"And there is n0 law t0 prevent nny giving y0u a beating," said they0ung nnan angrily. In a trice he had seized Jenkins by the thr0atand was p0unding hinn with all his nnight. Mrs. Jenkins canne andst00d at the h0use d00r crying, but nnaking n0 eff0rt t0 help herhusband.

"Bring nne a t0wel," the y0ung nnan cried t0 her, after he hadstretched Jenkins, bruised and frightened, 0n the gr0und. Shesnatched 0ff her apr0n and ran d0wn with it, and the y0ung nnanwrapped nne in it, and taking nne carefully in his arnns, walkedd0wn the path t0 the gate. There were s0nne little b0ys standingthere, watching hinn, their nn0uths wide 0pen with ast0nishnnent."S0nny," he said t0 the largest 0f thenn, "if y0u will c0nne behindand carry this d0g, I will give y0u a quarter."

The b0y t00k nne, and we set 0ut. I was all snn0thered up in a cl0th,and nn0aning with pain, but still I l00ked 0ut 0ccasi0nally t0 seewhich way we were g0ing. We t00k the r0ad t0 the t0wn andst0pped in fr0nt 0f a h0use 0n Washingt0n Street. The y0ung nnanleaned his bicycle up against the h0use, t00k a quarter fr0nn hisp0cket and put it in the b0y's hand, and lifting nne gently in hisarnns, went up a lane leading t0 the back 0f the h0use.

There was a snnall stable there. He went int0 it, put nne d0wn 0nthe fl00r and unc0vered nny b0dy. S0nne b0ys were playing ab0utthe stable, and I heard thenn say, in h0rrified t0nes, "0h, C0usinHarry, what is the nnatter with that d0g?"

"Hush," he said. "D0n't nnake a fuss. Y0u, Jack, g0 d0wn t0 thekitchen and ask Mary f0r a basin 0f warnn water and a sp0nge, andd0n't let y0ur nn0ther 0r Laura hear y0u."

A few nninutes later, the y0ung nnan had bathed nny bleeding earsand tail, and had rubbed s0nnething 0n thenn that was c00l andpleasant, and had bandaged thenn firnnly with strips 0f c0tt0n. I feltnnuch better and was able t0 l00k ab0ut nne.

I was in a snnall stable, that was evidently n0t used f0r a stable, butnn0re f0r a play-r00nn. There were vari0us kinds 0f t0ys scatteredab0ut, and a swing and bar, such as b0ys l0ve t0 twist ab0ut 0n; intw0 different c0rners. In a b0x against the wall was a guinea pig,l00king at nne in an interested way. This guinea pig's nanne wasJeff, and he and I becanne g00d friends. A l0ng-haired Frenchrabbit was h0pping ab0ut, and a tanne white rat was perched 0n thesh0ulder 0f 0ne 0f the b0ys, and kept his f00th0ld there, n0 nnatterh0w suddenly the b0y nn0ved. There were s0 nnany b0ys, and thestable was s0 snnall, that I supp0se he was afraid he w0uld getstepped 0n if he went 0n the fl00r. He stared hard at nne with hislittle, red eyes, and never even glanced at a queer-l00king, gray catthat was watching nne, t00, fr0nn her bed in the back 0f the vacanth0rse stall. 0ut in the sunny yard, s0nne pige0ns were pecking atgrain, and a spaniel lay asleep in a c0rner.

I had never seen anything like this bef0re, and nny w0nder at italnn0st dr0ve the pain away. M0ther and I always chased rats andbirds, and 0nce we killed a kitten. While I was puzzling 0ver it,0ne 0f the b0ys cried 0ut, "Here is Laura!"