The Story of Scotch

John Stuart Mill · en
Meanwhile we were making slow progress through the unburned woods and
the fire was roaring close. Seeing no hope of getting out of the way,
we finally took refuge to the leeward side of a rocky crag where the
flames could not reach us. But could we avoid being smothered? Already
we were dangerously near that and the fire had yet to surge around us.
To send Scotch for water offered a possible means of escape. Slapping my
coat upon the rocks two or three times I commanded, "Water, Scotch,
water!" He understood, and with an eager bark seized the coat and
vanished in the smoke. He would be compelled to pass through a line of
flame in order to reach the water in the ravine, but this he would do or
die.

After waiting a reasonable time I began to call, "Scotch! Scotch!" as
loudly as my parched throat and gasping permitted. Presently he leaped
upon me, fearfully burned but with the saturated coat in his teeth. Most
of his shaggy coat was seared off, one eye was closed, and there was a
cruel burn on his left side. Hurriedly I bound a coat-sleeve around his
head to protect his eyes and nose, then squeezed enough water from the
coat to wet my throat. Hugging Scotch closely, I spread the wet coat
over us both and covered my face with a wet handkerchief. With stifling
smoke and fiery heat the flames surged around, but at last swept over
and left us both alive. Without the help from Scotch I must have
perished.

It was this useful fire-fighting habit that caused the death of my
faithful Scotch. One morning the men started off to do some road work.
Scotch saw them go and apparently wanted to go with them. I had just
returned from a long absence and had to stay in the cabin and write
letters. About half an hour after the men had gone, Scotch gave a
scratching knock at the door. Plainly he wanted to follow the men and
had come for my consent to go without me. I patted him and urged him to
go. He left the cabin, never again to return.

Scotch arrived at the road work just as the men had lighted and run away
from a blast. He saw the smoking fuse and sprang to extinguish it, as
the blast exploded. He was instantly killed.

  THE END

  The Riverside Press
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Transcriber's Note

page 31: the word "for" changed to "from": text "any word from me"





End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of Scotch, by Enos A. Mills