k tired."

"Very well," she said, with a smile. Then bidding them all good-night,
she went upstairs. Mr. Wood turned to Mr. Maxwell. "You're going to stay
all night with us, aren't you?"

"So Mrs. Wood says," replied the young man, with a smile.

"Of course," she said. "I couldn't think of letting you go back to the
village such a night as this. It's raining cats and dogs but I mustn't
say that, or there'll be no getting you to stay. I'll go and prepare
your old room next to Harry's." And she bustled away.

The two young men went to the pantry for doughnuts and milk, and Mr.
Wood stood gazing down at me. "Good dog," he said; "you look as if you
sensed that talk to-night. Come, get a bone, and then away to bed."

He gave me a very large mutton bone, and I held it in my mouth, and
watched him opening the woodshed door. I love human beings; and the
saddest time of day for me is when I have to be separated from them
while they sleep.

"Now, go to bed and rest well, Beautiful Joe," said Mr. Wood, "and
if you hear any stranger round the house, run out and bark. Don't be
chasing wild animals in your sleep, though. They say a dog is the only
animal that dreams. I wonder whether it's true?" Then he went into the
house and shut the door.

I had a sheepskin to lie on, and a very good bed it made. I slept
soundly for a long time; then I waked up and found that, instead of rain
pattering against the roof, and darkness everywhere, it was quite light.
The rain was over, and the moon was shining beautifully. I ran to the
door and looked out. It was almost as light as day. The moon made it
very bright all around the house and farm buildings, and I could look
all about and see that there was no one stirring. I took a turn around
the yard, and walked around to the side of the house, to glance up at
Miss Laura's window. I always did this several times through the night,
just to see if she was quite safe. I was on my way back to my bed, when
I saw two small, white things moving away down the lane. I stood on the
veranda and watched them. When they got nearer, I saw that there was a
white rabbit hopping up the road, followed by a white hen.

It seemed to me a very strange thing for these creatures to be out this
time of night, and why were they coming to Dingley Farm? This wasn't
their home. I ran down on the road and stood in front of them.

Just as soon as the hen saw me, she fluttered in front of the rabbit,
and, spreading out h