Lost

"Nedder," he said, and he crushed it beneath his heel.

There were grasshoppers, too, by the thousand, and furze, and
stone-chats flitting from bush to bush, while sometimes a dove winged
its way overheard, or uttered its deep coo from the pine-wood at the
foot of the hill.

Delicious blue sky overhead; a view all about that seemed to fade into a
delicious bluey pink; and the sweet warm odour of the earth rising to be
breathed and drunk in and enjoyed; the place seemed to me a very
paradise, and the dog appeared to enjoy it as much as I.

Shock rarely spoke to me, but he did not turn his back. The boy was as
excited as the dog, going down on all-fours to push his way amongst the
heath and broom, and scratch some hole bigger where it was evident that
a rabbit had made his home. Then he was after a butterfly; then
stalking a bird, as if he expected to catch it without the proverbial
salt for its tail; and I'm afraid I was just as wild.

I don't know that I need say afraid, for our amusement was innocent
enough, and you must remember that we were two boys, who resembled Juno,
the dog, in this respect that we were let loose for a time, and enjoying
the freedom of a scamper over the hills.

We had gone some distance through the pines, when, as we turned back and
came to where they suddenly ended, and the earth down the slope seemed
to be covered with pine needles, and was all heather and short fine
furze, I sat down suddenly on the soft fir leaves, taking off my cap for
the sweet fresh breeze to blow through my hair. Shock flung himself
down on his chest, and the dog couched between us with her eyes
sparkling, her mouth open, and her tongue out and curled up at the end,
as she panted with fatigue and excitement.