42 FANNY, AND HER DOG NEPTUNE.

deep embrowning. Indeed, if the truth must be told,
there was far more beauty, in Mrs. Dale's eye, in Fanny's
blooming cheeks, round limbs, free and light step, than
in the delicate forms and lily complexions of her city
cousins.
 It is natural to children to love the country and the
freedom that belongs to it. "Does your mother let you
go out often without your nurse, Fanny?" asked her
companion and cousin, Sarah Tileson.
 "To be sure she does. Don't you know, Sarah, I have
not had any nurse ever since we came to Rose Lane ?"
 Oh, I wish I had not any. I never can stir out with-
out Becky ; and she never wants to go where we children
do-you know grown people never do. And then she
walks so slow, and as sure as we want to stop and look at
anything pretty, she is in a hurry. I do think a nurse is
a botheration."
 "I should think so too; and, if I were you, I would
persuade my mother to get such a dog as Neptune.
Mamma says she always feels perfectly easy when Nep-
tune is with me; and he is a great deal funnier com-
panion than a nurse, you know." Fanny was interrupted
by Sarah's drawing close to her, and touching her arm
to attract her observation to a shabby-looking man who
had just got over the fence and was approaching them.
" Oh," said Fanny, in reply to Sarah's movement, which
expressed inquiry and fear, "it is only some one crossing
the field to go by a nearer way to Manhattanville ; but
see, now, what Neptune will do." Neptune was appar-
ently, at this moment, pursuing his own pleasures with-
out heeding his mistress. He was running on in advance,
now and then turning from his course and snuffing the
earth. He retraced his steps, and approached the
stranger with a low, suspicious bark, as much as to say,
"Who are you, sir ?" He never likes shabby-looking
people," whispered Fanny. "Be quiet, Neptune; now
just see what he will do." Neptune walked slowly round
the man, as if thoroughly to reconnoitre, then marched
to Fanny's side, and stalked along step by step with her,