Out of the purse he took a bill and put some change back.

Then he covered them with the white cloth and put a brown wrapping paper
on top, to keep out the dust.

"You can take this home now, and mind you don't lose it," said he, as he
held the door open.

Rover took up the basket and went down the steps.

"A pretty smart dog!" said one of the men, as Rover trotted along.

Down the street he went, with the basket held high from the ground.

Rover could smell the meat, and it made him feel hungry. But he had
never touched anything that he carried in his basket and he did not do
it now.

When he came to the house where Ned Hopkins lived, he saw Ned sitting on
the fence, whittling a stick.

"I'll try to make Rover drop that basket," said Ned. He whistled and
called, "Here, Rover, get it," as he threw the stick across the road.

Rover stopped and looked longingly at it. One of his favorite games was
to fetch sticks that were thrown for him. But he did not run after it
this time.

"Come, Rover, old dog," said Ned, getting down from the fence; "let me
see what is in your basket." He patted Rover on the neck and then
reached over to take the basket.

Rover held the handle tightly in his teeth and growled, "Gr-r-r-"

Ned had never heard Rover growl like that before.

"Oh, well, if that is the way you feel about it, I won't bother you,"
said he.

"Gr-r-r-r! You had better not," growled Rover. And he started on up the
road.

After leaving the village, he came to a house where a man named Mr. Hook
lived all alone. Mr. Hook was sitting in his front yard as Rover came
along.

"I wonder what is in the basket to-day," he thought.

"Rover, old dog, wait a minute," he called.

Rover stopped and looked around. The basket felt quite heavy by this
time, so he was glad to set it down on the ground.

Mr. Hook came up and patted him on the head. "Nice old dog! Nice Rover,"
he said. "What is in your basket?"

He put out his hand to take it. But Rover seized the handle and started
toward home.

Mr. Hook looked up and down the road. There was no one in sight.

"Here, Ponto! Come, Ponto!" he called; and his own dog came running
out--a big, black dog.

"Get him, Ponto," said the man.

Ponto ran after Rover and attacked him savagely. Rover had to put the
basket down, to defend himself.

Ponto soon found he was getting the worst of it and turned to run.

Rover chased him down the road, leaving the basket alone on t