course, the ones for Zip were smaller. The hired man
was as good as his word in the matter of a harness, and soon everything
was in readiness for the first ride.

"The only thing I'm afraid of," said Mother Bunker, "is that Zip won't let
himself be harnessed. He may not like it."

But the big dog did not seem to mind in the least. He came when Russ
called him, and he wagged his tail when the boys showed him the soap-box
cart and the harness.

"Now we're going to have some fun when you give us a ride!" said Russ,
patting Zip's shaggy head.

"Bow-wow!" barked the dog, as much as to say:

"That's right! We'll have fun!"

Daddy Bunker, as well as his wife and Grandma Bell, came out to see how
the first trip would turn out. Tom put the harness on Zip. The dog only
sniffed at it and wagged his tail. Perhaps he thought of the time when he
had been harnessed this way by Bobbie.

"Oh, it's nice! I like it!" cried Mun Bun, when he saw the home-made
dog-cart with the baby carriage wheels. "I want a ride now."

"So do I," added Margy, who never liked to be left, out of anything in
which her smaller brother had a share.

"You little folks had better not get in until Russ and Laddie try it,"
said Mr. Bunker "And they had better keep on the soft grass when they
start to drive Zip."

"Why should we stay on the grass?" asked Laddie.

"So if you fall out of the cart you won't get hurt," his father answered
with a merry laugh.

"Oh, we won't fall out," declared Russ. "The cart is big enough for two of
us."

And the soap box was large enough for Russ, Laddie and one more little
Bunker, though two made a more comfortable load than three. Tom had nailed
in a board for a seat, and really the dog-cart, though rather roughly
made, was very nice.

"Get in now, and let's see how you go," said Daddy Bunker. He was holding
Zip by part of the harness that went around the dog's head. To this, which
was a sort of muzzle, there were fastened two pieces of real horse reins,
and by these Zip's head could be pulled to the left or the right,
according to which way the little drivers wanted him to go.

"He guides just like a real horse or a boat," said Laddie. Of course there
was no bit in Zip's mouth, as there is in the mouth of a horse, for dogs
have to keep their mouth open so much, to cool off when they are hot, that
a bit would be in the way.

In the soap box Laddie and Russ took their places. Daddy Bunker handed
them the lines an