The day before Cousin Jane's departure especially his success was unbounded. Nessa was sitting in the schoolroom window watching the children on the lawn, and she saw him try his process of consolation.
The children were talking together apparently about Frankie's going, for they looked exceedingly gloomy. Royal gamboled round the group trying to coax first one and then another to play with him. Winnie at last knelt down, and throwing one arm round his neck seemed to be telling him their troubles. He stood quite still for a moment looking into her face. Then he sprang away, and stood wagging his tail and looking back so roguishly that Winnie was proof against him no longer.
She bounded after him, and in another minute was lying on the ground with Royal standing over her, playfully hitting him with her little brown fists, while he rolled her from side to side with his muzzle. The others rushed forward, and Royal in his turn was rolled over on the grass. He was up in a minute, and ready to revenge himself. The children's grievance was forgotten, and with merry peals of laughter they raced from side to side of the lawn, over the empty flower-beds, up to the house, down to the river's edge,—one minute attacking, the next running away from the dog.
But suddenly in the midst of the laughter there came a great splash in the river, and a sharp cry arose from three or four of the children:
"Fetch her, Royal; fetch her!"
Nessa knew that the river was not very deep; but the children were excited, and in one of the pools, if they lost their heads—In an instant she was on the bank. Quick as she was, Royal was quicker. By the time she reached the children Winnie was standing dripping upon the grass—laughing, panting, sputtering the water out of her mouth, and rubbing it out of her eyes, while the others crowded round Royal with many exclamations of delight.
Nessa's anxious face was received with peals of laughter. She asked Winnie if she were hurt, but at that Winnie only laughed the more, till at last Rosie explained:
"She didn't tumble in; she did it on purpose. We wanted to see whether Royal would fetch her out."
"And then he did!"
"Isn't he a beauty! Did you ever know such a perfect dog?"