was Josie's emphatic reply. "Mother will be waiting for
me--Oh, what a noble fellow! So this is Watch? Ed Tyler told me about
him."

Here Josie, reaching out her arm, leaned forward to pat the shaggy head
of a beautiful Newfoundland, that, with his paws on the edge of the
rockaway, was trying to express his approbation of Josie as a friend of
the family.

"Yes, this is our new dog. Isn't he handsome? Such a swimmer, too! You
ought to see him leap into the lake to bring back sticks. Here, Watch!"

But Watch would not leave the visitor. "Good fellow, I admire your
taste," said Josie, laughingly, still stroking his large, silky head.
"But I must be off. I do wish you'd come with me, Dot. Go and ask your
uncle," she coaxed; "Michael will bring you home early."

Here Mr. McSwiver, without turning his face, touched the rim of his hat
gravely.

"Well, I'll see," said Dorothy, as she ran into the house. To her
surprise, Mr. Reed gave a willing consent.

"Shall I really go?" she asked, hardly satisfied. "Where is Donald?"

"He is readying himself for supper, I think, Miss," said Kassy, the
housemaid, who happened to pass at that moment. "I saw him going into
his room."

"But you look tired, Uncle, dear. Suppose I don't go, this time."

"Tired? not a bit. Never better, Dot. There, get your hat, my girl, and
don't keep Josie waiting any longer."

"Well, good-by, then. Tell Don, please, I've gone to Josie's--Oh, and
Josie and I would like to have him come over after tea. He needn't
though, if he feels very tired, for Josie says Michael can bring me
home."

"Very well, my dear. If Donald is not there by half-past nine o'clock,
do not expect him. Wait; I'll escort you to the carriage."

CHAPTER XXVI.

UNCLE GEORGE TELLS DONALD.

"COME into the study, Donald," said Uncle George, after their lonely
supper,--lonely even to Lydia, who presided at the tea-tray wondering
how Mr. G. could have been so thoughtless as to let that child go out.
"We can have no better opportunity than this for our talk. But, first
tell me--Who was the 'fellow' you mentioned? Where was he? Did Dorry see
him?"

Donald, assuring his uncle that Dorry had not recognized the man, told
all the particulars of the interview at Vanbogen's, and of Jack's timely
appearance and Slade's beating.

Disturbed, even angry, as Mr. Reed was at hearing this unwelcome news,
he could not resist Donald's persistent, resolute desire that the
present hour