"but I'd _want_ to
wallop you."

"Well," she said, "I'm afraid that Joe will 'wallop' you some day if you
worry him about his food, for even a gentle dog will sometimes snap at
any one who disturbs him at his meals; so you had better not try his
patience too far." Willie never teased me after that, and I was very
glad, for two or three times I had been tempted to snarl at him.

After I finished my tea, I followed Miss Laura upstairs. She took up a
book and sat down in a low chair, and I lay down on the hearth rug
beside her.

"Do you know, Joe," she said with a smile, "why you scratch with your
paws when you lie down, as if to make yourself a hollow bed, and turn
around a great many times before you lie down?"

Of course I did not know, so I only stared at her. "Years and years
ago," she went on, gazing down at me, "there weren't any dogs living in
people's houses, as you are, Joe. They were all wild creatures running
about the woods. They always scratched among the leaves to make a
comfortable bed for themselves, and the habit has come down to you, Joe,
for you are descended from them."

This sounded very interesting, and I think she was going to tell me some
more about my wild forefathers, but just then the rest of the family
came in.

I always thought that this was the snuggest time of the day--when the
family all sat around the fire--Mrs. Morris sewing, the boys reading or
studying, and Mr. Morris with his head buried in a newspaper, and Billy
and I on the floor at their feet.

This evening I was feeling very drowsy, and had almost dropped asleep,
when Ned gave me a push with his foot. He was a great tease, and he
delighted in getting me to make a simpleton of myself. I tried to keep
my eyes on the fire, but I could not, and just had to turn and look at
him.

He was holding his book up between himself and his mother, and was
opening his mouth as wide as he could and throwing back his head,
pretending to howl.

For the life of me I could not help giving a loud howl. Mrs. Morris
looked up and said, "Bad Joe, keep still."

The boys were all laughing behind their books, for they knew what Ned
was doing. Presently he started off again, and I was just beginning
another howl that might have made Mrs. Morris send me out of the room,
when the door opened, and a young girl called Bessie Drury came in.

She had a cap on and a shawl thrown over her shoulders, and she had just
run across the street from her father