who, lifting his noble head, had turned two big eyes steadily on
Ben. "He's all right! lie down again!"

Then, flinging himself down on the grass, he told Ben how he
came to rescue Phronsie.

"Prince and I were out for a stroll," said he. "I live over in
Hingham," pointing to the pretty little town just a short distance
before them in the hollow; "that is," laughing, "I do this summer.
Well, we were out strolling along about a mile below here on the
cross-road; and all of a sudden, just as if they sprung right up out
of the ground, I saw a man with an organ, and a monkey, and a
little girl, coming along the road. She was crying, and as soon as
Prince saw that, he gave a growl, and then the man saw us, and he
looked so mean and cringing I knew there must be something
wrong, and I inquired of him what he was doing with that little
girl, and then she looked up and begged so with her eyes, and all of
a sudden broke away from him and ran towards me screaming--'I
want Polly!' Well, the man sprang after her; then I tell you"--here
the boy forgot his caution about waking Phronsie--"we went for
him, Prince and I! Prince is a noble fellow," (here the dog's ears
twitched very perceptibly) "and he kept at that man; oh! how he bit
him! till he had to run for fear the monkey would get killed."

"Was Phronsie frightened?" asked Ben; "she's never seen
strangers."

"Not a bit," said the boy, cheerily; "she just clung to me like
everything--I only wish she was my sister," he added impulsively.