uch a waste. There was "enough to victual him a
week," he said; "the brute never would know when he was full." But
Charley was determined to give him a chance to know, and at last he
poked over a dainty morsel with his cold nose, left it, went back to
it, left it again, unable to clear his plate.

"Lost his appetite," said Bertie; but Amy said he was a sensible dog and
left the last piece for manners' sake, which was probably true. After
his hearty meal, Towzer made himself at home, and laid down before the
fire with his shaggy head upon his paws, as if he had been used to high
living from puppyhood.

CHAPTER XIV.

HAPPY TOWZER.

Towzer lay on the warm hearth and blinked at the fire, while his thick
coat was drying.

"I tell you what it is," said Bertie; "if there is any virtue in good
living, I mean to put a streak of fat on that fellow's bones."

"You can't do it," returned Jack. "I have been a-working on him these
two years. He is one of your lean kind."

"I intend to try it, to pay for his kindness to Flora."

"How would it do to plaster him all over with beef steak?" queried
Charley.

"That is my plan," said Bertie. "What do you think of it, my dog?"

He thought it the best piece of news he had ever heard, and he left his
warm, corner to thank Bertie in his dumb but eloquent way. He looked up
into Bertie's face and wagged his tail, and said as plainly as a dog
could say, that he was grateful. Mamma exchanged the blue dress for a
flannel wrapper. It never could be called pretty again. Then she brushed
out the wet curls and chafed the rosy feet with her own warm hands.
Under such treatment, Flora began to revive.

"Going to be a good girl," she said, gratefully.

"And mind mamma?"

"I will. Never open the big gate again."

"Did you open it?"

"I did. Flora is hungry."

How happy she was, sitting on papa's knee with a bowl of bread and milk
in her lap!

When Amy brought it, she grasped it eagerly with both fat hands and took
a long, deep draught.

"The little pet is nearly starved," said Amy.

"The little pet will never forget this day," said papa; "she has had a
hard lesson."

After she had eaten all the bread and milk, Jack and Towzer were brought
in to say good night; and Towzer poked his nose against the rosy feet,
to make sure that they were no longer cold and wet, and rested his head
for a moment upon papa's knee.

"Come again," said Flora.

"He will be a-fetching up here e