Here and Now Story Book / Two- to seven-year-olds

by Lucy Sprague Mitchell

When he came to the end of this block, he started across the next street.

Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter pat—— Pedro stopped with one little front foot up in the air. In the middle of the street stood a man. He had on high rubber boots and he held a big hose.

Shrzshrzshrzshrzshrz—came the water out of the hose. It hit the street. Splsh splsh splsh splsh splsh! It ran in a little stream into the hole in the gutter,—gubble, gubble, gubble, gubble, gubble! This was something new to Pedro. He didn’t understand.

Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter patter. He thought he’d better find out about it.

“Hie, you little dog! Look out!” shouted the man.

Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter patter.

“Hie, you little dog. I say look out!”

Pitter patter, pitter pat—ssssssssss bang! the water hit him!

“Ki-eye! yow! yow!” Kathump, kathump, kathump, kathump; kathump, kathump, kathump, kathump! Fast, fast went Pedro’s feet, running, tearing down the street.

“Ki-eye! I’m going home!” Kathump, kathump, kathump, kathump! Down the sidewalk, ’cross the street, ’nother sidewalk, ’nother street, kathump, kathump, kathump, kathump! Pedro was at home. Skippety, skippety up the stairs. Pedro was at his own front door.