Squib and His Friends

on for the time being was impossible. When that sort of thing happened, Squib generally wandered down to “his island,” as he had come to call it. He liked to sit here in the midst of the to

thing. Where the stones impeded its course it broke into spray and ran foaming in little cascades, or leaped like a live thing into the air; but there were other places where it flowed quietly betw

ially invited. He did not find enough room there to dispose his big limbs in comfort, nor were the slippery stepping-stones or the bed of the

stream, but he had never seen a living creature treading it, nor had the sound of a human voice ever broken in upon his solitary musings; so that it was with a feeling of great surprise that he suddenly saw Czar rear himself up on his haunches to-day, and give one of those deep bays that h

way. “This isn’t our wood really. You mustn’t be ang

tood very erect and bristling, his great eyes, with the red gleam in them, fixed intently upon the spot whence the sounds came. The little boy als

though in thought, or in close observation of the things about him, and his hands were loosely clasped behind his back. He must be old, Squib decided at the first glance, for his hair and beard were quite white; but when, at the sound of Czar’s short explosive bark, he suddenly rais

only because he’s so surprised to see anybody here. Generally we are all alone all the

mic throne in the midst of the stream, and a smile of amu

was not his native tongue. “Are you a water-sprite? And is this your faithful guardian?” and he held out his hand to Czar, who came slow

awn; “he doesn’t like many people. Generally he’s very suspicious for a long time, but he’s not suspicious

great head, while the dog wagged his tail benevolently. “It is not worth while to

stands me, I think, but I don’t think he’s par

, they can be very dangerous. Shall I tell you a story I heard

Squib, who delighted in an animal

fierce dog to guard his house at night and be about the place by day. He had a daughter who was fond of the creature, and it would obey her, and

and killed a sheep, and ate a part of the carcass. In the dark he was not able to see exactly what kind of dog it was, but he said that it looked to him like the hound the farmer had bought. This, however, seemed impossible, for the hound slept in the kitche

th; “but I think these dogs could be very fierce if once

to be able to see what went on in the kitchen, and very soon she saw that the dog had got up and was looking at her intently. She closed her eyes almost, just peeping out through the lids, and breathed heavily as if she were asleep. The dog came stepping up to her very, very quietly, and she felt his breath on her cheek as he seemed to be actually sniffing at her to make sure she was asleep. She was almost afraid of 108him then, there seemed something unnatural about him; but she lay perfectly still, and he seemed to be satisfied. Then she felt him move away, and just opening her eyes a little she saw him

ried Squib under his breat

saw her. It seemed then as if he were clever enough to know himself found out, for suddenly his eyes grew fierce and red, and he made a roaring noise like that of a wild beast. The girl sprang from her bed, and had just time to reach the door befor

xed upon the face of the narrator with the gaze of

e killed after that. It had been this clever dog that h

not fierce like that. Do you

terribly fierce and savage when their jealousy has been aroused. And I can quite believe that if a dog once took to ki

ople. I should be so sorry if he got fierce, he’s such a nice dog to have with one in a lonely place. I think a dog is great company. But Czar doesn’t like my island, it’s too small

ed the sides of the boulder. The traveller was such a nice person to show things to and to tell things to! He was interested in everything, and had a hundred wonderful things to say about the island—things which Squib himself had hardly observed, and which had never struck him as they did now. Very soon Squib found that it was he who was listening and his new friend who was talking, telling him about the wonderful way in

fore what a wonderful pla

hone in the stranger’s

with the most wonderful things, of which you will be able to learn only a little here and a little there. But the wonder and the beauty will fill your heart, and make yo

n of his meaning. He hardly knew whether the nex

aks of Him to those who have ears to hear. That is why I think we can never know

like a magnet, he could not have said why. He instinctively slipped hi

u must be H

d on one side and looked

r little bird has wh

r Adler. He called him a man of God. I didn’t know what he meant. And then he said that everybody in the valle

head in a touch that felt in some way

you? I was on my way to find him when I

oked up

I are great friends. I go and see him almost every day. He draws all sorts of things. He is very clever, and he tea

