even to
a dog.'

"He then once more attempted to escape from the wood, but it was to no
purpose; he only scratched his legs with briers and slipped down in the
dirt, without being able to find his way out. He was just going to give
up all further attempts in despair, when he happened to see a horse
feeding before him, and, going up to him, saw, by the light of the moon,
which just then began to shine a little, that it was the very same he
had fed in the morning. 'Perhaps,' said the little boy, 'this creature,
as I have been so good to him, will let me get upon his back, and he may
bring me out of the wood; as he is accustomed to feed in this
neighbourhood.' The little boy then went up to the horse, speaking to
him and stroking him, and the horse let him mount his back without
opposition, and then proceeded slowly through the wood, grazing as he
went, till he brought him to an opening which led to the high road. The
little boy was much rejoiced at this, and said, 'If I had not saved this
creature's life in the morning, I should have been obliged to have
stayed here all night; I see by this, that a good turn is never lost.'

"But the poor little boy had yet a greater danger to undergo; for, as he
was going down a solitary lane, two men rushed out upon him, laid hold
of him, and were going to strip him of his clothes; but just as they
were beginning to do it, the little dog bit the leg of one of the men
with so much violence, that he left the little boy and pursued the dog,
that ran howling and barking away. In this instant a voice was hard that
cried out, 'There the rascals are; let us knock them down!' which
frightened the remaining man so much that he ran away, and his companion
followed him. The little boy then looked up, and saw it was the sailor
whom he had relieved in the morning, carried upon the shoulders of the
blind man whom he had helped out of the pond. 'There, my little dear,'
said the sailor, 'God be thanked! we have come in time to do you a
service, in return for what you did us in the morning. As I lay under a
hedge I heard these villains talk of robbing a little boy, who, from the
description, I concluded must be you; but I was so lame that I should
not have been able to come time enough to help you, if I had not meet
this honest blind man, who took me upon his back while I showed him the
way.'

"The little boy thanked him very sincerely for thus defending him; and
they went all together to his father