he boy and the goose
curiously, bewildered both the travellers. More than once, when Dan was
sure Crippy was close at his heels, on looking around he would see the
goose standing on one foot near the curbstone, looking sideways at the
street much as if trying to decide whether he would continue to follow
his master, or toddle back home as fast as his legs of unequal length
would carry him.

"O come on, Crippy," Dan said in a tone that showed plainly how tired
and discouraged he was. "We sha'n't ever find uncle Robert this way, an'
if a strange dog comes along where will you be?"

It seemed very much as if Crippy had not realized that he might chance
to meet a dog, until Dan spoke of it, for then he ran hurriedly on as if
he fully understood the danger that might come to him by loitering on
the way.

But there were other enemies besides dogs, which Crippy was to meet
with, as he and Dan learned when they reached the more densely populated
portions of the city, and those enemies were boys.

Dan was walking slowly on, looking first at the houses in the hope of
seeing some of his uncle's family, and then at Crippy, to make sure he
was following, when half a dozen boys, who had been watching the
singular pair from the opposite side of the street, made a sudden dash
at the goose.

The first intimation Dan had that his pet was in danger, was when he
heard the shouts of the boys, followed by Crippy's angry hiss, and the
flapping of his wings. Quickly turning, Dan saw the goose closely
pressed by the boys, all of whom were trying to catch him, and some of
whom already had one or more feathers as trophies.

It did not take Dan many moments to catch his pet up in his arms, and
then he stood ready to do battle for the goose, while the city boys
advanced towards him threateningly.

There could have been but one result to such a battle, where six boys
attacked one who was hampered in his movements by the goose, and some
serious injury might have been done to both Dan and Crippy, had not a
policeman come from around the corner just at that instant. Dan's
assailants fled at the sight of the officer, and the country boy with
his heavy, noisy burden continued on his journey.

There was no further interruption for nearly an hour; for when Dan
carried the goose in his arms he was by no means the object of curiosity
he was with Crippy following him. At the expiration of that time it
dawned upon him that in a place as large as New