With his head
on one side, the terrier gazed at them with such inquisitive
astonishment that I had to set my teeth so as not to laugh outright. His
cautious advance to investigate the phenomenon was still more ludicrous,
and I was quite relieved when our cousin straightened his back and
dissipated an illusion monstrously worthy of the pen of Mandeville.
But there was better to come.
As the unwitting Vandy, after a speechless glance in our direction, bent
again to his work, Nobby cast an appraising eye over the area which had
already received attention. Perceiving a molehill which had suffered an
ugly gash--presumably from a scythe--he trotted up to explore, and,
clapping his nose to the wound, snuffed long and thoughtfully. The next
moment he was digging like one possessed.
Emma and May stiffened with a shock. With the tail of my eye I saw them
exchange horror-stricken glances. Panic fear sat in their eyes. Their
fingers moved convulsively. Then, with one consent, they began to
cough....
Their unconscious brother worked on.
So did the Sealyham, but with a difference. While the one toiled, the
other was in his element. A shower of earth flew from between his legs,
only ceasing for a short moment, when he preferred to rend the earth
with his jaws and so facilitate the excavation.
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