There are stories and then there are Dog Tales. Mark Twain writes early in the development of animal rights and he hits readers right between the eyes with his words through his character development. Near the end of his life, Twain wrote stories that expressed his contempt for the cruelties, stupidities, and general brutishness of mankind. In this story, which goes well with The Mysterious Stranger, he contrasts man with dogs. Dogs have true morality and heroism, which doesn't stand a chance against man's "moral sense."