sitting-room or a bedroom.

At the end of the hall was the dining-room, running two-thirds of the
way across the house. To Beth's surprise, she found the table unset,
and no one within. She feared she had missed luncheon. Chancing,
however, to look out through an open door, she immediately gave a
little cry of delight, for she beheld Mr. and Mrs. Davenport and Marian
seated at a table on the roomy piazza that ran between the dining-room
and the kitchen.

Beth seized Gustus by the hand and drew him towards the family party.
Fritz bounded and yelped at their heels. His cries attracted the
attention of the occupants of the piazza.

"Why, Elizabeth Davenport, what----"

"Oh, papa, this is Gustus, and I want you to let him work for us. This
wonderful, wonderful dog is his, and if Gustus works for us, I can have
Fritz to play with."

Beth stopped an instant for breath, which gave some of the others a
chance to speak.

"Mamma, aren't his rags disgraceful?" whispered Marian to her mother.

"James, what shall we do?"

Mr. Davenport addressed the boy. "Are you looking for work?"

Gustus hung his head, but managed to say: