"Well," said Mr. Evringham to Jewel, "he is a dog of high degree, like Gabriel"s, isn"t he? But he"s such a big fellow I think the organ-grinder wouldn"t have such an easy time with _him_."
At the broker"s voice, the dog walked up to him and wagged his feathery tail. Jewel"s eager hands went out to touch him, but Mr. Evringham held her back.
"He"s a friendly fellow," he went on; then continued to the man, "Would you like to sell him?"
The question set the little girl"s heart to beating fast.
"I would, first rate," replied the man, grinning, "but the trouble is I"ve sold him once. I"m taking him to his owner now."
"That"s a handsome collar you have on him."
"Oh, yes, it"s a good one all right," returned the man. "The dog is for a surprise present. The lady I"m taking him to is going to know him by his name."
"Let"s have a look at it, Jewel," said Mr. Evringham, and he took hold of the silver collar, a familiarity which seemed rather to please the golden dog, who began wagging his tail again, as he looked at Mr. Evringham trustingly.
Jewel bent over eagerly. A single name was engraved clearly on the smooth plate.
"Topaz!" she cried. "His name is Topaz! Grandpa, mother, the golden dog"s name is Topaz!"
Mrs. Evringham held up both hands in amazement, while Harry frowned incredulously.
"Did you ever hear of anything so wonderful, grandpa? How _can_ the lady know him by his name so well as we do?" The child was quite breathless.
"What? Do _you_ know the name?" asked the man. "Supposing I"d hit on the right place already. Just take a look under his throat. The owner"s name is there."
Jewel fell on her knees, and while Mr. Evringham kept his hand on the dog"s muzzle, she pushed aside the silky white fur.
"Evringham. Bel-Air Park, New Jersey," was what she read, engraved on the silver.
She sat still for a minute, overcome, while a procession of ideas crowded after each other through the flaxen head. It was her birthday; grandpa couldn"t get the boat under the tablecloth. This beautiful dog--this impossibly beautiful dog, was a surprise present. He was for her, to love and to play with; to see his tricks every day, to teach him to know her and to run to her when she called. If she was given the choice of the Whole world on this sweet birthday morning, it seemed to her nothing could be so desirable as this live creature, this playmate, this prince among dogs.
When she looked up the man in the checked suit had disappeared. She glanced at her father and mother. They were watching her smilingly and she understood that they had known.
She looked around a little further and saw Mr. Evringham seated, his hand on the collie"s neck, while the wagging, feathery tail expressed great contentment in the touch of a good friend.
At the time the story of the golden dog had so captivated Jewel"s imagination, the broker began his search for one in real life. He had already been thinking that a dog would be a good companion for the fearless child"s solitary hours in the woods. As soon as the collie was found, he directed that all the ordinary tricks should be taught it, and every day until he left New York he visited the creature, who remembered him so well that on the collie"s arrival late last evening, he had feared its joyous barking out at the barn would waken Jewel.
She rose to her knees now, and, putting her arms around the dog"s neck, pressed her radiant face against him.
Topaz pulled back, but Mr. Evringham patted him, and in an instant he was freed; for his little mistress jumped up and, climbing into her grandfather"s lap, rested her head against his breast.
"Grandpa," she said, slowly and fervently, "I wonder if you do know how much I love you!"
Mr. Evringham patted the collie"s head, then took Jewel"s hand and placed it with his own on the sleek forehead. The golden eyes met his attentively.
"You"re to take care of her, Topaz. Do you understand?" he asked.
The feathery tail waved harder.
Jewel gazed at the dog. "If anything could be too good to be true, he"d be it," she said slowly.
Mr. Evringham"s pleasure showed in his usually impa.s.sive face.
"Well, isn"t it a good thing then that nothing is?" he replied, and he kissed her.
CHAPTER XVIII
TRUE DELIGHT
When evening came and put a period to that memorable birthday, Topaz was a dog of experiences. If he was a happy discovery to Jewel, she was none the less one to him. He was delighted to romp in the fields, where his coat vied with the goldenrod; or to scamper up and down the beach, barking excitedly, while his friends jumped or swam through the cool waves.
Jewel was eager that her horse and dog should become acquainted; so, when late in the afternoon Ess.e.x Maid and Star were brought out at the customary hour, saddled and bridled, she performed an elaborate introduction between the jet-black picture pony and the prince among dogs. Star arched his neck and shook his wavy mane as he gazed down at the golden dog with his full bright eyes. He had seen Topaz before; for the collie had spent the night in the barn, making sunshine in a shady place as he romped about the man in the checked suit.
"Oh, grandpa!" laughed Jewel, as Star pawed the ground, "he looks at Topaz just the way Ess.e.x Maid used to look at him when he first came. Just as _scornful_!"
She knelt down on the gra.s.s by the pony, in her riding skirt, and Topaz instantly came near, hopefully. He had already learned that by sticking to her closely he was liable to have good sport; but this time business awaited him. Mr. Evringham watched the pony and dog, with the flaxen-haired child between them, and wished he had a kodak.
"Now, Star and Topaz, you"re going to love one another," said Jewel impressively. "Shake hands, Topaz." She held out her hand and the dog sat down and offered a white paw.
"Good fellow," said the child. "Now I guess you"re going to be surprised,"
she added, looking into his yellow eyes. She turned toward the pony, who was nosing her shoulder, not at all sure that he liked this rival. "Shake hands, Star," she ordered.
It took the pony some time to make up his mind to do this. It usually did.
He shook his mane and tossed his head; but Jewel kept patting his slender leg and offering her hand, until, with much gentle pawing and lifting his little hoof higher and higher, he finally rested it in the child"s hand, although looking away meanwhile, in mute protest.
"Good Star! Darling Star!" she exclaimed, jumping up and hugging him.
"There, Topaz, what do you think of that?" she asked triumphantly. For answer the golden dog yawned profoundly, and Mr. Evringham and Jewel laughed together.
"Such impoliteness!" cried the child.
"You must excuse him if he is a little conceited," said the broker. "He knows Star can"t sit up and roll over and jump sticks."
"Oh, grandpa." Jewel"s face sobered, for this revived a little difference of opinion between them. "When are you going to let me jump fences?"
"In a few more birthdays, Jewel, a few more," he replied.
She turned back to her pets. "I suppose," she said musingly, "it wouldn"t be the least use to try to make them shake hands with each other."
"I suppose not," returned the broker, and his shoulders shook. "Oh, Jewel, you certainly will make me lose my waist. Here now, time is flying. Mount."
He lowered his hand, Jewel stepped on it and was in her white saddle instantly. The collie barked with loud inquiry and plunged hopefully.
In a minute the horses were off at a good pace. "Come, Topaz!" cried the child, and the golden dog scampered after them with a will.