Page:History of Duncan Campbell, and his dog Oscar (4).pdf/7

 7 the man had observed from whence the dog started in the morning, and hated to the place, expecting to find him sleeping beyond the old earthen dyke; he found the nest, but the birds were down ;-he called aloud ; Oscar trembled and clung to Duncan't breast. Duncan peeped through his purple covert like a heath- cock on his native waste, and again beheld the ruffian coming straight towards them, with his staff still heav- ed, and fury in his looks ;--when lie came within a few yards he bellowed out; Oscar, yho, yho!" Oscar quaked, and still clung closer to Duncan's breast; Duncan almost sunk in the earth; "D-n him," said the Englishman, " if I had a hold of him I should make both him and the little thievish rascal dear at a small price; they cannot be far gone--I think I hear them;" he then stood listening, but at that instant a farmer came up on horseback, and having heard him call, asked him if he had lost his dog? The peasant answered in the affirmative, and added, that a black- guard boy had stolen bin. The farmer said that lie met a boy with dog about a mile forward. During this dialogue, the farmers. dog came up to Duncan's den, smelled upon him, then upon Oscar -cocked his tail, walked round them growling, and then be- haved in a very improper and uncivil manger to Dun- can, who took all patiently, uncertain whether he was Tet discovered. But so intent was the feilow upon the farmers intelligence, that he took no notice of the discovery made by the dog, but ran off without look- ing over his shoulder. Duncan felt this a deliverance so great, that all his other distresses vanished ; and as soon as the man was out of his sight, he rose from his covert, and ran over the moor, and ere it was long, came to a shepherd's house, where he got some whey and bread for his breakfast, which he thought the best meat he had ever tasted, yet shared it with, Oscar Though I had bis history from his own mouth, yet