the coachman, who sleeps over the stable. So they are well protected."

"Very good," said Mr. Morris. And he went back to his paper.

Of course dumb animals do not understand all that they hear spoken of;
but I think human beings would be astonished if they knew how much we
can gather from their looks and voices. I knew that Mr. Morris did not
quite like the idea of having his daughter go to the Drury's when the
master and mistress of the house were away, so I made up my mind that I
would go with her.

When she came down stairs with her little satchel on her arm, I got up
and stood beside her. "Dear, old Joe," she said, "you must not come."

I pushed myself out the door beside her after she had kissed her mother
and father and the boys. "Go back, Joe," she said, firmly.

I had to step back then, but I cried and whined, and she looked at me
in astonishment. "I will be back in the morning, Joe," she said, gently;
"don't squeal in that way." Then she shut the door and went out.

I felt dreadfully. I walked up and down the floor and ran to the window,
and howled without having to look at Ned. Mrs. Morris peered over her
glasses at me in utter surprise. "Boys," she said, "did you ever see Joe
act in that way before?"

"No, mother," they all said.

Mr. Morris was looking at me very intently. He had always taken more
notice of me than any other creature about the house, and I was very
fond of him. Now I ran up and put my paws on his knees.

"Mother," he said, turning to his wife, "let the dog go."

"Very well," she said, in a puzzled way. "Jack, just run over with
him, and tell Mrs. Drury how he is acting, and that I will be very much
obliged if she will let him stay all night with Laura."

Jack sprang up, seized his cap, and raced down the front steps, across
the street, through the gate, and up the gravelled walk, where the
little stones were all hard and fast in the frost.

The Drurys lived in a large, white house, with trees all around it,
and a garden at the back. They were rich people and had a great deal of
company. Through the summer I had often seen carriages at the door,
and ladies and gentlemen in light clothes walking over the lawn, and
sometimes I smelled nice things they were having to eat. They did not
keep any dogs, nor pets of any kind so Jim and I never had an excuse to
call there.

Jack and I were soon at the front door, and he rang the bell and gave
me in charge of the maid who opened it. The