the dog, for Pixy danced
and pranced about his master, jumped upon him and tried to lick his
face and hands.

"It is of no use for me to ask to whom the dog belongs," remarked the
policeman as he reached the group upon the porch. "The dog tells me that
the boy has told the exact truth."

"See, Mr. Policeman, the dog does belong to papa and me, and not to Aunt
Steiner," exclaimed Fritz, jubilantly.

"Yes; and is this lady the Widow Steiner?"

"Yes," she replied, stepping forward.

"You gave a false statement in the paper, and to the police," he said in
an injured tone. "You said you had lost your dog."

"It was a misleading statement, that is true," she replied, "but many
people know me who do not know Fritz. The dog ran away from my house
while under my care, and my wish was to state correctly in a few words
where the dog could be returned if found. It was a friend who
advertised."

"It would have taken but a few words more to have said that your nephew,
Fritz Heil, had lost his dog, then when the boy told me his name and
where he had been staying, I would not have arrested him, knowing that
he was telling the exact truth."

"Yes, you are quite right, and I am sorry that my mistake has given you
trouble, and I thank you heartily. It has all turned out right. Had you
not arrested him, he would have been on his way home, and his father
here to see him."

"All right. I have nothing to say, except to tell you that when you call
upon the police to help you, you will state the case correctly."

"I, too, thank you heartily," added Mr. Heil. "You have done us a good
service."

The policeman gave the military salute and passed down the steps and
Aunt Steiner and the others went inside.

"Now tell me, Fritz, what was your reason for starting for Odenwald
with such a motley array of things upon your back? You looked like a
traveling tinker," enquired his father.

"They were presents for mother, and sister and baby brother, and the
shop-keeper said I could carry them better if strapped upon my back, and
he strapped them which I thought was very kind. I got the canary bird so
very cheap that I could not bear to go home without it."

"No wonder it was cheap! It is not a singer, the man cheated you."

Fritz looked so sad over this information that his aunt tried to think
of something to cheer him.

"Do you know, brother, that Fritz can make excellent coffee and all
three boys are learning to cook?" she said.

"