Prince and Rover of Cloverfield Farm Part 9

"We must not allow him in the parlor again," said mother.

Rover knew he must have done something wrong. With his head down and his tail hanging very limp he went to the horse barn to lie in the dark corner and think it over.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ROVER FINDS BABY BETTY]

XII

"Where is Baby Betty?" said mother, coming up from the cellar where she had been making b.u.t.ter.

"I saw Baby Betty's pink sunbonnet in the front yard by the maple tree an hour ago," said big brother John. Then he ran to the front yard and looked everywhere--behind the maple tree, under the lilac bush, down by the road, but no Baby Betty was there.

"I saw Baby Betty down by the pump not long ago," said father. Then they looked by the well, and in the corn crib and all through the farmyard, but no Baby Betty was there.

"I saw Baby Betty's curly head in the garden a while ago," said big sister Sue. Then Sue ran to the garden and looked under the currant bushes, behind the asparagus bed and in the strawberry patch.

But no Baby Betty was there.

"Where, oh, where is Baby Betty?" said mother. Then they all looked, down the lane, in the apple orchard, in the clover field and behind the haystack, but no Baby Betty could be found.

Just then Rover came home from the village with the hired man. "Where is Baby Betty?" said father. "Find Baby Betty." Then he showed Rover Betty's little pink sunbonnet. Rover smelled of it and looked around the yard and whined. First he ran to the front yard and then to the pump, then to the garden and then to the strawberry patch beyond the garden.

"He thinks she is in the strawberry patch," said Sue, "but I looked there and I surely would have seen her."

Up and down the rows went Rover, and across to the farther side of the patch. Soon he stopped and barked a little and then came running back.

Again he started over to the strawberry patch. "I believe he wants us to follow," said mother.

Then all of them followed Rover away to the farther side of the strawberry patch.

There, behind a clump of tall plants, with her hand clutching some ripe berries, was Baby Betty fast asleep.

Father lifted her and carried her to the house. Mother came close along by his side; while John and Sue patted Rover's neck and said, "Good dog, good dog."

Rover looked up at them with his kind eyes and wagged his tail very hard.

Baby Betty went to playing again in the yard, and Rover lay down under the apple tree to watch over her.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PRINCE SEES A DRAGON]

XIII

"May I have a horse to drive to town this afternoon?" asked mother one noon in summer. "I must take Bobby and Betty to get them some new shoes."

"Yes," said father. "You may have Prince to-day. He is our safest horse."

So Sue stayed at home to get supper, while mother and Bobby and Betty went away in the carriage toward the city.

The city was ten miles away. It was a pleasant drive, past the little red school house, past farmhouses and orchards and cornfields and woods.

When about half way there, down the road in front of them there appeared a big threshing machine, with its engine drawing it along.

"Chug-chug-chug-chug," went the engine. Slowly it came toward them.

"Do you think Prince will be scared?" asked Bobby.

"I hope not," said mother, "but you had better take fast hold of Baby Betty so she will not tumble off the seat if he jumps."

"Chug-chug-chug-chug," slowly came the engine.

Prince p.r.i.c.ked up his ears.

"Whoa, Prince," said Mrs. Hill, "steady, Prince."

"I'm not afraid of that," thought Prince. "I have seen that thing before. It makes a lot of noise, but it never hurts me."

So he went along steady and easy past the threshing machine.

After a while they came to a railroad crossing.

"I will look down the track and you look up the track," said mother to Bobby.

"I see a train coming," said Bobby.

"We will wait until it goes past before we try to cross," said mother "Whoa, Prince."

So Prince stood facing the track.

On came the train, very fast. "Chug, chug, chug," went the engine.

"Toot, toot," went the whistle. "Ding, dong, ding, dong," went the bell. Soon the train went whizzing past.

Prince did not jump. He just stood still and looked at the train as it pa.s.sed. You see, he had seen trains many times before.

When the train had pa.s.sed, Mrs. Hill drove over the track and on to town.

After she had bought the new shoes for Bobby and Betty, they started home again.

Just as they were going down Main Street, along came a parade with a bra.s.s band at its head. "We will stop here and see the parade," said mother.

When the band came near them it played very loud. The drums were beating, "rub-a-dub-dub, rub-a-dub." The horns and the fifes and the flutes and the drums, all made a beautiful big sound.