"Gr-r-r-r! You had better not," growled Rover. And he started on up the road.
After leaving the village, he came to a house where a man named Mr. Hook lived all alone. Mr. Hook was sitting in his front yard as Rover came along.
"I wonder what is in the basket to-day," he thought.
"Rover, old dog, wait a minute," he called.
Rover stopped and looked around. The basket felt quite heavy by this time, so he was glad to set it down on the ground.
Mr. Hook came up and patted him on the head. "Nice old dog! Nice Rover," he said. "What is in your basket?"
He put out his hand to take it. But Rover seized the handle and started toward home.
Mr. Hook looked up and down the road. There was no one in sight.
"Here, Ponto! Come, Ponto!" he called; and his own dog came running out—a big, black dog.
"Get him, Ponto," said the man.