Clarence Budington Kelland

“ Big Foot ducks back into th' cabin, but th' dawg he stays t' see what's doin'. As soon as th' first chunk of coal comes sailin' at him he sees. Hones', I believe he liked it—dodgin' that coal. Fer a quatter of a hour them men throws coal at him, an' him dodgin' ev'ry piece. Then he gits tired. Lettin' a snarl outen him, he goes fer th' crowd, an' in five seconds th' ratlines is full of men. Th' dawg has th' deck to hisself. Big Foot strolls out after a while an' sees th' dawg squattin' on deck lickin' his chops an' keepin' th' Cap'n, mate, crew, an' Wash Biler all aloft. ”

“ It's some hours after w'en Wash Biler gits out on deck an' rings th' bell fer grub. Everybody comes a-runnin', includin' Big Foot an' his dawg. Th' man sets down t' th' table, an' th' beast he faces th' back so's nobody kin attack that way. There ain't much cheerfulness t' that meal, an' reppertee an' jests fails t' spice them there viands. Big Foot gits his plate full an' commences. Across fr'm him sets Bill, th' mate. Now, Bill he has a healthy appetite, an' th' stuff he piles onto his plate is astonishin'. All of a suddin Big Foot quits eatin' an' looks aroun' at his dawg. ”

“ Beginnin' t' look kinda satisfied, he coils up his rope onto his arm an' gits a hunk of coal. Knowin' th' dawg considers coal a insult, Wash Biler stands near t' th' shrouds an' hurls his missel at th' purp. Without waitin' t' see th' result, he turns an' scuds up them ratlines like he's a monkey. Dawg he takes note of th' insult an' makes fer Wash Biler. When he sees th' enemy's escaped, dawg sets down an' waits. 'Pears that's jus' what Biler's achin' fer. He draws out a big noose in his rope an' coils th' rest into a neat little coil. Actually he grins as he looks at th' dawg. ”