"You did, you young limmer, and you need n't tell me lies, for I know you, Speug, and your father before you. I wish I'd good news to give you, but I haven't. I fear you've had your last thrashing 5 from Bulldog."

For a moment Speug kicked at a stone on the road and thrust his hands deep into his pockets; then the corners of his mouth began to twitch and, turning round, he hid his face upon the wall, while ic his tough little body that had stood many a fight

shook all over. Dr. Manley was the first person that had seen Speug cry, and he stood over him to protect him from the gaze of any wandering message boys who might come along the lane. By and 15 by Speug began to speak between his sobs.

20

"It was a lie, Doctor, for I did come up to ask, but I did n't like to let on.... I heard you say that you couldn't rouse Bulldog to take an interest in anything, and I thought of something."

"What was it, Speug?" And the doctor laid his hands on the boy's shoulder and encouraged him to proceed. "I'll never tell; you may trust me."

"Nothing pleased Bulldog so well as giving us a licking; if he just had a cane in his hands and a 25 laddie before him, Bulldog would soon be himself again, and there's not a laddie in school he's

licked as often as me. And I came up - And Speug stuck.

"To offer yourself for a thrashing, you mean. You've mentioned the medicine. Upon my word, I believe it's the very thing that will do the trick. 5 Confound you, Speug! if you haven't found out what I was seeking after, and I've been doctoring those Muirtown sinners for more than thirty years! Come along, laddie; we've had our consultation and we'll go to the patient." And Manley hurried 10 Speug through the garden and into the house.

"Wait a minute here," said the doctor, "and I'll come back to you." And in a little while Nestie came downstairs and found his friend in the lobby, confused and frightened for the first time 15 in his life, and Nestie saw the marks of distress upon his face. "Dr. M-Manley told me, Speug," stammered Nestie, with an arm round Speug's neck, "and you're the g-goodest chap in Muirtown. It's awfully d-decent of you, and it 'll p-please Bully 20 tremendous." And then Speug went up as consulting physician to visit Bulldog. Nestie brought him forward to the bedside, and at last he had courage to look, and it took him all his time to play the man when he saw Bulldog so thin, so 25 quiet, so gentle, with his face almost as white as

the pillow, and his hands upon the bedclothes wasted like the hands of a skeleton. The master smiled faintly, and seemed to be glad to see the worst of his scholars, but he did not say anything. 5 Dr. Manley kept in the background and allowed the boys to manage their own business, being the wisest of men as well as the kindliest. Although Nestie made signs of encouragement to Speug, Peter could not find a word, but stood helpless, bit10 ing his lip and looking the picture of abject misery.

"Peter has come, sir," said Nestie, "to ask for you. He is very sorry that you are ill, and so are all the boys. Peter thought you might be wearying to-to use the c-cane, and Peter is wearying, too. 15 Just a little one, sir, to p-please Speug." And Nestie laid an old cane he had hunted up, a cane retired from service, upon the bed within reach of Bulldog's hand. A twinkle of amusement came into the master's eye, the first expression of interest he had 20 shown during his illness. He turned his head and looked at Peter, the figure of chastened mischief. The remembrance of the past -the mathematical class room, the blackboard with its figures, the tricks of the boys, the scratching of the pens-came 25 up to him, and his soul was stirred within him. His hand closed again upon the scepter of authority,

and Peter laid a grimy paw open upon the bedclothes. The master gave it one little stroke with all the strength he had. "The fiddlers," he said softly, "the little fiddlers can't do without me, after all." A tear gathered in his eye and over- 5 flowed and rolled down Bulldog's cheek. Manley hurried the boys out of the room, and, being joined in the garden by the master's dog, the three together played every monkey trick they knew, while upstairs in the sick room Manley declared that Bull- 10 dog had turned the corner and would soon be back again among his "fiddlers."

The doctor insisted upon driving Peter home to his native stable yard, for this was only proper courtesy to a consulting physician. He called him 15 "Doctor" and "Sir Peter" and such like names all the way, whereat Peter was so abashed that friends seeing him sitting in Manley's phaëton, with such an expression on his face, spread abroad the tale that the doctor was bringing him home with two 20 broken legs as the result of riding a strange horse. The doctor bade him good-by in the presence of his father, tipping him ten shillings to treat the school on the news of Bulldog's convalescence.

consultation: a talk over a case by doctors. - phaëton: a low, four-wheeled carriage. — convalescence: recovery.

THE WHITE REINDEER 1

ERNEST THOMPSON SETON

ERNEST THOMPSON SETON (1860–

), an American artist

and writer of animal stories, was born in South Shields, England. From his sixth to his ninth year he lived in the quiet of the backwoods of Canada, and from his eleventh to his sixteenth year his 5 home was on the Western plains. Thus the young observer of nature had ample opportunity to begin the study of wild animals and their ways. This opportunity was greatly enlarged later when he was appointed official naturalist of Manitoba. As a result of studies made while holding this office, he wrote Birds of Manitoba 10 and Animals of Manitoba.

15

In order that he might the better draw the birds and beasts in which he delighted, he spent six years in Paris studying art. On his return to America he was one of the chief illustrators of the Century Dictionary.

The freshness and interest of such stories as Wild Animals that I Have Known, the Biography of a Grizzly, and Wild Animal Play make this author popular with both old and young.

Many a little calf reindeer had been born that spring, and had drifted away on the moss barrens, 20 to come back no more; for some were weaklings

and some were fools; some fell by the way, for that is law; and some would not learn the rules, and so died. But the White Calf was strongest of them all, and he was wise, so he learned of his 25 mother, who was wisest of them all. He learned

1 From Animal Heroes. Copyright, 1905. Charles Scribner's Sons, Publishers.