He really should have run away from them as fast as his little legs could carry him, for all at once the young lady said, “I am going to keep this little dog forever.”
“But you can see by his collar,” said her mother, “that he belongs to some one else.”
I had forgotten to tell you that Ready wore a nice little silver collar and on it was written:
“HIS NAME IS READY BECAUSE HE ALWAYS IS SO.”
“It does not say where he belongs,” said the young lady with a pout, “and I want him.”
“He will not want to stay,” said the mother.
“Then I will tie him up and make him stay,” said the young lady, quite crossly.
Now any one could see with half an eye that the young lady was going to have her own way. Even Ready felt that without understanding young-lady language. If he had known what dreadful things she was saying, of course he would have run right out of the door.
But he did not know; so he only wagged his tail, hoping that would make her feel a little better. He thought that he must do something in return for his good breakfast.
The young lady grew crosser and crosser and finally stamped her foot. This made Ready decide to leave at once, for there is no knowing what may happen to dogs or dishes when any one begins to stamp a foot!