asses candy rolling down
the sloping walk. All they could see in the semi-darkness was the candy,
for Zip was too balled up to show a bit of dog sticking out of the soft
mess.

The children ran after it, screaming with laughter, but when they caught
up to the rolling ball and discovered their well-known, mischievous Zip
rolled up so tight he was helpless, they clapped their hands with delight.
He looked so crestfallen and funny that they forgave him on the spot for
the loss of their candy. How they did shout with laughter as they were
trying to get the candy off him!

"I know the best way to get the sticky stuff off," said Helen Hardway, the
little girl who was giving the party. "Let's put him in the bath tub and
soak it off."

"Just the very thing!" one of the boys replied. "Wait till I get something
to wrap him in so I won't get all stuck up with the candy."

On hearing this, Zip began to struggle and squirm, for he had visions of
hot water and soapsuds in his eyes, with each one of the children feeling
it was their duty to give him an extra scrub.

"Here, you Zip, keep still, or you'll slip out of the apron you're wrapped
in and get my best suit all sticky," called the little boy who held him in
his arms and was carrying him up to the bathroom.

By squeezing him tightly, the boy managed to get him to the room and was
just about to drop him in the tub from the apron when he discovered that
the apron was sticking to the candy. One of the boys gave it a jerk to
loosen it, but sad to relate, he gave too vigorous a pull and Zip dropped
from the boy's arms, not into the tub, but at one side and by a mighty
effort he gave himself two rolls which brought him to the head of the
stairs. Another roll sent him tumbling bumpety-bump down the long flight
that led to the kitchen. On the way he hit a hamper of clothes on the
landing, and it joined him and went bumpety-bump, bangety-bang to the
bottom and out into the kitchen, hitting the waitress who was carrying a
tray of glasses filled with fruit lemonade to the little guests in the
parlors who had not joined in the dog hunt.

The sudden appearance of a hamper apparently on legs coming toward her,
surprised her, but nothing like the queer thing that was rolling about her
feet, and which she could not see for the big tray in her hands. She could
not seem to escape it, and finally she stumbled and fell, sending the
glasses of delicious lemonade flying in all directions.

He