"Tramps and burglars; but not good children," replied Mr. Ross. "You
needn't be afraid of him, my little man."

Through the evening there was a great deal of romping between the children
and the new dog, but little Elsie seemed unusually quiet, scarcely
stirring from her mother's side. She was suffering with toothache, but
kept her trouble to herself; principally, because she had a great dread of
the dentist's instruments.

But in the night the pain grew so severe that she could not keep from
crying and groaning. She did not want to wake any one, so buried her face
in the pillow to smother the sound of her sobs; but presently a gentle
hand touched her caressingly, and mamma's sweet voice asked, "What ails my
little daughter?"

"O mamma I did not mean to wake you!" cried the little girl sitting up
with her hand pressed to her cheek, "but the pain was so bad I couldn't
help making a noise."

"My poor dear little girl! did you think your mother would want to sleep
when her child was in pain?" Elsie said, clasping her in her arms. "No,
indeed! so do not try to bear any pain alone another time."

Mamma's loving sympathy was very sweet; the pain was soon relieved, too,
by some medicine she put into the tooth, and presently all was forgotten
in sound refreshing sleep.

Elsie came into her mamma's dressing-room the next morning, along with the
others, looking as bright and well as was her wont, yet with the boding