1.If you should ever visit Edinburgh，youwill，no doubt，climb the long steep street to the castle，and，from thehighest point of the ramparts，feast youreyes on the wide and fair prospectspreadout below.If you then lean over the wallof the King‘s Bastion，and look down at the corner of the great rock just beneath，you will see a small three-cornered space ofground which looks at first like a tiny garden.
2.It is full of bright flowers；but it is not a garden，for you see standing against the low wall a row of grave-stones.The ground and the grave-stones alike are so small that you wonder what kind of a burial-place it is.On reading the inscriptions，you find that they are all written in memory of dogs；and that these good dogs have been the pets of the various regiments which have lived in garrison here.On a stone in the right-hand corner you may read，“In Memory of ’Pat，‘who followed the 72nd Highlanders for 10years in peace and war.Died 9th March 1888.”
3.From a portrait of “Pat，”which was exhibited after his death，he seems to have been of mixed descent，partly like a pug and partly like a bull-dog.Where he was born and educated no one can tell，for the first that is known of him is that he followedthe men in from’paradeone morning；and，havingthus en-listed in the 72nd of his own free-will，he nevershowed any wish to become deserter.He was named“Pat”after the colonel‘sservant，from a comicaltwistin the dog’s face which reminded the soldiers of that man.
4.In 1878，trouble arose between the British and theAfghans，and the 72nd regiment was sent out to India.
When marching orders came，there was no one more ready to obey than Pat.Up to this time he had had no one master；he was content to belong to the regiment.
with fever，Pat was ordered to mount guard over his tent to keep thieves away.Soon he came to look on himself as being in charge of the sick man as well as of the tent，and he began to show great fondness for him.After his recovery，the dog adopted him as his master.
5.Pat was rewarded by the present of a new collar，with a ring to which a chain could be fastened.Who could have dreamed that this ring would one day-though one day only-support a Victoria Cross？The Victoria Cross，as you may know，is a small bronze crossbearing the words “For Valour，”and is only awardedto one who has shown great courage in battle，saved acomrade’s life at the risk of his own，or done some otherheroicdeed.The wearer ofthe cross has the letters “V.C.”put after his name.The award of the Victoria Cross is the highest honour that can be paid to any soldier in the British army.It is an honour open to officer and private alike；but it has been bestowed on only one dog，and that dog was Pat.
6.This was how it happened.In a desperate fight beforeCandahar，Jim M‘Pherson was bearing the colours ofhis regiment，when a bullet struck his right hand and injured it badly.He had barely time to seize the staff of his flag with the wounded hand，and to grasp his sword with the left，when a powerful Afghan rushed upon him to capture his flag.
7.Fighting left-handed，the Highlander was no match for his active foe.He was pressed backwards，and the Afghan had raised his terrible knife for the fatalblow，when Pat rushed at him，and made his sharp little teeth meet in the bare leg of the enemy.The Afghan missed his blow at the soldier，and turned in fury onhis smaller assailant.The dog hung on with wonderfulpluck，though he received an ugly wound，until his huge foe was laid low by a chance bullet.
8.Jim thought that his little friend was dead.But there was no time for regrets；his own strength was rapidly failing，and he made a last effort to reach his officer’s side with the flag.Jim stuck to his colours as Pat had done to his enemy，and，in spite of his wounds，he carried them off safely.The good colonel had seen most of Jim‘s gallant fight，and said something about“mention in the dispatches“and “V.C.，”but Jim heardhim not.He was carried off the field unconscious .
9.Next morning he was awakened by the entrance of the doctor，and found a muddy-looking bundle lying by his bed.
“Why，it is Pat，”he exclaimed.“Look at him first，doctor，and see if you can do anything for him.I would give up my other hand to save him.But for him，I should be lying out yonder.It was he who saved the flag.I’ll tell you all about it when I am a little stronger.”
10.Both Pat and his master recovered，and the sergeant was never tired of telling how the plucky little creature had saved his life and saved the flag at the same time.He always wound up the tale by saying，“If I ever get home again，and hold the V.C.you are all talking about，Pat shall have a share in the honour.For four-and-twenty hours he shall wear it in the streets of Edinburgh，hanging from the ring of his collar here.”
And Jim kept his word，according to the witness of many who saw the strange sight.
