l, eyes and mouth open in astonishment. "No, it
cannot be. He is afraid of you. Oh, see!"

"Ho, this boy has stolen my whole living," said the organ-grinder, "and now
he tries to claim my property."

"Do not believe him!" cried Gabriel, appealing to the big officer. "It
cannot be his. The dog loves me. Let me show you."

"Stand off, stand off," ordered the organ-grinder, for a crowd had
gathered. "Would the dog dance for me if he were not mine? See!" He drew
from his coat a little whip and struck the organ with a snap, at which
Topaz jumped. Then he dropped the dog and began to grind, and the crowd
saw the trembling animal raise itself to its hind legs and begin to dance.
Oh, the mincing little uncertain steps! No tossing of the yellow curls was
here.

Gabriel's heart bounded hotly. Did these people think they were seeing
Topaz dance?

"Oh, believe me, let me show you!" he cried, trying to come near; but the
big officer pushed him away roughly.

"Can you pay your debts?" he said, coming close to the organ-grinder. The
man stopped turning his crank and taking a silver coin handed it to the
officer, but slyly, so that no one saw. Then the big man turned to Gabriel.
"Now be off from here!" he said sternly. "If you hang about a minute
longer, into the lock-up you go!"

Gabriel, white and sorry, clasped his hands helplessly, and watched while
the organ-grinder caught Topaz up under his arm and made off with him, down
a side street.

The boy felt that he must pursue them. He turned his tearful gaze on the
big officer. "I found that dog, sir," he said.

"The more fool you, then, not to take it to the palace," returned the
other. "It is gaudy enough to have perhaps pleased the princess, and the
organ-grinder would have had to get another slave."

So saying, the officer laughed and carelessly turned away.

Gabriel stood still, choking. It must be that the princess wished to buy a
pet. Ah, if he might even have parted with his little friend to her, how
far better it would have been than this strange, wrong thing that had
happened with such suddenness that the boy could scarcely get his breath
for the way his heart beat.

He pressed his hand to his streaming eyes, then, seeing that people were
staring at him curiously, he stole away, walking blindly and stumbling over
the rough pavement.

At last he came to a place in a quiet street where a seat was built into a
wall, and there he sat down and tried to think. In hi