mons. I'm so
glad you've come!"

Feeling sure that the little dog, unaccustomed, perhaps, to be left
alone in a strange place, was merely anxious to be free, I at once went
to my room-door and opened it. Dumps bounced out, and danced joyfully
round me. Mrs Miff fled in deadly silence to her own bedroom, where
she locked and bolted herself in.

"Dumps," said I, with a laugh, "I shall have to take you with me at the
risk of losing you. Perhaps the memory of the feed I've given you, and
the hope of another, may keep you by me. Come, we shall see."

My doggie behaved much better than I had anticipated. He did indeed
stop at several butchers' shops during our walk, and looked inquiringly
in. He also evinced a desire to enter into conversation with one or two
other sociable dogs, but the briefest chirp or whistle brought him at
once obediently to my heel, just as if he had known and obeyed me all
his life.

When we reached the poorer parts of the city, I observed that the
free-and-easy swagger, and the jaunty hopping of each hind-leg
alternately, gave place to a sedate walk and a wary turn of the head,
which suggested keen suspicious glances of the unseen eyes.

"Ah!" thought I, "evidently he has suffered hardships and bad treatment
in places like this."

I stooped and patted his head. He drew closer to me, as if seeking
protection.

Just then a low grumbling of thunder was heard, and soon after the rain
came down so heavily that, the umbrella forming an insufficient
protection, Dumps and I sought shelter in the mouth of an alley. The
plump was short-lived, and the little knots of people who had sought
shelter along with us melted quickly away.

My doggie's aspect was not improved by this shower. It had caused his
hairy coat to cling to his form, producing a drowned-rat aspect which
was not becoming; but a short run and some vigorous shakes soon restored
his rotundity.

In a few minutes thereafter we reached a narrow square or court at the
end of a very dirty locality, in one corner of which was a low
public-house. Through the half-open swing-door could be seen the usual
melancholy crowd of unhappy creatures who had either already come under
the full influence and curse of strong drink, or were far on the road to
ruin. It was a sight with which I had become so familiar that, sad
though it was, I scarce gave it a thought in passing. My mind was
occupied with the poor old woman I was about to visit, and