Faith, conscience-stricken, and too well aware that she ought to
bear the brunt other new pet's misbehavior, rather than Dwight, looked
on miserably, as red as he, while Hope giggled wildly, and Bess looked
utterly disgusted.
Dwight made another clutch at the creature, which evaded him and, with
a rapid movement, wound the rope around his neck so tightly that he
choked, and began to turn black in the face. Mr. Lawrence, who, though
mortified by the sensation they were creating, could not restrain his
laughter, now sprang to his nephew's aid, and was about to cut the
strangling cord when another flashing movement unwound it, and left the
lad's windpipe intact.
Thoroughly angry now, Dwight caught the apish thing, and, boxing its
ears till it howled, stuffed it into his pocket and hurried from the
room, his dinner forgotten in his chagrin.
"Oh, oh!" moaned Faith, cowering disconsolately over her plate, "what
can I do, Mr. Lawrence? Poor Dwight! It's all my fault. And he was
_so_ hungry. Can't we give it to somebody, or--or wring its neck, if
it must be? It's too bad!"
"Well, it is a somewhat upsetting episode," he agreed, still shaking
inwardly, "but it may serve one good purpose. Dwight will cease his
teasing to own one of the pesky things, I imagine. And don't worry
over his dinner, Miss Faith. He's eaten enough already to keep him
from starvation, I'm sure, and I'll see that he returns to finish after
the guests have thinned somewhat.
Pages:
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146