o sit down
again.

"I came to see you, sir, about your dog," said Jonas.

"Well, my boy," replied the man, "and what about my dog?" and, as he
said this, he looked down at the dog, which was lying upon the floor.

"I don't know but that I have got him."

"You have got him?" repeated Mr. Edwards.

"Yes, sir; a dog like that one came to me in the woods one day this
winter."

"O," said Mr. Edwards, "you mean the dog that I lost.--Yes,--I had
forgotten that, it is so long ago. When did you find him?"

Jonas then told the whole story of the dog's coming to them, and
of their attempt to drive him away; and also of his seeing the
advertisement in the tavern. Mr. Edwards asked him a great many
questions, such as what his name was, where he lived, and how long he
had lived there, and how he happened to be journeying now. At last he
said,--

"I think it very probable that it is my dog. I lost one of that
description six or eight months ago, and advertised him; but I couldn't
hear any thing of him, and so I got another as much like him as I could.
It is probable yours is the same dog; but I don't know that there is any
particular proof of it. You haven't called him Ney, have you?"

"No, sir," said Jonas; "we call him Franco."

"If he should come at the call of Ney, that would be proof. Where is he
now?"

"He is with me, sir; he is out in my sleigh."

"O, well, then," said the man, "we can tell in a moment. I'll step to
the door and call him."

So Mr. Edwards put on his hat, and stepped to the door. The dog was
standing up in the sleigh, and looking wildly around. When he saw Mr.
Edwards, he seemed more excited still.

"Here, Ney," said Mr. Edwards.

The dog leaped down from the sled, and came bounding up the road. He
leaped first about Mr. Edwards, and then about Jonas, as if at a loss
which was his master.

"Why, Ney," said Mr. Edwards,--"poor Ney,--have you got back at last?
Come, walk in, Ney."

Ney slipped in through the door, and turned immediately into the little
room, as if he was perfectly familiar with the localities. Jonas and Mr.
Edwards followed. They shut the door, and took their seats again. Ney
ran around the room, and examined every thing. He looked at the strange
dog lying so comfortably in his old place upon the warm carpet, and then
came and gazed up eagerly into his old master's face a moment. He came
to Jonas, and wagged his tail, and then he went to the door and whined,
as if he wanted