hile
he licked their hands and faces.

"Don't touch him," cried one of the women, pulling the girl away. "He
is filthy, beside, he might bite you."

The child drew back in alarm. Jan's gentle eyes watched them and his
tail waved slowly, trying to make them know that he loved them and would
not hurt them or anybody in the world.

"He won't hurt us, Nurse," the boy declared and put his hand on the
dog's big head. "I don't care whether he's dirty or clean, he's a bully
fine dog, and I wish he belonged to me and sister!"

"Oh, if they will only stay with me!" hoped Jan. "Maybe they would
understand and some day take me back to the Hospice."

The boy smiled into Jan's eyes, but he did not know what the dog was
trying to say.

"Come, children, we must go," one of the women spoke. "Now, you have
seen a dog that cost over a thousand dollars and is being taken to live
in California, where oranges grow and there is never any snow."

Jan turned quickly. He remembered all the dogs at the Hospice had talked
about the place where there was never any snow.

"How can a dog save lives where there is no snow?" he asked; but the
women and children, as they turned away, thought he was whining because
they were leaving him alone.

With miserable eyes Jan lay staring into the dark, wondering how he
could be like his father and Barry in a country where there was no snow.

Chapter IV

THE LAND OF NO SNOW

The voyage ended, then followed another long trip in a train and Jan
reached his new home. A little girl with long, yellow curls, big blue
eyes, and pink cheeks, danced down the steps from the wide porch of a
big house as they approached.

Mr. Pixley caught her in his arms, then put her on the ground and called
to Jan, who was still in the automobile which had met them at the
station. The dog leaped out and ran to the child, looking into her face,
while his tail bobbed and waved.

"Oh, you beautiful Prince Jan!" she cried, throwing her arms about his
neck and squeezing him tightly. "I love you!"

Jan's tongue caressed her hands, touched her cheek, and his body
squirmed and twisted, then he flopped on the ground and rolled on his
back, waving his paws to show that he loved her. Obeying her call, he
trotted be sidle her, past strange trees growing on stretches of fresh,
green grass. Jan looked about him and saw that this new stuff that was
so soft when he walked upon it, reached down to the blue water, and that
water