The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-06-08

lin 10 SOihz w 0O 81 lhoCh LOA eaos
81 can't help it," I persisted. "Yor
can make it all up to him afterward
by stufing him with chop bones all
day long, if you like. But don't you
see this is case where little things
must suffer for the good of great
onesy"
Mabel seemed to understand what
| meant; and, having put both paws
on the bridge, shut her eyes, and,
crying, Naughty Pink! Go home,
sir!" gave him two or three light taps
on the head.
I was afraid they weren't heavy
enough; but the pug seemed to think
differently, and. giving sudden
spring, scudded across the oars with
rush that sent the nameboard
splashing into the water.
ooh, Pink's tumbled overboard'
screamed Mabel.
"Hush" | commanded. "Don't
call him back. He's off splendidly
now"
And he was. After he had got
ashore, Pink kept straight on toward
the house; and pretty soon we could
not see him any more.
"Do you think he has got there yet,
Dicka" Mabel would keep asking,
while Frank wanted to know more
than once if 1 was sure the note had
been tied on tight.
At last it got to be half-past six,
and just had discovered that the
tide had turned when Frank sudden
ly jumped up on the seat and cried,
"Here they come!"
1 hoped on the bow-locker, and
began to wave my cap and pocket
handkerchief, as I made out the
forms of five people hurrying along
the shore toward us. Mabel sprang
up, too, and began to cry, "Here we
are! here we are!" in succession of
shrieks.
In about three minutes / was able
to make out Sam and Tim ahead, one
with a boat-hook over his shoulder,
and the other with a coil of clothes
line around his arm; and behind them
was father carrying a basket and
helping mother through the tall
sedge- grass, and then came Aunt Lou
with ashawl and Pink capering along
at her heels.
"Three cheers for the pugp cried
Frank, jumping about in way that
would certainly have toppled some
of us overheard, had not the boat
been so firmly settled.
You see he thought our troubles
were all over now. So did Mabel;
for she began to laugh at the funny
look that relief procession had, as it
came marching along the shore, pick
ing it's way around the marshy spots
in the sedge. But l had my doubts
all the time.
l kept them to myself, though;
end, when they all came up and
stood there on the bank about ten
feet away from us, l said was aw-
fully glad to see them, and asked if
they had found out where we were
by the note Pink had carried.
"Oh, yes" exclaimed Aunt Lou,
catching the pug up in her arms and
then letting him drop quickly when
she found how muddy his feet were.
wasn't it cute of him? He came
painting up to the dock, where we all
stood watching, half wild to know
what had become of you, children;
and l saw that bit of paper tied to
his ribbon the first thing. And now
I've forgiven him for being naughty
this afternoon; for, if it hadn't been
for him, you might have had to stay
here till dark night"
But, Pink or no Pink, it seemed as
if we would have to stay where we
were till dark, after all; for, although
the boat-hook, the coil of clothes line
and Sam, Tim and father were all
combined in one tremendous effort,
not an inch could they bulge the
Lilly" out of the mud.
Father had already flung the shawl
to us; but it had gone too far, and
landed just out of reach among the
sedge-grass on the other side. Now,
after they had failed to move the
boat, Tim took off his boots, and de-
claring that "the chiller shouldn't
starve for their suppers" if he could
help it, caught up the basket, and, in
spite of my warnings, started to wade
out to us with it.
But two steps were enough for him.
Feeling himself sinking, he dropped