"
Even at the mock menace Joan trembled a little, but to her astonishment
Satan paid not the slightest heed. Dan sat with his hat on his head--which
was a new and delightful event at the table--and now the stallion took the
hat by the crown, dexterously, and raised it just an inch and put it back
in place. Black Bart, having crept out of the shadows sat down near Joan
with his long red tongue lolling out. This procedure called a growl from
him, but the master continued eating without the slightest interest,
apparently, in Satan's insolence.
A velvety muzzle appeared, with the chin resting on the shoulder of Dan and
the great, luminous eyes above. He whinnied so softly that it was not more
than a human whisper, and meant almost as much.
"Oh," said Dan, in all seeming just roused to attention, "hungry, old boy?"
He raised the morsel of "pone" between thumb and forefinger, holding it
tightly. Then it was a joy to watch Satan. He tried to tug it all away at
once, but only a fragment broke off. He stamped in impatience, and then
went to work to nibble the bread away on all sides of Dan's fingers, very
fine work for such broad, keen chisels as Satan's teeth, but he went about
it with the skill of long practice, turning his head this way and that and
always watching the face of the master with sidewise eyes, one ear forward
and one ear back.
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