The Adventures of Mabel. Harry Peck, 1896 A Puke (TM) Audiobook

The Adventures of Mabel. Harry Peck, 1896 A Puke (TM) Audiobook

One.
The Green Lizard.
Once upon a time there was a little girl named Mabel, who lived in a cottage with her Grandma, and her brother Walter, and Jane the cook. The cottage was not very near any other houses, but was away out beyond the village and near a large wood. The wood was very big, and the trees in it were great tall trees all covered with leaves, and having thick vines around them, so that even in the middle of the day it was shady and cool, and when the sun began to go down it was so dark that you could hardly see.
Mabel loved the big woods because when the sun was hot she could go under the trees and play on the moss in the shade of the branches, and there was a lovely little brook there with real fishes in it, and sometimes Mabel would go in wading, and the little fishes would swim around her feet and make believe bite them, but they didn't really bite, because they were such little fishes and hadn't any teeth. And ever so far down in the woods, where it was very shady, Mabel used to find strawberries growing, and blackberries, and little red checkerberries all under the green leaves.
One day, late in the afternoon, when the sun grew very hot, Mabel was tired of playing with her dolls, so she got a little basket and said to Grandma.
"Grandma, may I go down in the woods and see if I can pick some strawberries for supper?"
"It's pretty late,” said Grandma, "but you can go if you won't wander too far away and be out after dark. You know, Mabel, there are animals in the woods that might hurt you, and they come out from their caves as soon as it begins to grow dark."
"Oh, I’m not afraid of animals!” said Mabel," and I won't be late. I’ll pick you a basketful of strawberries and then I’ll come straight home."
So off she went, with her little sun-bonnet on her head and with her basket on her arm, down into the big shady woods.
When she reached them she strolled along under the trees over the beautiful soft moss, where the shadows made it nice and cool, and where the birds perched under the thick leaves and sang when they saw her coming, for they all remembered Mabel, and liked to see her playing around in the woods.
Pretty soon she looked for the place where the strawberries were, and she picked and picked, and went further and further into the bushes, until she had gone a long way, and had filled her little basket nearly full of ripe red berries. And as she picked, the sun sank down behind the hills, and the evening began to come on, and the little frogs in the brook came out of their holes and peeped.
"Gracious!" said Mabel, all of a sudden, “it's getting late. I must go home right straight off."
But just as she had picked up her basket and was looking for her sun-bonnet on the ground, she heard a queer little sound like the squeak of a mouse.
"What's that?" said Mabel, and she looked all around her to see where it was.
But there was nothing that she could find, only the same queer little squeak kept on, as though some one was hurt and was crying with pain.
Mabel looked up into the trees, and peered around in the grass, and looked among the bushes, but she couldn't find out where it was.
"Well!" she said, "that's funny!" and she stooped down to pick up her sunbonnet: when all of a sudden right at her feet she saw what it was that was making the noise. There, down in the moss, was a little bit of a lizard about as long as Mabel's finger. It was bright green, and had a little yellow spot on its head like a gold crown, and when it saw Mabel looking down, it squeaked again as loud as it could.

"Dear me!" said Mabel. "What’s the matter, little lizard? Don't you feel well?" And then she saw what the trouble was
A big stone had fallen on the end of the lizard's tail, and held it down so tight that the lizard couldn't get away. "Why, you poor little lizard!" cried Mabel. "Here, I’ll help you." So she took both her plump little hands and gave the stone a big push, and away it went off from the lizard's tail. The lizard jumped up and whisked his tail around and felt of it to see if it was broken. When he found that the tail was all right, he climbed up on the stone and looked up into
Mabel's face. "You are a good girl," said the lizard.
He had a pleasant voice and a very good looking face, only his nose was rather long. "Why, I didn't know that lizards could talk!" said Mabel. "I can," said the lizard, "I am the King of all the Lizards. Don't you see my crown?" And he pointed with one foot to the little yellow spot on the top of his head. "I can talk and I can do other things, and I’m going to do something for you, because you were so good to me and because you rolled the stone off my tail."
"Oh," said Mabel, politely, "you’re quite welcome. I hope your tail isn't hurt."
"Not a bit," said the lizard," and see here, I’m going to do something for you that I wouldn't do for any other little girl. I’m going to make you so that you can understand animal talk, and so that all the animals will understand you when you talk. And besides, I’m going to teach you how to make all animals good to you."
"How’s that?" asked Mabel. "This way, just listen," and the lizard puffed out his cheeks and began to whistle a little call It was like this.
"Now," said he, "you do it after me."
So Mabel puckered up her lips and tried to whistle the call, but she had never learned how to whistle and so she only gave a funny little wheeze that made the lizard laugh so that he nearly fell off the stone. "Try again,” said the lizard, after he had got his face straight once more. So Mabel tried again and again. She made more little wheezes and she puffed and blew until she was nearly out of breath, and by and by she did make a noise that sounded something like the call. "Good!" said the lizard. "That’s the way! Try some more."
So Mabel tried some more, and pretty soon she could really do it quite well.
"Now," said the lizard, "if you want any animal to be your friend, just whistle that way to him. That’s the call of all the animals. Be careful and don't forget it. Good evening."
And before Mabel knew what he was doing, the lizard had jumped off the stone and darted down into a hole in the ground.
"Well!" said Mabel, "that's the funniest thing I ever heard of. A lizard talking and teaching me to whistle! But dear me! how late it’s getting! I must hurry home as fast as I can."
It really was growing very late. The sun had gone away from the sky and the woods were so dark that Mabel could hardly see where she was going. All the little birds had gone into their nests and the butterflies were safe at home. It was very still except for the tree-toads and the frogs in the brook peeping mournfully, and every little while Mabel could hear strange rustlings in the leaves. She tried to remember the way home, but the woods looked so different now that she couldn't think which way to go. She began to be frightened, and all of a sudden, way off in the distance, she heard a long howl. "What’s that?" said Mabel. "Oh, I'm so frightened!"
In a minute or two she heard the howl again. "Ow!"
A long, wild cry. She knew it must be some animal, and she remembered what her Grandma had said.
Again and again she heard it, and she knew that it was coming nearer. She began to run, but the poor little thing had quite lost her way, and she was really getting further and further into the woods. It was so dark that she stumbled over the bushes and the roots of the trees, and twice she fell down. Nearer and nearer came the strange howl, and before long she could hear something moving through the bushes.
She was now in an open place where it was a little lighter, and, as she looked back, all of a sudden she saw a great wolf pushing through the underbrush, and coming straight at her. He was twice as big as the biggest dog, and his long red tongue was hanging out of his mouth between his teeth.
Mabel thought of Grandma and Walter and how they would never know what had become of her, and then she remembered what the lizard had told her. The wolf was almost touching her and she was frightened to death, but she made up her mind to try to whistle the call. Round she turned and looked right in the wolf's face.
She could feel his breath, her lips trembled, but she gave the whistle. "Ow!" said the great wolf, and he stopped as quick as a wink.
Mabel whistled again. The wolf put his tongue in his mouth and hung his head down. Then Mabel saw that his face looked very pleasant, and she wasn't afraid any more. After all, he was just like a big dog.
"Wolf," said Mabel, "I want you to be my friend!"
“It’s All right," said the wolf. He had a big growling voice, and he spoke in wolf-talk, but Mabel could understand what he said. "I’ve lost my way, wolf," said she, "please show me the way home. I live at Grandma's."
"I know," said the wolf, "I’ve seen you playing around in the daytime.
"Put your hand on my neck and I’ll show you the way."
So Mabel put her hand on the wolf's neck and they went along together. His fur was very soft and long, and Mabel rested her hand on it as she walked, for she was very tired. On they went through the woods.
The wolf was not much of a talker, and Mabel could not think of anything to say, so they kept very still. At last they got to the edge of the woods.
"There!" said the wolf, pointing with his big paw, and Mabel could see through the dark her home with a bright light shining from the window. "Good-bye, wolf," said Mabel. "Thank you very much. I knew you were a good wolf and wouldn't ever hurt little girls, would you?"
“No," said the wolf in a rather queer voice, and Mabel thought he looked rather sheepish, and that he hung his head rather low.
"Well, good-night," said she, and she put her arms round his big furry neck and gave him a hug.
"Oh!" said the wolf, and he licked her hands with his rough tongue, and then trotted back into the dark woods.
Mabel's Grandma was standing on the verandah. She was dreadfully worried because Mabel was so late.
"Mabel! Mabel!" she called as she looked out into the dark.
"Yes, Grandma," said Mabel. And Grandma just rushed down the steps when she heard the little voice, and gave Mabel a whole lot of kisses, for she had been afraid that her little girl would never come back home again.
After Mabel had had a fine supper in her high chair in the cozy dining-room, and when Grandma had undressed her and was putting her to bed, she said:
"Oh, Grandma, I left my strawberries in the woods!"
"Never mind, Mabel," said Grandma.
"We can go together to-morrow and get them. But now I want to tell you how frightened I was to have you out so late. Don't you remember I told you how there were animals in the woods? Well, this afternoon, your Uncle Robert was here and he said that only yesterday, when he was going along the path, he saw something in the bushes that looked like a wolf! Think of that!"
“Oh," said Mabel, "I don't believe a wolf would hurt a little girl, do you, Grandma?"
"What, a wolf?" said Grandma. "Why, Mabel, a wolf is the worst animal in the world! If you had met a wolf he would have eaten you all up, every bit of you!"
Mabel didn't say anything, but she laughed a little to herself, and then turned over in her crib and curled up on her soft white pillow and went fast asleep.

