Page 85 - Jack's victory and other stories about dogs

get thrown out quicker than a flash, no birch

canoe being lialf so cranky. Jet got twitched

overboard many a time before he mastered the

way of the skiff, but finally he succeeded in
taking her bearings, and then he would ride in

her throuafh the heaviest surf we ever ventured

to encounter. We kept her tied to a stake about
a hundred yards from the shore; and lie would

swim out, scramble in over the bow, and ride

there by the hour, like a baby in a cradle.

On going down to the shore one day, after

dinner, we found the skiff was gone, and, after a
time we observed that Jet was missing also. We

could find nothing o£ either the dog or the boat,

and greatly feared that both had been stolen by

some of the marauders who at that time used to

infest the beach. But towards evening vrhat
was ouv surprise to discover Jet coming in sight

round Stony Point, about a mile down shore,

with the surf-boat in tow. He had the painter
in his teeth, and, half-swimming, half-wading, he

worked along very well, except that the light little

coekle-shell would drift 011 to the stones in spite