He listened with patience and candour, and showed his gratitude by treating me with the most cordial hospitality. He gave me an excellent bone, and offered to share his kennel with me; but after my dinner and a nap I was so thoroughly refreshed, that I preferred continuing my journey. He pressed me to call on him in my way back, provided I returned alone; but honestly confessed that if I was accompanied by a cat, he feared that the force of habit might be too strong to allow of his being as polite to her as he could wish. Remembering my own early prejudices, I had no right to blame him; and we parted excellent friends, though I declined his invitation. I met with no more adventures or difficulties. Even my night's lodging gave me no trouble; for when it was growing dark, and I felt too tired to run any farther, I espied a heap of straw thrown out by the stable-door of a roadside inn, and I soon scratched and smoothed it into as comfortable a bed as dog need wish. By break of day I was on my travels again; and being now near my native village, in a road of which I knew every step, I had no further perplexity, and by breakfast-time arrived at my old home. It had never occurred to me that any body would be surprised to see me. Having always met with a hearty welcome, I expected one as a matter of course; but I certainly never anticipated being received with a shout of astonishment, and to this day I cannot understand why they were all so amazed. But so it was. When the gardener opened the gate and saw me sitting outside, he started as if I had been a strange dog going to fly at him; and instead of speaking to me, began calling as loud as he could to his wife: "Peggy! why, Peggy, make haste, I say. Here's the dog! How did he ever come here?" The old lady came bustling along at double her usual speed, and I thought she would immediately explain my appearance; but she seemed even more surprised than her husband; she fairly screamed. "Well to be sure!" exclaimed she as usual, as soon as she had recovered her breath; "well to be sure! Did any body ever see such a thing? How can he have come? Do you think master is on the road?" "I'll run down to the turnpike and see," answered her husband; and off he set, without bestowing a word upon me; his wife meanwhile, with her apron thrown over her head, straining her eyes to look after him. I wagged my tail, and patted her with my paw, and did my best to make her understand that I was there on my own account; but her head was too full of fancies to attend to the reality, and she persisted in looking out for my master who was not coming, and neglecting me who was there under her eyes. So I left her to find out the state of the case as she could, and turned my steps towards the house, where I hoped to meet a friend, who would think nothing so natural as my being at her side.