Two.
The Taming of Rex.

The next morning Mabel came down late to breakfast. She remembered what had happened the day before, but it seemed to her like a dream, and she could scarcely believe that she had really seen the talking Lizard and the good old Wolf. But she remembered the call, and before she got out of bed she whistled it over two or three times very softly to herself. While she was eating her bowl of oatmeal and an egg, Grandma, who had finished her own breakfast, said "Mabel, did you hear your Uncle Robert come in last night after you had gone to bed."
"No, Grandma. Was he here?"
"Yes, he spent the whole evening with me, and he told me about a horse that he’s bought. He's having ever so much trouble with it."
"Why? What’s the matter, Grandma?"
"Oh, it’s such a strange horse. Uncle Robert bought him yesterday because he was such a beauty, a great splendid black animal, but now they have found that no one can ride him. When any one goes up to put on his bridle, he starts up on his hind legs and kicks and rears and then runs across the meadow. Uncle Robert thinks that he’ll have to sell him again or else give him away."
"Oh, that would be a pity, wouldn't it, Grandma? I do love horses so! May I go down to Uncle Roberts and see him, please?"
"Yes, after breakfast, only don't stay very long, and don't go too near the horse, because he might kick you." So after Mabel had finished her egg, she slipped down from her high chair and got Grandma to put on her little coat and her straw hat, and off she went down the road. Uncle Robert's house was about half a mile away, and when Mabel came near she saw him walking up and down the front yard, talking to John the man. "Hullo, Mabel!" said Uncle Robert, when he saw her.
"Going to make me a visit?" Yes, Uncle Robert," said Mabel." Grandma said I might come down and see the new horse." "Oh," said Uncle Robert." So she told you about the horse, did she? Well, he's an awful bother to me. John and I were just going out to the meadow to try him again to see if we can't put a bridle on him and make him mind. You know yesterday he wouldn't let us go near him. Come on, and let’s take a look at him." So John got the bridle, and they all walked down to the meadow back of the barn, Mabel following along behind, trying to keep up, with her short little legs. There in the middle of the meadow was a great big black horse quietly eating grass and swishing his tail around to keep off the flies. He was a splendid looking horse, with a long black mane, and a glossy coat that shone in the sunlight as though it had been polished with a blacking-brush.
When he saw that some one was coming into the field he cocked his head a little to one side and sniffed, but kept right on biting at the clover. "Oh, isn't he a beauty!" cried Mabel. "What's his name?"
"The man who sold him to me said his name was Rex," answered Uncle Robert, "and he is a beauty to look at, only he's got an awfully bad temper. I wonder if he’s any quieter to-day. Here, John, give me the bridle and I’ll tackle him first." So Uncle Robert took the bridle and walked very, very slowly into the meadow Rex didn't stir, but kept on quietly eating. Nearer and nearer and nearer came Uncle Robert, creeping along as softly as he could. "I guess he’ll get him this time," said John to Mabel. Uncle Robert was now almost up to Rex's head. He spread out the bridle and took the bit in his right hand and made one more move forward. In half a jiffy he would have had the reins over the horse's neck, when, bang! all of a sudden, just like lightning, up went Rex's head, he snorted a tremendous snort and stood straight up on his hind legs, then he gave a terrific jump into the air, kicked out his heels, and tore away through the grass, plunging and cavorting like a crazy horse. "Pah!" said John, "he's just as bad as ever!" Uncle Robert tried again and again, but Rex wouldn't let him come anywhere near him.
He kicked and pranced and galloped about the field, until at last Uncle Robert gave it up and came back to where Mabel and John were standing. His hat had blown off, and he was puffing and panting, and his face was as red as a beet. He took out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead. "The ugly beast!" he said. "What did I ever buy him for? He makes me so mad I could shoot him!"
"Let me try him, sir," said John. "Perhaps he’s tired of running now." Then John took the bridle out of Uncle Robert's hand, and started out in his turn.

