Part 29 (2/2)

”Then I wish you'd harness Splash to my wagon,” Bunny went on. ”I've tried and tried, and I can't do it. The harness breaks all the while, and when I put the handle of the wagon between Splash's legs he falls down--it trips him up.”

”Of course,” Bunker said. ”You ought to have two handles to the wagon, and Splash could stand in between them, just as a horse is. .h.i.tched to a wagon.”

”Oh, could you fix my wagon that way, Bunker?”

”I might, if your mother said it was all right.”

”I'll ask her. And will you make me a harness for Splash?”

”I'll try, Bunny.”

Mrs. Brown said she did not mind if Bunker fixed the wagon and made a harness so Bunny could hitch Splash to the express wagon, for the big dog was kind and gentle.

”Oh, what fun Sue and I will have!” cried Bunny. ”We'll get lots of rides in the wagon.”

It did not take Bunker long to make two handles, or ”shafts,” as they are called, for Bunny's wagon. Then he made a harness for the dog--a harness strong enough not to break. One day, when all was finished, Splash was. .h.i.tched to the wagon, and Bunny was given the reins. They went around the neck of Splash, for of course you can not put in a dog's mouth an iron bit, as you can in that of a horse.

Bunny found that he could guide his dog from one side to the other by pulling on either the right or left rein. And Splash did not seem to mind pulling the wagon with Bunny in it. He went around the yard very nicely.

”Oh, give me a ride, Bunny!” begged Sue, who came in just then from having been down to Sadie West's house, having a dolls' party.

”Yes, I'll give you a ride, Sue,” Bunny said. ”Get in! Whoa, Splas.h.!.+” he called. The dog did not ”whoa” very well, but finally he stopped, and Sue got in the wagon, sitting behind Bunny.

They drove around the yard for a while, and then Sue said:

”Oh, Bunny, let's go out on the sidewalk, where it's nice and smooth. It will be easier for Splash to pull us then.” Bunny thought this would be fun, so he guided the dog out through the gate. The wagon did go more smoothly on the sidewalk, and Splash trotted a little faster.

”Oh, this is fun!” cried Bunny.

”I like it!” laughed Sue, who had her arms around Bunny's waist, so she would not fall out backwards.

They had not gone very far before Sue cried:

”Oh, Bunny! Look! There's that yellow dog--the one that had the tin can tied to his tail--the one that upset our lemonade stand!”

”So it is!” said Bunny.

And, just at that moment, Splash also saw the yellow dog.

With a bark and a wag of his tail, Splash gave a big jump, nearly throwing Bunny and Sue out of the wagon. Then the big dog began to run after the little one.

”Whoa! Whoa!” cried Bunny, pulling on the reins. But Splash would not stop. Faster and faster he ran. He only wanted to see his little yellow dog friend again, and rub noses with him. But I guess the yellow dog was frightened when he saw the express wagon, with the two children in it, following after Splash.

Maybe the yellow dog thought the wagon was tied to the tail of Splash, as the tin can had once been to his own. And maybe the little yellow dog thought some one would now tie an express wagon to his tail. At any rate he ran on faster and faster, And Splash, who just wanted to speak to him, in dog language, ran on faster too.

”b.u.mpity-b.u.mp-b.u.mp!” went the wagon with Bunny and Sue in it.

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