"Is Black Sam the worst?" asked Grif.
The dog wagged its stump of a tail, but uttered no sound.
"Is Ned Rutt the worst?" asked Grif.
The dog repeated the performance.
"Is Jim Pizey the worst?" asked Grif.
Milly caught the lad's arm as he put the last question, and looked in the face of the dog as if it were a sibyl about to answer her heart's fear. But the dog wagged its tail, and was silent.
"Thank God!" Milly whispered to herself.
"Is the Tenderhearted Oysterman the worst?" asked Grif.
Whether Grif spoke that name in a different tone, or whether some magnetic touch of hate passed from the master's heart to that of the dog, no sooner did Rough hear it, than its short yellow hair bristled up, and it gave vent to a savage growl.
A stealthy step passed at the back of them at this moment.