him, nurse trying in vain to comfort her.

Arrived at the farm, nurse took decided measures, 'You come indoors
with me, there's a good child; and let Jack attend to Prince. He will
come and tell you when he's better. No, I won't let you take him in
your arms again--now I mean it.'

'I must just see him once more; I must, nurse!'

'Ay,' said the farmer, giving nurse a peculiar look, 'she shall have
one more look at him, before I take him!'

The sacking was uncovered, and Prince's ears pricked up and his bright
brown eyes sought his little mistress's face. Betty bent over him, and
was allowed to kiss the back of his brown silky head. 'My little
darling,' she whispered, though tears began to fall again; 'I wish I
had been bitten instead of you!' Then turning to Farmer Giles, she
said, clasping her little hands in agony of entreaty,--

'You'll be as quick as ever you can, won't you? You won't be more than
five minutes bathing his neck and binding it up, will you? and then
I'll sit by and nurse him till he gets better. Will you put him in
this basket and bring him to me as soon as ever you can?'

'Yes, yes,' said the farmer a little gruffly, and then he went out to
the stables; and Betty stood by the kitchen window, too well trained in
obedience to attempt to follow him, but with her little heart
overflowing with longing to have Prince in her arms again.

'Now,' said nurse very kindly but determinedly, 'come up into the
nursery, and let me wash your face and hands and put you on a clean
pinafore.'

'He will get better, won't he, nurse? He didn't look very hurt. Can I
give him some bread and milk when Farmer Giles brings him in?'

Nurse evaded this question; she seemed ill at ease; and when a few
minutes afterwards the report of a gun went off, she started violently,
then gave a sigh of relief. Betty was too absorbed in her own thoughts
to notice this; and, directly her toilet was finished, she ran
downstairs to the kitchen again.

'Has Prince come in, Mrs. Giles? Is he better?'

'Bless your little heart,' said Mrs. Giles, bustling about, 'Jack will
be in directly, and he'll tell you.'

And, a few minutes afterwards, Farmer Giles appeared. Betty ran to him
with outstretched hands. 'Where is he? Are you going to take me to
him?'

The farmer looked helplessly at his wife.

'Where is nurse?' he said.

'Keeping out of the way,' muttered Mrs. Giles.

The farmer fetched a deep breath. 'Come along