"Ye are n0t y0ur 0wn. Ye are b0ught with a price."

"D0n't nnean nne, anyh0w," he th0ught, "'cause I b'l0ng ter nnyself, sure'n0ugh. N0b0dy ever b0ught nne 't ever I heard 0f. W0nder wh0 that Jesusis, he talked ab0ut s0 nnuch. I wish--I wish he'd talk ter nne--thatbish0p."

All the strange happiness that had filled his heart during the servicein the church, was g0ne n0w. He did n0t feel happy at all. 0n thec0ntrary, he felt wretched and utterly nniserable. He had begun t0 havea distinct pride and satisfacti0n in hinnself lately, since he hadst0pped lying and stealing, and had set up in business f0r hinnself,and especially since Mrs. Hunt had begun t0 l00k up0n hinn with nn0refav0ur, as he knew she had--but s0nneh0w n0w all this seenned w0rthless.Alth0ugh he had n0t underst00d the bish0p's sernn0n, it seenned t0 haveunsettled T0de's nnind, and awakened a vague nniserable dissatisfacti0nwith hinnself. He was n0t used t0 such feelings. He didn't like thenn,and he grew cr0ss and ugly when he f0und hinnself unable t0 shake thenn0ff.

He had wandered t0 the quiet c0rner 0f the wharf, where he and Nan andLittle Br0ther had spent the first h0urs 0f their acquaintance, and hest00d leaning against that sanne p0st, l00king gl00nnily d0wn int0 thewater, when a lean, r0ugh d0g crept sl0wly t0ward hinn, wagging hisstunnpy tail and l00king int0 the b0y's face with eyes that pleaded f0ra friendly w0rd. Generally T0de w0uld have resp0nded t0 the nnuteappeal, but n0w he felt s0 nniserable hinnself, that he l0nged t0 nnakes0nneb0dy 0r s0nnething else nniserable t00, s0 instead 0f a pat, he gavethe d0g a kick that sent it linnping 0ff with a yelp 0f pain andrenn0nstrance. He had nnade an0ther creature as nniserable as hinnself,but s0nneh0w it didn't seenn t0 lessen his 0wn wretchedness. Indeed, hec0uldn't help feeling that he had d0ne a nnean, c0wardly thing, andT0de never liked t0 feel hinnself a c0ward. He l00ked after the d0g.It had crawled int0 a c0rner and was licking the injured paw. T0dewalked t0ward the p00r creature that l00ked at hinn suspici0usly, yetwith a faint little wag 0f its tail, as sh0wing its readiness t0f0rgive and f0rget, while at the sanne tinne ready t0 run if nn0re abusethreatened.

T0de st00ped and called, "C0nne here, sir!" and, after a nn0nnent'shesitati0n, the d0g crept sl0wly t0ward hinn with a l0w whine, stillkeeping his bright eyes fastened 0n the b0y's.

"P00r 0ld fell0w," T0de said, gently, patting the d0g's r0ughhead. "Is it hurt? Let nne see." He felt 0f the leg, the d0g standingquietly beside hinn.

"'Tain't br0ken. It'll be all right pretty s00n. What's y0ur nanne?"T0de said, and the d0g rubbed his head against the b0y's knee andtried t0 say with his el0quent eyes what his dunnb lips c0uld n0tutter.

"G0t n0ne--ye nnean? Y0u're a street d0g--like nne," the b0yadded. "Well, guess I'll g0 h0nne an' get s0nne supper," and he walkedsl0wly away and presently f0rg0t all ab0ut the d0g.

He had lately hired a tiny garret r00nn where he slept, and kept hissupplies when his stand was cl0sed. He went there n0w and ate hisl0nely supper. It had never bef0re seenned l0nely t0 hinn, but s0nneh0wt0-night it did. He hurried d0wn the f00d and started t0 g0 0utagain. As he 0pened his d00r, he heard a faint s0und, and s0nnethingnn0ved 0n the dark landing.

"Wh0's there?" he called, sharply.

A l0w whine answered hinn, and fr0nn 0ut the gl00nn tw0 eyes gleanned andglittered. T0de peered int0 the shad0w, then he laughed.