oving he became.

[Illustration: Sometimes the Puppy Would Bite Spot's Tail.

(_Page 73_)]

There were no more dull days for old dog Spot. When school opened in
the fall he no longer moped around the farmhouse, waiting for Johnnie to
come home. The puppy kept him too busy to notice Johnnie's absence.

At first Spot found it very pleasant to roll on the ground with his
small friend, and pretend to bite him, and upset him off his somewhat
wobbly legs. But as time passed Spot began to weary of never-ending
play. There were moments when Spot wanted to lie still and doze. But as
soon as he had settled himself for a nap the puppy was sure to come
bouncing up and sprawl all over him. He would seize one of Spot's long
ears between his teeth and give it a bit of a nip. Sometimes he would
even pull Spot's tail.

Of course nobody can sleep under such interruptions. Spot learned that
when he wanted to rest he had to hide in some place where the puppy
couldn't follow him. And as the puppy became bigger Spot found it harder
to slip away from him. The youngster would trail Spot into the barn and
even as far as the hay-stack in the meadow.

Once the old dog had _wished_ for a puppy. Now, however, he could
scarcely wait for this lively youngster to grow into a dog.

A whole year passed before Spot had any peace again. And when another
summer had come, and Johnnie Green went visiting again, Spot muttered
with a deep groan:

"I hope Johnnie will have sense enough not to bring another puppy with
him when he comes home."

XVI

MRS. WOODCHUCK RUNS

Mrs. Woodchuck was on her way home, waddling across the pasture. She had
been making a call on Aunt Polly Woodchuck, the herb doctor, who lived
under the hill. They had talked over all the news in the neighborhood.
And Mrs. Woodchuck had her mind on some gossip that Aunt Polly had told
her. Otherwise she might have noticed sooner that old dog Spot had spied
her.

If he hadn't spoken he would certainly have caught her that time. For
Mrs. Woodchuck was fat and couldn't run as fast as she used to. But when
Spot's keen nose caught a scent that told him there was one of the
Woodchuck family not far away he just had to give one long-drawn howl.

When Mrs. Woodchuck heard that dreadful sound she scurried for home. She
dropped her knitting and the apple that Aunt Polly had given her. And
she only managed to pop down the hole that was her front door with Spot
scarcely a length behi