Them nasty mongrels is never no good."

Now this adverse opinion was, strange to say, sufficient to make up
Joshua's mind in the dog's favour; he always took a contrary view of
things to the landlord on principle, because it encouraged conversation,
and this habit was so strong that he at once began to see the special
advantages of a mongrel.

"He's a werry faithful creetur, is a mongrel, if he's properly trained,"
he said slowly and solemnly; "and as to _game_, where's the game he'd
find in a carrier's cart? You can bring him along, mate."

Leaving the landlord in a temporarily crushed condition, he walked off
to his horses, which stamped impatiently at all this delay. The dog
suffered Tim to take him in his arms without any resistance, though he
winced a little as if in pain, and the cart presently drove away from
the small knot of interested spectators gathered round the inn door.
Then, gently examining his new comrade, the boy found that one of his
hind-legs was injured, so that he could not put it to the ground, and
moaned when it was touched, though he licked Tim's hand immediately
afterwards in apology.

"But I don't think it's broke," said the boy encouragingly; "and when we
get home I'll bathe it and tie it up, and I dessay I can find yer a bit
o' supper."

Soothed perhaps by this prospect, and evidently feeling a sense of
comfort and protection, the dog stretched out his thin, weary limbs, and
soon, sharing the warm shelter of Tim's horse-cloth, slept profoundly.

And thus the new friends made their first journey together.

STORY TWO, CHAPTER 2.

FAITHFUL MOSES--A SHORT STORY--(CONTD).

So from this time there was a van-dog as well as a van-boy; three
"mates" travelling in the cart between Roydon and London--Joshua, Tim,
and Moses, for after much consideration that was the name given to the
dog.

It was wonderful to see how, after a few weeks of food and kindness, he
"plucked up a spirit," as Joshua said. His whole aspect altered, for he
now held his ears and tail valiantly erect, and quite a martial gleam
appeared in his eye. He still, it is true, limped about on three legs,
which is never a dignified attitude for a dog, but he already began to
acquire distinct views concerning the parcels and the cart, and was
ready to defend them, with hair bristling, and lips fiercely drawn back
from glistening white teeth.

"Not a beauty," Joshua had said, and decidedly a mongrel according to
the la