“I’m not used to making nice speeches to little girls, but you’re very good to give this puppy to me.”

“Why, it’s nothing at all.  Didn’t you give me Duke?” murmured Beth.

He hesitated an instant.  “But it means a great deal to me.  It shows that you trust me.  Missy, I promise never to strike this one as long as I have him.  Good-bye.”

Thereupon he jumped into the buggy and drove away.

Beth returned to the barn with Duke.  January as usual was idling.  He had his fiddle and was playing “Dixie.”  Beth sat down on the hay near him, while the dog family frolicked around her.  She was happy, so happy that from sheer light-heartedness she began to sing.

Duke pricked up his ears.  White dog cocked her head to one side, and the six puppies followed their parents’ example.  Duke uttered a low deep howl that chimed in with Beth’s singing.  White dog howled in a high soprano and the six little dogs did likewise, but in shriller tones.  Beth was so surprised that she stopped singing, and the dogs immediately ceased howling, evidently waiting for Beth to lead them.

She began to sing again, and the dogs began to howl, swaying their heads from side to side.

Their howling was so funny that Beth had to laugh, January joining in.  Beth then ran into the house for Mrs. Davenport.

“Mamma, come and hear the concert,” she cried.

“What concert?”

“Come with me and you’ll see, if they’ll do it again.  It’s the funniest singing you ever heard.”

Beth led her mother to the barn.

“Where are the singers?” asked Mrs. Davenport.

“Wait,” answered Beth, calling the dogs to her.  Then she began singing and the dogs began howling, holding their heads high in the air.  Duke, however, proved lazy.  He would come in only once in a while with his deep bass, but this made the effect more funny.

Mrs. Davenport laughed over the performance until her sides ached.  That afternoon Beth and the dogs had another concert for the benefit of Mr. Davenport and Marian.  In the evening the Gordons and the Bakers called, and, hearing of the wonderful concert, they insisted upon a repetition of it.  The lantern was brought in, therefore, and, with Beth heading the procession, the party adjourned to the barn.  The dogs were asleep, but at the first sound of Beth’s shrill little voice, they all, even to the smallest pup, pricked up their ears, and then howled in concert.  After that Beth’s concert became famous.  People drove out from Jacksonville to see and hear the canine musicale.  After a time Beth trained the dogs so that they would sit up in a row on their hind legs while they sang.  They were apparently carried away by the music, and appeared quite human in their vanity, swaying their bodies and rolling their eyes in a very ludicrous manner, while howling an accompaniment to Beth’s singing.

[Illustration:  January with his perpetual laugh and fiddle.]