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Sammie and Susie Littletail

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<h2> XVIII </h2> <h3> SAMMIE AND THE BLACK DOGGIE </h3> One day, when Sammie Littletail was on his way home from Dr. Possum's house, where he had gone to get some sweet-flag root, for Uncle Wiggily Longear's rheumatism, something happened to the little boy rabbit. He was coming through a big field, where the grass was quite high, when he heard a little bark. He knew at once that it was a dog, and Sammie was afraid of dogs, as all rabbits are, so he started to run. But the dog called out: "Don't run, little rabbit." "Why not?" asked Sammie. "I'm afraid of you." "But I won't hurt you," went on the dog. "You might," answered Sammie. "Dogs always hurt rabbits." "Not all dogs," continued the little black one. "Besides, I am what they call a doggie. A doggie is a small dog, you know, and small dogs won't hurt rabbits." "Are you sure?" asked Sammie. "Perfectly sure. Besides, I am a trick dog, and trick dogs are so well fed at home that they do not have to hunt rabbits to eat." "Are you sure?" asked Sammie again. "Perfectly sure. You just watch me, and you will see that I do not eat you. Watch me carefully." "Oh, I meant are you sure that you are a trick dog," went on Sammie. "Of course, I am sure. I can do lots of tricks. I can play dead. I can turn a back somersault, and I can walk on my hind legs—" "Oh, I can do that, too," interrupted Sammie. "Yes, I know. I saw you do that a little while ago. But can you walk on your front legs, with your hind ones up in the air? Now, can you do that?" and the black doggie looked straight at Sammie. "I never tried that," replied Sammie. "No; and I guess you'd better not, unless you want to fall. I fell lots of times before I learned it. But I can do it now, and every time I do my master gives me a sweet cracker." "What's a sweet cracker?" asked Sammie, who thought it sounded very nice. "Don't you know what a sweet cracker is?" asked the doggie, who was much surprised. "No, I don't," declared Sammie. "Well, you ought to. I'm astonished at you. It's sweet, and it's a cracker, that's all I can tell you. You ought to know such things yourself." "Look here!" cried Sammie, who thought the doggie was trying to show how smart it was, "do you know what molasses carrots are?" "No," said the doggie. "I don't believe there are any such things." "Yes, there are," declared Sammie. "I have had them to eat. So, you see, if I don't know what a sweet cracker is, you don't know what molasses carrots are. We're even now." "Oh, let's talk about something else," said the doggie quickly. "I will show you some of my tricks, if you like." "I would like to see them very much," answered Sammie politely. So the little black doggie walked on his hind legs, and then he walked on his front legs. Next, he played dead, and Sammie was quite frightened, until with a bark the doggie jumped up and turned three back somersaults, one after the other, just as easy as you can upset the salt-cellar. After that he made believe to say his prayers, and rolled over and sneezed like any boy or girl, it was so natural. Sammie was becoming very much interested, for the doggie's tricks were almost as good as those Sammie had seen at the circus, when, all at once, who should come along but a big man. He whistled to the little black doggie, and the doggie, who was trying to stand on the end of his tail, got down and ran to the man. Sammie was so frightened that he ran, too, only he ran home. Sammie told his papa and mamma and Susie and Uncle Wiggily what had happened to him, and they told him he must be careful not to go near black doggies again. "Oh," promised Sammie, "I won't, you may be sure. But, Uncle Wiggily, are squirrels all right to play with?" "Oh, yes, squirrels are very nice," said his Uncle. "Why, did you see some?" "Yes, I met two, and they said their names were Billie and Johnnie Bushytail, and they are coming over to see me some time." "That will be nice," remarked Susie. "May I play with them, too?" "I guess so," replied Sammie. "But, mamma, I'm hungry. Isn't there anything to eat?" "You can have some bread and butter," said his mamma. "With sugar on?" asked Sammie. "We are all out of sugar," went on Mrs. Littletail. "You must run to the store for some." "I will," promised Sammie, "after I eat something." "All out of sugar," remarked Uncle Wiggily. "That reminds me, I must make some maple sugar soon. I will have it when Billie and Johnnie Bushytail come over to see you; or, perhaps before then, if you are good children." So Sammie and Susie said they would be good, and in another book after this one, I'm going to tell you about Billie and Johnnie Bushytail, the little boy squirrels, and what they did. They lived near Sammie and Susie Littletail. But the story to-morrow night will be about Uncle Wiggily making maple sugar.     <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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