A Good Finder
One day a tradesman, walking with a friend, offered to wager that if he
were to hide a five-shilling piece in the dust, his dog would discover and
bring it to him. The wager was accepted, and the piece of money marked and
secreted. When the two had proceeded some distance, the tradesman called
to his dog that he had lost something, and ordered him to seek it. The dog
immediately turned back, and his master and his companion pursued
walk. Meanwhile a traveller, driving in a small chaise, perceived the
piece of money which his horse had kicked from its hiding-place, alighted,
took it up, and drove to his inn. The dog had just reached the spot in
search of the lost piece, when the stranger picked it up. He followed the
chaise, went into the inn. Having scented out the coin in the pocket of
the traveller, he leaped up at him incessantly. Supposing him to be some
dog that had lost his master, the traveller regarded his movements as
marks of fondness; and as the animal was handsome, determined to keep him.
He gave him a good supper, and on retiring took him with him to his
chamber. No sooner had he pulled off his breeches than they were seized by
the dog; the owner, conceiving that he wanted to play with them, took them
away. The animal began to bark at the door, which the traveller opened,
thinking the dog wanted to go out. The dog snatched up the breeches and
away he flew, the traveller posting after him with his nightcap on. The
dog ran full speed to his master's house, followed by the stranger, who
accused the dog of robbing him. "Sir," said the master, "my dog is a very
faithful creature; and if he ran away with your breeches, it is because
you have in them money which does not belong to you." The traveller became
still more angry. "Compose yourself, sir," rejoined the other, smiling;
"without doubt there is in your purse a five-shilling piece which you
picked up in the road, and which I hid knowing my dog would bring it back.
This is the cause of the robbery which he has committed upon you." The
stranger acknowledged the truth of the tradesman's statement, delivered up
the coin, and departed.
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