"Now, Franco, I've got to send you away. It's a hard case, Franco, but
you and I must both submit to orders. So go off, Franco, as fast as you
can."

So saying, Jonas pointed along the road, in the direction away from the
house, and said, "St---- boy! St---- boy!"

Franco darted along the road a few steps, barked once, and then turned
round, and looked eagerly at Jonas, as if he did not know what he wanted
him to do.

"_Get home_!" said Jonas, in a stern and severe tone; "_get home_!" and
he stamped with his foot upon the ground, and looked at Franco with a
countenance of displeasure.

Franco bounded forward a few steps over the smooth and icy road, and
then he turned round, and stood in the middle of the road, facing Jonas,
and looking very much astonished.

"Get home, Franco!" said Jonas again; and, stooping down, he took a
piece of hardened snow or ice from the road, and threw it towards him.
The ice fell, before it reached Franco, and rolled along towards his
feet, which made him scamper along a little farther; and then he
stopped, and turned around, and looked at Jonas, as before.

Jonas began slowly to turn backwards, keeping his eye on Franco.

"It's a hard case, Franco, I acknowledge. If I had a barn of my own, I'd
let you sleep in a corner of it; but I must obey orders. You must go and
find your master."