ars," she said; "you are very fond of me at present, I dare
say, but you will get to be different as you grow older, I expect.
However, I must make the most of you while you are young. Why, let's
see, you will be six weeks old tomorrow, and you can lap every bit as
well as I can. Yes, and it's quite a treat to see you lapping, and
master thinks so too."

"Master" did.

"Master" was very fond of dogs, and he doted on good ones. He used to
come and admire these three puppies by the hour. The milk he gave them
was of the freshest and creamiest, and he even thickened it with a
little boiled flour. Whenever Vogel and Zimmerman and Zadkiel saw him
coming with the milk-pan they expressed their joy by saucy little barks
and yelps, and made a headlong but awkward rush towards him, and when he
put down the pan they weren't content to simply put their heads over the
side and lap. No, they must have their fore feet in as well, although
their mother often told them it was only little piggies that fed in that
fashion. But Vogel was worse even than Zimmerman or Zadkiel, because she
used to insist upon getting in the dish bodily. Only Vogel was master's
favourite, and he used to take her kindly out of the dish again and
place her by the side of it, and try to show her how to lap like a lady.

Vogel was the prettiest, Zimmerman the biggest and sauciest, and Zadkiel
by far the wisest of the trio.

In the picture with which our artist has presented us, Vogel is standing
in the centre, Zimmerman is lying on the left, while the far-seeing,
deep-thinking Zadkiel is sitting on the right.

An impudent sparrow has just alighted on the puppies' pan, and is coolly
helping himself to what has been left from breakfast.

"Delicious!" the sparrow is saying. "I'm the king of all the birds in
the creation. Everybody admires me, I build in the choicest apple-trees,
and feed on the daintiest food. Farmers cut down their hay that I may
make my nest, farmers' wives kill the fowls that I may find feathers to
line it, and even the cows cast their coats to aid in the same good
work. Why, you little puppies, don't _you_ admire me also, you
ridiculous-looking fluffy things?"

"I admire your profound impudence," Zimmerman is saying.

"I am astonished at your daring audacity," Vogel is remarking.

But Zadkiel is thinking. "I dare say," he says at last, "that even such
a wretched mite of a bird as you must have been meant for some good
purpose. To pick u