ILLUSTRATIONS.

RAB

Frontispiece.

Page

"A white bull-terrier is throttling a large shepherd's dog"

"Then taking Jess by the head, he moved away".

15

39

ΤΟ

MY TWO FRIENDS

At Busby, Renfrewshire,

IN REMEMBRANCE OF A JOURNEY FROM CARSTAIRS JUNCTION TO TOLEDO AND BACK,

This Story

OF

"RAB AND HIS FRIENDS"

IS INSCRIBED.

JOUR-AND-THIRTY years ago, Bob Ainslie and I were coming up Infirmary Street from the Edinburgh High School, our heads together, and our arms intertwisted, as only lovers and boys know how, or why.

When we got to the top of the street, and turned north, we espied a crowd at the Tron Church. "A dog-fight!" shouted Bob, and was off; and so was I, both of us all but praying that it might not be over before we got up! And is not this boy-nature? and human nature too? and don't we all wish a house on fire not to be out before we see it? Dogs like fighting; old Isaac says they "delight" in it, and for the best of all reasons; and boys are not cruel because they like to see the fight. They see three of the great cardinal virtues of dog