said:

"Me and you need not fret about Toby, Maurice, for our Toby shan't
suffer. We won't go into no Union wherever it is, and if the money
don't come from France, why, we'll run away, me and you and Toby."

"We'll run away," responded Maurice with a smile, and sleepy after
his crying fit, and comforted by the warmth of his little bed, he
closed his eyes and dropped asleep. His baby mind was quite happy
now, for what could be simpler than running away?

Cecile sat on by her little brother's side, and Toby jumped into her
lap. Toby had gone through a half hour of much pain. He had witnessed
Maurice's tears, Cecile's pale face, and had several times heard his
own name mentioned. He was too wise a dog not to know that the
children were talking about some possible fate for him, and, by their
tones and great distress, he guessed that the fate was not a pleasant
one. He had his anxious moments during that half hour. But when
Maurice dropped asleep and Cecile sat droopingly by his side,
instantly this noble-natured mongrel dog forgot himself. His mission
was to comfort the child he loved. He jumped on Cecile's lap, thereby
warming her. He licked her face and hands, he looked into her eyes,
his own bright and moist with a great wealth of canine love.

"Oh, Toby," said the little girl, holding him very tight, "Toby! I'd
rather have a yard of rope myself than that you should suffer."

Toby looked as much as to say:

"Pooh, that's a trivial matter, don't let's think of it," and then