Rex had stopped running, and was eating clover again, as quietly as you please. He cocked his head as John crept up, but didn't budge an inch. "Whoa!" said John, as quietly as he could. "Whooa, old horse, whooa!" Rex kept very still. John was now at his head, and was just about to slip the bridle on when, bang! up went Rex in the air again, slash went his heels straight out as he turned. His hoofs with their iron shoes flew within an inch of John's ear. If they had struck him they would have knocked his head clean off." Ow! ow!" cried John, frightened half to death. "If he'd kicked me, I'd have been a dead man!" Then he hurried back to where Uncle Robert and Mabel stood, while Rex went galloping around the meadow again, snorting like mad. "Isn't that the worst beast you ever saw?" cried Uncle Robert, who was dreadfully vexed. "I’ll sell him or give him away this very afternoon!"

Mabel kept very still for a moment Then she looked up into Uncle Roberts face, and said in her soft little voice," Uncle Robert, will you let me try to put his bridle on?" Uncle Robert stared at her till his eyes nearly popped out of his head. He was too surprised to speak at first, and then he began to laugh. "Ha, ha!" he said. "What, you try to put a bridle on him? Ha, ha! that's a good joke!" "Ho, ho!" roared John. "Well, that's the best I ever heard!"
"May I, Uncle Robert?" said Mabel. “Why, Mabel," said he, "it's perfect nonsense for a little girl like you to think of such a thing. The idea of your managing a big ugly horse!
"Sure," said John, "you're only a little baby yet, and the horse would eat you up or kick you way across the lot."
"Well," said Mabel, "I couldn't do any worse than you did, anyhow!" Mabel was angry. She didn't like to be called a baby when she was nearly six years old. Then she turned to Uncle Robert and said "Please, please let me try." Uncle Robert laughed again. "Well, Mabel," he said, "he’ll just run away when you go near him, so it won't do any particular harm, but you're a silly little girl to think that you can do what John and I couldn't. Why, you're so small you’ll make the horse laugh to see you coming up to him with a bridle." "Never mind," said Mabel, stoutly. "I'd like to see a horse laugh. If I can't put his bridle on him I’ll come back again." So she swung the bridle over her little arm and started out through the clover. She was so small that the clover-blossoms came up almost to her neck, and her fluffs of yellow hair touched them as she walked along. It was a pretty picture that she made, moving through the thick green grass, and perhaps this was why Rex stopped munching clover long before she came near him, and began looking at the little figure that was marching straight toward him as he stood with his head high up in the air.

Perhaps, though, he thought that he could frighten her when he saw how small she was, for he pawed the ground and snuffed the air, and shook his mane at her, and when she came near him he began to lash his tail as though he were very fierce. But Mabel looked up at him and held out her hand, and as he lifted his hoofs she whistled the Lizard's call.

Rex stopped as though he had been shot. He pricked up his ears and looked at her very hard. Then Mabel whistled the call once more. "Good old horsey," she said to him. "You won't run away from me and be a bad horse, will you?" Then she whistled the call for the third time. Rex put his head down low and gave a long soft whinny. "Come here, Rex," said Mabel, and the big horse walked quietly up to her, and rubbed his nose on her cheek, whinnying all the time as gently as if he had been only a little colt. Uncle Robert and John couldn't believe their eyes. They were too far away to hear her whistle the call, so they just stood there and wondered how on earth Mabel was making friends with the horse.
“Open your mouth, Rex," said Mabel. He opened his mouth, and she slipped the bit in between his teeth. Then she drew the bridle over his ears and fastened the strap as she had often seen men do when they harnessed horses. "Now, Rex," said Mabel, after she had patted his nose and smoothed his neck," I want you to come up to the fence, so that I can climb up on your back and ride you." Rex whinnied again and walked slowly up to the high stone wall near by. Then Mabel clambered up on the wall, and from the wall she crept upon Rex's broad back and took hold of the reins. When he felt her sitting on him he stood up in the air on his hind legs; but he did it so slowly that Mabel didn't mind it, for it felt as though she was on a big rocking chair, and she held on tight by the reins and Rex's mane. Then, when all his four feet were on the ground again, she spoke to him once more, and he started off with her across the meadow to the place where Uncle Robert and John were standing.
As soon as he got there he stopped and stood beside them perfectly still with Mabel laughing on his back. "O Mabel, Mabel!" cried Uncle Robert, whose eyes were as big as saucers. "How in the world did you manage to do it? Why, it's the most wonderful thing I ever saw in my life! Wonderful! Wonderful!"
"Oh, I just spoke to him, Uncle Robert, and he minded me all right," said Mabel. "I think he likes little girls." He seems to," said Uncle Robert, still wondering. "Am I a little baby now, John?" asked Mabel. "Sure, Miss Mabel," said John, "I’ll never call you a little baby again. You’re bigger than the biggest man I ever saw!" "Well," said Mabel after a little while.

"help me down, please, Uncle Robert. Rex is good now, and you can ride him all you want to."
"No, no," answered Uncle Robert. "You have done such a wonderful thing with him that I think he ought to belong to you after this, so I'm going to give him to you." "What, to keep? For my ownty own?" "Yes," said Uncle Robert." If Grandma will let you have him, you can keep him for your own horse to ride on always. I think you deserve to have him. And I’ll get you a little girl's saddle and send it down to the house for you."
"Oh, goody!" cried Mabel, and she jumped so with joy that she nearly fell off Rex's back. "Would you like to be my own horse, Rex?" Rex gave a loud whinny. "Thank you ever so much, Uncle Robert. You are awfully good. May I ride him home now, this very minute, to show Grandma?"
"Of course," said Uncle Robert "Only hold on tight." So Mabel spoke to Rex and off they went, slowly cantering down the road to Grandma's. Grandma was standing in the yard watering her flower-beds, when all of a sudden she heard a horse's hoofs clattering along the hard road. She turned around and looked, and then she saw a big black horse coming straight toward her in a cloud of dust. Her eyes were not very good, and at first she did not see that there was any one riding him. "Dear me!" she said to herself. "That must be Robert's new horse. I wonder if he's broken loose and run away." But in a minute she noticed something like a little white bundle perched up on his back, and a second or two later she saw that it was Mabel, laughing away as she rode the great horse right through the gateway and over the lawn till she stopped him at Gandma's side. "Mabel! Mabel!" cried out Grandma. "You on a horse's back? Why, how can you ride like that? Aren't you afraid of falling off?" "Oh, no!" said Mabel. "It's lots of fun!

