When the intellectual gulf began to widen, in the author's lancy, the man stood on one side and the rest of the animais on the other. The man looked upward at the sky, and all the other animals walked off, each about his own business. "All," did I say? All but one! The little dog sat on the very edge of the widening gulf, ears cocked, tail moving, and watching the man. Then he rose to his feet, trembling. "I want to go to him," he whined, and crouched as if to leap.

The pig grunted and went on rooting in the ground; the sheep nibbled a tussock of grass; the cow chewed her cud in calm indifference. It was none of their business whether he went or stayed.

"Don't try that jump," said the friendly horse; "you can't possibly make it: I couldn't do that myself".

"Oh, let him try it," sneered the cat; "he'll break his silly neck and serve him right".

But the dog heard none of them; his eyes were on the man, and he danced on the edge of the gulf and yelped. And the man heard him and looked across and saw what he wished to do.

"Come!" shouted the man.

"I'm coming," yelped the dog.

And then he gathered himself and leaped. But the gulf was very wide - almost too wide for a little dog. Only his brave forepaws struck the farther edge of the chasm, and there he hung without a whimper, looking straight into the eyes of the man. And then there came to the man a strange feeling he had never had before, and he smiled, stooped and lifted the dog firmly and placed him by his side, where he has been ever since. And this was the very beginning of the movement which, ages later, led to the foundation of the first humane society. And the dog went frantic with joy and gratitude, pledged his loyalty to the man, and he has never broken his pledge.