Box and Cox were twins. Griswold, their little master, was very fond of
them. The dogs and the boy were always together.
Griswold let them play with some of his toys, but not with any they
could hurt. Somebody gave Griswold a new toy-rabbit which he kept safely
away from the dogs, except once. Then he left it on the floor while he
went out to see a boy passing by.
Box examined the bunny, nosing and pawing it all over. Cox tried to get
his nose or a paw on it, but Box kept him off. Suddenly, while Box was
looking up, Cox grabbed bunny by the back and started to run. Box as
soon as he could collect his wits ran too. Such a race! Over the toys,
down the steps, out in the yard, around the house, they chased and they
raced.
Cox held the bunny fast in his mouth, and kept the lead for a long time.
Box finally got near enough to catch the bunny’s head in his mouth. Then
came the tug of war. Cox pulled one way, Box the other. Cox tried to
shake Box off, Box tried to shake Cox off. Cox growled, Box growled.
Griswold, coming back to his playthings, missed the dogs and the bunny,
and feared something was wrong. Hearing some growls, he went to look for
the dogs. His heart came into his mouth as he saw them jerking his bunny
with all their might.
He got to them just in time to see poor bunny come apart. And he came
apart so suddenly that Box, with the head in his mouth, keeled over one
way, and Cox, still holding the back, keeled over the other way. This
ending surprised them. Each dog sat down to think and to pant.
Griswold sat down to think and to cry. Griswold’s mother came to the
rescue. She gathered up the remains of the rabbit, whipped Box and Cox,
and consoled Griswold. She said the bunny’s head could be plastered on;
but his expression would never be quite the same, for one eye was
knocked in, and one ear was gone.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]