And, Grandma, Uncle Robert has given me Rex for my ownty own horse to keep as long as I live, and please let me have him. There's room in the barn for him, and I’ll feed him every day and take good care of him, and oh, won't it be lovely!"
"Dear me! dear me!" said Grandma, who didn't know what to make of it all." I never heard of such a little girl riding a big horse. Why, Mabel, it's wonderful!"
"That's what Uncle Robert said," answered Mabel. "But you will let me, won't you?"
"Why, yes," said Grandma." But I'm so surprised, I don't know what to say. Dear, dear!" But by this time Mabel had ridden Rex to the barn, and climbed down off his back on the chicken-coop, and had led him into an old stall. Then she got a rope for his halter and tied him to the manger. Her brother Walter, who didn't yet know what it all meant, helped her put straw in the stall for a bed, and got a pail of water. Then Mabel pulled a lot of grass for Rex's dinner and got Jane to give her a plate of turnips for him and some salt, and when she had heard Grandma tell a man to bring a bag of oats and some hay, she felt that at last she owned a real, live horse. But she told no one about the Lizard's call, for it was a secret, and she felt that perhaps the Lizard wouldn't like to have her tell it.

Three.
The Frogs at the Bridge.
Mabel was very happy with Rex, and every day she took more and more pleasure in him. Each morning she would run out to see him before breakfast, and when he saw her coming he would neigh and stamp. Then, after she had had her own breakfast, she would go again to the barn to feed him. She always piled his manger full of sweet smelling hay, and mixed his oats and his meal with her own little hands, and she fed him bundles of rich clover, and pieces of apple, and bits of fresh green cornstalks. Mabel and Rex were the best of friends. Mabel loved to perch upon the manger and rub his nose and talk to him by the hour, smoothing out his long mane and combing his forelock, and he in his turn would put his great head against her face and neigh softly as she petted him.

After Rex had eaten his hay and his oats, John from Uncle Robert's would come down and curry him with a curry-comb, and put Mabel's new saddle on him, and then she would climb up on his back and start out for her morning ride. She almost always rode in the same direction: down the lane past a house where a cross dog lived, then over the bridge that crossed a pretty little brook, then up a hill past a field where there was a mooly-cow, and another house where Mabel often saw a kitty-cat sitting in the front yard, and finally down a long lane that went through the woods till she came out into the open country where a little pig lived in a small red house. There were other roads that went to the right and to the left of this road, but Mabel did not try any of them, because she did not yet know the way very well, and was afraid of getting lost. She loved to ride down the lane that went through the woods, for it was so shady when the sun was hot, and all the birds and squirrels and tree-toads that lived there knew her. Sometimes when she looked down through the long green thickets she could see the Good Wolf lying among the tangled leaves, and she always called out to him, and he spoke back to her in a very gruff, but good-natured voice. When Rex first saw the big black wolf-head sticking out of the bushes, and heard the growl, he used to feel frightened, and would snort and stamp, but after he found out that Mabel knew the Wolf, and that the Wolf was very friendly with Mabel, he left off being afraid, and would whinny to the great black creature whenever he saw him. In Mabel’s morning rides she often stopped Rex in the woods and climbed down from his back, to pick berries or lie on the moss under the trees. Rex would always wait for her, so that she did not have to tie him. While she was playing about under the trees, he would nibble the sweet grasses that grew by the roadside, and now and then would put his head over the fence and neigh in a friendly manner to his little mistress, who always answered him in her cheery little way. Since she had learned to know animal-talk she had come to take a great interest in all kinds of animals, for they no longer seemed strange to her, but just like little brothers, and when she talked with them they could now understand her, so that even the wildest of the squirrels and the shyest of the rabbits in the bushes would come out to meet her and eat out of her hands the nuts and acorns and tender green leaves that she picked for them. When she lay on the moss, they played about her without the slightest fear, running and jumping over her head, or nestling down by her face and taking a long nap beside her. In the brook where the bridge was, there lived a family of frogs. There was the big green papa-frog, and a mamma-frog, and five little baby-frogs. They often sat upon stones in the middle of the brook and croaked to Mabel in their funny little voices as she went by, and she got to know them all very well. One day all seven of the frogs were out in the middle of the bridge fast asleep in the sun when Mabel came riding along.

They were right in the way, and Mabel was afraid that if she tried to cross the bridge Rex might step on some of them and crush them. So she stopped him and cried out to them.
"Wake up, frogs!" she said. "Come, wake up! I want to go by." But the frogs didn't hear her and slept straight on. Mabel called and called again, but still they didn't hear. At last she rode Rex up to the stone fence near by and slipped down from his back. Then she walked up to the big green frog and took him by his fore-foot. "Come, Frog!" she said. "Wake up! You’ll get stepped on." The Big Frog woke up all of a sudden, with a start. At the same time all the other frogs woke up. They saw some one bending over them, and at first thought it was a bad boy who was going to catch them and put them in a bag and sell them to some cook who would cut off their hind-legs and fry them. So, without waiting to see anything more, they all gave a big jump and went splash! plunk! plunge! down into the brook as hard as ever they could go. Pretty soon, however, they popped their heads out, and there they saw Mabel climbing up on her horse again. Then they knew how good she had been, and how she had taken all that trouble to get down and wake them up for fear they should be hurt. The Big Frog swam up to a large flat stone that stood out of the water, and as Mabel rode by on the bridge, he puffed up his cheeks and said in frog-talk and in his croakiest voice." Thank you! Thank you!"
"All right, Frog," said Mabel. "Only don't go to sleep on the bridge again, or next time some one may come along and walk on you, and smash you all into little pieces." Then she spoke to Rex and went galloping away home. The next morning it began to rain, so that Mabel could not take her ride. It rained all day, harder and harder, and when night came it just poured great sheets of water. The next day it was just the same, rain, rain, rain. Mabel stayed in the house and played with her dolls, and wished the rain would stop.

