The children looked sober; and Posy gazed through her tears at Pollio, who winked hard, and tried to brave it out. Friend Littlefield was glad to see that they all cared so much for the dog.
But, just as the breakfast-bell rang, Teddy rushed into the parlor, exclaiming,—
“Papa, our pears are stolen!”
“Pears, child! What pears?”
“Why, you know those two trees bending down to the ground,—the nicest pears there are in the world. Well, there isn’t a thing left but just the leaves!”
“And that must have been what Beppo was barking for. No doubt he heard the thieves at work, and was trying to let us know it. The faithful old creature!” said the judge, looking distressed, but thinking much more about the dog than about the pears.
“O papa! And you w’ipped him!” cried Pollio, whirling round and round on the floor.
“Yes,” sighed papa, “I whipped him.”
Pollio didn’t try any longer to brave it out: he swept through the room like a hurricane, to go and have a cry on his dear dog’s neck.