116 DOGGED JACK.

had deprived Jack of his ride even through a mis-
take," the little girl said falteringly.
 I don't believe he's made any mistake," muttered
 Polly, still in rebellion as to such merciful treatment
 of the usurper of Jack's pleasure.
 But an imploring look and an expostulating, "Now,
 Polly Hopkins," from her brother, at length calmed,
 somewhat, that young lady's ire.
 "How did you find out about it, Dick ?" asked
 Roger Gordon, as the two boys walked their ponies
 down a steep hill at some distance from the phaeton.
 "I can hardly believe any fellow would play such a
 shabby trick."
 "There's no doubt whatever but that he did,"
 was Dick's answer. "I went first about the pony,
 and found Shirley, the hotel-keeper, at his door.
He told me that he had seen the pony saddled
and bridled himself, and sent the stable-boy out
of the yard with it, charging him to lead it up to
Hillside. The boy came back in a few minutes and
said that he had met Master Brown in the village,
who had slipped half-a -crown into his hand, and
said he would bring the pony to Hillside himself.
 Shortly after this, Shirley saw Adolphus trotting
as fast as he could up the hill after the doctor's
gig. When I had heard this, still thinking there
must be some mistake, I rode down to the Brown's