Charlie and His Puppy Bingo

by Helen Hill; Violet Maxwell

Yes, Charlie had more fun than I can tell you playing with his boat. And Topsy and Bingo played, too; they jumped across the brook backwards and forwards and they tried to catch the boat as it sailed past. And, Charlie’s Mother and his Auntie liked to help Charlie sail his boat; yes, they enjoyed watching it sail so beautifully before the wind.

And—on Saturday, when Charlie’s Daddy came down to visit them all—my goodness! he was surprised and de-light-ed to see the dam and the pool that Charlie had made all by himself, and to see how beautifully the boat sailed, with its sails blown out by the wind, and with its cargo of grass and pebbles piled up on deck.

Yes, Charlie’s Daddy thought that Charlie was a very clever boy to have made that dam and that pool all by himself—and I think so, too.

CHARLIE BUILDS A REAL HOUSE

WELL, the days passed and passed—and at last it was time for Charlie to go back to the city. He said “Good-by” to the stage driver and to the postmaster and to the man at the country store and to the lady at the farm, where he and his Mother and his Auntie lived while they were in the country. And he said “Good-by” to the cows and to the chickens and to the baby pigs.

Charlie’s Mother and his Auntie packed the suitcase and the trunk and put Topsy into his basket, and he did not like it at all and said “Miaouw, miaouw!” And Jane was put into her basket and she did not like it either, but she was a good cat and she did not say a word. Then Charlie put the leash on Bingo’s collar and they all climbed into the surrey, which is a two-seated carriage, and they all drove to the station. Then they all got on to the train and off they went to the city.

This time there was another fireman, as Charlie’s friend was having a day off, so Charlie did not ride on the engine this time; no, this time he rode in the day coach with his Mother and his Auntie and Topsy and Bingo and Jane.

Charlie was feeling rather sad that he had to leave the country and all his new friends, but as the train steamed farther and farther away, he began to think that it was rather nice to be going back to the city after all.

It would be nice to see his Daddy again and the iceman—and he wanted to tell the postman all about the stage driver and how letters are delivered in the country. And Charlie wanted to see his house again, where he lived, and the garden and his electric train and his automobile and his great e-nor-mous flashlight. Yes, Charlie began to feel very glad that he was going home again.