As he played, the little dog stood up on his hind legs and tried to sing.

“Bow—­wow, wow!” he barked, and oh he did look so funny!

“Please ask the boy to bring that funny dog over here, Grandma,” said Mary.

“Come here, little boy,” said Grandma.  “What is your name?”

“My name is Tommy,” said the boy, “and this is my dog Rags.”

“Run and get Tommy and the dog some cookies, Mary,” said Grandma, “I guess they are both hungry.”

Tommy looked so tired that Mrs. Hall asked him to sit down and rest.

“Where do you live?” she asked.

“I don’t live anywhere,” replied Tommy, “I just have my dog Rags, and he and I sleep wherever we can.”

“Well,” said Grandma, “you must both stay here to-night.  We can find a place for a boy and a dog somewhere in this big house.”

I can’t tell you how happy Tommy was.

Rags seemed happy, too.

He did all the tricks he knew, and for every trick he got a big, sweet cookie.

After supper Tommy wanted to help, so he went out to the barn with
Grandpa Hall.

Rags trotted along behind him, wagging his tail and barking at everything he saw.

“What can you do, Tommy?” asked Grandpa.

“I can play my violin and sing,” said Tommy.  “That is all I know how to do.”

  “Little Tommy Tucker,
  Sings for his supper.

“I think we shall have to call you ’Tommy Tucker’,” said Grandpa.

But Tommy could do many things besides sing and play.

He helped Grandpa Hall feed the hens and chickens.

He gave them fresh water and found all the eggs.

Then he brought in some wood for Grandma’s fire.

There are a great many things for a boy to do on a farm.

That night, after the children had gone to bed, Grandpa said,

“I wish Tommy could live here with us all the time.

“I would like a good boy to help me.”

“That is a good idea,” said Grandma.

“It is lonely now that all our children are gone.

“And Tommy is just the kind of a boy I like.”

So the next morning Grandma asked Tommy if he would like to live with them.

[Illustration]

“Could Rags stay here, too?” asked Tommy.

“Of course he could,” said Grandma.

“You could help Grandpa in the summer, and in the winter you could go to school.”

What do you think Tommy did?

He couldn’t say a word.

He threw his arms around Grandma’s neck and kissed her.

“Bow-wow,” said Rags, jumping up beside them and barking as hard as he could.

“Bow-wow, this is a good home, Tommy.”

And Tommy thought so too.

  This little pig went to market,
  This little pig stayed at home,
  This little pig had bread and butter,
  This little pig had none,
  This little pig cried, “Wee, wee, wee! 
  I can’t find my way home!”