Dear, faithful animal! Oh, that I had heeded thy remonstrance!
But no, it was not to be.
Unwilling to fret and worry good Bulger, I now resolved to make use of a faculty which had no place in his nature—namely hypocrisy.
When he was in my presence I pretended to be perfectly happy and contented, going about laughing, singing and dancing; but the very moment he had quitted the room I set to work making ready for another journey.
At last all was ready.
When Bulger entered the house and set eyes upon boxes and packages, he lifted his head and gave one long, dismal howl of entreaty; but seeing that my purpose was fixed, like a true and faithful servitor, he bounded to my side and licked my outstretched hand, as much as to say: “Thy road is my road, thy fate is my fate!”
In a few hours we were on our way to the sea-board.
My heart was light, my spirits buoyant and gay.
“What is life?” I cried. “Am I a worm to vegetate in mold and darkness? Nay! I am a creature of intelligence, of mind, of soul; the air, the sunlight, the boundless universe, are mine; I will enjoy them.”
Luckily I had not long to wait in the seaport, for a good, staunch vessel was nearly loaded.