o meet it with friskings of welcome。 But now he lay very still； even when a pair of frail arms tried to lift his dead weight to a heaving breast； and Tammy's cry of woe rang through the kirkyard。 In a moment Ailie and Mistress Jeanie were in the wet grass beside them； half a hundred casements flew open； and the piping voices of tenement bairns cried…down：
〃Did the bittie doggie come hame？〃
Oh yes； the bittie doggie had come hame； indeed； but down such perilous heights as none of them dreamed； and now in what a woeful plight！
Some murmur of the excitement reached an open dormer of the Temple tenements； where Geordie Ross had slept with one ear of the born doctor open。 Snatching up a case of first aids to the injured； he ran down the twisting stairs to the Grassmarket； up to the gate； and around the kirk； to find a huddled group of women and children weeping over a limp little bundle of a senseless dog。 He thrust a bottle of hartshorn under the black muzzle； and with a start and a moan Bobby came back to consciousness。
〃Lay him down flat and stop your havers；〃 ordered the business…like； embryo medicine man。 〃Bobby's no' dead。 Laddie； you're a braw soldier for holding your ain feelings； so just hold the wee dog's head。〃 Then； in the reassuring dialect： 〃Hoots； Bobby； open the bit mou' noo； an' tak' the medicine like a mannie！〃 Down the tiny red cavern of a throat Geordie poured a dose that galvanized the small creature into life。
〃Noo； then； loup； ye bonny rascal！〃
Bobby did his best to jump at Geordie's bidding。 He was so glad to be at home and to see all these familiar faces of love that he lifted himself on his fore paws； and his happy heart almost put the power to loup into his hind legs。 But when he tried to stand up he cried out with the pains and sank down again； with an apologetic and shamefaced look that was worthy of Auld Jock himself。 Geordie sobered on the instant。
〃Weel； now； he's been hurt。 We'll just have to see what ails the sonsie doggie。〃 He ran his hand down the parting in the thatch to discover if the spine had been injured。 When he suddenly pinched the ball of a hind toe Bobby promptly resented it by jerking his head around and looking at him reproachfully。 The bairns were indignant； too； but Geordie grinned cheerfully and said： 〃He's no' paralyzed； at ony rate。〃 He turned as footsteps were heard coming hastily around the kirk。
〃A gude morning to you； Mr。 Traill。 Bobby may have been run over by a cart and got internal injuries； but I'm thinking it's just sprains and bruises from a bad fall。 He was in a state of collapse； and his claws are as broken and his toes as torn as if he had come down Castle Rock。〃
This was such an extravagant surmise that even the anxious landlord smiled。 Then he said； drily：
〃You're a braw laddie； Geordie； and gudehearted； but you're no' a doctor yet； and； with your leave； I'll have my ain medical man tak' a look at Bobby。〃
〃Ay； I would；〃 Geordie agreed； cordially。 〃It's worth four shullings to have your mind at ease； man。 I'll just go up to the lodge and get a warm bath ready； to tak' the stiffness out of his muscles； and brew a tea from an herb that wee wild creatures know all about and aye hunt for when they're ailing。〃
Geordie went away gaily； to take disorder and evil smells into Mistress Jeanie's shining kitchen。
No sooner had the medical student gone up to the lodge； and the children had been persuaded to go home to watch the proceedings anxiously from the amphitheater of the tenement windows； than the kirkyard gate was slammed back noisily by a man in a hurry。 It was the sergeant who； in the splendor of full uniform； dropped in the wet grass beside Bobby。
〃Lush！ The sma' dog got hame； an' is still leevin'。 Noo； God forgie me〃
〃Eh； man； what had you to do with Bobby's misadventure？〃
Mr。 Traill fixed an accusing eye on the soldier； remembering suddenly his laughing threat to kidnap Bobby。 The story came out in a flood of remorseful words； from Bobby's following of the troops so gaily into the Castle to his desperate escape over the precipice。
〃Noo；〃 he said； humbly； 〃gin it wad be ony satisfaction to ye； I'll gang up to the Castle an' put on fatigue dress； no' to disgrace the unifarm o' her Maijesty； an' let ye tak' me oot on the Burghmuir an' gie me a gude lickin'。〃
Mr。 Traill shrugged his shoulders。 〃Naething would satisfy me； man； but to get behind you and kick you over the Firth into the Kingdom of Fife。〃
He turned an angry back on the sergeant and helped Geordie lift Bobby onto Mrs。 Brown's braided hearth…rug and carry the improvised litter up to the lodge。 In the kitchen the little dog was lowered into a hot bath； dried； and rubbed with liniments under his fleece。 After his lacerated feet had been cleaned and dressed with healing ointments and tied up； Bobby was wrapped in Mistress Jeanie's best flannel petticoat and laid on the hearth…rug； a very comfortable wee dog； who enjoyed his breakfast of broth and porridge。
