Next morning the cur was awakened early by strange sounds. “A—h!” said he, as he shivered in his straw, and sat up to listen; “I see now, they only fattened up poor piggy for their own sakes. Seeming good fortune may not be best for us after all. It is better to live poorly in security than to have all we want, and be in constant danger.”
“NIBS.”
“Dandy, let’s you and me play we’s poor. And we’ve eaten nuffin for free-seven-’leaven days. And we’ll beg our daily bread from door to door, in the rain. Poor little boys have to eat, if it does rain. They don’t have to stay in the house.”
Nibs is a little boy, who is very tired of staying in the house. Dandy is his dog.
“Well have to have a basket to put our daily bread in, and a bumbrell.”
Dandy wags his tail so hard you can scarcely see it. That is his way of saying he’ll back Nibs in any scheme to get out doors.
“Dandy, do you fink poor little boys carry bumbrells? I know one to match poor boys. Big brover said it was so poor its ribs showed. Come on Dandy.”
Here Nibs goes off for a basket and umbrella, Dandy keeping close to his heels. In some way Nibs and Dandy get out of the house unnoticed. After Nibs raises the umbrella, he halts a moment, Dandy waiting beside him. His heart and Dandy’s tail sink at the same moment when a voice is heard calling:
“Nibs, what are you about out there?”
“Dandy and I are just going out for our daily bread,” answers Nibs.