“Not to strangers, he don’t,” replied the stableman triumphantly. “He’s got to know you first. Sign of a good dog, that is. He won’t never know but one master.” Then, with a quick glance at Pinky, “Leastway, two,” he added hurriedly.
“Let’s buy him,” urged Pinky, sotto voce.
“What’s the use? They won’t let you have dogs in dormitories. Besides, he isn’t worth any ten dollars.”
“We could keep him here at the stable,” said Pinky eagerly. “You’d board him for us, wouldn’t you?” he asked the stableman. The latter nodded hesitantly.
“I guess so. I’ve got a stall he could have.”
The boys went over and patted the dog, and the dog licked their hands and strove to reach their faces with his eager pink tongue. “Nice dogums,” said Pinky. “Didums want to belong to us?”
The dog replied to the best of his ability that he did, becoming quite wrought up about it.
“What’s his name?” asked Jonesie.
“Well, I call him Teddy. He ain’t rightly got a name yet.”