rning, with the
thermometer several degrees below zero, was not at all to Crip's liking,
and he scolded most furiously in his goose dialect, but he took good
care to run after his master at the same time.

As Mrs. Hardy had said, Crippy was very fat, and when he toddled on at
full speed he could only get along about half as fast as his master, so
that Dan's journey was made up with alternately trudging over the frozen
road, and waiting for his pet to overtake him.

And soon it was necessary to make a change even in this slow way of
travelling, for before Crippy had been half an hour on the road he
began to evince the most decided aversion to walking, and it became
necessary for Dan to take him in his arms again. On he walked, carrying
Crippy the greater portion of the time, and coaxing him along when it
became absolutely necessary for him to give his aching arms a little
relief, until the sun came up over the hills, and he could see the great
city but a short distance ahead of him.

During all this time he had not stopped once to rest; but now, since he
was so near his destination, at such an early hour in the morning, he
sat down in the snow and began to arrange with the discontented Crippy
as to how they might best find uncle Robert, for Dan had not the
slightest idea of where his relative lived.

"I'll tell you what we'll do, Crip," he said as he gave the goose a
handful of corn, contenting himself with half a biscuit he had taken
from the supper-table the night previous. "We'll walk right along till
we see uncle Robert, or some of the folks. It's the day before
Thanksgiving, you know, an' some of 'em will be sure to be out buyin'
things."

Crippy had finished eating the corn as his master ceased speaking, and
he looked up sideways into Dan's face much as if he doubted the success
of their plan if carried out in that manner.

"Well, if we don't find him that way, we'll ask some of the boys, an'
they'll be sure to know," said Dan, replying as earnestly to Crippy's
look as if his pet had spoken.

Then the weary journey was resumed, much to Crippy's displeasure, even
though he was carried comfortably in Dan's arms, and it was not until
the outskirts of the city were reached that the goose was requested to
walk. There the pavements were free from snow, and Crippy could move
along much faster than on the icy road; but yet his progress was far
from satisfactory.

The great number of people, all of whom regarded t