“Bringing that cap to shore,” said George.
“Aw, ’tis so a trick!” cried Harry. “You haven’t got any dog that’ll do such a trick, George Watson.”
“I know I haven’t. I haven’t any dog at all. But that isn’t a trick, just the same. I don’t mean to say your dog isn’t a good one, Bunny,” went on George, who was a little older than the other boys; “but that isn’t any more of a trick than bringing a stick to shore is a trick. Any dog will jump in the water and bring a stick to shore.”
“Yes, I know he will,” admitted Bunny. “But not every dog would bring a cap to shore like Patter did for me.”
“He thought your cap was a stick,” said George, who seemed to like to have a little dispute with his chums. “He’d bring anything to shore that you threw into the water. Here, I’ll show you.”
George picked up a stick and threw it out into the middle of the brook. Patter did not go in after it. The dog, after having shaken himself to get rid of the water on his shaggy coat, simply looked at the stick floating in the stream.
“Ah, ha! Will he go in and get a stick? I guess not!” cried Bunny. “Sure, he’s a trick dog! He’s a cap dog but not a stick dog!”
“That’s ’cause you didn’t tell him to go in after it,” said George. “If you tell him to go get the stick he will. He won’t mind me, that’s all,” for George had told Patter to get the stick when it was first thrown in, but the dog would not. “Lots of dogs won’t mind any but the fellow that owns them,” explained George. “Course that makes ’em all the better dog. But if you tell Patter to bring out my stick, Bunny, he’ll do it same as he would your cap.”
“All right, I’ll tell him,” said Sue’s brother. The stick was slowly floating down stream.
“Go get it, Patter! Go get it!” ordered Bunny, snapping his fingers and pointing, as he did whenever he wanted the dog to do any of his tricks, such as leaping on Toby’s back or walking on his hind legs.