his skirts from
all offense.

"But all of you chased and stoned him, I suppose? You'd better look out
or you'll get reported to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals."

With this awful and mysterious threat, Thorny slammed the doctor's gate
in the faces of the mercenary youths, nipping their hopes in the bud,
and teaching them a good lesson.

After one astonished stare, Lita accepted Sancho without demur, and
they greeted one another cordially, nose to nose, instead of shaking
hands. Then the dog nestled into his old place under the linen duster
with a grunt of intense content, and soon fell fast asleep, quite worn
out with fatigue.

No Roman conqueror bearing untold treasures with him, ever approached
the Eternal City feeling richer or prouder than did Miss Betty as she
rolled rapidly toward the little brown house with the captive won by
her own arms. Poor Belinda was forgotten in a corner, "Blue-beard" was
thrust under the cushion, and the lovely lemon was squeezed before its
time by being sat upon; for all the child could think of, was Ben's
delight, Bab's remorseful burden lifted off, "Ma's" surprise, and Miss
Celia's pleasure. She could hardly realize the happy fact, and kept
peeping under the cover to be sure that the dear dingy bunch at her
feet was truly there.

"I'll tell you how we'll do it," said Thorny, breaking a long silence
as Betty composed herself with an irrepressible wriggle of delight
after one of these refreshing peeps. "We'll keep Sanch hidden, and
smuggle him into Ben's old room at your house. Then I'll drive on to
the barn, and not say a word, but send Ben to get something out of that
room. You just let him in, to see what he'll do. I'll bet you a dollar
he wont know his own dog."

"I don't believe I _can_ keep from screaming right out when I see him,
but I'll try. Oh, wont it be fun!"--and Betty clapped her hands in
joyful anticipation of that exciting moment.

A nice little plan, but Master Thorny forgot the keen senses of the
amiable animal snoring peacefully among his boots, and, when they
stopped at the Lodge, he had barely time to say in a whisper, "Ben's
coming; cover Sanch and let me get him in quick," before the dog was
out of the phaeton like a bombshell, and the approaching boy went down
as if shot, for Sancho gave one leap and the two rolled over and over,
with a shout and a bark of rapturous recognition.

"Who is hurt?" asked Mrs. Moss, running out with flou