"Billy Maybee was tryin' to tie a tin can to his tail," he explained, stuttering, "and the cur snapped at him. We was goin' to hit his head against the wall."
"He's dead now," assured Jinnie once more. "It isn't any use to smash dead dogs."
This reasoning being unanswerable, Maudlin turned grumblingly away.
Jinnie's heart beat loudly with living hope. Perhaps the little dog wasn't dead. Oh, how she hoped he'd live! She stopped half way home, and pushed aside her jacket and peeped down at him. He was still quite limp, and the girl hurried on. She did not even wait to buy the meat nor the bread Peg had asked her to bring in.
As she hurried across the tracks, she saw Grandoken sitting in the window.
He saluted her with one hand, but as she was using both of hers to hold the dog, she only smiled in return, with a bright nod of her head.
Once in the shop, she looked about cautiously.
"I've got something, Lafe," she whispered, "something you'll like."
When she displayed the hurt dog, Lafe put out his hand.
"Is the little critter dead?" he asked solemnly.
"Oh, I hope not!" replied Jinnie, and excitedly explained the episode.
"Lafe took the foundling in his hands, turning the limp body over and over.
"Jinnie, go ask Peg to bring some hot water in a pan," he said. "We'll give the little feller a chanct to live."
Peg came in with a basin of water, stared at the wide-eyed girl and her smiling husband, then down upon the dog.
"Well, for Lord's sake, where'd you get that little beast?" she demanded. "'Tain't livin', is it? Might as well throw it in the garbage pail."
Nevertheless, she put down the basin as she spoke, and took the puppy from her husband. At variance with her statement that the dog might as well be thrown out, she laid him in the hot water, rubbing the bruised body from the top of its head to the small stubby tail. During this process Lafe had unfastened Jinnie's shortwood strap, and the girl, free, dropped upon the floor beside Peg.
Suddenly the submerged body of the pup began to move.
"He's alive, Peg!" cried Jinnie. "Look at his legs a kicking!... Oh, Lafe, he's trying to get out of the water!"
Peg turned sharply.
"If he ain't dead already," she grunted, "you'll kill him hollerin' like that. Anyway, 'tain't no credit to hisself if he lives. He didn't have nothin' to do with his bein' born, an' he won't have nothin' to do with his goin' on livin'. Shut up, now!... There, massy me, he's coming to."