Page:While the Billy Boils, 1913.djvu/260

 said in explanation to himself; 'hard bilin' makes it tough―I'll keep it jist-a-simmerin'.'

Here his soliloquy was interrupted by the return of the dog.

'All right, Five Bob,' said the hatter, 'dinner'll be ready dreckly. Jist keep yer eye on the sheep till I calls yer; keep 'em well rounded up, an' we'll yard 'em afterwards and have a holiday.

'This speech was accompanied by a gesture evidently intelligible, for the dog retired as though he understood English, and the cooking proceeded.

'I'll take a pick an' shovel with me an' root up that old black fellow,' mused the shepherd, evidently following up a recent train of thought; ' I reckon it'll do now. I'll put in the spuds.'

The last sentence referred to the cooking, the first to a black fellow's grave about which he was curious.

'The sheep's a-campin',' said the soliloquiser, glancing through the door. l So me an' Five Bob '11 be able to get our dinner in peace. I wish I had just enough fat to make the pan siss; I'd treat myself to a leather-jacket; but it took three weeks' skimmin' to get enough for them theer doughboys.'

In due time the dinner was dished up; and the old man seated himself on a block, with the lid of a gin-case across his knees for a table. Five Bob squatted opposite with the liveliest interest and appreciation depicted on his intelligent countenance.

Dinner proceeded very quietly, except when the carver paused to ask the dog how some tasty morsel went with him, and Five Bob's tail declared that it went very well indeed