On Sundays at Cloverfield Farm Rover always stayed at home to guard the
place while the family went to church.
Just once, a long time ago, he had followed clear to the church door,
when Mr. Hill had sent him back home.
One Sunday in summer, father hitched the horses to the big carriage and
drove up to the horse block where mother and the children were waiting
for him.
"Did you lock all the doors?" asked father.
"Yes," said mother, "and all the windows too."
"Where is Rover?" asked father.
"He is under the apple tree," said John.
Then they got into the carriage and drove to church--father, John and
Sue on the front seat; mother, Bobby and Baby Betty on the back seat.
Past two farm houses, under the Big Trees, past two more farm houses,
down the little hill and through the village they went to the big stone
church on the brow of the big hill.
After father had driven the horses and carriage under the shed at the
rear of the church, all the family went into church and up the middle
aisle to their pew near the front.
Meanwhile at the farm Rover was having a good nap under the apple tree.
Suddenly he was awakened by the sound of wheels on the gravel drive. Up
he jumped and ran up the driveway to welcome the family home.
But what was his surprise to see a strange horse and carriage and
strange people in the carriage!
"Strangers must not come into this yard when the folks are away,"
thought Rover. So he ran toward them, growling and barking.
"Bow-wow, bow-wow," barked Rover, "bow-wow-wow, gr-r-r-"
"Hello, Rover," said a man's voice.
[Illustration: "'Strangers must not come into this yard when the folks
are away'"]
"Why, I have heard that voice before," thought Rover.
Then he ran nearer and saw that the man was Uncle James and the lady
beside him was Aunt Polly.
Rover stopped barking and growling and wagged his tail very hard and
looked pleased, for he liked them.
Uncle James got out of the carriage and went to the front door.
He rang the bell and waited a few moments, but nobody came. He rang it
again, but nobody came.
"I thought somebody always stayed at home with Baby Betty," said Uncle
James.
"Perhaps some one is in the garden or out in the orchard," said Aunt
Polly.
Uncle James hitched the horse, and then they looked in the garden and
in the orchard, but could find nobody.
"Where are all the folks?" asked Aunt Polly of Rover.
"Find Bobby and Baby Betty," said Uncle James.
Rover pricked up his ears and opened his eyes very wide. He looked from
Uncle James to Aunt Polly.
"Go find Baby Betty," said Aunt Polly.
Then Uncle James and Aunt Polly went to the front porch and sat in the
big rockers.
Rover started down the road toward the church. He trotted along quite
fast past the two farm houses, under the Big Trees, past two more farm
houses, down the little hill and through the village to the big stone
church on the brow of the big hill.
The front door was open, so he went through the vestibule into the big
room where the minister was preaching.
"Bow-wow, bow-wow," barked Rover.
Farmer Hill looked around quickly, for he knew Rover's voice.
When Rover saw Farmer Hill's face, he ran up the middle aisle to the
pew where the Hill family sat.
When they heard a dog bark in church, some of the boys snickered and
some of the girls laughed and some of the older people smiled, but
Farmer Hill put his hand on Rover's head and said very softly, "Lie
down, Rover."
So he lay down in the aisle with his head resting on his front paws and
kept very still all through the service.
When meeting was over, the minister came to Rover and patted him and
said, "You behaved nicely in church, Rover."
As they were driving home, John said, "I wonder why Rover came to
church."
"Perhaps he was lonesome at home alone," said mother.
"Perhaps something is the matter there," said father.
As they came into the yard, Sue was the first to see the visitors.
"Why, there are Uncle James and Aunt Polly," she exclaimed.
"Didn't Rover tell you that we were here?" asked Uncle James.
"So that is why he came to church, is it?" said mother.
"Rover is an intelligent dog," said father.
Rover looked from one to another and lay down on the porch where they
were all visiting together.
[Illustration: PRINCE HELPS MAKE ICE CREAM]