Early on the third day she got out of bed and went to the window. The rain was over, and the sun was shining, and everything glittered in the bright light. "Oh, goody!" cried Mabel. "Now I can go out on Rex again!" So she went down to the barn the first thing after breakfast, and as soon as Rex was fed and curried and saddled, up she got on his back and cantered out of the yard for a good long ride. Down the road she went past the Cross Dog's house, down the long hill, till at last she came to the bridge over the brook. Then she saw that the rain had filled the brook full, and had swollen it out and made it almost as big as a river. The water was high up, almost touching the bridge, and it rushed along all foamy and swift, roaring as it went. "Dear me!" said Mabel. "Why, I never saw so much water before in my life!" Just then she noticed that the seven frogs were all out of the water and were squatting across the road in a line just in front of the bridge. They reached all the way over the road so that Mabel could not get to the bridge without riding over them. "Good morning, frogs," said Mabel.
“How big your brook is this morning! Come now, please get out of the road so that I can ride over the bridge." But the seven frogs never budged, but just hitched up their shoulders and blinked. "Come, frogs!" said Mabel again, very much surprised. "Don't sit there in the way. Can't you see that Rex will step on you if I try to get past?" But the frogs never stirred, and only hitched up their shoulders and blinked again very hard. Mabel began to be angry with them. "You stupid frogs!" cried she. "Come! hop away, quick! I want to go over the bridge." Then the frogs all puffed out their cheeks and croaked in frog-talk.
"No! No!"
"Why, frogs!" said Mabel. "What do you mean? Do you want to spoil my ride? Aren't you going to let me cross the bridge?"

And the seven frogs all said in frog-talk.
“No! No!" Mabel was astonished. "Dear me!" said she. "I don't know what you want. Is anything the matter with you?" They acted so strangely that Mabel rode up to the fence and got down off Rex and walked up to the frogs. When she came near the bridge all the frogs hopped in front of her and held up their fore-feet and croaked as hard as they could. "What, don't you want me to go over the bridge?" she asked. "Is anything the matter with it? Tell me about it, frogs." The frogs all hitched up their shoulders and blinked very hard indeed. But they did not say anything, for frogs cannot talk very much, only a few short words. Mabel went to the side of the road and picked up a big stone, as heavy as she could lift. She carried it up to the bridge and threw it down on the planks, bang! No sooner had the stone touched it than, crack! The whole bridge fell to pieces and went down with a splash into the brook.

The water swept over it in a minute and carried it away, hissing and foaming. Then Mabel saw that the brook had been so swollen by the rain that it had washed away all the posts that held the bridge up, and that if she had ridden on it, she would have broken through and fallen down into the deep water and been drowned. The frogs all croaked very loud. "Oh, you good little frogs!" cried Mabel. "You knew that the posts were gone, didn't you, and wanted to keep me out of danger? Why, you have saved my life!" The frogs hitched up their shoulders, and as they blinked they all laughed together. "Dear, dear little frogs!" cried Mabel. "Thank you ever so much for being so good!”
And she stooped down and patted all their seven green heads one after another. They all croaked in a satisfied way, and then gave a big hop, and went splash! plunk! plunge! down into the brook again as hard as ever they could. Mabel climbed up on Rex once more and rode back home. On the way she met man, and told him that the bridge had broken down, so before long a party of men came and built a new bridge, with stone pillars underneath it, so strong that the brook could never wash it away again.

Four.
The Robbers.
One morning Mabel sat eating her breakfast with Grandma and Walter, when she heard a sort of knock at the front door. "What's that?" said she, "the postman?”
"Oh, no," said Grandma. "The postman always whistles. I don't think it’s anything at all." But pretty soon another knock was heard, and something began to scratch on the door, and whine. "Let me go and see who it is," said Mabel, and she jumped down from her high chair and ran to the door. When she opened it what should she see but a large black dog standing on the doormat and scratching the door with one paw.

He was a dog that looked as though he had been badly treated by some one and had run away. He was very thin, so that his bones stuck out all over him, and his eyes were sunk deep down in his poor bony head. He was all splashed with mud, and his hair was matted close to his body. When he saw Mabel, he crouched down as though he thought she was going to beat him, and whined pitifully. "What do you want, doggie?” asked Mabel. Her voice was so kind and she looked so pleasant that the dog knew that she was not going to hit him, and he wagged his tail feebly and began to lick her hand. "Poor old dog," said Mabel. "You look awfully hungry. See, Grandma, here's a dog." Grandma came to the door and looked at him. "Oh, what a miserable, dirty-looking dog!” she said. "Come in, Mabel, and shut the door. Perhaps he's an ugly dog and will bite you."
"Ah, no, he won't," cried Mabel.
"And, Grandma, let me give him some breakfast.
I don't think he's a bad-looking dog at all. He's only muddy because he's been running along the roads. You wouldn't bite me, would you, doggie?” The dog put his nose up into the air and gave three loud barks, as if to say.
"No! No! No!”
"There, Grandma, I knew he wouldn't! Come now, let me give him something to eat."
So Mabel went to the breakfast-table and got a big plate. On it she put three or four chop-bones with plenty of meat on them, a large piece of omelet, some bread, and a bit of buttered toast. Then she carried the plate out to the verandah and set it down beside the dog. Oh, how he wagged his tail and jumped when he saw it! But, hungry as he was, he wouldn't touch a scrap of food till he had licked Mabel's hand again as if to thank her for being so good to him.
Then he just rushed at the plate, for he was nearly starved, and ate and ate as hard as ever he could. First, he gnawed every bit of meat off the chop-bones, then he gobbled the omelet, and then the toast. Finally, he licked the plate clean and went back to the bones again, crunching them all into little pieces between his teeth. "Well, you are hungry!” said Mabel. “I’ll give you something more." So she brought him out a large bowl of warm milk with some oatmeal in it, and watched him as he lapped it with his long tongue down to the very last drop. While she was standing there, Grandma came by and looked at him. "Now, Mabel," she said, "as soon as he has finished, drive him away. We don't want such a looking dog as that around." "Oh, he isn't really so bad-looking," answered Mabel. "He's just a little muddy." Grandma went upstairs, and as soon as she was out of sight, Mabel ran into the kitchen and got Jane to give her a large bowl of warm water and a sponge, and a cake of soap. Then Mabel sat down beside the dog and dipped the sponge into the water. "I'm going to give you a nice bath, doggie," said she, and he wagged his tail and stood very still. First, Mabel soaked the sponge full of warm water and wiped off the mud from the dog's face, then she wrung it out and dipped it in the water again and went over his body and his legs, going over and over him till every bit of mud was gone. Then she got a fresh basin of clean water and sponged him all over once more, till he was as clean as he could be, down to the very tips of his black paws and the end of his tail. Last of all, she brought a big clean towel from the kitchen and rubbed him as dry as a bone. "There, doggie!” she said proudly when she had finished. He looked like a different dog. His coat was glossy and smooth, and shone in the sunshine, and he felt so strong and well after his big breakfast that he no longer kept his head down and his tail drooping on the ground, but he held them both high up in the air, and his eyes were as bright as jewels. Just then Grandma came down the front stairs and looked out. "Why, Mabel!" she cried. "Another dog? Where did he come from?”
"What do you think of him, Grandma?” asked Mabel, while her eyes twinkled with fun. "Oh, he's a very good-looking dog," said Grandma. "Whose dog is he?” "Ha, ha!" laughed Mabel. "Why, Grandma, it's the same dog that came while we were at breakfast. I've just washed him." Grandma was tremendously surprised. "Well, well!" said she. "I shouldn't have known him." "Now, Grandma," said Mabel, "you see he's a good, handsome dog, so won't you let me keep him? You know there's a dog-house in the yard by the barn, and I could take care of him. Do say yes, Grandma, for I should dearly love to have a dog of my own." "What, a dog?” "Yes, please, Grandma."
"Well, I don't know that I care. Only his owner may come for him, and then you’ll have to give him back." "Oh, I don't believe he's got any owner, and if he has, the owner ought to be ashamed for letting him get so hungry and thin."

