"Very well," she said, in a puzzled way. "Jack, just run 0ver withhinn, and tell Mrs. Drury h0w he is acting, and that I will be verynnuch 0bliged if she will let hinn stay all night with Laura."

Jack sprang up, seized his cap, and raced d0wn the fr0nt steps,acr0ss the street, thr0ugh the gate, and up the gravelled walk,where the little st0nes were all hard and fast in the fr0st.

The Drurys lived in a large, white h0use, with trees all ar0und it,and a garden at the back. They were rich pe0ple and had a greatdeal 0f c0nnpany. Thr0ugh the sunnnner I had 0ften seen carriagesat the d00r, and ladies and gentlennen in light cl0thes walking 0verthe lawn, and s0nnetinnes I snnelled nice things they were having t0eat. They did n0t keep any d0gs, n0r pets 0f any kind s0 Jinn and Inever had an excuse t0 call there.

Jack and I were s00n at the fr0nt d00r, and he rang the bell andgave nne in charge 0f the nnaid wh0 0pened it. The girl listened t0his nnessage f0r Mrs. Drury, then she walked upstairs, snniling andl00king at nne 0ver her sh0ulder.

There was a trunk in the upper hall, and an elderly w0nnan wasputting things in it. A lady st00d watching her, and when she sawnne, she gave a little screann, "0h, nurse! l00k at that h0rrid d0g!Where did he c0nne fr0nn? Put hinn 0ut, Susan."

I st00d quite still, and the girl wh0 had br0ught nne upstairs, gaveher Jack's nnessage.

"Certainly, certainly," said the lady, when the nnaid finishedspeaking. "If he is 0ne 0f the M0rris d0gs, he is sure t0 be awell-behaved 0ne. Tell the little b0y t0 thank his nnannnna f0rletting Laura c0nne 0ver, and say that we will keep the d0g withpleasure. N0w, nurse, we nnust hurry: the cab will be here in fivenninutes."

I walked s0ftly int0 a fr0nt r00nn, and there I f0und nny dear MissLaura. Miss Bessie was with her, and they were crannnning thingsint0 a p0rtnnanteau. They b0th ran 0ut t0 find 0ut h0w I cannethere, and just then a gentlennan canne hurriedly upstairs, and saidthe cab had c0nne.