Animal Heroes

I was an hour moving my feet--a hair's-breadth at a time--till they were so that I could sleep in comfort; and I was awakened several times during the night by angry snarls from the Dog--I suppose because I dared to move a toe without his approval, though once I believe he did it simply because I was snoring. In the morning I was ready to get up before Snap was. You see, I call him Snap-Ginger-snap in full. Some Dogs are hard to name, and some do not seem to need it--they name themselves. I was ready to rise at seven. Snap was not ready till eight, so we rose at eight. He had little to say to the man who made the fire. He allowed me to dress without doing it on the table. As I left the room to get breakfast, I remarked: "Snap, my friend, some men would whip you into a different way, but I think I know a better plan. The doctors nowadays favor the 'no-breakfast cure.' I shall try that." It seemed cruel, but I left him without food all day. It cost me something to repaint the door where he scratched it, but at night he was quite ready to accept a little food at my hands. In a week we were very good friends. He would sleep on my bed now and allow me to move my feet without snapping at them, intent to do me serious bodily harm. The no-breakfast cure had worked wonders; in three months we were--well, simply man and Dog, and he amply justified the telegram he came with.