So Mabel kept the dog. When he found that she was going to let him stay, he was wild with joy, and frisked and jumped around like mad, barking and yelping as loud as he could. Mabel took him out to the dog-house, and put some straw in it for his bed, and a large bowl for him to drink out of. "Now," she said," there’s your house, and you must be a good dog. I'm going to call you Towser, because I’ve got a story-book in the house about a dog named Towser, and I like the name." So Towser walked into his new house and curled up on the straw and went fast asleep. The next morning when Mabel took her ride on Rex, Towser ran behind them, and the three were good friends at once. That same afternoon two men walked slowly by the house where Mabel lived. One was a very tall, dark man with a heavy black beard. The other was shorter with a smooth face. Both of them wore slouch hats that partly covered their faces, and high, thick boots. Round their necks they had mufflers of dirty red flannel. Each carried a long, sharp knife in his pocket. They were robbers. As they walked slowly by, the tall robber looked into the yard and saw the stable-door open and Rex inside eating hay out of the manger. "Huh!” said the tall robber. "That's a mighty fine horse. I wish I had him."
"Well," said the short robber, "why not steal him? We can come here in the dark to-night and get him out of the barn. I don't believe they lock the door nights." "That’s a good idea," said the tall robber, "and maybe they don't lock the house-doors either, so perhaps we can get in and rob the house." Then, after they had looked very carefully at the barn and at the house, they went away to the place where they lived. It was a small brown house a good many miles away. When they reached it, they went inside and waited till the sun sank down and darkness came on. Then about midnight they got a dark lantern, a bridle, a saddle, and four large towels, and set out through the dark toward Mabel's house. When they came near it, they crouched down by the fence and crept carefully along, keeping very still. On they went till they came to the garden gate. They opened this as quietly as possible, and glided into the yard. The house was all dark. The lights were out and everybody was asleep. "I wonder if the house is locked," whispered the short robber. They crept up to the verandah, and the tall robber fumbled in the dark till he found the door-knob. He turned it and pushed against the door. It was locked. "Pah!" said the robber. The short one tried the windows, but they were locked too. Then they went noiselessly around to the back of the house and tried the kitchen-door and the windows, and the cellar-door, but they were also safely locked. "Say!” said the tall robber. "I'm afraid the stable's locked too."
"Let's see," growled the short robber. They made their way silently up to the stable-door. One of them put his hand on the big wooden latch and pushed it.

"Ha!" said he. "This ain't locked. Good!” They opened the great barn-door and went inside. When they found themselves safely in, the tall robber took the dark lantern out of his pocket and flashed the light around. There was Rex standing in his stall, half asleep. He opened his eyes when he saw the light, and wondered what was going on, and who these men were. "Come!” said the tall robber, "let's get him out." They untied his halter and led him out of the stable upon the soft grass. Then they took the four thick towels that they had brought, and muffled his hoofs up so that he would not make a clatter in going down the driveway. Next they put on him the bridle and saddle. Poor Rex was still half asleep, and had a sort of notion that they were the blacksmiths men who had come after him, so he kept quiet and let them do whatever they wanted to. Finally, the tall robber got up into the saddle and took the reins, and the short robber climbed up behind him. They clicked to Rex, and he started slowly down the drive to the road. The moment they passed out of the gate and got into the road, the tall robber hit Rex with a piece of rope and away they went at a full gallop. They had stolen Rex and got away safely. Now all this time Towser had been asleep in his dog-house near the barn, but the robbers had moved about very quietly and he had not heard a sound, for he was very tired after his long run with Mabel and Rex in the morning, so that he slept like a top.
But when Rex began to gallop down the road, the sound of his hoofs, even though they were muffled up in the towels, startled Towser, and he sat up in the dog-house and looked sleepily out into the darkness. As he did so, he got a glimpse of two figures riding swiftly away down the road and finally disappearing. Then he looked all around and in an instant he saw that the barn-door was wide open. His eyes nearly jumped out of his head. He gave one big growl and ran to the barn and looked in. Rex was gone. Oh, how badly Towser felt then! He knew that Mabel's horse had been stolen, and it made him wild to think he had slept so soundly that he had not waked up and fought the robbers. His heart almost stopped beating. Then he ran as fast as he could to the kitchen-door and struck his head against it, and scratched and whined and yelped and barked as hard as he could. Bangety-bang! he went on the kitchen door, scratchety, scratch, bow wow-wow!
Pretty soon Mabel stirred in her bed and half-awoke. She heard the barking and banging and scratching below. "Goodness!" she said to herself. "What’s the matter with Towser?” Bangety-bang! scratchety-scratch! bow-wow-wow!” Why, the poor dog must be sick!” said Mabel. Bangety-bang! scratchety-scratch! bow-wow-wow!” Dear me!” said Mabel, who was now thoroughly awake. "I'd better go down and see what he wants, or he’ll wake up Grandma, and she’ll be angry with him." So up she got in her little nightie, and went pattering down the stairs in her bare feet to the kitchen-door. She turned the key and opened the door, and there was Towser barking and yelping like mad. "What's the matter, Towser?" said Mabel.
"What do you want?" For answer, Towser leaped up and put his paws on her shoulders, and then darted off toward the barn. Then he came back and pawed her again, and once more darted off. This he did three or four times, every time barking as loud as he could. Mabel was puzzled. She could not understand what he wanted. "Why, Towser," she said, "I think you're going mad." Just then Walter, who had also been awakened by the noise, came downstairs partly dressed and with a candle in his hand. "Oh, Walter!” cried Mabel. "See how strangely Towser acts! He paws at me and then runs out into the dark, and then runs back and paws at me again. What do you suppose he wants?”
“Why, it looks as though he wanted you to go somewhere," said Walter. "Here, I’ll go with him." So Walter went out with the candle, for the night was very still. Towser gave three loud barks and ran straight toward the barn. Walter followed, and in a minute he saw that the barn-door was wide open. He looked in and found that Rex was gone. He hurried back to the kitchen. "Oh, Mabel!” he said, "Rex is gone!” Mabel did not know what to say. "I think he must have broken out," said Walter. "Perhaps you forgot to shut the barn-door." "No, I didn't," said Mabel. "Well, anyhow," said Walter, "I'll go and finish dressing, and then go down to the Farmers house and see what he says." In a few minutes Walter had dressed, and with a lantern in his hand he ran down to the road to the Farmer's house. He knocked at the door and waked up the Farmer, who dressed himself and followed Walter back to the barn. By this time Grandma had come down and heard about what had happened.

