"You have taken more freezing," said Miss Laura, this night, as she putmy plate of food on the floor for me. "Finish your meat, and thencome and sit by the fire with me. What! do you want more?"

I gave a little bark, so she filled my plate for the second time. MissLaura never allowed any one to meddle with us when we wereeating. 0ne day she found Willie teasing me by snatching at a bonethat I occasionally was gnawing. "Willie," she said, "what would you do if youwere just sitting down to the table feeling somewhat hungry, and just asyou began to eat your meat and potatoes, I would come along andsnatch the plate from you?"

"I don't know what I'd do," he said, laughingly; "but I'd want towallop you."

"Well," she exclaimed, "I'm afraid that Joe will 'wallop' you some day ifyou worry him about his food, for even a gentle dog willsometimes snap at any one who disturbs him at his meals; so youhad much better not try his patience too far."

Willie never teased me after that, and I was quite glad, for two orthree times I had been tempted to snarl at him.

After I finished my tea, I followed Miss Laura upstairs. She tookup a book and sat down in a low chair, and I lay down on thehearth rug beside her.

"Do you know, Joe," she exclaimed with a smile, "why you scratch withyour paws when you lie down, as if to make yourself a hollow bed,and turn around a great many times before you lie down?"