He subjected it to this process again, and it soon looked as well as the plain gold ring he wore upon his finger, which it somewhat resembled in size and color.

Substituting it for the gold ring, he wore it to school that afternoon; and a little negotiation, after school was dismissed, settled the business--the coveted dog-collar was his! Indeed, so craftily did he conduct the bargain, that he made the other boy throw in a pretty ivory pocket-comb to boot! The little boy who was thus cruelly deceived, supposed he was buying the ring that Oscar usually wore; and, in truth, Oscar did give him to understand, in the course of the barter, that it was fine gold, a point on which the other boy did not appear to have much doubt.
Oscar did not dare to tell any one what a good bargain he had made, for fear that the other boy would hear of it.

Tiger appeared with a handsome collar around his neck the next morning; and all the explanation any one could get from his young master was, that he "traded for it." A week or two elapsed before Oscar's victim discovered the imposition that had been practiced upon him.

The ring, which had been proudly worn, at length began to look dim and brassy; and on being submitted to careful inspection, it was pronounced by competent authority to be not worth one cent.

The owner was of course indignant, and he went at once to Oscar, and demanded a return of the collar and comb.