mysterious significance, quite forgetting in his wrath that he had
just proposed to get his own living in that way himself.

"He no your dog? Sorry I not find him for you. Addio, signorina!
Grazia, signor! Buon giorno, buon giorno," and, kissing his hand, the
Italian shouldered organ and monkey, ready to go.

Miss Celia detained him long enough to give him her address, and beg
him to let her know if he met poor Sanch in any of his wanderings, for
such itinerant showmen often cross each other's paths. Ben and Thorny
walked to the school-corner with him, getting more exact information
about the black dog and his owner, for they had no intention of giving
it up so soon.

That very evening, Thorny wrote to a boy cousin in New York giving
all the particulars of the case, and begging him to hunt up the man,
investigate the dog, and see that the police made sure that everything
was right. Much relieved by this performance, the boys waited
anxiously for a reply, and when it came found little comfort in it.
Cousin Horace had done his duty like a man, but regretted that he
could only report a failure. The owner of the black poodle was a
suspicious character, but told a straight story, how he had bought
the dog from a stranger, and exhibited him with success till he was
stolen. Knew nothing of his history and was very sorry to lose him,
for he was a remarkably clever beast.

"I told my dog man to look about for him, but he says he has probably
been killed, with ever so many more, so there is an end of it, and I
call it a mean shame."