Now, Ben had heard what the other boy said, and made up his mind that he shouldn’t like him; and Thorny had decided beforehand that he wouldn’t play with a tramp, even if he could cut capers; so both looked decidedly cool and indifferent when Miss Celia introduced them.  But Sancho had better manners, and no foolish pride; he, therefore, set them a good example by approaching the chair, with his tail waving like a flag of truce, and politely presented his ruffled paw for a hearty shake.

Thorny could not resist that appeal, and patted the white head, with a friendly look into the affectionate eyes of the dog, saying to his sister as he did so: 

“What a wise old fellow he is!  It seems as if he could almost speak, doesn’t it?”

“He can.  Say ‘How do you do,’ Sanch,” commanded Ben, relenting at once, for he saw admiration in Thorny’s face.

“Wow, wow, wow!” remarked Sancho, in a mild and conversational tone, sitting up and touching one paw to his head, as if he saluted by taking off his hat.

Thorny laughed in spite of himself, and Miss Celia, seeing that the ice was broken, wheeled him to his place at the foot of the table.  Then seating the little girls on one side, Ben and the dog on the other, took the head herself and told her guests to begin.

Bab and Betty were soon chattering away to their pleasant hostess as freely as if they had known her for months; but the boys were still rather shy, and made Sancho the medium through which they addressed one another.  The excellent beast behaved with wonderful propriety, sitting upon his cushion in an attitude of such dignity that it seemed almost a liberty to offer him food.  A dish of thick sandwiches had been provided for his especial refreshment, and as Ben from time to time laid one on his plate, he affected entire unconsciousness of it till the word was given, when it vanished at one gulp, and Sancho again appeared absorbed in deep thought.

But having once tasted of this pleasing delicacy, it was very hard to repress his longing for more, and, in spite of all his efforts, his nose would work, his eye kept a keen watch upon that particular dish, and his tail quivered with excitement as it lay like a train over the red cushion.  At last, a moment came when temptation proved too strong for him.  Ben was listening to something Miss Celia said, a tart lay unguarded upon his plate, Sanch looked at Thorny, who was watching him, Thorny nodded, Sanch gave one wink, bolted the tart, and then gazed pensively up at a sparrow swinging on a twig overhead.

The slyness of the rascal tickled the boy so much that he pushed back his hat, clapped his hands, and burst out laughing as he had not done before for weeks.  Every one looked around surprised, and Sancho regarded him with a mildly inquiring air, as if he said, “Why this unseemly mirth, my friend?”

[Illustration:  MISS CELIA AND THORNY.]