oys approached them, they were frisking and
capering as usual; tumbling and rolling over one another, climbing upon
the back of their mother, and pulling and barking at the straw. Their
mother, whose name was Bright, sat watching their gambols with a very
affectionate but sedate look. Perhaps she was wondering whether _she_
was ever so mischievous and frisky as these little fellows were. When
the pups looked up and saw the boys, they stopped their fun for a time,
for they were not yet much accustomed to company. Bright, however,
knew both Alfred and Oscar; and as she was a dog of good education and
accomplished manners, she did not allow herself to be disconcerted in
the least by their presence.

"You did n't know father had given all the pups but one to me, did you,
Oscar?" inquired Alfred.

"No,--has he, though?" asked Oscar.

"Yes, he has. I knew I could make him say yes, and so I teased him
till he did. He 's going to pick out one, to keep, and I 'm to have
all the rest."

"That's first-rate," said Oscar; "and you 'll give me one, won't you?"

"Yes, you may have one," replied Alfred; "but don't tell the boys I
gave it to you, for I mean to sell the others."

"Then I 'll pay you for mine," continued Oscar; "I can get the money
out of father, I guess."

"No, you shan't pay for it, for I meant you should have one of them, if
you wanted it," replied Alfred.

"Thank you," said Oscar, "I should like one very much."

After looking at the dogs awhile, and canvassing their respective
merits, they happened to notice that one of the drivers was about
starting off with his coach.

"Halloo, Mack!" cried Alfred, "where are you going!"

"To the depot," replied the driver.

"Let's go, Oscar," said Alfred; and both boys ran for the coach, the
driver stopping until they had climbed up to his seat.

A ride of five minutes brought them to the depot, where the driver
reined up, to await the arrival of a train, which was nearly due. Many
other carriages, of various kinds, were standing around the depot, for
the same purpose. Oscar and Alfred rambled about the building and
adjoining grounds, watching the operations that were going on; for
though they had witnessed the same operations many times before, there
is something quite attractive about such scenes, even to older heads
than theirs. On one track, within the depot, were six or eight cars,
beneath which a man was crawling along, carefully examining the running