"But, mother, I couldn't have poor Crippy killed. He an' I do love each
other so much."

" Now don't be foolish about a goose, Danny. Come help me stem these
raisins."

Dan said nothing more, for he knew by the way she had spoken that his
mother had fully
made up her mind, and that it would be useless to try to induce her to
change her cruel plans. He stemmed the raisins as she had requested;
but he worked as quickly as possible, and when the task was done he ran
out to the barn.

When the gray goose toddled towards him immediately he opened the barn
door, cackling and hissing with delight at seeing his young master, the
tears, which Dan had managed to keep back, came at last, and, with the
goose in his arms, he seated himself on the barn floor with a feeling
in his heart that he and Crippy were the two most unhappy and abused
fellows in the world.

"0 Crippy! they say they're goin'to kill you, an' I'd a heap sooner
they'd kill me! What
shall we do, Crippy? "

The goose made no reply; he was perfectly content to nestle down in
Dan's arms, and, so
far as he could see, he and his master were in remarkably comfortable
quarters.

Much as the goose had been petted by Dan, the affection bestowed upon