e, "let the dog go."

"Very well," she said, in a puzzled way. "Jack, just run over with him,
and tell Mrs. Drury how he is acting, and that I will be very much
obliged if she will let him stay all night with Laura."

Jack sprang up, seized his cap, and raced down the front steps, across
the street, through the gate, and up the gravelled walk, where the
little stones were all hard and fast in the frost.

The Drurys lived in a large, white house, with trees all around it, and
a garden at the back. They were rich people and had a great deal of
company. Through the summer I had often seen carriages at the door, and
ladies and gentlemen in light clothes walking over the lawn, and
sometimes I smelled nice things they were having to eat They did not
keep any dogs, nor pets of any kind, so Jim and I never had an excuse to
call there.

Jack and I were soon at the front door, and he rang the bell and gave me
in charge of the maid who opened it. The girl listened to his message
for Mrs. Drury, then she walked upstairs, smiling and looking at me over
her shoulder.

There was a trunk in the upper hall, and an elderly woman was putting
things in it. A lady stood watching her, and when she saw me, she gave a
little scream, "Oh, nurse! look at that horrid dog! Where did he come
from? Put him out, Susan."

I stood quite still, and the girl who had brought me upstairs, gave her
Jack's message.

"Certainly, certainly," said the lady, when the maid finished speaking.
"If he is one of the Morris dogs, he is sure to be a well-behaved one.
Tell the little boy to thank his mamma for letting Laura come over, and
say that we will keep the dog with pleasure. Now, nurse, we must hurry;
the cab will be here in five minutes."

I walked softly into a front room, and there I found my dear Miss Laura.
Miss Bessie was with her, and they were cramming things into a
portmanteau. They both ran out to find out how I came there, and just
then a gentleman came hurriedly upstairs, and said the cab had come.

There was a scene of great confusion and hurry, but in a few minutes it
was all over. The cab had rolled away, and the house was quiet.

"Nurse, you must be tired, you had better go to bed," said Miss Bessie,
turning to the elderly woman, as we all stood in the hall. "Susan, will
you bring some supper to the dining-room, for Miss Morris and me? What
will you have, Laura?"

"What are you going to have?" asked Miss Laura, with a smile.

"Hot