain that simple Mistress Jean Brown had never
heard of Mr. Dick's advice to Miss Betsy Trotwood on the occasion
when young David Copperfield presented himself, travel-stained
and weary, before his good aunt. But out of her experience of
wholesome living she brought forth the same wise opinion.
"I'd gie him a gude washin' first of a', Jamie. He leuks like
some puir, gaen-aboot dog." And she drew her short, blue-stuff
gown back from Bobby's grateful attentions.
Mr. Brown slapped his corduroy-breeked knee and nodded his
grizzled head. "Richt ye are. It's maist michty, noo, I wadna
think o' that. When I was leevin' as an under gairdener wi' a
laird i' Argyleshire I was aye aboot the kennels wi' the gillies.
That was lang syne. The sma' terrier dogs were aye washed i'
claes tubs wi' warm water an' soap. Come awa', Bobby."
The caretaker got up stiffly, for such snell weather was apt to
give him twinges in his joints. In him a youthful enthusiasm for
dogs had suddenly revived. Besides, although he would have denied
it, he was relieved at having the main issue, as to what was to
be done with this four-footed trespasser, side-tracked for a
time. Bobby followed him to the lodge at an eager trot, and he
dutifully hopped into the bath that was set on the rear doorstep.
Mr. Brown scrubbed him vigorously, and Bobby splashed and swam
and churned the soapy water to foam. He scrambled out at once,
when told to do so, and submitted to being dried with a big,
tow-linen towel. This was all a delightful novelty to Bobby.
Heretofore he had gone into any convenient tam or burn to swim,
and then dried himself by rolling on the heather and running
before the wind. Now he was bundled up ignominiously in an old
flannel petticoat, carried across a sanded kitchen floor and laid
on a warm hearth.
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