extreme haste.

In a little while he was back again with Patrick, and both of them were
carrying spades. "There's only one way to do it," he explained, as they set to
work; "you see, the pillars of this porch rest on a stone foundation, so as to
support the rooms above, and we'll have to dig out three or four of the large
stones and then dig a sort of trench to wherever the puppies are," and Rudolph
was able of course to indicate the exact spot to which the trench must lead.
It was the work of an hour to excavate the foundation-stones, and an
additional half-hour to dig the trench. Meantime Betsy appeared upon the
scene, and, evidently appreciating what was going on, stood about and
superintended matters with quite an important air. Rudolph clambered in and
dug the last few feet of the trench, because it did not need to be as large
for him as for Joseph and Patrick, and then one at a time he brought the dear
little puppies out, and Mabel and Tattine took turns in appropriating them,
while Betsy eyed them proudly but withal a little anxiously. And they were
dear; as prettily marked as their beautiful grandmother Tadjie, and too
cunning for words.

"You have made us a great deal of trouble, Betsy," said Tattine, "but they are
such beauties we forgive you," whereat Betsy looked up so affectionately that
Tattine added, "and perhaps some day I'll forgive you about that rabbit, since
Mamma says it's natural for you to hunt them." But Betsy, indifferent
creature, did not care a fig about all that; her only care was to watch her
little puppies stowed away one by one on fresh sweet-smelling straw, in the
same kennel where Doctor and his brothers and sisters had enjoyed their
puppy-hood, and then to snuggle up in a round ball close beside them. They
were Betsy's puppies for a certainty. There had been no doubt of that from the
first glimpse Rudolph gained of them in their dark little hole under the
porch. But the next morning came and then what do you suppose happened? A very