imping hurriedly
to and fro, as if anxious to escape. No wonder, when Sancho heard a
voice he knew, and recognized another face, yet did not meet as kind a
welcome as before.

"No, I'm not coming out till he does. It _is_ Sanch, and I'm going to
take him home to Ben," answered Betty, decidedly, as she wet her
handkerchief in the rain water to bind up the swollen paw that had
traveled many miles to rest in her little hand again.

"You're crazy, child! That is no more Ben's dog than I am."

"See if it isn't!" cried Betty, perfectly unshaken in her faith; and,
recalling the words of command as well as she could, she tried to put
Sancho through his little performance, as the surest proof that she was
right. The poor fellow did his best, weary and footsore though he was;
but when it came to taking his tail in his mouth to waltz, he gave it
up, and, dropping down, hid his face in his paws, as he always did when
any of his tricks failed. The act was almost pathetic now, for one of
the paws was bandaged, and his whole attitude expressed the humiliation
of a broken spirit.

That touched Thorny, and, quite convinced both of the dog's sanity and
identity, he sprung down from the wall with Ben's own whistle, which
gladdened Sancho's longing ear as much as the boy's rough caresses
comforted his homesick heart.

"Now, let's carry him right home, and surprise Ben. Wont he be
pleased?" said Betty, so in earnest that she tried to lift the big
brute in spite of his protesting yelps.

"You are a little trump to find him out in spite of all the horrid
things that have been done to him. We must have a rope to lead him, for
he's got no collar and no muzzle. He _has_ got friends though, and I'd
like to see any one touch him _now_. Out of the way, there, boys!"
Looking as commanding as a drum-major, Thorny cleared a passage, and
with one arm about his neck, Betty proudly led her treasure forth,
magnanimously ignoring his late foes, and keeping his eye fixed on the
faithful friend whose tender little heart had known him in spite of all
disguises.

"I found him, sir," and the lad who had been most eager for the
shooting, stepped forward to claim any reward that might be offered for
the now valuable victim.

"I kept him safe till she came," added the jailer Jimmy, speaking for
himself.

"I said he wasn't mad," cried a third, feeling that his discrimination
deserved approval.

"Jud aint _my_ brother," said the fourth, eager to clear