Major Andre held out his hand to Ruth. She well knew that this was the
proper moment to make her best curtsy, and in spite of the clumsy skirt,
the bonnet which kept nodding over her face, and the long sleeves that
had slipped down over her hands, she managed to make a not ungraceful
curtsy.

There was a little murmur of applause, and Major Andre smiled kindly
upon her, and taking her hand led her toward the head of the table with
as much grace and courtesy as if he were handing Miss Peggy Ship pen
herself, one of the beauties of the town, to a seat at General Howe's
dinner table.

"You are a most welcome guest," declared the English General smilingly,
as Ruth stood before him. "I understand you have a favor to ask of me.
Whatever it is you may be very sure I will be most happy to grant it,"
and he smiled down at the queer little figure, quite sure that his young
officer Major Andre had planned the whole affair for his amusement.

"If you please, sir, I want my dog," said Ruth falteringly.

CHAPTER IV

AUNT DEBORAH IS SURPRISED

Years after, when Ruth was really "grown up," she often recalled the
wonderful night when she sat at General Howe's dinner-table. For Major
Andre had lifted her to a seat beside the General; with a friendly word
he untied the bonnet-strings and put the bonnet on a side table; and
Ruth began to think that it was all a dream from which she would soon
awaken to find herself safely at home. She wondered if it really were
Ruth Pernell who was answering the General's questions about the missing
Hero.

"I can do no less than try to find your dog, little maid," he said, "for
when my own dog wandered away to General Washington's camp, in the
Germantown fray, the General sent him back to me under the protection of
a flag of truce; so, as you tell me your father is with Washington, I
must see to it that Hero is found. That is, if one of my soldiers has so
far forgotten orders as to have taken him," for the English General
took every care that his soldiers should do no harm to the residents of
the city.

Ruth was sure that she knew the very house where she had heard Hero's
bark; and now that General Howe had promised that a search should be
made she was eager to go home, and slid out of the chair just as a
servant set a plate before her.

"I must go home. I--I--ran away," she said a little falteringly, looking
up at the tall General. "Will you please find Hero the first thing
to-morrow?"