"The Loaded Dog" - Short story - Henry Lawson

“The Loaded Dog” – Short Story – Henry Lawson

“The Loaded Dog” is a story written by Australian writer Henry Lawson. This is a humorous story about a foolish dog Tommy.

Dave Regan, Jim Bently, and Andy Page are gold miners.  They are sinking a shaft at Stony Creek. They have a young retriever dog named Tommy. It is "an overgrown pup... a big foolish, four-footed mate." Andy and Dave are fishing enthusiasts. They try to catch fish using explosives. The dog Tommy picks up an explosive cartridge in its mouth. It runs the fuse through the campfire. Out of fear, the three men start running. Tommy, thinking it a game, playfully chases them. The three men try to escape the cartridge. Jim tries to climb a tree. Andy hides behind a log. Dave seeks refuge in the local pub. The dog Tommy also runs into the pub. The Bushmen who are inside the pub come out.

Then, suddenly Tommy comes across a vicious yellow mongrel cattle-dog. The yellow dog  takes the cartridge for himself. A crowd of dogs gather around the cartridge. The cartridge explodes. The explosion blows apart the yellow cattle-dog and injures numerous others. For half an hour, the Bushmen who witness the spectacle laugh hysterically. Tommy the retriever runs home after Dave, satisfied for the fun he had. 

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NOOJILLA SRINIVAS

Lecturer in English

Govt. Degree College, 

Alamuru, E.G.Dist., 

Andhra Pradesh, India.

noojillasrinivas@gmail.com 

M: 7981862200