d Gary went to sleep, too.

SUDDENLY Rags woke up. Sniff! Sniff! What was that queer smell?
Crackle-crackle-crackle! There was a red light on the wall near the
chimney. Something was wrong.

Rags sat up. He didn't want anything to happen to this home.

"WOOF." "WOOF."

Grandma jumped up and ran to the kitchen.

"Oh, the house is on fire!" she screamed.

Snatching the broom she beat at the flames.

But she could not put them out.

She was wide awake now.

Quickly she filled her dishpan with water and threw it on the wall.

Five dishpans of water .. and the fire was out!

Grandma stooped and picked up the shaggy little dog. "You saved our
home," she crooned softly. "And you can stay with us ... always."

Rags licked her hands.

Grandma didn't go back to bed. She sat by the kitchen window with
Rags in her lap. It was almost morning.

Grandma watched the clouds turn pink and golden over the dark hills.
She was very thankful. Rags had saved their home.

After awhile Gary woke up.

So did Rags.

Grandma told Gary what had happened.

"So we'll keep him," she said, "But I don't know how we will manage
to feed him."

Gary had an idea.

"Come, Rags," he said.

Rags scampered down the street beside him.

They went to the meat market, where the butcher was just opening his
doors.

"I want a job," said Gary, "Is there a some way I can earn meat for
my dog?"

The butcher looked into Gary's earnest face and down at the little
raggedy dog.

"I think so. I need someone to sweep out the store every morning."

Gary set to work and the store was soon clean.

Then the butcher wrapped up some meat and handed it to Gary.

"Here's a dime, besides. You did a fine job."

"Oh, thanks," gasped Gary.

He ran down the street with Rags at his heels.

They burst into the kitchen.

"Grandma, I've got a job, and here's meat for Rags, and ten cents and
I can do it every day."

Rags was nosing happily about his new home ... around the chairs and
under the curtains. In the bedroom were two blue slippers. He picked
them up ... carefully ... and carried them to the kitchen and laid
them at Grandma's feet.

Rags had grown up.

Rags would never chew slippers any more!

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rags, by Karen Niemann

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