a light on the floor with cards round it, and leave the doors nearly shut.  Then the man begged some one to whisper in the dog’s ear what card she was to bring, and she went at once and fetched it, thus showing that she understood their names.  Lyda did many tricks with the numbers, so curious that no dog could possibly understand them, yet what the secret sign was I could not discover, but suppose it must have been in the tones of the master’s voice, for he certainly made none with either head or hands.’

“It took an hour a day for eighteen months to educate a dog enough to appear in public, and (as you say, Ben) the night was the best time to give the lessons.  Soon after this visit the master died, and these wonderful dogs were sold because their mistress did not know how to exhibit them.”

“Wouldn’t I have liked to see ’em and find out how they were taught.  Sanch, you’ll have to study up lively for I’m not going to have you beaten by French dogs,” said Ben, shaking his finger so sternly that Sancho groveled at his feet and put both paws over his eyes in the most abject manner.

“Is there a picture of those smart little poodles?” asked Ben, eying the book, which Miss Celia left open before her.

“Not of them, but of other interesting creatures; also anecdotes about horses, which will please you, I know,” and she turned the pages for him, neither guessing how much good Mr. Hamerton’s charming “Chapters on Animals” were to do the boy when he needed comfort for a sorrow which was very near.

CHAPTER X.

A HEAVY TROUBLE.

“Thank you, ma’am, that’s a tip-top book, ’specially the pictures.  But I can’t bear to see these poor fellows,” and Ben brooded over the fine etching of the dead and dying horses on a battle-field, one past all further pain, the other helpless but lifting his head from his dead master to neigh a farewell to the comrades who go galloping away in a cloud of dust.

“They ought to stop for him, some of ’em,” muttered Ben, hastily turning back to the cheerful picture of the three happy horses in the field, standing knee-deep among the grass as they prepare to drink at the wide stream.

“Aint that black one a beauty?  Seems as if I could see his mane blow in the wind, and hear him whinny to that small feller trotting down to see if he can’t get over and be sociable.  How I’d like to take a rousin’ run round that meadow on the whole lot of ’em,” and Ben swayed about in his chair as if he was already doing it in imagination.

“You may take a turn round my field on Lita any day.  She would like it, and Thorny’s saddle will be here next week,” said Miss Celia, pleased to see that the boy appreciated the fine pictures, and felt such hearty sympathy with the noble animals whom she dearly loved herself.

“Needn’t wait for that.  I’d rather ride bare-back.  Oh, I say, is this the book you told about where the horses talked?” asked Ben, suddenly recollecting the speech he had puzzled over ever since he heard it.