toby was a little french bulldog. he was a very happy little animal, as his small mistress was extremely fond of him. he had a big armchair with a fat cushion to sleep on. he also had a collar with his name and address engraved on it, and a little license tag fastened to it. in winter he wore a sweater, which he found very comfortable, although not so becoming. toby's only regret in life was that he had no playmate. of course his small mistress played with him, but he could not answer her when she spoke to him, except by wagging his tail or by barking.

one day, while looking out of the window in the nursery he saw a little dog, with a tin can tied to his tail, running down the street. after him ran a crowd of boys. toby barked, as he always did when he saw a dog. in a minute his little mistress ran up to the window. "oh, toby!" she cried. "look at the poor little dog. i'll ask mother if i can't bring him in." in a minute she was in the bright sitting-room, where mother was sewing.

"what is it, little girl?"

"oh, mother!" she cried. "there is a poor dog with a tin can tied to his tail, just outside the house, and a lot of boys are tormenting the poor animal. they are all around him so that he can't get away."

"poor dog!" said mother. "call james and tell him to send the boys away and bring the dog inside."

toby's mistress sped away on her errand of mercy and in a short while james had ordered the boys off and was carrying the little dog upstairs. he was very cunning, and toby made a friend of him at once, but he was very dirty and had to have a bath as soon as mother looked him over. the decoration to his tail was removed, much to the frightened animal's relief, and after his bath he was duly christened rover. from that time toby was never lonely and he and rover became great friends. rover was given a collar and a cushion, of which he was very proud, and he lived happily ever afterwards in his new home with the little girl and toby, the french bulldog.