sed, he said to his son, "That pays one for coming to such an
out-of-the-way country place as this, away from papers--I never will do
it again."

As the old gentleman, against the advice of many friends who knew his
dependence on externals, had determined to come to this very place, the
boy was not much startled at the decisive words. He stood very quietly,
however, until his father finished. Then he said:

"It's too bad, father! supposing I tell you my story? Perhaps you'll
enjoy hearing it while you wait--it's really quite newspaperish."

"Well, you might as well tell it now, I suppose," said the old
gentleman; "but it is a great shame about that paper! to advertise that
morning papers are to be obtained--it's a swindle, Jasper! a complete
swindle!" and the old gentleman looked so very irate that the boy
exerted himself to soothe him.

"I know," he said; "but they can't help the trains being late."

"They shouldn't have the trains late," said his father, unreasonably.
"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 Prince 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 pair.

"Well, how do you know she wasn't the man's daughter?" asked his father,
det