“Humph,” he said, “was that dog there to-day? I’ve beaten Carl twice and I could have done it again. He isn’t so fine. His ears are too short, and he is deaf in the left one. Only the judges are too stupid to find it out! I wish I’d been there!”
We had a supper of broth and bread and went to sleep early, being pretty well tired out.
CHAPTER VII
THE STRANGE MAN
There were no more dog shows for us that summer, although Father and Mother went to one in August and Father came back with three blue ribbons and Mother with a blue and two reds. Father had beaten Champion Hillside Carl quite easily and was very proud for several days and Mother trotted her feet off finding bones for him.
It was just after the show that Alfred and his mother came to visit us again, and I was awfully glad to see him. He had grown a good deal since the summer before. But then I had grown too and he said he would scarcely have known me! I don’t know which of us was gladder to see him, the Baby or I. We had some fine times in the next two weeks. We hunted squirrels in the orchard and had picnics in the woods and played all sorts of games. But we didn’t look for Indians in the swamp, I can tell you!
[Alfred] liked me best of all the dogs and one evening he came down to the Kennel after it was dark and carried me to the house and [took me to bed with him] and I slept there all night curled up in his arms. In the morning we had a fine romp when we woke up, but I guess we must have made too much noise, for Nurse heard us and came in and said, “Why, Master Alfred, wherever did you get that dog? Put him right off the bed this very instant!”
[Alfred took me to bed with him]
Nurse had left the door open and so I ran out as hard as I could and down the stairs. It wasn’t my fault that Delia was coming up just then with a tray of toast and coffee for Alfred’s mother, was it? Besides, she might have seen me if she had been looking. She didn’t, though, and I was in a great hurry and tried to run between her feet. I was almost at the bottom of the stairs when I heard the tray fall, and a piece of toast came rolling down after me. I thought it best not to stop for it, however, although I am very fond of buttered toast. Fortunately, William was shining the brass knocker on the front door and I was able to get out without more trouble.