ater, while mamma carried
him gently toward the house.

No one seemed to be in such good spirits as Ponto. He danced and
jumped, trying to catch Frankie's foot, and whisked his tail up and
down, and did every thing he could to express his joy at having his
little friend safe again.

How and when the ladies went away mamma did not know. She carried her
dear boy up into the nursery, and then sank down, and began to cry. When
Sally saw her, she cried too; and Jane, who, was pulling off Frankie's
stockings, wiped her eyes with her apron. They were all crying for joy
that dear, darling little Frankie had not been drowned. And mamma
whispered a few words as she bent over her boy. She knew that God could
hear, and so she said, "O my heavenly Father, I do thank thee for
restoring my precious child to my arms. Once more I give him to thee."

While she was washing him, she told Sally that she had heard Ponto bark
some time before, but could not see that Frankie was with him. "I shall
always love Ponto," she said, "for he saved my boy."

Ponto was lying on the hearth rug, resting himself. He had had a great
deal to do that morning, and he had done it well. Now, when he heard
mamma repeat his name, he rapped with his tail on the floor.

"Good fellow!" said mamma; "good Ponto!"

He rapped again, louder than before. This was the way he meant to say,
"I am as glad as you are, that dear Frankie is safe."

When the little fellow had been dressed in his clean clothes, Sally said
she would run down to the water and bring up his wheelbarrow, which she
saw there. Jane went with her, and they found where he went in, for his
tiny shoe was sticking fast in the mud. Then they went round to the
other side, where Ponto had carried him, and found it was very deep
water, so that if the noble dog had not taken him out, he must have been
drowned.

When Willie came home from school, and heard what a trusty friend Ponto
had been, he put his arms round the dog's neck and kissed him. Frankie
had kissed him very often, but Willie had never done so before. But
Ponto seemed to understand it very well; and when papa came in, all the
while mamma was telling him about poor Frankie's accident, he stood
gazing into her face.

For a few moments papa could not speak; his heart was too full. He
walked away to the window and wiped his eyes; but presently he came
back, and patted Ponto on the head, and said, "Noble Ponto! good
fellow!"

Then Ponto knew t