for your pet?"

"It is not that, but I cannot keep the dog in any case."

"Why not, pray?"

For answer Gabriel looked down into the topaz eyes whose regard had
scarcely left his face during the interview. He held up his finger, and
instantly the dog sat up.

"'Tis a trick dog!" exclaimed Mother Lemon.

Gabriel began to whistle, and the dance commenced. The old woman pressed
her side as she laughed at the comical, pretty sight of the little dancer,
the fluffy golden threads of whose silky coat gleamed in the sunlight.

"Your fortune is made," said Mother Lemon as Gabriel ceased. "The dog will
fetch a large price in the town, and because you are a good lad I will try
to keep him for you until to-morrow, when you can go and sell him. If your
father saw his tricks he would, himself, dispose of him and pocket the
cash. I will shut him in an outhouse until you come again, and I only hope
that he will not bark and vex Tommy!"

To the old woman's surprise Gabriel looked sad. "But you see, Mother
Lemon," he said soberly, "the dog already belongs to somebody."

"La, la!" cried the old woman. "Why, then, couldn't the somebody keep him?"

"That I do not know; but to-morrow I set forth with him to find his owner."

Mother Lemon nodded, and she saw the heaviness of the boy's heart because
he must part with the golden dog.

"'Tis well that you leave him with me then, for your father would not
permit that, any more than he would abate one farthing of my rent."

Gabriel went with her to the rickety shed where Topaz was to spend the
night, but the dog was loath to enter. He seemed to know that it meant
parting with Gabriel. The boy stooped down and talked to him, but Topaz
licked his face and sprang upon him beseechingly. When, finally, they
closed the door with the dog within, the little fellow howled sorrowfully.

"I'm sure he's hungry, Mother Lemon," said the boy, and a lump seemed to
stick in his throat. "One bone perhaps you could give him?"

"Alas, I have none, Gabriel. It is not often that Tommy and I sit down to
meat. He is now hunting mice in the fields or he would be lashing his tail
at these strange sounds!"

Gabriel opened the door and, going back into the shed, spoke sternly to
Topaz, bidding him lie down. The dog obeyed, looking appealingly from the
tops of his gem-like eyes, but when again the door was fastened, he kept an
obedient silence.

Thanking Mother Lemon and promising to come early in the morning