"Emperor is not so good a dog as King," said the man, apologizing to the audience. "I have not had him so long, and he does not do his tricks very well. But I will make him!"
Suddenly he flicked the dog he called "Emperor" with the whip!
The dog let out a howl of pain.
"Here! Stop that!" cried Teddy, almost before he knew what he was saying.
"Yes, don't hurt the dogs," added a lady, looking kindly at the Curlytops. "The little boy is right."
"I did not mean to hurt him," explained Professor Montelli, smiling, but his smile was not a kind one. He seemed to be a cruel man, but he seemed to know that he must not be cruel to his dogs in public. "Come, Emperor!" he called more gently. "Walk on your hind legs!"
This time the black poodle did so, walking around the stage. Again Janet leaned over and whispered to her brother:
"Top used to do that same trick!"
"Yes," agreed Teddy. "That's right."
And then a strange thing happened. All at once the two poodles put their noses together, as though talking, which they may have been doing in dog language. And then the one the man had called Emperor suddenly jumped on top of the back of the dog called King, and King began walking around the stage, giving the other a ride!