So all day long he had wandered, foot-sore, exhausted, and hungry, over many a mile of street, until at last the smell of hot roast goose had so overcome him, that he had in his desperation fastened his teeth into Dick’s trousers, thereby ultimately securing for himself a supper, and another home.
Now after all his troubles, hardships, and alarms, he was sleeping sweetly, enjoying the repose of the weary. It was unpleasant to be disturbed, it was truly annoying to have to open those heavy brown eyes, but Scamp had a heart, and sobs of distress had roused him from his pleasant dreams. He cocked his ears, stretched himself, rose, and pushing his big awkward head against Flo’s, bent low in her hands, began licking her face with his small, rough tongue.
Finding she took no notice of this, he forced her to look up and attend to him, by jumping wholesale into her lap.
“Oh! Scamp,” said the child, putting her arms round him, “does you know as Dick isn’t an honest boy no more.”
Had Scamp comprehended the words addressed to him, he would not have considered them a subject for sorrow, as any means by which such a supper as they had just eaten was attained would have been thought by him quite justifiable.
It was however his wisest course at present to sympathise with Flo, and this he did by means of his tail, tongue, and eyes.
“Oh! you be a nice dawg,” said the little girl, comforted by his caressing.
She laid her head on his shaggy coat, and in a few moments both were asleep.
Two hours later Jenks and Dick returned. Dick’s cheeks were now flushed, and his eyes bright. Jenks, on the contrary, was as cool as usual.
“Shall we take orf the dawg now, or in the mornin’?” asked the little boy of his companion.