d. All that kind
care could do for him was done, but it soon appeared that he was beyond
all hope of recovery, and to put an end to his sufferings another
bullet--this time aimed in sorrowful kindness--did its quick work on the
life of poor Ben."

"_What's that?_" cried Hal, starting up. "Do you mean that they _shot_
him? Killed a boy because he was badly hurt? I never heard of such--"

"_Boy?_" said his uncle, looking at him in great surprise. Then he went
on: "When I heard of it, it almost broke my heart; and the first time I
went home after it, and no Ben came bounding to meet me, wagging his
tail, and with a face beaming welcome, I felt as though I had--"

"Hey, uncle! Wagging _his tail_? _Whose_ tail? What are you talking
about? Haven't you been telling us about a _boy_ all this time?"

"Yes. _I_ was a boy. But Ben was not."

"A--dog!"

Hal threw himself on the grass-plot and shouted with laughter, all his
sympathy for Ben lost in his amusement at this unexpected disclosure.

"Oh, Uncle Dud! you're too much for me. 'Never went to school,' 'never
grew to be a man'--oh no. 'No talker,' 'didn't ask for anything'--modest
fellow! Oh, that's too good!"

Boys and girls had a hearty laugh, and ran away to play hide-and-seek in
the summer twilight--all but little Elsie, who tenderly stroked the
brown curl, and laid it against her soft cheek, sighing, "Poor Ben!
poo-oor doggie!"

[Illustration: AN UNWELCOME GUEST.--DRAWN BY H. P. SHARE.]

[Begun in HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE No. 31, July 13.]

THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN NAVY.

BY BENSON J. LOSSING.

CHAPTER III.

"North African pirates are out on the Mediterranean Sea; our budding
commerce there is in danger; we _must_ have a navy to protect it," wrote
a distinguished American in Europe to Alexander Hamilton. President
Washington called the attention of Congress to the matter, and in the
spring of 1794 he was authorized to have six frigates built, each
carrying not less than thirty-two cannon. The keel of the _Constitution_
(yet afloat) was soon laid at Boston, and so the creation of the Navy of
the United States was begun.

To the heroes of the Continental Navy the people looked for commanders
of the new frigates, and Barry, Nicholson, Talbot, Barney, Dale, and
Truxton, all of whom had done gallant service in the war for
independence, were chosen.

The building of the frigates was unwisely suspended in the fall of 1795.
"Pay me so many hundred t