Page:The old stone house.djvu/21

and, calling the dogs in a line, he began an ad- dress : " Turk, Grip, and Pete Trone, Esquires, you have all behaved very badly, and deserve condign punishment! " At these words, uttered in a harsh voice, Pete Trone gave a short bark, and Grip instantly sat up on his hind legs, as if to beg for mercy. " None of that, gentlemen, if you please ! " continued Tom ; " special pleading is not allowed before this jury. Turk, Grip, and Pete Trone, Esquires, 3^0 u are hereby sentenced to walk around the garden on the top of the fence. Up, all of you ! jump ! " said Tom, pick- ing up a switch. Now, indeed, all the culprits knew what was before them. That fence was a well-known penance, — for when they did any- thing wrong this was their punishment. Old Turk felt the touch of the switch first, and mounted heavily to his perch, his great legs curved inward to keep a footing on the narrow top ; then came Pete, and, last of all, Grip, who, being a heavy-bodied cur, crouched himself down as low as he could, and crawled along with ex-