Page:Sheila and Others (1920).djvu/144

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SHEILA AND OTHERS

that must have evoked wonder and alarm within a radius of at least two miles. The stay-at-home members of our household hastened to the dock.

"Why, whatever—" the first arrival began, but was drowned out by a renewed freshet of vociferation from the pup, who was not so far gone but that he could spare an eye for observing the effect upon her.

"I thought you weren't going to—" I caught between the deafening yaps while the disturber of our peace took breath.

"I wasn't," I shouted in reply, "but I couldn't help myself."

This was at 7.15 p.m. At 7.30 the jolliest, most contented little puppy-dog you ever saw was trotting around our verandas wagging his absurd shred of a tail at every step from sheer exuberance of joy. He had discovered a new world, and adopted it for his own in a manner coincident with the highest degree of philosophic intelligence. His delight in his new acquaintances was reciprocated by every member of the family except one—the black kitten, who regarded his advent with marked disfavor, revealing depths of rancor and disaffection hitherto unsuspected by the devoted house-