"There's no necessity for all this prating about 'trains late.' I'm
convinced it's because they forgot to send down for the papers till
they were all sold."

"I don't believe that's it, father," said the boy, trying to change the
subject; "but you don't know how splendid Frince has been, nor"--
"And then such a breakfast!" continued the old gentleman.

"My liver certainly will be in a dreadful state if these things
continue!" And he got up, and going to the corner of the room,
opened his medicine chest, and taking a box of pills therefrom, he
swallowed two, which done, he came back with a somewhat easier
expression to his favorite chair.

"He was just splendid, father," began the boy; "he went for him, I
tell you!"

"I hope, Jasper, your dog has not been doing anything violent,"
said the old gentleman. "I must caution you; he'll get you into
trouble some day; and then there'll be a heavy bill to pay; he grows
more irritable every day."

"Irritable!" cried the boy, flinging his arms around the dog's neck,
who was looking up at the old gentleman in high disdain. "He's
done the most splendid thing you ever saw! Why, he saved a little
girl, father, from a cross old organ-man, and he drove that
man--oh! you ought to have seen him run!"

And now that it was over, Jasper put back his head and laughed
long and loud as he remembered the rapid transit of the musical