ch at the door,
and plead to be let out of the shop. The bad boy kept him there till
just as the bell rang; and then he opened the door, and poor Spot
ran--oh, so fast!--but the cars moved faster than he.

Mile after mile poor Spot followed the cars, till they were far out of
sight. Then, panting and tired, he stopped by the roadside, and wondered
what he should do, without a home, without a master.

He had not rested many minutes, when he saw two little girls coming
along the road that crossed the iron track. They were Nelly and Julia,
two sisters. Spot thought he would try and make friends with them.

But they were afraid of strange dogs. Julia began to cry; and Nelly
said, "Go away, sir; go home, sir: we don't want any thing to do with
you, sir."

Spot was sorry to be thus driven off. He stopped, and began to whine in
a pleading sort of way, as if saying, "I am a good dog, though a
stranger to you. I have lost my master, and I am very hungry. Please let
me follow you. I'll be very good. I know tricks that will please you."

The children were not so much afraid when they saw him stop as if to get
permission to follow. "He is a good dog, after all," said Nelly: "he
would not force his company on us; he wants his dinner. Come on, sir!"

Thus encouraged, Spot ran up, wagging his tail, and showing that he was
very glad to find a friend. He barked at other dogs who came too near,
and showed that he meant to defend the little girls at all risks.

When they arrived home, they gave him some milk and bread, and then took
him into the sitting-room, and played with him. "Beg, sir!" said Nelly;
and at once Spot stood upright on his hind-legs, and put out his
fore-paws.

Then Julia rolled a ball along the floor; and Spot caught it almost
before it left her hand. "Now, die, sir, die!" cried Nelly; and, much to
her surprise, Spot lay down on the floor, and acted as if he were dead.

When papa came home, and saw what a good, wise dog Spot was, he told the
children they might keep him till they could find the owner.

A week afterwards, they saw at the railroad-station a printed bill
offering a reward of thirty dollars for Spot.

He was restored at once to his master, who proved to be a Mr. Walldorf,
a German. But the little girls refused the offered reward; for they said
they did not deserve it, and Spot had been no trouble to them.

Three weeks passed by, and then there came a box from New York, directed
to Nelly and Jul