insolent owner.... The dog was dead!

Turk's flanks were heaving with the intense exertion and excitement
of the fight, and he strained to escape from his master's hold to
once more attack the lifeless body of his late antagonist....
At length, by kind words and the caress of the well-known hand, his
fury was calmed down....

"Well, that's the most curious adventure I've ever had with a dog!"
exclaimed the butcher, who was now completely crestfallen....
"Why, that's the very dog! he is so--that's the very dog who came
by my shop late last night in the howling storm, and my dog Tiger
went at him and towzled him up completely. I never saw such a
cowardly cur; he wouldn't show any fight, although he was pretty
near as big as a costermonger's donkey; and there my dog Tiger
nearly eat half of him, and dragged the other half about the
gutter, till he looked more like an old door-mat than a dog; and I
thought he must have killed him ... and here he comes out as fresh
as paint to-day, and kills old Tiger clean off as though he'd been
only a biggish cat!"

"What do you say?" asked Mr. Prideaux ... "Was it your dog that
worried my poor dog last night, when he was upon a message of
trust? ... My friend, I thank you for this communication, but let
me inform you of the fact that my dog had _a guinea in his
mouth_ to carry to my friend, and rather than drop it he allowed
himself to be half killed by your savage Tiger. To-day he has
proved his courage, and your dog has discovered his mistake. This
is the guinea that he dropped from his mouth when he returned to me
after midnight, beaten and distressed!" said Mr. Prideaux, much