In a short while Benjy was found under the willow tree, and taken home. For a long time he was very ill, but at last he became well enough to tell about his visit to Beastland. Some of his family did not believe the story of his wonderful visit. They thought that Benjy had fallen into the water from the willow tree, and that Nox had saved his life. They felt sure that the story of his visit to Beastland was only a bad dream.

Anyhow, Benjy believed that he had been to Beastland, and it made a very different boy of him. He and the beasts were always good friends after that.

During his weeks of illness Benjy’s little sisters brought all kinds of animals and insects into his sick room to amuse him, and he learned to love them all. There were butterflies and beetles and gold fish and turtles and all sorts of woolly caterpillars. Yes! and the little sisters’ pet cat often slept on his bed, and brought him her kittens to play with. Oh! what a different boy was Benjy!

At last Benjy was able to come downstairs to the living room. He trembled all over when he thought of Mister Rough and Nox. “If they can forgive me,” he said, “I shall feel that I am fit to keep a pet.”

No one who has ever had a dog needs to be told how Mister Rough jumped all over him, or how Nox put one paw on each shoulder, and looked into Benjy’s eyes, as much as to say,“I pulled you out of the water. Now let us be friends.”

Benjy wept for joy, while his dog friends licked his hands to show how much they loved him.

— Juliana Horatio Ewing RbLfhp5EFUrXyLBjFIjIJ4tNAKahsP23DPpfBA8pXaNYpZMmN1xLOUhzTVj2w8hr