"He's still after us, and
look! now he's running."
They all glanced back on hearing this. Surely enough the big white dog
was running after them, wagging his tail joyfully, and barking from time
to time.
"This will never do!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey. "Whoever owns him may
think we are trying to take him away. I'll drive him back. Go home!
Go back, sir!" exclaimed Papa Bobbsey in stern tones.
The dog stopped wagging his tail. Then he sat down on the path, and
calmly waited. Mr. Bobbsey walked toward him.
"Oh, don't - don't whip him, papa!" exclaimed Flossie.
"I don't intend to," said Mr. Bobbsey. "But I must be stern with him or
he will think I'm only playing. Go back!" he cried.
The dog stretched out on the path, his head down between his fore paws.
"He - he looks - sad," said Freddie. "Maybe he hasn't any home,
papa."
"Oh, of course a valuable dog like that has a home," declared Bert.
"But maybe they didn't treat him kindly, and he is looking for a new
one," suggested Nan, hopefully.
"He doesn't seem illtreated," spoke Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, I do wish he'd
go back, so we could go on."
Mr. Bobbsey pretended to pick up a stone and throw it at the dog, as
masters sometimes do when they do not want their dogs to follow them.
This dog only wagged his tail, as though he thought it the best joke he
had ever known.
"Go back! Go back, I say!" cried Papa Bobbsey in a loud voice. The dog
did not move.
Pages:
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43