bars as if he wanted to get out. There wasn t much people about that
day, and close at hand was only one man, a tall, thin chap, with a ook
nose and a pointed beard, with a few white hairs runnin through it. He
had a ard, cold look and red eyes, and I took a sort of mislike to him,
for it seemed as if it was im as they was hirritated at. He ad white
kid gloves on is ands, and he pointed out the animiles to me and says:
Keeper, these wolves seem upset at something.
Maybe it s you, says I, for I did not like the airs as he give
isself. He didn t git angry, as I oped he would, but he smiled a kind
of insolent smile, with a mouth full of white, sharp teeth. Oh no, they
wouldn t like me, e says.
Ow yes, they would, says I, a-imitatin of him. They always likes a
bone or two to clean their teeth on about tea-time, which you as a
bagful.
Well, it was a odd thing, but when the animiles see us a-talkin they
lay down, and when I went over to Bersicker he let me stroke his ears
same as ever. That there man kem over, and blessed but if he didn t put
in his hand and stroke the old wolf s ears too!
Tyke care, says I. Bersicker is quick.
Never mind, he says. I m used to em!
Are you in the business yourself? I says, tyking off my at, for a
man what trades in wolves, anceterer, is a good friend to keepers.
No, says he, not exactly in the business, but I ave made pets of
several. And with that he lifts his at as perlite as a lord, and walks
away. Old Bersicker kep a-lookin arter im till e was out of sight,
and then went and lay down in a corner and wouldn t come hout the ole
hevening. Well, larst night, so soon as the moon was hup, the wolves
here all began a- owling. There warn t nothing for them to owl at.
There warn t no one near, except some one that was evidently a-callin a
dog somewheres out back of the gardings in the Park road. Once or twice
I went out to see that all was right, and it was, and then the owling
stopped. Just before twelve o clock I just took a look round afore
turnin in, an , bust me, but when I kem opposite to old Bersicker s
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