laugh so that he shows all his fillings. Laugh, Beauty!" he commanded.
"Laugh, old fellow, and show your gold teeth!"

He shook a dirty finger in the poodle's face, and it obediently stretched
its mouth, to show all its little gold-filled teeth.

"See!" exclaimed Howell, much pleased. "Do it again!"

But the maid interfered. "Your mother told you not to touch Beauty again.
You'd have the poor little thing's mouth stretched till it had the
face-ache, if you weren't watched all the time. Go away! You are a naughty
boy!"

Howell's lips shot out in a sullen pout, and the maid, not knowing what he
might do next, rose with the poodle in her arms and walked to the other
side of the vessel.

"Wish't the little beast was dead!" he muttered. "I get scolded and
punished for nothing at all whenever it is around. It and Fidelia! I
haven't any use for girls and puppy-dogs!"

After this uncivil remark he waited for the angry retort which he thought
would naturally follow, but to his surprise Lloyd only laughed
good-naturedly. She found him amusing, even if he was rude and cross, and
she could not wonder that he had such an opinion of girls, after
witnessing his quarrel with Fidelia. The boys had begun it, but she was
older and could have turned it aside had she wished. And she thought it
perfectly natural that he should dislike the dog if he thought his mother
preferred its comfort to his.