“Flo, the English setter, one of my best friends, who lives up there still, tells me that times are much better now, for Miss Letty takes a great interest in the dogs, and every morning, as soon as she has had breakfast, she comes to the fence of the front yard, bringing a basket of dog-bread. She gives a whistle, and when the dogs are all collected then she begins throwing them bread, bit by bit, aiming it so carefully that even the stupidest, slowest dog of them gets at least one piece. Then sometimes she will go inside the fence of the big field and throw a ball for the dogs to chase, and Flo says that when Miss Letty calls the dog who wins by name, or praises him, he likes it better than a bone, and wags away like mad. So now the kennel dogs have two things a day to look forward to, supper at night, and Miss Letty in the morning.” “I call that a very stupid life,” said Waddles, yawning and stretching in his turn; “isn’t there any real hunting or real fun?” “Yes, in the autumn and once already this season there was a hunt, Flo says. It was Miss Letty who let the dogs out to go to it, and Silver Tongue, the foxhound, who showed them the way. My, but they had fine running and catching, only Flo says that their getting out was an accident, and that Mr. Hugh was very angry, but Squire Burley and Miss Jule only laughed and laughed, and it was a week before the dogs all got back.” “Hurry up, and go on and tell about it,” said Waddles, sniffing uneasily. “Mistress will be at home soon, and then you will have to go out to bed, and I sha’n’t hear what they hunted.” “They are here now,” said Happy, holding her head on one side, for though she could not hear, she could feel the vibration of coming footsteps. “Keep quiet,” said Waddles, “it is so dark that maybe mistress will go by and forget you.” [Illustration: _Miss Letty feeding the Kennel Dogs._] The master went through the hallway to the library, Tommy stumbled sleepily along toward the stairs, holding his mother’s hand, while Anne went to the table where the moonlight showed her that the camera was safe and sound, and after giving it a caressing touch, called Waddles and went up to bed, but not to sleep. CHAPTER XI “OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY!” That Waddles did not go up stairs the moment he was called was nothing unusual, for though Anne’s door-mat was his regular bed he was at liberty to roam about the house at will. He sat quite still for a few minutes, listening until the footsteps overhead ceased, his eyes glowing through the dark like bits of green phosphorescence, then settled himself again with a sigh, for his back legs were extra stiff. Happy, having forgotten and gone to sleep, was again struggling with bad dreams, so he had to arouse her.