“I’m almost afraid Fluff will get so much petting that he’ll forget his good manners. This very morning he acted as if the whole station belonged to him.”
“What did he do, Benny?” Keeper Downey asked with a laugh.
“He was determined to walk straight out of doors, even though the big dog was sitting there waiting to teach him better manners.”
“Hasn’t he been out yet?”
“Oh, yes, sir. I carried him down by the shore where he could run around while I watched the other dog.”
“We must introduce him to Maje after breakfast,” Sam Hardy said, as he slyly gave Fluff a bit of meat, and laughed until the tears came into his eyes as he watched the little fellow trying to eat it without betraying the fact to Benny. “Fluff C. Foster has rights around this station as well as Maje, an’ they must be respected.”
“Don’t let the introduction take too long,” Keeper Downey said warningly. “It is beach-apparatus drill day, and too much time must not be wasted, because I’m counting on getting the boats out to have a look at what is left of the——”
He ceased speaking very suddenly as his gaze rested on Benny; but the crew understood that it was the keeper’s purpose to overhaul such portions of the Amazonia as yet remained upon the rocks, although it was hardly probable anything of value would be found.
After breakfast the cook would have excused Benny from the task of washing dishes, so eager were the men to witness the first meeting of the dogs; but the new member of the crew begged permission to perform his regular duties before indulging in what was very like play.