y, and Bess looked
utterly disgusted.

Dwight made another clutch at the creature, which evaded him and, with
a rapid movement, wound the rope around his neck so tightly that he
choked, and began to turn black in the face. Mr. Lawrence, who, though
mortified by the sensation they were creating, could not restrain his
laughter, now sprang to his nephew's aid, and was about to cut the
strangling cord when another flashing movement unwound it, and left the
lad's windpipe intact.

Thoroughly angry now, Dwight caught the apish thing, and, boxing its
ears till it howled, stuffed it into his pocket and hurried from the
room, his dinner forgotten in his chagrin.

"Oh, oh!" moaned Faith, cowering disconsolately over her plate, "what
can I do, Mr. Lawrence? Poor Dwight! It's all my fault. And he was
_so_ hungry. Can't we give it to somebody, or--or wring its neck, if
it must be? It's too bad!"

"Well, it is a somewhat upsetting episode," he agreed, still shaking
inwardly, "but it may serve one good purpose. Dwight will cease his
teasing to own one of the pesky things, I imagine. And don't worry
over his dinner, Miss Faith. He's eaten enough already to keep him
from starvation, I'm sure, and I'll see that he returns to finish after
the guests have thinned somewhat. Poor boy! He's had monkey enough
for to-day, I'll warrant."

They soon left the table, for Faith could not eat another mouthful, and
all felt anxious to know how the battle had ended. They at length
found Dwight sitting dejectedly in one of the veranda chairs, his hair
tumbled, coat torn, and necktie awry, and his face as long as his arm.
The monkey, quite as solemn, was tied to a post, and sat pensively
holding its chops in its skinny palms and eyeing its new master with
great disfavor.

"So you've conquered?" laughed Mr. Lawrence, while Faith began humbly
to beg pardon, but was quickly interrupted.

"What for?" asked Dwight brusquely. "You couldn't help it because he's
a fool, could you?"

"No, no, Dwight--not that! Only a monkey," cried Hope, delighting in
the scene. "You and Faith both wanted a funny one, you know, and
you've got it, so what's the use of fretting? I'll tell you--let's
give him to the next beggar that follows us, shall we, Faith?

"No," said the girl with sudden resolution, "I'll take care of him,
myself."

She stepped close to the troubled mite and untying the rope, gently
lifted it to her arms, softly stroking it and s