I was very happy that Fido had come there to live and to learn to be a trained dog. I knew he would like it.
Right away Mr. Bonelli began to teach Fido the same tricks that I had been doing. He worked and worked with him. He taught him everything I knew except to grin and to throw the ball. Fido couldn’t learn to do either of those things. He and I worked together, and he used to watch everything I did, and try to do it the same way. I don’t know just how long it took him to learn, but not so very long. He was a smart little dog, but not as smart as me. I heard Mr. Bonelli say to Mrs. Bonelli, “Ah, yes; he is quick, but not quick as is my little clown dog. There is but one Grineo, and I was foolish when I promised to sell him.”
And Mrs. Bonelli said, “But it is much money.”
Then one day, after Fido had learned all the tricks he seemed able to learn, an automobile came to the door, and in it was William sitting in front, and Tommy sat up beside him.
Tommy came in and I ran to meet him. At first he just spoke to me and patted me, but I jumped up at him and barked and yelped until he took me up in his arms, and then I hardly knew what to do, I was so glad.
Then Mr. Bonelli came in, and Tommy put me down and gave Mr. Bonelli an envelope. “Father said to give you this,” he said.
Mr. Bonelli opened the envelope and took out a piece of paper and looked at it, and Mrs. Bonelli looked at it, too, and they both seemed pleased, and Mr. Bonelli said, “That is all right; and please thank your father for me.”
Then they both said good-bye to me, and Mrs. Bonelli took me up and kissed me, and I licked her cheek, but I was so happy I barked and squirmed, and she had to put me down, for now I somehow knew that I was to go with Tommy, and be his little dog again, and I wanted to be down where I could jump on him if I chose, and follow close at his heels.
I was close at his heels when he went out to the automobile again, and when he opened the door I jumped in before he did, I was so afraid I might be left behind.
William seemed glad to see me. He said, “Hello, Muffins! So you’re coming back to us, are you?” And I barked and barked till Tommy told me to be quiet.