“Really! How interesting! Of course we will enter Crummie with the other actors. He can’t sign for himself, but we will let Bill do it,” explained Miss Martin.
A chorus of laughter made her look about at the amused faces, and Bill placed his two fingers between his lips and gave a shrill whistle. Crummie had roamed away from the group at the desk in search of squirrels or chipmunks, but at that call he came bounding back to his master’s side.
“Say, Crummie, Miss Marting says ye can’t sign yer name! She t’inks yer a fool dog an’ it’s up t’ you t’ show her she’s mistaken,” laughed Bill, delightedly, as he took up the pen he had laid aside and dipped it in the ink.
Miss Martin instantly suspected the act that was to be performed for her benefit; that it was generally known to the other children was evidenced by the way they laughed when she suggested that Bill sign for the dog.
Crummie stood upon his hind legs and placed his fore-paws carefully on the edge of the table. Then Bill pushed the sheet of paper over under his nose, and the dog took hold of the pen-handle with his teeth. By moving his head up and down and from side to side, he managed to scrawl a number of circles and lines, then he lifted his nose high in the air to take the pen-point from the paper and when he brought it down again he made a period very near the ending of his writing.
Everyone laughed and cried “Good doggie” and Miss Martin patted his head as she laughingly said: “Crummie is truly a wonder. He is our first performer for the public pleasure.”
“Dat’s nuttin, Miss Marting; Crummie kin do lots of stunts better’n dat!” bragged Bill.
It took some time to assure Crummie that he need not show off any more of his tricks that time, as there was too much clerical work to accomplish to stop for him. But the dog resented the business-like tone of Miss Martin, and when she would have removed the pen from his teeth he wheeled about and ran off to the woods with it.
Bill gave hot pursuit but Crummie was fleet-footed, so everyone laughed at the trick the dog had turned on the company. After a time, Bill returned with the pen, but it showed signs of having been through sharp-pointed teeth before it was recovered.
“He was jus’ goin’ to dig a hole and bury it when I crept up behind and caught hol’ on his tail. Dat made him open his mouth, y’ know, and the pen dropped out,” laughed Bill.