perch. "Mad dogs wont
drink, and this one is lapping out of a tub of water!"

"Well, he may be, and we don't know him, and he hasn't got any muzzle
on, and the police will kill him if Jud don't," answered the sanguinary
youth who had first started the chase after the poor animal, which had
come limping into town, so evidently a lost dog that no one felt any
hesitation in stoning him.

"We must go right home; my mother is dreadful 'fraid of mad dogs, and
so is yours," said Susy; and, having satisfied their curiosity, the
young ladies prudently retired.

But Betty had not had her "peep," and could not resist one look; for
she had heard of these unhappy animals, and thought Bab would like to
know how they looked. So she stood on tip-toe and got a good view of a
dusty, brownish dog, lying on the grass close by, with his tongue
hanging out while he panted, as if exhausted by fatigue and fear, for
he still cast apprehensive glances at the wall which divided him from
his tormentors.

[Illustration: THE STRANGE DOG.]

"His eyes are just like Sanch's," said Betty to herself, unconscious
that she spoke aloud, till she saw the creature prick up his ears and
half rise, as if he had been called.

"He looks as if he knew me, but it isn't our Sancho; _he_ was a lovely
dog." Betty said that to the little boy peeping in beside her; but
before he could make any reply, the brown beast stood straight up with
an inquiring bark, while his eyes shone like topaz, and the short tail
wagged excitedly.

"Why, that's just the way Sanch used to do!" cried Betty, bewildered by
the familiar ways of this unfamiliar-looking dog.

As if the repetition of his name settled his own doubts, he leaped
toward the gate and thrust a pink nose between the bars, with a howl of
recognition as Betty's face was more clearly seen. The boys tumbled
precipitately from their perches, and the little girl fell back
alarmed, yet could not bear to run away and leave those imploring eyes
pleading to her through the bars so eloquently.

"He acts just like our dog, but I don't see how it _can_ be him. Sancho,
Sancho, is it truly you?" called Betty, at her wits' end what to do.

"Bow, wow, wow!" answered the well-known bark, and the little tail did
all it could to emphasize the sound, while the eyes were so full of
dumb love and joy, the child could not refuse to believe that this ugly
stray was their own Sancho strangely transformed.

All of a sudden, the thought