"Shall I go and look for him, papa ?" Mr.Ross was about to say yes, when his eye fell upon the face of his youngest son who, he noticed, looked very red and somewhat troubled.

"What do you know about it, Archie ?" he asked; "can you tell us what has become of Ranger ?" "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.