And when Chot came over, a little later, the two boys took turns at educating the black crow. They seemed to be satisfied with what Haw-Haw learned, though when the crow was brought in the house, perched on Rick's shoulder, and asked to repeat his latest lesson, he only flapped his one good wing and whistled shrilly.
"Oh, say! You're a tease!" cried Rick, and Mazie laughed at the two boys.
But Rick gave up whistling to Ruddy on coming home from school, and the crow soon learned that he could no longer fool the dog. Ruddy was growing wiser and Haw-Haw gradually stopped that trick, though he did not forget how to whistle.
However, though Rick gave up sounding his signal call to his dog on coming from school, Ruddy seemed to know about the time to expect his boy master. He would be on the watch and waiting, and, when the hands of the clock pointed to a little after three, Rick would race out to the gate and wait for his chum; for that is what Rick and Ruddy were now—chums.
One afternoon Rick came running in the gate, swinging his books like the pendulum of a clock that was running on double time.
"Where's Ruddy? Where's my football?" cried the boy. "We're going to have some fun—all the boys over in the big field! Where's Ruddy? Where's my football?"
"Why, your football must be just where you left it," Mrs. Dalton answered. "As for Ruddy, didn't he come to meet you?"
"Come to meet me? No. Was he here a while ago?"
"Just a little while ago, yes. He was asleep on the porch. I heard a whistle, and saw him rush out."
"But, Mother, I didn't whistle for him! I don't call him that way any more since Haw-Haw played that trick. I didn't call Ruddy!"