was two of 'em. They'd taken plenty of time. The forks and the spoons
and the two hundred dollars in money was all done up in neat packages,
and they'd been through father's desk and the secretary drawers; and
they'd had a lunch of cold chicken and mince-pie, and left the marks of
their greasy hands on the best damask napkins Bridget had ironed that
day and left to air by the kitchen range. And then, you see, while one
stayed below to keep watch, the other went up to finish the job; and he
would have finished it, too, and both would have got away with all the
things if it hadn't have been for that dog. Look at him! will you? I
believe he understands every word I say as well as you do.

"'Well, right at the door of father's room, Grip took him. How did he
lay the fellow on his back? We suppose he was creeping into the room on
his hands and knees,--they often do, father says,--and the dog made a
rush at him in front and gripped him in the throat, and the weight of
the dog threw him backward; and once down, Grip kept him there--see?

"'Next morning at breakfast father said: "Tommy, how came the dog in the
upper hall last night? I told you to tie him up in the shed-chamber."
Then I had to own up, and tell how I went late in the evening and
brought him to my room because he howled so. I said I was real sorry,
and father said he would try to forgive me, seeing it all turned out
well, and if Grip hadn't been there we should have lost so much money.
And says I: "Father, don't you mean to take him round to Station C this
morning?" "No, I don't," says father. Then mother said she didn't know
but she'd about as soon lose the silver as to keep such a dog as that
in the house, and Fred said if I must have a dog, why didn't father get
me a black-and-tan terrier--"or a lovely pug," says Liz; and between 'em
they got me so stirred up I didn't know what to do. I said I didn't want
a black-and-tan, and I'd throw a pug out of the window! And if nobody