When Bunny reached the top of the ladder and stepped off on to the hay he leaned down and called to Patter to climb up as he had done at first.
Patter whined a little, but bravely started up, putting first one paw then another on the cross-pieces of the ladder. In a few minutes he was once more beside Bunny on the hay.
“Oh, you’re a fine dog!” cried Bunny, and he hugged his pet, while the other boys patted him. Patter wagged his tail and seemed very glad.
“That’s a good trick—that ladder one,” said Charlie.
“Yes, we’ll have Patter do that in the show,” said Harry.
“I wonder if he just learned it, or whether that Frenchman taught him?” said George.
As none of the boys could tell, they guessed at it, some of them saying Bunny had really taught Patter the trick, and the others thinking the Frenchman must have taught the trick to the dog.
“He does it terribly naturally,” said Bunny.
“It’s a good trick, all right,” declared George. “And it will work in with another I’ve just thought of. I know a dandy one we can have Patter do in the show.”
“What is it?” asked Bunny.