“I guess I don’t want any,” I said.
“You don’t deserve any,” said Father. “After this you will know better than to eat your collar.”
I went on toward the house and lay down behind a bush and waited. After awhile Freya came out looking very pleased with herself. She had a piece of cake in her mouth and went over to the orchard to bury it because she had had so much already she couldn’t eat it. I followed her, keeping away from the house, and went up to her very quietly while she was digging a hole. When she saw me she dropped the cake and tried to run, but I got her....
Afterwards I ate the cake.
Of course Freya told Mother that I had hurt her. She’s such a tattle-tale! When I went back to the stable Mother wanted to punish me, but Father said: “No, Freya deserved what she got. She should not have told on Fritz.” So Mother said we were both very bad children and we must go to the Kennel and stay there until we could behave. So we went. After a while Freya crawled over to me and licked my ear and said she was sorry. I just growled. So then she licked the other ear and said she was sorry again, and I forgave her and we made it up and went off together to the pond to hunt frogs.
A day or two later William came with another collar and wanted to put it on me, but I ran as fast as I could and hid behind the flower-pots again. I don’t know why I always went there when I wanted to hide, because William always found me right away, just as he did this time. I whined a little when he pulled me out, but he patted me and rubbed my neck and said he wasn’t going to hurt me.
“Look at the fine new collar I have for you,” he said. “Hold still now till I get it on.”
So I held still, as still as I could for trembling, and he put it around my neck and buckled it.
“There, now,” he said. “Aren’t you the proud puppy? Sure, it looks fine on you. Run along now and show it to your father and mother. But don’t you be eating it up, mind!”
Just as though I would! Why, I’ve hated the taste of collars ever since!