Boys and girls, do you like pets? Have you any pets? Thirteen children in our room have pets. Marion has a little kitten. Fred has a cat, a little dog, and eight puppies. A little puppy is Helen’s pet. Edwin has a mother cat and a baby kitten. Leslie’s father has a fox and a little rabbit. Frances has a pet chicken. Edna has a little billy goat. Norman has a pet cat. Eight little chickens are Lucile’s pets. The children love their pets. They try to take good care of their pets. We are going to tell you about our pets. We shall tell you about other pets, too. We hope that you will enjoy reading about them. [Illustration: Dogs and Puppies] A Little Dog I have a little dog, With soft, long hair that curls, And bright, black, sparkling eyes— And he loves little girls. He never barks or bites, His temper is so mild, And he dearly loves to play With every little child. My Dog My dog plays with me. He plays with the grass, too. Sometimes he barks at me. My dog licks my hand. That is the way he tells me that he likes me. Once, when I went to school, my puppy ran after me. He tore my dress. When I play with my jacks, my puppy takes them. My dog is a very good playmate. Other Dogs I like my own dog, but I like other dogs, too. I know one dog that carries a package of meat in his mouth. Another dog tries to catch a ball. When a boy throws a ball, the puppy runs after it. One naughty dog chases rabbits and squirrels. Spot pulls a little wagon. Pet likes to cuddle down in the clothes basket. Lassie digs holes in the garden. Dogs and puppies do many interesting things. A True Dog Story This is a true story. My mother told it to me. When Earl was a little baby, his father had a dog. Earl used to run away from home. One day he went down to the railroad tracks. The dog saw him and followed. Later, the dog walked ahead of Earl. Earl did not know the way home. So the dog showed him the way home. Earl followed the dog and so found the way home again. [Illustration: Dog with stick] My Uncle’s Dog My Uncle Frank was a soldier. He had an army dog. The dog’s name was Buster. Buster learned how to do many things. He knew how to mind quickly. When Uncle told him to pick up a stick, he did it at once. He would pick up a bat, too. My uncle had the dog for a long time. A Little Doggy I had a little doggy That used to sit and beg; But doggy tumbled down the stairs And broke his little leg. Oh! doggy, I will nurse you, And try to make you well, And you shall have a collar With a little silver bell. Harriet and the Dog