"Oh no, no!" said Arthur, "would you have the poor squirrel starve?"
"Oh, he'll find enough to eat, never fear," said Theodore, "a squirrel
is too cunning to starve."
"But it isn't right to take them, Theodore. Just think how many hours
the little fellow worked, and how hard he tugged to get them all in
here, and they are _his_ now, I'm sure; he has a good right to
them, and I wouldn't any sooner rob him of his nuts, than I would a man
of his money!"
"La, what a fuss you make about it;" said Theodore with a loud laugh,
"but since you feel so bad, I'll let his squirrelship alone, this time."
"Thank you," said Arthur, "and now, Theodore, I must say if you had done
it, I wouldn't have liked to play with you so well as I did before, for
I should think you were a cruel boy, and I couldn't love you."
"You are a curious fellow," said Theodore, with another loud laugh. Such
lessons were not lost on Theodore, for though he had had very little
instruction in morals or manners, he had a heart in the right place
under his rough outside.
"We'll begin our stone house to-night, if you'll come in, Theodore,"
said Arthur, as they reached Mr. Martin's gate.
"No, I can't stop to-night. Sister Susan is coming to see us, and I want
to get home early."
This made Arthur think of _his_ sisters, and it was with rather a
heavy heart he entered the yard. Mr. Martin stood near the door, and as
Arthur passed him, he said,
"I have got a present in the house for you!"
"A present for _me_, sir!" said Arthur,
"Yes, for you; and something you'll like too, I guess. What do you think
it is?" Rover, who knew the sound of Arthur's voice began to bark
loudly, and in a moment the door was opened, and he was in Arthur's
arms. Never was there a more joyful meeting between old friends. Arthur
was so excited that he laughed and cried at once, and said all kinds of
wild things to Rover, who in his turn, kept caressing his young master,
and telling him in his way, how glad he was to see him again. And indeed
the poor dumb animal seemed to express as much affection and delight, as
if he had had a tongue to say in words, how much he loved him.
"How do you like your present, my boy?" said Mr. Martin.
Arthur could hardly speak for emotion, but in a moment he replied, "Very
much, indeed, sir, and you are very good to get him for me. But may he
stay here with me?"
"Yes, he is your dog now, Arthur; they have given him to you at home;
they seem to set a great deal by him too, there."
Arthur well knew how dearly they all loved Rover, and he felt sure it
must have been hard for them to give him up. His heart was touched by
this generosity and he resolved to become worthy of it, and to strive to
do something to make the family happy in return.
Rover seemed to impart new life to Arthur. He had now something to love,
and something that loved him; and though it was only a poor dumb animal,
it filled the vacant place in his heart. Never had Mrs. Martin seen his
dark eyes sparkle so, and his pale cheek look so bright.
And did the children at home regret making this sacrifice for their
little brother's sake? If any little reader asks this question, we fear
they have never tried the experiment of giving up something they loved,
to make another happy. If they had, they would know, what great delight
there was in it; what a warm, delicious feeling it spreads throughout
the heart. "It _is_ more blessed to give than to receive," and
happy as Arthur was in receiving this precious present, they were still
happier in having given it. As Mrs. Hamilton was undressing Emma that
night, the latter said, "Mother, do you think Arthur has got Rover yet?"
