y foolish and nonsensical way. He was famous among all the
boys of the neighborhood, for using strange and amusing words, and
especially for a system of spelling on which he prided himself, and
which is not laid down in any of the dictionaries. He afforded much
sport to the boys, who would gather around him, and give him words by
the dozen to spell. The readiness and ingenuity with which he would
mis-spell the most simple words, was quite amusing to them. He never
hesitated, nor stopped to think, but always spelt the given word in his
peculiar way, just as promptly as though he did it according to a rule
which he perfectly understood.

One Saturday afternoon, as Oscar and Alfred were looking about the
stable, Andy suddenly made his appearance, and asked them for a bit of
tobacco. Both of the boys, by the way, wished to be considered
tobacco-chewers, and usually carried a good-sized piece of the vile
weed in their pockets, though it must be confessed that the little they
consumed was rather for appearance sake, than because they liked it.
They also smoked occasionally, for the same reason.

"You must spell us a word or two, first," said Alfred, in reply to
Andy's request.

"No, I can't stop--got important business to negotiate," replied Andy.

"Yes, you must," continued Alfred; "spell fun."

"P-h-u-g-n," said Andy.

"Spell hotel," continued Alfred.

"H-o-e-t-e-l-l-e."

"Spell calculate," said Oscar.

"K-a-l-k-e-w-l-a-i-g-h-t--there, that 'll do," continued Andy.

"No, spell one more word--spell tobacco, and you shall have it," added
Alfred.

"T-o-e-b-a-c-k-k-o-u-g-h--now hand over the 'baccy.'"

"I have n't got any--have you, Oscar?" said Alfred

Oscar fumbled in his pockets, but there was none to be found.

"You mean, contemptible scalliwags!" exclaimed Andy, "why did n't you
tell me that before? You catch me in that trap again, if you can!" and
he walked off in a passion, amid the laughter of Oscar and Alfred.

"Let's go and see the pups, Alf," said Oscar, after they had got done
laughing over the joke they had played upon Andy.

Alfred's step-father had a fine dog of the hound species, with a litter
of cunning little pups. A bed had been made for her and the little
ones in a corner of the yard, adjoining the stable, with a rough
covering to shelter them from wind and storms. The pups were now
several weeks old. There were five of them, and a fat and frolicksome
set they were too. As the b