e your carving and Seppi’s drawings. But you must tell me your name

they just call m

you were a sprite? I suppose when you get tired of being here y

ughed de

air and get somewhere you don’t know how! I should like that

f the Scheldt. In that terrific explosion there was one man lifted up off his feet, and taken right across that wide river and set down on the opposite side without being hurt, and he told his friend afterwards that all the while he beli

rest that they had almost reached Seppi’s knoll before the little boy realized it. What brought him 114back out of the past to the present was the sound of a joyful cry and as joyful a bark. Moor came boun

creature!” said Herr Adler, cares

ng on with a beaming smile. “Seppi, I have found Herr Adler! Here

brought the tears into his eyes, and thinking what a beautiful, kind face Herr Adler had as he stood talking to the little boy, holding

eppi, Moor kept putting up his paws and stuffing his nose into his hand to try to attract attent

the pine trees, and Squib set himself to gather together Seppi’s chalks and papers, which,

; “doesn’t he draw beautifully? Hasn’t he got on well?” and he turned the leaves with pride, whilst Seppi sat

clump of flowers, and advised him to give up for a time trying to make pictures of the great mountains and valleys, because he had not sufficient knowledge for that yet, but to content himself with progressing a step at a time, and then he would gradually find himself farther and farther along the road, and be able to succeed with larger things as his skill

ble of Seppi to be willing to set asid

remarked. “I wanted him to get on, and to be a great artist and make grand pictures. It see

e such nice thoughts about what I should like them to be. But now when I

quib with one of his k

to be a great artist, m

ctures that everybody looks at

crept into He

think even you or I could paint a great monster picture that eve

hen he paused, looked into Herr Adler’s face, and sa

beyond the faces of his listeners in a way Sq

ng which lifts us up above just the thing itself, and makes us feel a breath from the world of nature, or draws our hearts and thoughts upwards towards the Maker of

suddenly kind

mean!” he cried. “Oh, how I w

y upon green leaves on their stone table. Lisa had given him a generous supply of provisions that day, and there was enough and to spare for all. Herr Adler told them many 118stories

,” he said to himself as he fastened up his satchel. “I think perhaps Seppi would l

my little friend?” said Herr Adler, as

y; “but I hope you’ll come again to our valley, sir, and

t places, I often shut my eyes and see it all again: the green slopes with the rocks and the pine trees lying in the sunli

om one to the other, “because they seem always to be watc

smiled ve

certain walk up towards the glacier under one of them. If I am not too old and you a

wanted to go nearer and see the glacier. Father and Uncle Ronald say that I wal

and Squib went home with a happy heart, feeling that

book had been laid aside, and the little goat-herd was making careful studies from his own flock on odd bits of paper; and so

ies one after the other, laughing heartily at some of them, where a goat was depic

my work. I’m not clever. I began to think I was; but when I saw Herr Adler looking at my drawings, then I knew how

swered Squ

awhile, and t

how like my drawings. We tried to make them good and beautiful and clever, and sometimes thought we were getting on and doing something fine. But when God came and looked at all we had d

grave and a l

“I wish I’d heard Herr Adler talk about it. But I d

nk he’s the best man in all the world. Eve

n of God, Seppi?” a

at rather a hard

Herr Adler has talked sometimes to me about the Kingdom. T

b drawing nearer, “w

d his money taken away. Herr Adler thinks it will be like that with us. If we use what is given us now, and do our very best with it, we shall have things set us to do in the Kingdom; but if we have wasted it all, or done nothing, then we shall not be fit to help, and nothing will be trusted to us. It doesn’t matter what it is that we do, however little the talent is. If we do our best with it, and do not waste or bury it, we sh

ooking earnestly into his face as though to learn all his meaning and encourage him to proceed. The magnitude of the thoughts suggested was rather much for his bra

autiful picture of your goats and t

nes and flowers in front, and just a rift in the sky behind, and the light coming through. I can see it all—if only I could do it! But it shan’t be anything grand.

ar! I think he’ll like Czar when he knows him. He likes 123Moor, and Moor is very fond of him. Perh

pinion of his own to the little gentleman. He admired Squib with all his heart, and thought him wonderfully clever,

ing gaily all the while; and Seppi was soon lost again in his work—studying the attitudes of

said it; but it seems as if there were never any end of learning about the least thing in the