At the breakfast table Uncle Richard scarcely spoke. But， just as we finished， he said abruptly to Ernest， "I' m not going to sell Laddie. You and the dog saved Ned' s life between you， and no dog who helped do that is ever going to be sold by me. Henceforth he belongs to you. I give him to you for your very own."
"Oh， Mr. Lawson！ " said Ernest， with shining eyes.
I never saw a boy look so happy. As for Laddie， who was sitting beside him with his shaggy head on Ernest' s knee， I really believe the dog understood， too. The look in his eyes was almost human. Uncle Richard leaned over and patted him. "Good dog！ " he said. "Good dog！ "
理查德舅舅进来吃饭时，凯特舅妈问他：“今天我看见的那个在干草地上和你说话的人是谁？”
“鲍勃·马克斯，”理查德舅舅答道，“我把莱迪卖给他了。”
欧内斯特·休斯，那个靠给理查德舅舅做些零工而寄宿在他家的12岁孤儿，听到这些突然停止了吃饭。
他哭喊着说：“噢，劳森先生，您别卖掉莱迪！”
理查德舅舅吃惊地看着这个和他一起生活了五年的小男孩，在此之前，欧内斯特一直都沉默寡言，从未主动开口要求过什么，更不必说试图反抗自己的命令了。
“我当然会卖掉，”理查德舅舅决然说道，“鲍勃肯出20块钱买下那只狗，他下个星期就来领走它。”
“噢，劳森先生，”欧内斯特说着站了起来，皱巴巴的小脸涨得通红，“别卖莱迪了，求求你，劳森先生，别卖它！”
“少废话！”理查德舅舅狠狠地说，他是那种不会顾及他人感受的人，一旦他决定的事情，谁也不能改变。
“别把莱迪卖掉好吗？”欧内斯特恳求着，“我就这么一个朋友，没了它，我自己还有什么意思？噢，劳森先生，求求你了，别卖了！”