I barked angrily and limped to the window.

“How intelligent he is,” said Mrs. Drury.  “My husband has sent to New York for a watchdog, and he says that from this on our house shall never be without one.  Now I must go.  Your dog is happy, Mrs. Morris, and I can do nothing for him, except to say that I shall never forget him, and I wish he would come over occasionally to see us.  Perhaps when we get our dog he will.  I shall tell my cook whenever she sees him to give him something to eat.  This is a souvenir for Laura of that dreadful night.  I feel under a deep obligation to you, so I am sure you will allow her to accept it.”  Then she gave Mrs. Morris a little box and went away.

When Miss Laura came in, she opened the box, and found in it a handsome diamond ring.  On the inside of it was engraved:  “Laura, in memory of December 20th, 18—.  From her grateful friend, Bessie.”

The diamond was worth hundreds of dollars, and Mrs. Morris told Miss Laura that she had rather she would not wear it then, while she was a young girl.  It was not suitable for her, and she knew Mrs. Drury did not expect her to do so.  She wished to give her a valuable present, and this would always be worth a great deal of money.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XV

OUR JOURNEY TO RIVERDALE

Every other summer, the Morris children were sent to some place in the country, so that they could have a change of air, and see what country life was like.  As there were so many of them they usually went different ways.

The summer after I came to them, Jack and Carl went to an uncle in Vermont, Miss Laura went to another in New Hampshire, and Ned and Willie went to visit a maiden aunt who lived in the White Mountains.

Mr. and Mrs. Morris stayed at home.  Fairport was a lovely place in summer, and many people came there to visit.

The children took some of their pets with them, and the others they left at home for their mother to take care of.  She never allowed them to take a pet animal anywhere, unless she knew it would be perfectly welcome.  “Don’t let your pets be a worry to other people,” she often said to them, “or they will dislike them and you too.”

Miss Laura went away earlier than the others, for she had run down through the spring, and was pale and thin.  One day, early in June, we set out.  I say “we,” for after my adventure with Jenkins, Miss Laura said that I should never be parted from her.  If any one invited her to come and see them and didn’t want me, she would stay at home.

The whole family went to the station to see us off.  They put a chain on my collar and took me to the baggage office and got two tickets for me.  One was tied to my collar and the other Miss Laura put in her purse.  Then I was put in a baggage car and chained in a corner.  I heard Mr. Morris say that as we were only going a short distance, it was not worth while to get an express ticket for me.