[Illustration: {THREE DOGS.}]
Now Gil once belonged to an officer in our Navy and he sometimes went
to sea with his master.
Once when he went on a voyage a little kitten went too. She was
everybody's pet and a very friendly kitty. She was afraid of Gil,
though, and would never let him come near her, but would make such a
loud spitting and growling at him, when he tried to play with her,
that poor Gil had to go away and play by himself.
One day kitty fell overboard and Gil saw her and plunged into the sea
to save her. Kitty thought it was bad enough to fall into the water,
but to see Gil come jumping after her was too much, and she was ready
to die with fright.
When he opened his great mouth to take her and hold her above water,
she felt sure that her last moment had come, and she fought and
scratched so, that Gil could not get hold of her.
The officers stood watching Gil and pussy. Poor little mistaken pussy
was getting very tired and would soon sink if she did not let good old
Gil save her.
Suddenly Gil dove down out of sight and then rose again just under
kitty, so that she stood on his back. Puss was so glad to feel
something solid under her little tired legs, that she clung to it with
all her nails. Then Gil swam slowly to meet the boat which had been
sent to pick him up.
[Illustration: THE YOUNG ARTIST.]