“Not one on ’em to be compared to your Tip or my Lion, Mr. Hay, in my poor opinion!” said Dandy. “These cannot excel ours in courage, or affection, or fidelity, I am sure,” replied Ran. And both men gave deep sighs to the memory of the faithful creatures they had been compelled by circumstances to leave behind them at the fort, where, it is true, the two dogs were sure of the kindest treatment from their new owners—Surgeon Hill, who had adopted Tip, and Adjutant Rose, who had taken Lion. “Do you think we will ever see them again, Mr. Hay?” “Yes, I do. In this world or the next.” “The next! Mr. Hay, sir!” “Why not? I believe the creature that once lives, lives forever. Especially the creature capable of love, courage, fidelity and self-sacrifice, as so many of the quadrupeds are, must be immortal.” What Dandy would have said in reply was arrested on his lips by the approach of the dogcart, driven by one of the under-grooms. Ran helped his old friend upon the seat, tucked the rug well over his knees and then inquired: “Where do you wish to go?” “To the telescope office in the village.” “Drive this gentleman to the telegraph office,” said Ran. “Beg pardon, sir; but there is no telegraph office in the village, and none nearer than Chuxton,” said the young groom, touching his hat. “Oh! Chuxton is ten miles off! Where we left the train last night you know, Mr. Quin,” said Ran. “Yes, I know! Well, let him drive me there, then! That is if you can spare the carriage.” “Of course I can! All day, if you want it.” “’Cause, you see, I don’t feel aquil to traveling all the way back to the south of England, after having come all the way up to the north, and I do want to see my niece very bad. And I mean to send a telescope as will be sartin to fetch her. Yes, that is so.” “Very well, then. Drive to Chuxton telegraph office, and then wherever Mr. Quin wishes to go. You are at his orders.” The boy took the reins and drove off, and Ran turned again to question the old groom. “Has there been much sport about here?” “None at all, sir. Since the young squire were killed, the old squire never had no heart for nothing as long as he lived.” “Ah! How are the preserves?” “Well, sir, the game is increasing and multiplying to that degree for the want of sporting gents among ’em to thin ’em out, that for once in a way poachers is a blessing.” “Poachers! Why, what is the gamekeeper about, to permit poachers to trespass?” “Well, sir, there ain’t no gamekeeper here, nor likewise been none since the old squire died. The last gamekeeper went off to Australia to seek his fortune.” “Thank Heaven!” breathed Ran with fervency, not loud but deep, that now he could put his friend in office without hurting any one’s feelings.