Often after they had gone I would lie there and think, “If I could only get in there once, without Mary seeing me, I would soon show the people what a clever little dog I am. I would grin, and beg, and play dead dog. How surprised and pleased they would all be! And the mistress,—she would be pleased, too, and when she saw how smart everybody thought I was she’d be glad to have me there. If only someone would think of putting a piece of cake on my nose, then I could show them that trick, too—the trick where I throw the cake up in the air and catch it again—only of course nobody knew about that, so they wouldn’t think of trying it.”
I used to lie there in the nursery and dream about it while the other little dogs were downstairs having a good time.
One day all four of us dogs were up in Tommy’s sitting-room (Mary and the mistress called it the nursery, but Tommy called it the sitting-room), and two or three times we heard the front door open and shut and visitors talking.
“I wonder if they’ll send for us?” said Fifine lazily. “I just feel like a bit of cake this afternoon.”
She was lying stretched out in Tommy’s chair. I hated to see her there. That was my place.
“I don’t know,” said Bijou. “But if they do, I hope Mary will brush my hair first. It looks rather rough today, and it’s always so glossy when it’s brushed.”
Just then Mary came to the door. “Come, Prince,” she said. “Come, Bijou and Fifine. The mistress wants you.”
The three little dogs jumped up and ran toward her, and I did, too. I thought maybe this time she would let me come along, but she just said, “Go back, Muffins! You can’t come. You’re not wanted”; and Prince Coco looked back and snarled, “I should think you would have learned by this time that you’re not a company dog.”
I didn’t say anything—just lay down again, but I thought, “I’ll show you in a little while whether I’m a company dog or not.” I’d made up my mind that I’d get into the drawing-room this time in spite of Mary.
Tommy was away that afternoon. Sometimes he didn’t come home till dinner time. I think he went to visit other little boys.