throughout the
day, we have very improperly neglected to mention; but as that
inquisitive animal was, during the whole morning, roaming, at his own
wild will, the neighboring fields--prying into the holes of various
wild animals, and exchanging silent commentaries with the Apple
Orchard dogs--this omission will not appear very heinous.

Longears had now regaled himself with a comfortable dinner, the last
bone of which he had licked--and having thus, like a regular and
respectable citizen, taken care of the material, was busily engaged
again in the intellectual pursuit of his enemies, the squirrels,
butterflies and bees, at which he barked and dashed at times with
great vigor and enthusiasm.

"Look at him," said Redbud; "why does he dislike the butterflies?"

"Only fun," said Verty; "he often does that. Here, Longears!"

Longears approached, and Verty pointed to the ground. Longears laid
down.

"Stay there!" said Verty.

And smiling, he walked on.

Redbud laughed, and turning round made signs to the dog to follow
them. Longears, however, only moved his head uneasily, and wagged his
tail with eloquent remonstrance.

"Let him come, Verty," said the girl.

Verty smiled, and made a movement of the hand, which, from the
distance of a hundred yards, raised Longears three feet into the air.
Returning from this elevation to the earth again, he darted off over
the fields after the bees and swallows.

The young men and their companions smiled, and strolled on. They
reached the old orchard, and ran about among the trees picking up
apples--now the little soft yellow crab apples--then the huge, round,
ruddy pippins--next the golden-coat bell apples, oblong and mellow,
which had dropped from pure ripeness from the autumn boughs.

Verty had often climbed into the old trees, and filled his cap with
the speckled eggs of black-birds, or found upon the fence here,
embowered in the foliage, the slight nests of doves, each with its
two eggs, white and transparent almost; and the recollection made him
smile.

They gathered a number of the apples, and then strolled on, and eat a
moment with the pleasant overseer's wife.

A number of little curly-headed boys had been rolling like apples on
the grass as they approached; fat-armed and chubby-legged, and making
devoted advances to Longears, who, descending from his dignity, rolled
with them in the sunshine. These now approached, and the young girls
patted their heads, and Mr. Ra