The
hoop was a large one, and Freddie alone could not hold it very steady.
So Flossie took hold of one side. As soon as they were in position,
Freddie called:
"Come on now, Snap. Jump!"
Snap barked, ran back a little way, turned around and came racing
straight for the twins. At that moment Sam Johnson came up running, a
stick in his hand.
"Heah! heah!" shouted the colored man, "You let dem chillers alone, dog!
Go 'way, I tells yo'!"
"That's all right, Sam," said Freddie. "Don't scare him. He's our new
dog Snap, and he's going to do a trick," for the colored gardener had
supposed the dog was running at Flossie and Freddie to bite them.
Snap paid no attention to Sam, but raced on. When a short distance from
where Flosxie and Freddie held the hoop, Snap jumped up into the air,
and shot straight through the wooden circle, landing quite a way off.
"Mah gracious sakes alive!" gasped Sam. "Dat's a reg'lar circus trick`-
at's what it am!"
He scratched his head in surprise, and the stick he had picked up,
intending to drive away the dog with, stuck straight out. In a moment
Snap raced up, and jumped over the stick.
"Oh, look!" cried Flossie.
"Another trick!" exclaimed Freddie.
"Mah gracious goodness!" cried Sam. "Dat suah am wonderful!"
Snap ran about barking in delight. He seemed happy to be doing tricks.
"Let's go tell papa," said Freddie. "He'll want to know about this."
"Oh, I do hope he lets us keep him," said Flossie.
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