a grave tone, "_real_ worth is not a
thing of looks. Let me tell you that if I knew you to steal a bone,
you would lose my good-will in truth. But I do not look down on dogs
if they are poor and good. Come home with me; we can talk more at our
ease in my nice house, where you will find some first-rate bones, if
you would like them."

"O yes! I guess I would!" cried Frisk.

So the dogs set off on a trot by the side of a fine lake, on the banks
of which the town was built. They soon came to a large house, with a
court-yard in front, tall green rails all round, and a great gate by
which to go in. There was a small gate near the large one, the latch
of which Mop could lift with his nose, for Frisk and him-self to pass;
and then the dogs ran round to the back of the house. On one side of
the yard Frisk saw a fine dog-house, fit for the king, with a roof
that ran to a peak, a porch in front, and a dove-cote on a pole on
top. In-side there was a heap of clean, warm hay, and on a blue plate
were some nice bones.

"There!" said Mop, "don't you call that prime? Help your-self to the
bones, Frisk; I can get lots more."

Frisk did not wait to be asked twice, but fell to, and soon made way
with the legs of a fowl. When these were gone, kind Mop ran to the
house and got a beef-bone for him. Poor Frisk ate as if he was not
used to such fine fare, and the good dog Mop, who gave up his own meal
to feed Frisk, felt as glad as if he had had it all him-self.

When Frisk had made an end of the bones, he and Mop laid down in the
dog-house; and as Frisk had asked him to do so, Mop told his tale, as
you shall hear.

But first he asked Frisk to rise, so he could put more of the soft hay
on his side. "Do you feel quite warm?" he asked.

"O yes! thank you, dear Mop," said Frisk; "as warm as a toast. You
will make me cry, if you are so kind to me. When you were poor, I was
a cross dog to you. Oh! I can not bear to think how bad I was;" and a
great big tear came out of each of Frisk's eyes, and ran off at the
end of his nose.

"Oh! that is all gone. We will be kind old dogs now, and do all the
good we can in the world. And now here goes for the grand tale of all
my joys and woes since I saw you."

MOP'S TALE.

"You know, Frisk, that when we left the court, you chose to go in the
town, and I by the lake. I felt sad to think I had no one to care for
me in the world. But my watch-word is, 'Don't give it up!' and I could
not think that