The children were in fits of laughter, and Miss Celia could hardly make
herself heard as she answered merrily,--

"No, dear; that is the donkey asking you to come and see him: will you
go?

"I guess I couldn't stop now. Mamma might want me."

And, without another word, the discomfited poet precipitately retired,
leaving his cherished sticks behind him.

Ben ran after the child to see that he came to no harm, and presently
returned to report that Alfred had been met by a servant, and gone away
chanting a new verse of his poem, in which peacocks, donkeys, and "the
flowers of life" were sweetly mingled.

"Now I'll show you my toys, and we'll have a little play before it gets
too late for Thorny to stay with us," said Miss Celia, as Randa carried
away the tea-things and brought back a large tray full of picture-books,
dissected maps, puzzles, games, and several pretty models of animals,
the whole crowned with a large doll dressed as a baby.

At sight of that, Betty stretched out her arms to receive it with a cry
of delight. Bab seized the games, and Ben was lost in admiration of the
little Arab chief prancing on the white horse,--all saddled and
bridled and fit for the fight. Thorny poked about to find a certain
curious puzzle which he could put together without a mistake after long
study. Even Sancho found something to interest him; and, standing on his
hind-legs, thrust his head between the boys to paw at several red and
blue letters on square blocks.

"He looks as if he knew them," said Thorny, amused at the dog's eager
whine and scratch.

"He does. Spell your name, Sanch;" and Ben put all the gay letters down
upon the flags with a chirrup which set the dog's tail to wagging as he
waited till the alphabet was spread before him. Then, with great
deliberation, he pushed the letters about till he had picked out six;
these he arranged with nose and paw till the word "Sancho" lay before
him correctly spelt.

"Isn't that clever? Can he do any more?" cried Thorny, delighted.

"Lots; that's the way he gets his livin', and mine too," answered Ben;
and proudly put his poodle through his well-learned lessons sith Such
success that even Miss Celia was surprised.

"He has been carefully trained. Do you know how it was done?" she
asked, when Sancho lay down to rest and be caressed by the children.

"No, 'm, father did it when I was a little chap, and never told me how.
I used to help teach him to dance, and that was