was shut and locked, and 'Zekiel ran round to the back,
and climbing on the edge of the rain-water butt, he peered over the
white dimity blind, into the silent kitchen.

No one was there, and yet Dame Fossie must be somewhere in the house,
for he distinctly heard sounds of thumping and scraping going on
upstairs.

"I'll get in through the window, and surprise her!" said 'Zekiel; and
as one of the latticed panes was unfastened he proceeded to push it
gently open, and creep in on to the table that stood just beneath it.

He unlatched the kitchen door, and stole up the ricketty staircase.

The sounds continued, but more loudly. Evidently there was a
house-cleaning going on, and 'Zekiel supposed this was why Dame Fossie
had been deaf to his repeated knockings. He lifted the latch of the
room from which the noise proceeded, and peeping cautiously in, beheld
such a strange sight that he remained rooted to the ground with
astonishment.

Dame Fossie's furniture was piled up in one corner--the oak bureau,
and the rush-bottomed chairs, inside the four-post bedstead. A pail
of water stood in the middle of the floor; and close by was the
Fozzy-gog himself, with a mop between his paws, working away with the
greatest energy.

He was about four times his ordinary size, as upright as 'Zekiel
himself, and was directing the work of several other china dogs;
amongst whom 'Zekiel immediately recognized his own property, Granny
Pyetangle's birthday present!

Everyone seemed to be too busy to notice 'Zekiel as he stood half in
the doorway. Two of the dogs were scouring the floor with a pair of
Dame Fossie's best scrubbing brushes, another was dusting the ceiling
with a feather broom; whilst several, seated round the four-post
bedstead, were polishing it with bees' wax and "elbow-grease." They
all listened to the Fozzy-gog with respectful attention, as he issued
his directions; for he was evidently a person in authority.

It did not occur to 'Zekiel to be surprised that all the dogs were
chatting together in very comprehensible Dorsetshire English. To see
them actually living, and moving about, was such an extraordinary
thing that it swallowed up every other feeling, even that of fear.

"Make haste, my good dogs! Put the furniture straight, and have all
ready. Dame Fossie will be returning soon, and we must be back on our
shelves before her key turns," said the Fozzy-gog cheerfully.

The dogs all worked with renewed energy, and b