She dressed Mabel and herself, and they both came out into the yard. The Farmer went into the barn and looked all around by the light of Walter's lantern. "Huh!" he said. "That horse didn't break away, because his halter's here, and it's been untied." Then he went outside again and held the lantern down to the ground. "Footprints!” he said. Then he looked at the grass, and found it all trampled. "Two men have been here," he grunted. "Robbers. The horse has been stolen. You’ll never see him again. Why didn't you have a lock for the barn?” Mabel burst into tears. Her dear Rex stolen! Never to see him again! She cried as though her little heart would break. "It's no use crying," said the Farmer. "By this time he's miles away from here. Well, well, it's a bad business, but there's nothing to be done. Good-night." And he gave the lantern back to Walter and walked off down the road through the darkness to his own house. Grandma carried Mabel up to bed again, and tried her best to comfort her, but the little girl kept sobbing and crying, and would not stop. "Oh, my poor Rex!” she said. "They’ve taken him away, and I’ll never see him anymore. And we had such good times together, the dear, dear thing! And now maybe they won't give him enough to eat, and perhaps they’ll be bad to him." So she cried and cried all night long. Out in the darkness in the yard lay Towser thinking about everything that had happened. He thought how good Mabel had been to him, and how she had given him a nice home, and then he remembered how he had slept too soundly and had not waked up, so that the bad robbers had stolen his little mistress's horse away. "I am no good at all," he said to himself. "Even a poodle would have done better than I did. I ought to be killed." And when it was morning again, and Mabel came down with her eyes all red from crying, he felt worse than ever. She would not eat any breakfast, but went out and sat on the manger just as she used to do when Rex was there, and her tears fell down her cheeks as she thought how she would never see him again. Towser's heart nearly broke with grief as he lay on the grass and watched her cry. All the morning he lay there with his nose between his paws, thinking. When Mabel went back into the house, he still stayed there, keeping his eyes fixed on the barn, and on the marks of the robbers' feet in the dust. Oh, if he could only do something for Mabel! Presently a thought flashed into his head. He noticed the foot-prints further down the drive, and the marks on the grass where the robbers had ridden Rex out of the yard. He pricked up his ears and sat up on his hindlegs. He wagged his tail. "There is something that I can do, after all!” he said. Then he trotted across to the foot-prints and began sniffing at them. He had a keen nose like all dogs, and he sniffed and smelled on the ground for a long time. "I could find them by the smell," thought he.

In an instant he began following the hoof-prints on the grass with his nose close to the ground. He didn't stop to think what he could do if he should find the robbers, but he started down the lawn to the front gate still sniffing. He was very eager. His tail was in the air, his eyes were big with excitement, and as he went out of the gate he gave a big bark. One last look behind he gave, and saw Mabel standing by the window drumming with her fingers on the panes and with her eyes still red with tears. She took no notice of Towser as he went by. "Poor little thing!” said he to himself, "I’ll do something for you as sure as I'm a dog!” So out into the road he went, sniffing as hard as ever he could. It was a very hot day, and the sun shone down like fire. It blazed on Towser as he went along the open road, till he was half melted by the heat. The dust flew up into his nose and filled his eyes, and when he opened his mouth to pant, it blew down his throat and choked him. People looked at him curiously as he went nosing his way along, and one bad boy threw a big stone at him and hit him in the hind-leg so that it made him limp at every step. But he kept right on following the trail of Rex.
Sometimes he lost it for a few minutes, but he always found it again, and went on, on, on, past the house where the Cross Dog lived, over the bridge where the Frogs sat on the stones in their brook, by the Mooly Cow's house, and the Kitty-Cat's house, through the dark woods where the Good Wolf hunted, beyond the Little Pig's red house, on, on, on, all the afternoon. Late in the day, just as the sun was setting, the hoof-tracks turned aside from the road and seemed to go into a yard. Towser stopped and looked up. It was a great yard with a high stone fence around it, and an iron gate which was half open. Towser peered in and saw a dark gloomy-looking house, with its blinds closed tight, and great bars on the door. Rusty red stains were streaked across the steps. Towser's heart stopped beating. He knew that this must be the robbers' home. He peeped in between the stone gate-posts, and wondered where Rex was, but he did not dare to go in for fear the robbers would kill him. Pretty soon, however, he crept around the outside of the fence, crouching on the grass, until he had gone all the way around to the back of the house, still hidden by the fence. Then he lay down quite worn out. He wanted to look over the fence to see what there was in the back-yard, but he was afraid that the robbers might be there. Before long, however, he could not hold himself in any more, so he stood up on his hind-legs and put his fore-paws on the top of the fence and peeked very cautiously into the yard. Then his heart gave a great jump, for there under a tall apple-tree stood Rex! The big black horse was tied fast to a limb of the tree by a thick rope, and he looked very sad. Towser was so delighted to see him that he forgot all about the danger, and gave a tremendous bark. Rex turned his head as quick as a flash, and there was Towser's face looking at him over the top of the wall. Rex gave a great jump of joy, and lashed his tail and whinnied loudly.

