rose up from the spot where the body had been buried, like a pale,
luminous exhalation from the earth, and, assuming a human shape,
floated slowly towards the house, and roamed about the great trees,
or, seating itself on an old projecting root, would remain motionless
for hours in a dejected attitude. I never saw it.

Our constant companion and playmate in those days was a dog, whose
portrait has never faded from remembrance, for he was a dog with
features and a personality which impressed themselves deeply on the
mind. He came to us in a rather mysterious manner. One summer evening
the shepherd was galloping round the flock, and trying by means of
much shouting to induce the lazy sheep to move homewards. A strange-
looking lame dog suddenly appeared on the scene, as if it had dropped
from the clouds, and limping briskly after the astonished and
frightened sheep, drove them straight home and into the fold; and,
after thus earning his supper and showing what stuff was in him, he
established himself at the house, where he was well received. He was a
good-sized animal, with a very long body, a smooth black coat, tan
feet, muzzle, and "spectacles," and a face of extraordinary length,
which gave him a profoundly-wise baboon-like expression. One of his
hind legs had been broken or otherwise injured, so that he limped and
shuffled along in a peculiar lopsided fashion; he had no tail, and his
ears had been cropped close to his head: altogether he was like an old
soldier returned from the wars, where he had received many hard
knocks, besides having had sundry portions of his anatomy shot away.

No name to fit this singular canine visitor could be found, although
he responded readily enough to the word _Pechicho,_ which is used to
call any unnamed pup by, like pussy for a cat. So it came to pass that
this word _pechicho_--equivalent to "doggie" in English--stuck to him