"He behaved very bad indeed, papa," stammered the boy; "he killed a dear
little bird and tried to bite Vi, and me too--and I sold him."

The truth was out and Archie heaved a sigh of relief.

"Sold him?" repeated his father in a tone of mingled surprise and
displeasure.

"Yes, sir: to Jared Bates, for two cents. Here they are: I s'pose they
belong to you," said the little fellow tugging at his pocket.

"For two cents!" exclaimed Mr. Ross laughing in spite of himself. "You'll
never grow rich, my boy, making such bargains as that. But see here," he
added, growing grave again, "whose dog was it?"

"I--I thought it was ours, papa."

"Ours? Yours to play with, but only mine to sell or give away. You'll have
to go to Jared to-morrow, return his two cents, and tell him the dog is
mine, and you sold what did not belong to you."

"Oh where's my bird?" cried Violet, reminded of it by this little episode.
"I laid it down to look at Elsie's watch, and oh it's gone! Mamma, mamma,
I'm so sorry!"

"I am too, dear, for your sake," the mother said, putting an arm about her
and kissing the wet cheek, for the tears had begun to flow again. "Was it
the bird Ranger killed?"