him on
the floor. He began running along with such a queer little waddle that
they all laughed. Then he stopped and contemplated them questioningly,
as much as to say, "What are you laughing at?"

"There, Miss Blanche," said her father, "you've got your work cut out
for you to train that small person in the way he should go. Don't make a
fool of him, dear; love him as much as you like, but make him obey
orders. He's a game little beggar, isn't he?"

Blanche was delighted. "O papa, thank you a thousand times. Is he really
for my very own, like Marjory has Silky? Oh, I am so glad to have him!
You darling!" she cried, catching up the dog and hugging him close.

"I thought _I_ was the darling," said Mr. Forester comically. "In fact,
I'm sure I am, for thinking of it all myself."

"So you are--the dearest, darlingest papa in all the world." And the
girl sprang into her father's arms.

This scene made Marjory a little bit sad.

"If only I had my father too, how happy I should be!" she thought. "But
I don't even know if I've got one." And she sighed.

Blanche noticed the cloud on her friend's face, and instinctively felt
what had caused it. Tears of sympathy rushed to her eyes, and she picked
up the puppy and put him into Marjory's arms.

"Now," she said, with a look which Marjory understood, it was so full
of sympathy, "you must christen him."

Marjory looked attentively at the little fat ball of a dog, and then
said thoughtfully,--

"What would you think of 'Curly'? He is one of the curly kind, different
from Silky."

"Yes, that will do beautifully. We'll call him Curly. Do you agree,
papa?"

"Right you are," replied Mr. Forester. "But it doesn't matter so much
what you call him as whether he comes when he's called; that's the chief
thing." And so saying he left the girls to enjoy the new treasure by
themselves.

Marjory was quite as enthusiastic as Blanche. She was passionately fond
of animals, and the young ones always charmed her. She was able to give
Blanche instructions as to how Curly should be fed; and they made a set
of very strict rules for his training, which was to begin at once.

Their consultation was interrupted by the entrance of Mrs. Forester. She
had been out driving, and was very beautifully dressed. Marjory thought
she had never seen such a lovely lady before. She kissed the girl
tenderly, and, putting her arms round her, said,--

"I am very glad to welcome you here, little Marjory, and