Friends and Helpers | Page 3

put out his long, red tongue and swept the
meat and bread into his mouth.
[Illustration: Caption: "Can't you talk?" Small child kneeling in front of
dog, while kitten looks on.]
Then the angry tinker struck the poor dog and spoke sharply to him. An
hour later Rover had run away.

ROVER'S NEW HOME
It was a hot day in summer, and Rover stopped to drink some water out
of a mud-puddle. How hungry and thirsty he was! He ran on for miles

and miles. At last he saw a cottage with smoke coming out of the
chimney. High hills were all around it, and a thick, dark wood was not
far away. On the doorstep were two little children. When they saw the
dog they shouted with delight.
"It is Rover!" cried Sandy. "It is Tommy Tinker's dog. Where have you
come from, old fellow, and where is your master?"
It was plain that Rover was no stranger to them. He had been there with
his master only the week before, and while Tinker Tom was mending
the kettle, the children and the dog had made friends. The mother had
given him a bone, and though some persons may forget a kindness, a
dog never does. Rover could not answer Sandy's question. All he could
do was to wag his tail faster than ever. The little girl put her arms about
his shaggy neck.
"Poor doggie!" she said. "You shall have some of my supper."

HOW ROVER WAS CARED FOR.
When the children's mother saw Rover she brought him a large bowl of
water, which he quickly lapped up. Then she gave him something to eat
and made a soft bed for him in a corner of the room. She said: "Perhaps
Tinker Tom may come for his dog, and we will keep him till then."
Rover hoped he would never come, but he could not say so. He curled
himself up in his bed and, with a long sigh of happiness, went to sleep.
Rover was very happy in his new home. He had no wish to run away
again. He had good brown bread to eat, which was better for him than
white bread would have been. Sandy learned to make for him a thick
cake out of oatmeal, and sometimes he had a bone. Fortunately for the
dog, Sandy's mother was too poor to be able to give him much meat.
There was always a dish of fresh water ready for him, and a bit of
cabbage with his food kept him well and strong.
Sandy would often talk to Rover, and the dog soon learned to
understand what was said to him. He was delighted when Sandy said,
"Would you like to go for a walk?" But Sandy never said this unless he
was really going to take Rover out, or the dog soon would have learned
that the boy did not always mean what he said.
One of the things that Rover liked best to do was to run after a large
ball of wool which Sandy made on purpose for him.
[Illustration: Caption: "Speak for it!" Photograph of boy approx. 5

years old holding treat above head of dog sitting expectantly in front of
him.]
Sandy often brushed and combed Rover, and this made his coat glossy
and clean. One would hardly have recognized the rough, neglected dog
in the pet of the household.

TINKER TOM COMES BACK
One day when Rover was playing with the children on the hill, he
suddenly ran away as fast as he could go.
"Oh, Rover, come back, come back!" called little Jessie; but Rover kept
on until he was lost to sight in the dark woods. In the distance he had
seen a well-known figure. Tinker Tom was coming along the road with
his pack on his back.
When the tinker came to the house, Sandy's mother told him about
Rover.
"You may keep him and welcome," said the tinker, "if you will give me
something to eat."
So a good, hot dinner was spread for him, and at last he went away
with his pack on his back. When he had been gone a long time and it
was quite dark, Rover appeared. He came in looking pleased and proud,
as if he had done some very wise thing. He said as plainly as he could,
"Am I not a clever dog?"
You may be sure that Sandy and Jessie were glad to see him again and
to know that now nobody could take him away.

ROVER LEARNS TO BE USEFUL.
Sandy's father was a poor man who had charge of a large flock of sheep.
In summer he led them from one feeding-place to another over the high
hills. Often he was