tail were also velvet-black. After watching me quietly for two or three
minutes, he started up, and, much to my relief, trotted away towards the
wood; but after going about fifty yards he looked back, and seeing me
still gazing after him, wheeled round and rushed at me, and when quite
close uttered a sound like a ringing, metallic yelp, after which he once
more bounded away, and disappeared from sight.

The horses now turned round, and, deliberately walking up to me, stood
still, in spite of all I could do to make them continue the work. After
waiting a while they proceeded to wriggle themselves out of the ropes,
and galloped off, loudly neighing to each other, and flinging up their
disdainful heels so as to send a shower of dirt over me. Left alone in
this unceremonious fashion, I presently began to think that they knew
more about the work than I did, and that, finding me indisposed to
release them at the proper moment, they had taken the matter into their
own hands, or hoofs rather. A little more pondering, and I also came to
the conclusion that the singular wolf-like animal was only one of the
house-dogs; that he had visited me in the night to remind me that I was
sleeping with the door open, and had come now to insist on a suspension
of work.

Glad at having discovered all these things without displaying my
ignorance by asking questions, I took up my basket and started home.






Chapter 9