“Weel, I hobbled down the lane length to where the old fence lies that’s bound with that fearsome wire.”
“We know that fence,” said the girls, so completely in chorus that a smile actually wrinkled the old woman’s features.
“A rod farther down Laddie led me, and then stood still. Before him was a little animal meshed in the wire. I thought it a rabbit; next I saw it was a pup that like had been chased by a wild cat,—oh, yes, there’s a few here yet,—and held by the barbs. I unloosed the pup, Laddie a-givin’ me orders all the while.”
“Just like Waddles,” ejaculated Anne again.
“I took the wee thing home and washed its wounds with herbs I well know the worth of, and now it hardly shows a scar. I’ve kept it close, mostly in the bedroom yonder, for fear those who bear me ill might say I stole it, and lay hands on it and keep it from its lawful owners, and work me worse ill, for it’s as fine a little she beagle as ever my eyes lit on, and I’ve seen many in the old land.”
“Beagle,” said Anne and Miss Letty together, as Jane Carr threw open the door of a small room which was nearly filled by a large bed with a blue and white spread. Upon this bed, with her head resting comfortably on the only pillow, lay Jill Waddles!
Anne fell upon Jill and hugged her, for it was a relief to feel that the little creature had not starved to death, in spite of her ungrateful behaviour. But Jill merely yawned, jumped down from the bed, ambled about prettily with her head on one side, but retired under the old woman’s skirt when Anne tried to take her up.
“She has adopted Mrs. Carr,” said Miss Letty, laughing, while the old woman stood amazed, saying, “Weel, weel, the ways and freaks o’ she animals is yet to be accounted.”
Explanations followed. “You see that I owe you two weeks’ board for her,” said Anne, gaily, “and that will pay Laddies’ license, so he will be a free gift.”
“But she sha’n’t leave, she sha’n’t lose the dog,” she added, under her breath, to Miss Letty, who answered, “Of course not, if we can only manage to keep her here a few days longer to gain time, so that we can tell Miss Jule.”