“My, but this water feels good and cool to me after my long hot run to catch up with you,” said Nannie.
“Won’t Stubby and Button be surprised when they see you come trotting back with me?”
“Yes, and they will think I am the biggest goose that ever lived.”
“But a fine one at that, for both Stub and Button are very fond of you.”
After Billy and Nannie left them, Button said to Stubby: “Well, what shall we do with ourselves while waiting for Billy’s return?”
“I don’t know,” said Stubby, “but when I went over to that big barn you see the other side of the road, looking for Nannie, I met the cutest, curliest Saint Bernard puppy you ever saw. I guess I will go back and play with it awhile. And by the way, Button, I saw a spotted cat over there too, so you better come along with me and probably we can manage to pass away the time happily until Billy’s return and get a good square meal or two besides.”
When they came within a short distance of the big barn they saw the haymow door was open and on the ledge basking in the sun lay the spotted cat Stubby had seen when he was there before. She seemed to be eating something nice and juicy. “It must be a mouse,” thought Button. When he got right under the door, he meowed: “Good-morning, Mrs. Spot!”
This so surprised the cat that she let fall from her mouth what she was eating and it fell at Button’s feet and he discovered immediately that it was the head of a squab.
“Excuse me,” meowed Button, “I did not mean to startle you. I thought you had seen me coming. Wait a minute and I will bring up to you this delicious morsel you have just dropped.”
Not to be outdone in politeness, the spotted cat meowed back: