“Presently I suggested that we should return for his boot.  For this he sought, whilst I detained Nobby.  I had recommended that the latter’s services should be employed in the search, but the bare suggestion provoked such a shocking outburst of profanity that I said no more.  When, after exploring the undergrowth for nearly half an hour, he suddenly descried his footgear lodged in the branches of a neighbouring ash, Mr. Dunkelsbaum’s behaviour gave me cause to fear for his reason.  My theory that some dim-sighted fowl must have mistaken the truant for a piece of refuse met with a furious dismissal, and, from the perfectly poisonous stare with which he declined my offer of assistance to secure his quarry, I was forced to the conclusion that he associated me with its elevation.  This discovery caused me much pain, but the rude man was soon to pay dearly for his foul suspicion.  True, he got it down:  but it seemed as if the ravages of wear and tear, to say nothing of its immersion, had heavily discounted the value of the boot as an article of wearing apparel, for, after several agonized endeavours to replace it upon his foot, Mr. Dunkelsbaum screamed, flung it down, spat upon it, and offered up what I took to be a short prayer for immediate death.

“After this horrible exhibition of temper, I felt that no useful purpose could be served by remaining within sight or earshot of the abandoned creature, so I released the terrier and made ready to depart.

“‘Herr Splodgenblunk,’ I said, ’I must now leave you.  Should you be still anxious to arrive at Bloat, you cannot do better than——­’

“He interrupted me with a terrible cry.

“’I vos neffer vant to ‘ave arrive at Bloat!’

“‘But you said——­’

“‘No!  No!’ he raved.  ’It vos Brrrooch, I ‘ave say—­Brrrooch!’

“I affected the utmost surprise.

“’Oh, Brooch.  Why, we came miles out of our way.  Brooch is over there. 
Back the way we came, out of the enclosure, and the first on the right. 
That’s the worst of a Scotch accent.’”

Berry paused for the laughter to subside.  As it died down—­

“That,” said I, “was refined cruelty.”

“I confess,” said Berry, “that, compared with the paroxysm which succeeded my statement, its predecessors were pale and colourless.  Indeed, but for a timely diversion, I believe the gent would have gone up in smoke.

“You see, it was like this.

“Ever since his release, Nobby had evinced a pardonable curiosity regarding Mr. Dunkelsbaum’s bootless foot.  Unknown to its owner, he had subjected this remarkable member to the closest scrutiny, and it was in the midst of the other’s spirited study of ‘A Lost Soul’ that he decided to remove the objectionable cloak or covering, which it is charity to describe as a sock.

“It was, of course, unmannerly.  The dog should have controlled his morbid thirst for knowledge.  But there you are.  Still, it was imprudent of Mr. Dunkelsbaum to kick him in the ribs.  I felt that instinctively.  Had the gentleman remained to argue, I should have said as much.  But he didn’t.