"Grandma!" Gary shouted, as he ran toward the kitchen. "Rags has come
to live with us."
When Grandma saw Rags she dropped the potato that she was peeling. It
rolled across the floor. "Good gracious, Gary! Where did you find
him!"
"In my play house."
"Well, I don't believe that I ever saw a dirtier, more ragged dog in
all my life!"
"But isn't he dear?" Gary pleaded. "Look, he is wagging his tail at
you."
Indeed, Rags did wag his tail. He wagged and wagged. Then he had a
bright idea. He scooted across the floor, picked up the potato, and
carried it to Grandma.
"See." Gary cried, "Rags will be a helper."
Rags stood still.
His brown eyes looked hopefully into Grandma's face.
She hated to turn him out.
Yet she could scarcely manage their own meals, and felt that she
could never feed a stray dog.
She looked down at Rags. "We'll keep him until tomorrow," she said,
"Then we will hunt a home for him."
Rags was happy.
Grandma gave him some milk.
He said, "Woof! Woof!" for "Thank you." And lapped it up, hungrily.
Then he played with Gary.
And took another nap.
Night came.
Grandma put an old pillow on the kitchen floor. It was warm by the
stove and Rags was happy. He curled up and went to sleep.
Grandma and Gary went to sleep, too.
SUDDENLY Rags woke up. Sniff! Sniff! What was that queer smell?
Crackle-crackle-crackle! There was a red light on the wall near the
chimney. Something was wrong.
Rags sat up. He didn't want anything to happen to this home.
"WOOF." "WOOF."
Grandma jumped up and ran to the kitchen.
"Oh, the house is on fire!" she screamed.
Snatching the broom she beat at the flames.
But she could not put them out.
She was wide awake now.
Quickly she filled her dishpan with water and threw it on the wall.
Five dishpans of water .. and the fire was out!
Grandma stooped and picked up the shaggy little dog. "You saved our
home," she crooned softly. "And you can stay with us ... always."
Rags licked her hands.
Grandma didn't go back to bed. She sat by the kitchen window with
Rags in her lap. It was almost morning.
Grandma watched the clouds turn pink and golden over the dark hills.
She was very thankful. Rags had saved their home.
After awhile Gary woke up.
So did Rags.
Grandma told Gary what had happened.
"So we'll keep him," she said, "But I don't know how we will manage
to feed him."
Gary had an idea.
"Come, Rags," he said.
Rags scampered down the street beside him.
They went to the meat market, where the butcher was just opening his
doors.
"I want a job," said Gary, "Is there a some way I can earn meat for
my dog?"
The butcher looked into Gary's earnest face and down at the little
raggedy dog.
"I think so. I need someone to sweep out the store every morning."
Gary set to work and the store was soon clean.
Then the butcher wrapped up some meat and handed it to Gary.
"Here's a dime, besides. You did a fine job."
"Oh, thanks," gasped Gary.
He ran down the street with Rags at his heels.
They burst into the kitchen.
"Grandma, I've got a job, and here's meat for Rags, and ten cents and
I can do it every day."
Rags was nosing happily about his new home ... around the chairs and
under the curtains. In the bedroom were two blue slippers. He picked
them up ... carefully ... and carried them to the kitchen and laid
them at Grandma's feet.
Rags had grown up.
Rags would never chew slippers any more!