“This your dog?” says he to Nolan. “Pity he's so leggy,” says he. “If he had a good tail, and a longer stop, and his ears were set higher, he'd be a good dog. As he is, I'll give you fifty dollars for him.”
But before the Master could speak, Miss Dorothy laughs, and says, “You're Mr. Polk's kennel-man, I believe. Well, you tell Mr. Polk from me that the dog's not for sale now any more than he was five minutes ago, and that when he is, he'll have to bid against me for him.” The man looks foolish at that, but he turns to Nolan quick-like. “I'll give you three hundred for him,” he says.
“Oh, indeed!” whispers Miss Dorothy, like she was talking to herself. “That's it, is it,” and she turns and looks at me just as though she had never seen me before. Nolan, he was a gaping, too, with his mouth open. But he holds me tight.
“He's not for sale,” he growls, like he was frightened, and the man looks black and walks away.
“Why, Nolan!” cries Miss Dorothy, “Mr. Polk knows more about bull-terriers than any amateur in America. What can he mean? Why, Kid is no more than a puppy! Three hundred dollars for a puppy!”
“And he ain't no thoroughbred neither!” cries the Master. “He's 'Unknown,' ain't he? Kid can't help it, of course, but his mother, Miss—”
I dropped my head. I couldn't bear he should tell Miss Dorothy. I couldn't bear she should know I had stolen my blue ribbon.
But the Master never told, for at that, a gentleman runs up, calling, “Three Twenty-Six, Three Twenty-Six,” and Miss Dorothy says, “Here he is, what is it?”
“The Winner's Class,” says the gentleman “Hurry, please. The Judge is waiting for him.”
Nolan tries to get me off the chain onto a showing leash, but he shakes so, he only chokes me. “What is it, Miss?” he says. “What is it?”