h he does
look as if he could swallow us alive. Don't touch him but stand still
and let him sniff you all over. It is his way of getting acquainted."

Obediently the boy remained motionless while the panting jaws and
moist black nose of the dog came nearer. He could feel the creature's
hot breath on his hands, face, and hair. Then over his clothing moved
the quivering nostrils. At length the brown eyes met his and he
whispered softly:

"Achilles!"

The dog wagged his tail.

"You have nothing to fear from him now," announced Mrs. Crowninshield.
"The Airedales are Jack Horner and Boy Blue. And the Sealyham, Miss
Nancy's dog, is called Rags."

Sensing that he was being talked about, the dog blinked with friendly
eyes at Walter through its mop of coarse white hair.

"In the other pen," continued Mrs. Crowninshield, "are the Pekingese
pups and I shall expect you to take the best of care of them. They are
sensitive little creatures and very valuable. I myself, however, care
very little for the money value of a dog. It is the lovable traits it
has that interest me. I should adore wee Lola, here, if she were not
worth a cent. But Mr. Crowninshield likes to own blue ribbon dogs and
enter them at the shows and therefore I will caution you that Lola,
Mimi, and Fifi," as she spoke she pointed out the dogs in question,
"cost quite a fortune and their loss or illness would be a great
calamity. So you must follow the directions concerning them most
carefully. And should any question arise about them come at once to
me."

As she spoke she occasionally glanced at the boy beside her with a
quick, bright smile.

"I shall have the menu for each dog sent you every day--at least for
the present--together with directions as to how to prepare the meal as
it should be prepared. The meat for the small dogs must be put through
a meat chopper and no gristle allowed to get into it; the larger dogs
can have bigger pieces, and Achilles a bone. You will find in the room
inside an ice chest in which to keep such foods as spoil. There are
also glassed-in shelves where tins of various kinds of dog bread and
puppy biscuit will be stored that they may be out of the dampness. You
are not to trouble the servants at the big house for anything. They do
not like to be interfered with. All your supplies will be here, and
you can warm whatever it is necessary to heat on your small electric
stove. Be sure to scald out the dishes after they have been use