"Not yet," answered Curdie. "We have done no
wrong. We were walking quietly up your street
when your dogs charged upon us. If you don't teach
your dogs how to treat strangers, you must take what
comes of it."

"They treat them quite properly," said one of the
butchers. "What right has any one to bring a beast
like that into our city? The horrid look of her is
enough to make an idiot of every child in the place!"

"My poor animal cannot help her looks," re-
turned Curdie. "How would you like to be served
like that because you are so ugly? She is not a bit
fonder of her looks than you are of yours! But what
can she do to change them?"

"I'll change them!" shouted one fellow.

They were all about to rush upon them again when
Lina gave a howl that might have terrified an army
and crouched to spring. The butchers took to their
heels and ran.

By this time a great crowd had gathered at a
little distance. In it were a number of boys just out
of school, who began to stone the strangers. It was
a stupid way they had with anything they did not
expect to get something out of. One of the stones
struck Lina. She caught it in her teeth and crunched
it so that it fell in gravel from her mouth.

Seeing this, the crowd scattered in all directions.
Every one rushed into his own house and began to
shut and lock his door. By the time the setting sun

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