acquaintanceship; so as it came at me with bristling hair and its nose
screwed back between its two red eyes, I cried out "Bounder! Bounder!"
at the pitch of my lungs. It had its effect, for the beast passed me
with a snarl, and flew along the path on the traces of Bonaventure de
Lapp.

He turned at the shouting, and seemed to take in the whole thing at a
glance; but he strolled along as slowly as ever. My heart was in my
mouth for him, for the dog had never seen him before; and I ran as fast
as my feet would carry me to drag it away from him. But somehow, as it
bounded up and saw the twittering finger and thumb which de Lapp held
out behind him, its fury died suddenly away, and we saw it wagging its
thumb of a tail and clawing at his knee.

"Your dog then, Major?" said he, as its owner came hobbling up. "Ah, it
is a fine beast--a fine, pretty thing!"

The Major was blowing hard, for he had covered the ground nearly as fast
as I.

"I was afraid lest he might have hurt you," he panted.

"Ta, ta, ta!" cried de Lapp. "He is a pretty, gentle thing; I always
love the dogs. But I am glad that I have met you, Major; for here is
this young gentleman, to whom I owe very much, who has begun to think
that I am a spy. Is it not so, Jack?"

I was so taken aback by his words that I could not lay my tongue to an
answer, but coloured up and looked askance, like the awkward country lad
that I was.