In spite of the sharp pain, Ready knew that he must not linger here or let them see that he had been hurt, so he ran bravely along, holding his head proudly, never once letting those mean, cowardly boys know that anything was the matter.
The pain began to grow very bad, and Ready felt that he must stop somewhere soon. But there was no sheltered spot in sight. The sunny beach stretched out before him for miles and miles.
At last he saw another Sandpiper taking a drink in a tiny pool in one of the rocks. Ready limped up to him and asked if he knew any shady spot where he could rest for a few minutes. You see, he knew Sandpiper language very well by this time.
The Sandpiper, after jerking himself about, remembered a nice little place behind a rock about a quarter of a mile away. He guided poor limping Ready to it, and then Ready told him all about his difficulties. The Sandpiper was very much interested.
“I think I know your guide quite well,” he said, “and I will fly back and tell him where you are. He is a neighbor of mine. Hasn’t he a particularly large black spot right in the middle of his white shirt front?”
Wasn’t it splendid that Ready remembered this very spot? He had noticed it during Mr. Sandpiper’s first teeter. As you see, Ready was really a very observant little dog.
After the Sandpiper had gone, and Ready was left all alone with the pain, it felt very bad indeed. Life seemed pretty hard. There was always something unpleasant happening to him.
He wondered if he would ever really reach his journey’s end. Perhaps his leg would grow worse and worse. He had heard of legs that did do that. Perhaps—but just then from right around the corner a big shaggy brown dog appeared!
Ready was a great judge of dogs. Indeed, he had been brought up with them, and one look in this dog’s face told him that he had found a friend. He was such a kind-eyed dog, with understanding ears and tail. Ready knew at once that this dog was years older than he, and that he would know all about lame legs.
“You are suffering,” gently barked Shaggy Dog.