to send it up to
father. There was not nearly so much cream as usual this morning. I had
scarcely enough for father."

"You don't mean to tell me you have used up the dog's cream?" exclaimed
Mrs. Cameron. "Well, really, that _is_ too much. The little animal will
starve, he can't touch anything else. Oh, where is he? My little,
faithful pet! My lap feels quite empty without him. My dear children, I
trust you may never love--_love_ a little creature as I love Scorpion,
and then lose him. Yes, I am seriously uneasy, the dog would not have
left me of his own accord."

Here, to the astonishment of everybody, and the intense indignation of
Mrs. Cameron, Fly burst into a scream of hysterical laughter, and hid
her face in Polly's neck.

"What a naughty child!" exclaimed the good lady. "You have no sympathy
with my pet, my darling! Speak this minute. Where is the dog, miss?"

"I expect in his grave," said Fly.

Whereupon Dave suddenly disappeared under the table, and all the others
stared in wonder at Fly.

"Firefly, do you know anything?"

"I expect Scorpion is in his grave. Where is the use of making such a
fuss?" responded Fly.

And she made a precipitate retreat out of the window.

All the remainder of that day was occupied in a vain search for the
missing animal. Mrs. Cameron strongly suspected Firefly, but the only
remark the little girl could be got to make was:

"I am sure Scorpion is in his grave."

Mrs. Cameron said that was no answer, and further insisted that the
child should be severely punished. But as in reply to that, Helen said
firmly that as long as father was in the house no one should punish the
children but him, she felt, for the present, at least, obliged to hold
her sense of revenge in check.

After Fly had gone to bed that night, David crept into her room.

"I've done it all now," he said. "I sold Scorpion to-night for a
shilling to a man who was walking across the moor, and I have just
popped the shilling into Mrs. Cameron's purse. The horrid little brute
worked quite a big hole in the bottom of the grave, Fly, and he nearly
snapped my fingers off when I lifted him out to give him to Jones. But
he's away now, that's a comfort. What a silly thing you were, Fly, to
burst out laughing at breakfast, and then say that Scorpion was in his
grave."

"But it was so true, David. That hole looked exactly like a grave."

"But you have drawn suspicion upon you. Now, Mrs. Cameron certainly
doesn't