Page:Wren--The young stagers.djvu/173

Rh Then the headman and the shikari showed him how good they'd been, and produced the rope and the big hook and explained, by signs and wonders, that they would tie the rope to the stake and fasten the hook to a pariah-dog. Then when the Frightful Scourge rushed out of the water, roaring, with flashing eyes, lashing its tail and flapping its ears, it would see the pi-dog, snap him up in its terrible jaws, and swallow both him and the hook.

"Then while the fearful reptile was unavoidably detained by the stake, rope, and hook, the intrepid sportsman could take pot-shots at it until he did hit it.

"The Travelling M.P. smiled upon them. He beamed hard to show his good-will, approval, and intelligence.

"Then the shikari, accompanied by Faithful Fido, the village pi-dog, went and tied the rope to the stake. Then he suddenly grabbed Faithful Fido and drove the hook through the scruff of his neck, and F.F. made himself perfectly miserable about it. He also made the welkin ring. "