Mr。 Brown； hearing the commotion and perishing of curiosity； demanded。 that some one should come and help him out of bed。 As no attention was paid to him he managed to get up himself and to hobble out to the kitchen just as Mr。 Traill's ain medical man came in。 Bobby's spine was examined again； the tail and toes nipped； the heart tested； and all the soft parts of his body pressed and punched； in spite of the little dog's vigorous objections to these indignities。
〃Except for sprains and bruises the wee dog is all right。 Came down Castle Crag in the fog； did he？ He's a clever and plucky little chap； indeed； and deserving of a hero medal to hang on the Lord Provost's collar。 You've done very well； Mr。 Ross。 Just take as good care of him for a week or so and he could do the gallant deed again。〃
Mr。 Brown listened to the story of Bobby's adventures with a mingled look of disgust at the foolishness of men； pride in Bobby's prowess； and resentment at having been left out of the drama of the night before。 〃It's maist michty； noo； Maister Traill； that ye wad tak' the leeberty o' leein' to me；〃 he complained。
〃It was a gude lee or a bad nicht for an ill man。 Geordie will tell you that a mind at ease is worth four shullings； and I'm charging you naething。 Eh； man； you're deeficult to please。〃 As he went out into the kirkyard Mr。 Traill stopped to reflect on a strange thing： 〃 'You've done very well； Mr。 Ross。' Weel； weel； how the laddies do grow up！ But I'm no' going to admit it to Geordie。〃
Another thought； over which he chuckled； sent him off to find the sergeant。 The soldier was tramping gloomily about in the wet； to the demoralization of his beautiful boots。
〃Man； since a stormy nicht eight years ago last November I've aye been looking for a bigger weel meaning fule than my ain sel'。 You're the man； so if you'll just shak' hands we'll say nae more about it。〃
He did not explain this cryptic remark； but he went on to assure the sorry soldier that Bobby had got no serious hurt and would soon be as well as ever。 They had turned toward the gate when a stranger with a newspaper in his hand peered mildly around the kirk and inquired 〃Do ye ken whaur's the sma' dog； man？〃 As Mr。 Traill continued to stare at him he explained； patiently： 〃It's Greyfriars Bobby； the bittie terrier the Laird Provost gied the collar to。 Hae ye no' seen 'The Scotsman' the day？〃
The landlord had not。 And there was the story； Bobby's； name heading quite a quarter of a broad column of fine print； and beginning with： 〃A very singular and interesting occurrence was brought to light in the Burgh court by the hearing of a summons in regard to a dog tax。〃 Bobby was a famous dog； and Mr。 Traill came in for a goodly portion of reflected glory。 He threw up his hands in dismay。
〃It's all over the toon； Sergeant。〃 Turning to the stranger； he assured him that Bobby was not to be seen。 〃He hurt himsel' coming down Castle Rock in the nicht； and is in the lodge with the caretaker； wha's fair ill。 Hoo do I ken？〃 testily。 〃Weel； man； I'm Mr。 Traill。〃
He saw at once how unwise was that admission； for he had to shake hands with the cordial stranger。 And after dismissing him there was another at the gate who insisted upon going up to the lodge to see the little hero。 Here was a state of things； indeed； that called upon all the powers of the resourceful landlord。
〃All the folk in Edinburgh will be coming； and the poor woman be deaved with their spiering。〃 And then he began to laugh。 〃Did you ever hear o' sic a thing as poetic justice； Sergeant？ Nae； it's no' the kind you'll get in the courts of law。 Weel； it's poetic justice for a birkie soldier； wha claims the airth and the fullness thereof； to have to tak' his orders from a sma' shopkeeper。 Go up to the police office in St。 Gila now and ask for an officer to stand at the gate here to answer questions； and to keep the folk awa' from the lodge。〃
He stood guard himself； and satisfied a score of visitors before the sergeant came back； and there was another instance of poetic justice； in the crestfallen Burgh policeman who had been sent with instructions to take his orders from the delighted landlord。
〃Eh； Davie； it's a lang lane that has nae turning。 Ye're juist to stand here a' the day an' say to ilka body wha spiers for the dog： 'Ay； sir； Greyfriars Bobby's been leevin' i' the kirkyaird aucht years an' mair； an' Maister Traill's aye fed 'im i' the dining…rooms。 Ay； the case was dismissed i' the Burgh coort。 The Laird Provost gied a collar to the bit Skye because there's a meddlin' fule or twa amang the Burgh police wha'd be takin' 'im up。 The doggie's i' the lodge wi' the caretaker； wha's fair ill； an' he canna be seen the day。 But gang aroond the kirk an' ye can see Auld Jock's grave that he's aye guarded。 There's nae stave to it； but it's neist to the fa'en table…tomb o' Mistress Jean Grant。 A gude day to ye。' Hae ye got a' that； man？ Weel； cheer up。 Yell hae to say it nae mair than a thousand times or twa； atween noo an' nichtfa'。〃
He went away laughing at the penance that was laid upon his foe。 The landlord felt so well satisfied with the world that he took another jaunty crack at the sergeant： 〃By richts； man； you ought to go to gaol； but I'll just fine you a shulling a month for Bob