n to see him and he said, "You have made a
fine-looking dog of him, but his appearance is ruined by the length of
his tail."

"Mr. Robinson," said Mrs. Morris, patting little Billy, who lay on
her lap, "don't you think that this little dog has a beautifully
proportioned body?"

"Yes, I do," said the gentleman. "His points are all correct, save that
one."

"But," she said, "if our Creator made that beautiful little body, don't
you think he is wise enough to know what length of tail would be in
proportion to it?"

Mr. Robinson would not answer her. He only laughed and said that he
thought she and Miss Laura were both "cranks."

CHAPTER XI GOLDFISH AND CANARIES

THE Morris boys were all different. Jack was bright and clever, Ned was
a wag, Willie was a book-worm, and Carl was a born trader.

He was always exchanging toys and books with his schoolmates, and they
never got the better of him in a bargain. He said that when he grew up
he was going to be a merchant, and he had already begun to carry on a
trade in canaries and goldfish. He was very fond of what he called "his
yellow pets," yet he never kept a pair of birds or a goldfish, if he had
a good offer for them.

He slept alone in a large, sunny room at the top of the house. By his
own request, it was barely furnished, and there he raised his canaries
and kept his goldfish.

He was not fond of having visitors coming to his room, because, he said,
they frightened the canaries. After Mrs. Morris made his bed in the
morning, the door was closed, and no one was supposed to go in till he
came from school. Once Billy and I followed him upstairs without his
knowing it, but as soon as he saw us he sent us down in a great hurry.

One day Bella walked into his room to inspect the canaries. She was
quite a spoiled bird by this time, and I heard Carl telling the family
afterward that it was as good as a play to see Miss Bella strutting in
with her breast stuck out, and her little, conceited air, and hear her
say, shrilly, "Good morning, birds, good morning! How do you do, Carl?
Glad to see you, boy."

"Well, I'm not glad to see you," he said decidedly, "and don't you ever
come up here again. You'd frighten my canaries to death." And he sent
her flying downstairs.

How cross she was! She came shrieking to Miss Laura. "Bella loves birds.
Bella wouldn't hurt birds. Carl's a bad boy."

Miss Laura petted and soothed her, telling her to go find Davy, and he
would pla