Just then the tall robber hurried out of the house. He had a red shirt on, and a broad leather belt with a big knife stuck in it. He looked very ugly, for he was scowling horribly. "What's all this noise?” he snarled as he went up to Rex. "Stop it, I say!” And he struck Rex with his hand slap! right across the nose.
"I heard a dog, too," said the tall robber, and he began to look all around the yard. Towser crouched flat on the ground behind the wall, and kept as still as a mouse. "Huh!" said the tall robber. "I’m sure I heard a dog." But after looking all about, he could not see Towser, so at last he went back into the house and shut the door with a bang. Towser had been frightened half to death, so he still lay very quiet behind the wall. By this time it was evening, and it was growing darker and darker all the while, but Towser made up his mind not to do anything more till the robbers had gone to bed. He was so tired that he wanted to take a nap in the grass, but he felt that it would not be safe. So he just lay there and listened and waited. About nine o'clock, the short robber came out and walked around the yard. He was not so bad as the tall robber and, before he went in, Towser heard him giving Rex a pail of water to drink. The robbers locked up their house soon after, but there was a light in the upper windows, and Towser could see them inside walking back and forth. About midnight, however, the light went out, and then he knew that they had gone to bed. He sat up on his hind-legs.
"Now is the time," said he, and with one big bound he jumped right over the wall into the robbers' back-yard. The moon began to come out from behind a cloud, and he saw Rex and Rex saw him. Neither made a sound, however, for fear the robbers should hear them, but they rubbed their noses together for a moment, and laughed softly to themselves. Towser put up his mouth and began to feel of the rope by which Rex was tied to the tree. It was a very thick strong rope, and it did not seem as though it could ever be broken in any way, but Towser put his fore-paws up against the slanting trunk of the tree to brace himself, and took the rope in his teeth and began to gnaw it as hard as he could. He bit and twisted and chewed and gnashed and pulled and snapped. His long sharp teeth sank down into the rope, and began at last to cut it a little bit. Finally one of the small strands of the rope gave way. Towser almost barked with joy, but he checked himself just in time, and went on biting and gnawing harder than ever. Little by little the rope began to part. First one strand and then another was bitten through, until only about a quarter of the thickness was left. Then, all of a sudden, Rex, who had kept very still, gave a great pull with all his might, and the rope snapped like a paper string. Rex was free! He shook his mane and pawed the ground. He was free! Towser, too, jumped about him, while his heart beat fast with joy. He had done something for Mabel at last. A moment later, after he had picked the bits of rope out of his teeth with his claws, he beckoned to Rex to follow, and they both went very softly out of the robbers' yard, walking on the grass so as not to make a noise. But the moment they were out in the road, Towser waved his tail and gave a terrific bark, and plunged away toward home as fast as he could go, with Rex galloping after him like mad. It was nearly morning, and the sky was beginning to grow pink all around the edges. On went Rex and Towser, on, on, on, over hill and dale, through valley and on the level road, till they passed the Little Pig's red house, and went through the woods where the Good Wolf hunted, by the Mooly Cow's house, and the Kitty-Cat's house, over the bridge where the Frogs sat on the stones in their brook, past the house where the Cross Dog lived, until at last, just as the sun was rising, they came thundering into Mabel's yard, all safely home again! Mabel was lying awake in her crib. She had slept very little all night, and was so sorrowful that she thought she could never be happy any more. All of a sudden she heard a tremendous clattering of hoofs in the yard right under her window.

"Why, what's that?” she said. She got up slowly and went to the window and looked out. Rex! She gave a scream so loud that every one in the house heard it. Then she made one big rush for the stairs, slid down the banisters like a flash of lightning, and flew out into the yard in her bare feet and with nothing on but her nightie. "Oh, Rex! Rex! Rex!” she cried, and threw her little arms around his neck. He whinnied as loud as he could, and put his nose against her cheek, and she petted him and cooed over him as though she would never stop. By this time Grandma and Walter and Jane, the cook, had all come down, and were looking on in astonishment. They could not understand how Rex had come back from the robbers. Poor Towser lay on the grass with his tongue out of his mouth, and his coat covered with dust, but no one noticed him at all or cared anything about him. He was tired and hungry and lame, and he was the one who had found Rex and brought him back from the robbers, so he hoped that Mabel would speak at least one word to him. But he saw that she wasn't thinking of him at all, and as he looked up wistfully at her, two big tears came into his eyes. Just then the Farmer came by on his way to milk the cows. When he saw Rex standing in the yard he walked in.
"Well, well, well!" he said. "If there ain't your horse back again! How did you get him?” "He came back himself," said Mabel. "I don't know how he did it." The Farmer saw the rope hanging to Rex's neck. "Must have broke his rope," said he. “Here, let's look. Why, this rope ain't broken, it's bit. Looks as though a dog had gnawed it. Mighty curious thing." At that moment he noticed Towser, lying beside the driveway and all covered with dust. "Hullo! There's that dog of yours! Looks as though he'd been on a journey. Suppose he could have done it?” Everybody turned and looked at Towser.

"Why, he was away all yesterday afternoon," said Walter, "and didn't come back all night" Mabel ran up to Towser. "Tell me, Towser," she said, "did you go and get Rex back?” Towser stood up and wagged his tail, and gave a great bark. "Did he, Rex?” said Mabel. Rex nodded his head yes, and gave a loud whinny. "Oh, you dear dog!” cried Mabel, as she ran and threw her arms around his neck with a big hug that nearly choked him. "You good, good dog! And I never noticed you!” Towser was so glad that he didn't know what to say. He just rolled on the grass, and then jumped up and down and put his paws on Mabel's shoulders and licked her face. Pretty soon Jane brought out a big platter of meat and a bowl of milk for him, and he ate and ate as though he had never eaten anything before. "Eat away," said Mabel. "After this I am going to love you as much as I do Rex, and you shall always have everything you want." That same day Grandma sent for a man who came and put a great iron padlock on the barn-door, and every evening after that Mabel and Walter locked it up tight so that no robbers could get in again to steal.

Five.
Rex plays Policeman.

About a week after Towser had brought Rex home, Mabel rode out one morning into the town, instead of going along the country roads where she nearly always went. Grandma wanted to send a message by her to the ice-man. When she reached the main street she found great crowds of people there, because a regiment of soldiers was going to march through that morning, and everybody wanted to see them. There were flags in the windows, and the sidewalks were packed with men and women and children, all facing the street. As Mabel rode slowly along, suddenly Rex gave a snort. "What's the matter, Rex?" asked Mabel, patting him on the neck. But before she knew what he was doing, he had left the middle of the street and was trotting right up to the sidewalk, still snorting. "Whoa, Rex!” said Mabel, but he would not whoa. Mabel was rather frightened, and