rom the dust of the roads.

Thus attired, she took a satisfied glance at the mirror. Then, a
little nervously, with an anxious eye and a quivering pink nose, she
hastily invited Sugar and Fire to take the air with her. So they all
three walked out, while the others went on dressing. Let us follow
them for a moment, for we have already grown to like our brave little
Tyltyl and we shall want to hear anything that is likely to help or
delay his undertaking.

After passing through several splendid galleries, hung like balconies
in the sky, our three cronies stopped in the hall; and the Cat at once
addressed the meeting in a hushed voice:

"I have brought you here," she said, "in order to discuss the position
in which we are placed. Let us make the most of our last moment of
liberty...."

But she was interrupted by a furious uproar:

"Bow, wow, wow!"

"There now!" cried the Cat. "There's that idiot of a Dog! He has
scented us out! We can't get a minute's peace. Let us hide behind the
balustrade. He had better not hear what I have to say to you."

"It's too late," said Sugar, who was standing by the door.

And, sure enough, Tylo was coming up, jumping, barking, panting and
delighted.

The Cat, when she saw him, turned away in disgust:

"He has put on the livery of one of the footmen of Cinderella's
coach.... It is just the thing for him: he has the soul of a
flunkey!"

She ended these words with a "Fft! Fft!" and, stroking her whiskers,
took up her stand, with a defiant air, between Sugar and Fire. The
good Dog did not see her little game. He was wholly wrapped up in the
pleasure of being gorgeously arrayed; and he danced round and round.
It was really funny to see his velvet coat whirling like a
merry-go-round, with the skirts opening every now and then and showing
his little stumpy tail, which was all the more expressive as it had to
express itself very briefly. For I need hardly tell you that Tylo,
like every well-bred bull-dog, had had his tail and his ears cropped
as a puppy.

Poor fellow, he had long envied the tails of his brother dogs, which
allowed them to use a much larger and more varied vocabulary. But
physical deficiencies and the hardships of fortune strengthen our
innermost qualities. Tylo's soul, having no outward means of
expressing itself, had only gained through silence; and his look,
which was always filled with love, had become very eloquent.

To-day his big dark eyes glistened with deli