The Tale of Old Dog Spot Part 9

Old dog Spot sprang to his feet.

"Where did they go?" he demanded.

"Ah!" Mr. Crow croaked. "That's telling." And he would say no more.

Then Spot went back to the farmyard.

Meanwhile the Woodchuck family were working hard, digging a new home for themselves at the other end of the pasture. They had all met at last on the edge of the clover patch. And Mr. Woodchuck had declared that they must move at once, because it wasn't safe to live in their old house any longer. He said that old dog Spot would be sure to keep an eye on it for some time.

They soon found a place that suited them all very well.

"We'll live here," said Mr. Woodchuck to his wife and their son Billy.

"You two can take turns digging while I sit up and watch for old dog Spot. After all the running I did to-day it wouldn't be safe for me to do any digging."

That was Mr. Woodchuck's plan. And they followed it.

XIX

OFF FOR THE CIRCUS

Great circus posters had covered one side of Farmer Green's barn for weeks. Ever since some men came and pasted them on the barn Johnnie Green had studied them carefully. He had practiced bareback riding on his pony, Twinkleheels. He had tried a high dive into the mill pond from the top of the dam. And much to old dog Spot's disgust Johnnie had tried to make him jump through a hoop covered with paper.

Spot had refused flatly to do anything of the kind. If he had known that his young master had half a notion to teach him to jump through a hoop of fire Spot would have run away--at least until circus time had come and gone.

"What puts all these queer ideas into Johnnie's head?" the old dog asked his friend Ebenezer, the horse, one day.

"Don't you know?" said Ebenezer. "It's those circus pictures. Johnnie won't think of anything else until the twenty-third of August."

"What's going to happen then?" Spot inquired.

"That's the day when the circus comes to the village," the old horse explained. "The whole family's going to see it."

"Do you expect to take them?"

"No!" Ebenezer replied. "Farmer Green will hitch the bays to the carryall. And to tell the truth, I'll be just as pleased to stay behind.

It will be a great day to take naps here at home."

"It will be a lonesome day, with everybody away," said Spot. "I believe I'll go to the circus myself."

"Farmer Green may decide to leave you here," the old horse suggested.

"Then I'll surprise him," said Spot. "I'll hide behind a tree until Farmer Green has driven out of the yard. And then I'll follow the carryall."

The old dog began to tell everybody in the farmyard that he was going to the circus on the twenty-third of August. Of course some of the farmyard folk were jealous of him. The Rooster remarked that he didn't believe Spot would hear any _crowing_ at the circus that would be worth listening to. Turkey Proudfoot said that when it came to _strutting_ the circus couldn't show Spot any that couldn't be beaten right there on the farm. And Henrietta Hen, who went to the county fair the year before, declared that she shouldn't care to go to the village except to see a poultry show.

But old dog Spot didn't mind anything they said. And when the twenty-third of August came he lingered about the farmyard. Early in the morning he saw Farmer Green run the carryall into the yard and harness the bays to it. Then the rest of the family came out of the house.

Spot, from his hiding place behind a tree, was pleased to see that Johnnie Green did not forget to bring a big lunch basket with him.

At last everybody was ready to start. And then, to Spot's dismay, Farmer Green caught sight of his nose, sticking out from behind a tree.

"That dog means to follow us," he cried. "I'll have to shut him up in the barn." And to old Spot he called, "Come here, sir!"

Spot didn't dare disobey. With his tail between his legs he crept up to the carryall. And though he whined and begged to be taken to the circus, Farmer Green caught hold of his collar and led him into the barn. Then Farmer Green closed the door.

Poor Spot had to give one loud howl when he heard the wheels of the carryall crunching on the gravel driveway.

XX

SPOT GOES TO TOWN

The bays had to step lively that morning, for Farmer Green's family didn't want to be late for the circus parade in the village.

There were many other teams on the road, and almost n.o.body to be seen working in the fields. It seemed to Johnnie Green as if everybody had made up his mind to go to the circus. The only thing that troubled him was that his father didn't drive fast enough to suit him.

Half way from the farm to the village Farmer Green stopped the bays at a watering trough. Johnnie jumped out of the carryall to uncheck them, so they could drink. And there, beneath the carriage, was old dog Spot!

"Spot's followed us!" Johnnie Green cried.

The old dog whisked out from between the wheels and frolicked about Johnnie. He didn't act at all guilty.

"Well, I never!" said Farmer Green. "I certainly shut the barn door after I shoved him inside."

Spot gave a few short, sharp barks, as if to say, "Yes! But you forgot the window that was open."

He had scrambled through the window and overtaken the carryall before it reached the gristmill.

Well, what could Farmer Green do? They had come too far to send Spot back home.

"We'll have to take him with us now," said Johnnie Green's father, "though he'll be a nuisance because the village will be crowded to-day."

As soon as the bays had had their drink the party started on again. And old dog Spot was content. He did not mind the dust that the bays' heels kicked up as he followed beneath the carriage. And the faster they trotted, the more they pleased him; for he was as anxious as Johnnie Green to get to town and see the crowds and the fun.

Once a surly dog ran out from a farmhouse and tried to reach him. That made Spot somewhat uneasy.

"I don't want to stop to fight this fellow," he thought. "If I do, I'll be left behind."

Luckily Farmer Green cut at the strange dog with his whip and bade him be off.

Spot grinned as he sneaked away, yelping.