ave you done with my dog? Please let me have him back at once!"

"Your dog," she said with a toss of her head that set the earrings
dancing. "I like your impudence. Haven't seen or heard of your dog."

"But you had him and took him away; a boy told me so!"

"Haven't seen him, I tell you."

"Now, you young rascal, be off at once, or I'll give you in charge!"
said the man threateningly. "Coming here with such cock-and-bull
tales."

"What's it all about?" said a tall policeman, stepping forward.

"Why, this young varmint has lost his dog and comes here after it, as
cheeky as can be. We ain't got no dog except the happy family one in
here as we've had for years, and that's a white one, as you can see for
yourself."

"Was yours white?" said the officer to Dick.

"No, sir, black and tan. A boy told me he saw that girl pick him up
and run off."

"Best go and find the boy," said the policeman not unkindly, "then
we'll see."

"I'll make it hot for you, if you show your impudent face here again!"
shouted the man, who was red with passion. He grew redder still as the
officer asked quickly, "How did you know this dog was not white?"

"They've got him, I know they have," Dick muttered as he turned away
with a sob in his throat. "James Cross--that's the name on the show,
and I'll follow them everywhere, till I get Pat back."

But he went through all the Fair again, without finding any trace of
the boy who had told him. Presently he saw the empty waggons drawn up
in the side alley, and with fresh hope in his heart he hurried along.

And in the last in the row "James Cross" was painted and, from
somewhere within, there came a low, unhappy whine.

Instantly Dick was at the door calling "Pat!" and whistling the
familiar call, and this was answered by a storm of eager muffled
barking. The locked door was shaken in vain, and there was no possible
way of rescue there.

But Dick rushed back to the middle of the Fair, and going at once to
the friendly policeman cried, "I've found him! I've found him! He's
locked up in their waggon down that side street. Oh, please make them
come and let him out."

"Is this true?" said the officer sternly to the showman, who had heard
every word. "Have you got his dog?"

"'Tisn't his, it's mine. The young rascal stole him from me and now
wants to make out it's his own."

"But you said just now you hadn't got another dog. When did he steal
it?"

"This morning, and I got