The tall, dignified gentleman-in-waiting looked in disgust at the stiff little brown dancer.

“This foolish peasant is but getting us into trouble,” he thought, “but he will suffer for it.”

Indeed, Gabriel knew the law of the land; knew that if he accused the organ-grinder wrongfully he would be walked off to prison in his place; but Gabriel had seen the brown dog’s eyes.  There were no doubts in his heart, which bounded so that it seemed as if it could hardly stay within his bosom.

“Come away, your highness,” murmured the gentleman-in-waiting, in the princess’s ear.  “This is a farce.”

“Stand back and wait,” she replied sternly, and he obeyed.

Meanwhile the organ-grinder had observed the newcomers and was showing every tooth in his head at the prospect of a rich harvest of coppers.  In a minute he ceased playing.  The brown dog dropped to all fours, and his hopeless air sent a pang through the princess.

The organ-grinder held out his cap.

“I don’t think much of your dog’s dancing,” said Gabriel, looking him in the eye.  “I could make him do better, myself.”

“It doesn’t do to use the whip too much,” replied the organ-grinder, but Gabriel had already gone on his knees beside the dog and whispered to him.  Instantly the little creature went into a transport of delight.  Bounding to the boy’s breast, it clung there so closely that Gabriel gave up the experiment that he had intended of trying to show the organ-man how his slave could dance.

Rising, Gabriel held the panting Topaz in his arms.  “I declare,” he said aloud, “I declare this to be the princess’s lost dog.”

The organ-grinder scowled and grew pale. “’Tis a lie,” he cried, “hers was a golden dog.”

“This is a golden dog,” said Gabriel.

Even the gentleman-in-waiting was impressed by the certainty of the boy’s voice.  The organ-grinder turned to the officer and shook his fist. “’Tis that boy again!” he cried.  “If this is the princess’s dog, that boy stole him.  As for me, I found the poor creature, friendless and lost, and I took pity on him.”

“Why, then, did you stain his coat?” asked Gabriel.

The organ-grinder looked wildly up and down the street.  For some reason he felt that a silver coin would not affect the officer of the law to-day.

The gentleman-in-waiting pointed sternly at the culprit.  “Take him away,” he said to the officer.  “Should this prove to be indeed the princess’s dog, he has committed treason.”

And now the black carriage and spirited horses drove up.  The three entered it with the dog and were whirled away.

By noon it was rumored in that street that her royal highness, the princess of the land, had walked through it, dressed like one of the common people.

Within the carriage the princess was weeping tears of joy above her pet.

“If it is you, Goldilocks, if it is you!” she kept repeating; but the dog clung to the one who had recognized his topaz eyes in spite of everything.