When the carriage stopped,
Buttercup's mother got out open. I was next to it, so I jumped out after her.
But I did not follow her. O no! I ran up the street I had on a new collar with big bells, and it made a noise. Buttercup's mother heard it and turned around.
She saw me running away, so she ran after me.
I ran as fast as I could; so did she, up one street, down another. At last I came to a butcher's shop. I saw some meat inside and ran in. A nasty big dog was sitting at the back of the shop. He scared me, and I ran behind the counter.
The big dog started to follow me. He would have eaten me up, I know. Just then Buttercup's mother came in. She left the door called to the butcher to stop his dog. The butcher caught him just in time to save me. Then Buttercup's mother took me from under the counter, where I lay trembling. She carried me in her arms to the carriage. Buttercup was crying, for she thought I was lost.
When we got home my master talked to me. He spoke so kindly that it made me ashamed of my wicked deeds; so I have come into this dark room to think over my bad ways and to try and be good.
—JOHN S. SHRIVER.
