So Russ and Laddie begged pieces of string from Parker, not telling what they were going to make.
"If it's a cat's cradle you have cord enough for a dozen," said the good-natured cook, as she handed out the pieces of string she had saved from the grocery packages.
"No, we're not going to make cats' cradles," answered Russ. "You can see it when we get finished."
It was no very hard matter to catch Alexis and fasten a lot of pieces of string around him, as nearly like a harness as the two little boys could manage. The dog loved children, and asked nothing better than to be with them. So he stood very still, just hanging his tongue out of his mouth, as the day was hot, while Laddie and Russ tied the cord around him. Then they fastened the ends to the express wagon, tying a number of knots.
"We've got to have lines to drive him with," said Laddie. "Else we can't guide him the way we want him to go."
"Yes, I'll make some lines," said Russ. He tied two strings around the neck of Alexis, one for the left-hand side and the other for the right.
"I can't put a bit in his mouth, as I could if he was a horse," said Russ, "'cause Alexis holds his mouth open so much, to cool off his tongue, that the bit would fall out."
"That's right," said Laddie. "Anyhow, we don't want a bit. Now can we have a ride?"
"I guess so," said Russ.
There was quite a collection of strings tied around Alexis and made fast to the little express wagon.