s.

"Come in," said Waldo, intent on his work; and slowly and cautiously the
door opened.

"Good evening, Waldo, my boy," said Bonaparte Blenkins in a mild voice,
not venturing more than his nose within the door. "How are you this
evening?"

Doss growled and showed his little teeth, and tried to rise, but his paw
hurt him so he whined.

"I'm very tired, Waldo, my boy," said Bonaparte plaintively.

Doss showed his little white teeth again. His master went on with his
work without looking round. There are some people at whose hands it is
best not to look. At last he said:

"Come in."

Bonaparte stepped cautiously a little way into the room, and left the
door open behind him. He looked at the boy's supper on the table.

"Waldo, I've had nothing to eat all day--I'm very hungry," he said.

"Eat!" said Waldo after a moment, bending lower over his dog.

"You won't go and tell her that I am here, will you, Waldo?" said
Bonaparte most uneasily. "You've heard how she used me, Waldo? I've been
badly treated; you'll know yourself what it is some day when you can't
carry on a little conversation with a lady without having salt meat and
pickle-water thrown at you. Waldo, look at me; do I look as a gentleman
should?"

But the boy neither looked up nor answered, and Bonaparte grew more
uneasy.

"You wouldn't go and tell her that I am here, would you?" said
Bonaparte, whiningly. "There's no knowing what she would do to me. I've
such trust in you, Waldo; I've always thought you such a promising lad,
though you mayn't have known it, Waldo."

"Eat," said the boy, "I shall say nothing."

Bonaparte, who knew the truth when another spoke it, closed the door,
carefully putting on the button. Then he looked to see that the curtain
of the window was closely pulled down, and seated himself at the table.
He was soon munching the cold meat and bread. Waldo knelt on the floor,
bathing the foot with hands which the dog licked lovingly. Once only he
glanced at the table, and turned away quickly.

"Ah, yes! I don't wonder that you can't look at me, Waldo," said
Bonaparte; "my condition would touch any heart. You see, the water was
fatty, and that has made all the sand stick to me; and my hair," said
Bonaparte, tenderly touching the little fringe at the back of his head,
"is all caked over like a little plank; you wouldn't think it was hair
at all," said Bonaparte, plaintively. "I had to creep all along the
stone walls for fear she'd