es showed this to be an
intelligent and discerning youth.

"Wot can he do?" he asked presently, still with his eye on the dog.

Tim ran through a list of Moses' acquirements eagerly, and finished up
with: "And he can watch the parcels as well as a Christian--he wouldn't
let no one but me or Joshua come nigh 'em, not for anything."

"Wouldn't he now?" said the boy admiringly.

"You try," suggested Tim, anxious to show off Moses' talents.

The stranger came a little nearer, and stretched out his hand as if to
touch one of the parcels; he quickly withdrew it, however, for Moses'
bristling mane and angry growl were sufficient warnings of his further
intentions. Both boys laughed, Tim triumphantly, and he patted the dog
with an air of proud proprietorship.

"There's a Punch and Judy playin' in the next street," remarked the
stranger, "and they've got a dorg some'at like yours, he's a clever un
he is--wouldn't you like to see him?"

"I've seen 'em--scores o' times," said Tim loftily.

"Not such a good un as this, I lay. You come and see. It wouldn't take
you not two minutes, and your dog'll watch the things."

"No," said Tim very quickly and decidedly, "I can't leave the cart."

"You don't trust the dog much, then. You've bin humbuggin' about him, I
bet."

"That I haven't," said Tim angrily, "I could trust him not to stir for
hours."

"I should just like to see yer," sneered the boy--"I don't b'lieve yer
dare leave 'im a minute. Well, I wouldn't keep a stupid cur like that!"

The taunt was more than Tim could bear. He knew that Moses would come
triumphantly out of the ordeal, and besides, he would really like to go
and see the clever Punch's dog in the next street; Joshua was safe for
another half-hour, and the place looked so quiet and deserted. It must
be safe. He would go.

He jumped down from the cart, and spoke to Moses in a certain voice:

"Watch, Moses!" he said, pointing to the parcels.

The dog looked wistfully at his master, as though suspecting something
wrong or unusual, but he did not attempt to follow him; he lay down with
his nose between his paws, his short ears pricked, and his bright eyes
keenly observant. Then the two boys set off running down the street
together, and were soon out of his sight.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Half an hour later, Joshua, his business over, turned into the street
where he had left his cart. There it st