ngth.

The dog, which had been lying half asleep beside his master, suddenly
jumped up, to lay its long, thin nose on Tom's knee, and stood watching
him, perfectly happy upon feeling a hand placed for treating as a sheath
into which he could plunge the said nose.

"You give him too much to eat," said Pete. Then suddenly, "No, I can't
recklect. It was blowin' when I got in to go and sleep, 'cause she was
allus grumblin', and then somethin' ketched me, and my arm went crack,
and it got very hot, and I went to sleep. I don't 'member no more. I
say."

"Yes."

"I shan't take no more doctor's stuff, shall I?"

But he did--a great deal; and in addition soups and jellies, and sundry
other preparations of Mrs Fidler's, till he was able to go about very
slowly with his arm in a sling, to where he could seat himself in some
sandy hollow, to bask in the sun along with his dog.

"But it's bringing up all the good in his nature, Tom," said the Vicar,
rubbing his hands, "and we shall make a decent man of him yet."

"Humph! doubtful!" said Uncle Richard.

"You go and look for comets and satellites," cried the Vicar
good-humouredly. "Tom's on my side, and we'll astonish you yet. Wait a
bit."

Uncle Richard smiled, and David, when Pete formed the subject of
conversation, used to chuckle.

"Not you, Master Tom," he said; "you'll never make anything of him, but
go on and try if you like. I believe a deal more in the dog. He arn't
such a bad one. But Pete--look here, sir. If you could cut him right
down the thick part below his knees, which you couldn't do, 'cause he
arn't got no thick part, for them shambling legs of his are like
pipe-shanks--"

"What are you talking about, David?" said Tom merrily.

"Pete Warboys, Master Tom. I say, if you could cut him down like that,
and then graft in a couple o' scions took of a young gent as I knows--
never you mind who--bind 'em up neatly, clay 'em up, or do the same
thing somewheres about his middle, you might grow a noo boy, as'd bear
decent sort o' fruit. But you can't do that; and Pete Warboys 'll be
Pete Warboys as long as he lives."

The old gardener had some ground for his bad opinion, for as the time
rolled on, Pete grew strong and well, and then rapidly began to grow
into a sturdy, strongly-built fellow, who always had a grin and a nod
for Tom when they met; but it was not often, for he avoided every one,
becoming principally a night bird, and only showed his gra