ogs?"

"I've heard tell dey do sometimes."

"What would I do if that 'gator has eaten my Fritz!"

Whereupon away she ran, as fast as her little legs could carry her, to
the river, calling her beloved dog. But no Fritz came bounding at her
call. In fact, he did not return even to supper, nor for breakfast the
next morning.

The conviction grew with Beth that Harvey Baker's 'gator had eaten
Fritz. Her resentment rose against the boy and his pet, she even
shedding some tears of anger and of grief.

Soon after breakfast, a red-eyed little girl started out to give Harvey
Baker a piece of her mind. She found him, as usual, on the wharf. He
was perfectly unconscious of the storm that was in store for him. In
fact, he was in the very act of feeding the 'gator.

"Hello, Beth, don't make a noise. I've just whistled for it."

Her eyes snapped. "I just guess I'll make all the noise I want to, so
there; and I hope I'll scare the horrid old 'gator away," she
concluded, bursting into tears.

Harvey, in his surprise, dropped the meat which he held, and walked
over to comfort her. She, however, turned on him like a veritable
little shrew.

"Go away, Harvey Baker. I hate both you and your 'gator. That's what
makes me cry."

He could not fathom her meaning. He thought, perhaps, she was cross
because of the affair of yesterday.

"Was your mamma very angry? Stop crying and I'll go with you and tell
her it's----"

"It's not that. Your 'gator----" She could not finish because of
sobs. Harvey waited for her tears to subside, but at last grew
desperate.

"Can't you tell me what's the matter, Beth?"

"Your horrid old 'gator--it--has eaten--my Fritz."

"I don't believe it."

"My dog's gone and----"

"I'm very sorry, Beth, that Fritz is gone; but I don't believe the
'gator ate him."

"No, you're not sorry. You were just going to feed that horrid beast,
and after it had eaten my Fritz, too."

"I didn't know about Fritz; but please don't blame me, Beth, even if
the 'gator did eat him." He tried to take her hand, but she pulled it
away.

"I want my dog," she said angrily.

"O Beth, only like me again, and I'll promise never to feed the 'gator
as long as I live."

She was too grieved over the loss of Fritz to accept any such promise.
Harvey would have searched with her for Fritz, but she was so hurt that
she wished to be alone. In fact, she was very cool towards him for
many a day thereafter.

A wee