When they stopped to rest after their run, Ajax settled himself comfortably on the grass, perfectly quiet, except for the tip of his tail, which moved just a little. Tippie watched that tail with longing. He danced around and around Ajax. He pranced forward and skipped back, and practiced all his dancing-steps, before he dared touch it. At last he boldly rushed upon it, and a moment later Ajax held him fast around the neck, and with heads close together, and smothered growls of happiness, the cat and the dog were rolling over and over. Then, they suddenly let go, and stood half a foot apart, glaring at each other for a second, before they rushed together again, and went through the whole frolic once more. Mamie and Herbert had seen it all while building ships, in the side yard, and as they watched the grand closing scene, Herbert, in the tone of an oracle, announced, The Moral: "It is good to be good-natured, but bad to be imposed upon." NUMBER ONE. BY CHARLES R. TALBOT. "I tell you," said Robbie, eating his peach, And giving his sister none, "I believe in the good old saying that each Should look out for Number One." "Why, yes," answered Katie, wise little elf, "But the counting should be begun With the _other one_ instead of yourself,-- And _he_ should be Number One." VOL. XIII.--45. AMUSING THE BABY. BY EVA LOVETT CARSON. A sudden tumult arose one day, In the nursery overhead. 'T was like wild horses a-galloping there, Or a whole procession led. Nursie, with face of terror, Deserted her cup of tea, And rushed up the stair, in a state of despair, To see what the noise might be. She found in the room three Zulu chiefs Prancing across the floor. Their faces beamed, as they danced and screamed, And their arms waved more and more. In a corner sat Ted, the baby, Silent and pale with fright: "We're amusing the baby--Oh, Nurse, come and see!" Cried the Zulus in great delight. "Oh, horrors!" cried Nursie in anger, Rushing to poor little Ted. "To go on that way, such ri_dic_-u-lous play!-- 'T will put the child out of his head!" --With expressions of injured goodness, Stood Dudley, and Gordon, and Fred, "Why, Nursie, how mean!--We should think you'd have seen, We're amusing the baby!" they said. [Illustration] THE BROWNIES IN THE MENAGERIE. BY PALMER COX. The Brownies heard the news with glee, That in a city near the sea A spacious building was designed For holding beasts of every kind. From polar snows, from desert sand, From mountain peak, and timbered land, The beasts with claw and beasts with hoof, All met beneath one slated roof. That night, like bees before the wind, With home in sight, and storm behind, The band of Brownies might be seen, All scudding from the forest green.