Pedro pulled off his hat, smiling at the lingering girl and boy.  “He says you have given him all your coppers,” he said.  “I don’t believe it; but in any case I will give you a tune.”

“You are letting him go,” murmured the princess breathlessly, starting to run after the yellow dog.

“Saw you not ’twas not Topaz?” asked Gabriel, under cover of the lively tune, and again seizing a fold of the woolen gown, he held the girl in her place.  “Wait,” he said aloud, with a show of interest, “I wish to hear the music.”

“Let me go, my heart is sick,” returned the princess, turning her head away.

Gabriel pretended to frown at her and pulled some pence from his pocket, at sight of which the organ-grinder’s eyes brightened and he played harder than ever.

“Can you be strong, princess?” asked the boy distinctly.  “Don’t look now, but Topaz has come to us.”

The princess started, and instead of obeying, looked closely first at the dejected little brown dog and then up and down the street and behind her, but in vain.

“If those pence are for me, my boy,” said the organ-grinder, stopping his music, “you and your sister shall see my dog dance.  He is the wonder of the world, although he is not much to look at.  We cannot all be royal and own golden dogs.”

Gabriel threw him the pennies, for he did not yet wish to come too near Topaz, lest the little dog might see deeper than the respectable raiment in which his own brother would not have known him.

The boy clapped his hands above his head; the organ-grinder thought it was for joy, but it was a signal agreed upon.  A shrill whistle sounded on the air.  The organ-grinder knew the sound and knew that it was intended to summon the officers of the law.  He wondered what poor wretch was getting into trouble; but it was none of his business.  He took a whip from within his coat, and with it struck the organ a violent snap.

At the sound the little dog jumped.  The princess noticed that Gabriel’s eyes were fixed on him, and wondered what he could be thinking of to confound this sorry-looking, dull-colored animal with her gay companion of the palace garden.

The music began, the dog reared himself patiently upon his hind feet and stepped about so slowly that the organ-man growled at him and struck the organ again.  Then the dancer moved faster; but the ears did not fly and every motion was a jerk.  Nevertheless, the princess’s heart had now begun to suffocate her.  She recalled Gabriel’s story of washing off the brown color from the dingy fur in the brook, and her eyes swam with tears at the mere possibility that this might be the object of her search.  She had just sense enough to keep still and leave everything to Gabriel.  Here, too, approached the tall gentleman, followed by an officer of the law.  Gabriel saw at a glance that it was the same big fellow who had driven him away yesterday.